The Semester of Laughter

Part of the reason that I revamped this blog was so that I could stay in touch with everyone that has been so curious about my life. I am a huge fan of talking in person so this should never replace good conversation, good hugs, or good times. I understand, though, that there are just some awesome things to get out there.

So, I'll start at the the beginning of this school year because some amazing transformations have taken place as of late. I started my sophomore year at the University of Colorado and I took up the role of Resident Advisor. I work for an amazing woman who is always looking out for the interests of her staff; Vanessa Dunn. I love my job and through it have met a whole floor of forty wonderful girls. They make me smile daily and it is so much fun to hear all of their stories and be part of a short blip in what I know will be dynamic lives for them all.

Also, through being an RA, I have met the most wonderful two "older brothers" if you will. Joshua Marshman and Jon Fragoso are whole stories in and of themselves. With them and with Rose, Ross, Nick, Graham, Brad, Kara, Serwaa, James, Jake, Brittni, Alex, and Dan, we have the most amazing staff ever created! At the very beginning of the semester, the lot of us (with Justine, who is also amazing although not working with us anymore) went to Mt. Evans to watch a meteor shower. It was such a random shenanigan...it was FREEZING, but beautiful and it was the first time we got to really spend time together. We did not return, I don't think, until the wee hours of the morning and we had more training the next day!

Justine, Joshua, Jon, and Joshua's friend Greg also came to my house one day during the first weeks and Joshua led us on what was an epic first-time 14er hike. We hiked Mt. Humboldt near Westcliffe and camped up there for two days. It was so beautiful and I could not have been in better company. There was only one catch to what was an amazing trip. We hiked to the top of Humboldt the first day that we were up there and on the way down we kept searching for a spot to camp. Fatigue and cold got the better of our patience and we decided to park the tent right next to Colony Lakes still above timberline. Such a poor decision! The tent that I had brought with me was not made for...wait for it...60 MILE AN HOUR WINDS! All five of us were huddled in a tent that was rapidly breaking into pieces and crushing in on us. It was freezing, ridiculously windy and in the light of morning we woke to find ourselves inside of a cloud. No joke. With our original plans being to hike another 14er nearby, we quickly scrapped that plan and headed back down the mountain. This is all, of course, not to mention the fact that our wonderfully ambitious Joshua decided to hike a second 14er (Challenger Peak) by himself the previous day while we set up camp. He did not return to camp until it was already dark and because of his fatigue he managed to put considerable stress on his knee and we left with a man who was once whole, but was now injured. I have since learned that he likes to frequent the house of injuries...silly person.

We headed down to Rye, Colorado one more time last semester. What was supposed to be an epic hot air balloon experience actually just turned into somewhat of an awkward weekend. Joshua and Jon were dragged for several yards in a wind vs. balloon catastrophe and after helping set up Katherine and I were just left on the ground to watch.

Since the first six weeks of school the fun adventures have been significantly fewer as the semester's work started to rear it's ugly head, but whenever adventures do occur, they are just as epic. It was a semester of wonderful, uncontrollable laughter and many lesson learned. Joshua and Jon also introduced me to The Annex at the beginning of the year. I don't know if they will ever understand what a wonderful thing they did for me in that. :) The Annex is the group through which I recently went on a mission trip to Ireland and every Tuesday I get to spend time with God in a community unlike I've ever witnessed before. It really is, "Real Life in Jesus Christ." Simply amazing.

I'm also in a bible study with Gina, Lorena, Chelsea, Michelle, Kristin, Annie, and one of my best friends ever, Megan Rigby through St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. All of these people in my life have and still are holding me accountable and providing laughter in unending amounts. Last semester embodied the learning of several hard lessons (some lessons still in progress) but God has been faithful the whole time. I am so blessed to have been introduced to so many fun and amazing people. And to think...it is all just the beginning of what is surely a great chapter.