Oh I miss those days as the years go by

Today Katie Johnson (Whom I affectionately call "Pookie") posted a video of our floor from last year at Greenville College. The thing was nearly twenty minutes. Of bliss! Gosh, i love those girls so much. We had such an incredible year together. I can't imagine how different my life would be had I not lived it with them. It made me get so much more excited for this next school year. I have such high expectations. Now that I know where I'm going, I know a little bit more of what to expect. Last year, I only knew I was going to Greenville College. I didn't know the people that I'd meet. I only knew Zach would be there too. I knew I'd be doing music stuff, but I didn't know how. I knew I'd learn a lot, but I didn't know what.

This year, I know God is going to finish a lot of works He began. I know He's going to start up some wild and crazy things in my school that even I - high expectations and all- could not have dreamed myself. And I am a dreamer, mind you. He's going to do things in me that need to be done. He's going to do things with me and in me that I don't understand. He's going to confuse me and frustrate me. And I might cry and get upset. And I might feel desperate. But I just have this feeling... He's got some awesome things going on. He's got some awesome things He's going to do with this next school year in my life. My senior year of college. Shooooot!

I can't wait to get back to writing with Whitney (Whom I affectionately call Whinny, or Whitnock, or whatsoever comes to my head at the time). I can't wait to record in more random and crazy places when we finish a song. We've already recorded in the kitchenette. The bathroom. The prayer room. My bed at 5 am... it's been a wild journey with that one.

And Pookie... I can't wait to see her in her ridiculous and wonderful outfits. She makes a rainy day like the beach on the 4th of July. She and I... always on the road to absolute wellness. I got to be good friends with Katie (Pookie) in Wellness class last Fall. We loved eating healthy food together, and going to the gym. One of our mottos was, "I LOVE Greenville!!" We'd ride over the railroad tracks in her car on the way to the Annex. And people would probably think we were on something... so high with excitement for just life. It seemed unnatural. Not for the Pookies. She calls me Pookie too... :)

And Trina. I was so excited when we decided to be roommates for choir touring. When I found out that we'd be coming to New Jersey (the best state ever), I wanted my family to get to know her, because she was on my floor, 3rd Burritt East. I didn't really have that many friends in choir yet. I felt such an identity crisis at school for a while, because even though I was the age of freshmen, I was a junior. And then the Junior class was already a bit established, and they all had their ties. It's a small school... once a crew always a crew. I didn't know where to go right away. Naturally, since I was a transfer, people assumed I was a freshman. I got used to it... not sure what people were thinking when I was in classes with juniors and seniors, but oh well:) Anyway, Trina quickly became one of my best friends at school. It made me so happy. I was so excited to get to know this lovely lady. She's so genuine, beautiful in every way. My Love Language Buddy:) It was hilarious when people started mixing us up, when we look absolutely NOTHING alike. I guess our names sound a like... haha... it was fun:)

Of course my roommate from last year was wonderful too... Ali, (Whom I affectionately call Francine... she calls me a plethora of names too don't you worry) was always there for me. I don't know how many times I'd throw a "I'm five and I just want to cry and hold a fluffy pillow!" tantrum... she was always there to laugh at me and come hold me. Exactly what i needed. We'd have roommate nap time when we decided Chapel would just have to lack Shanda and Franda (That's Roommate for "Shaina and Ali"). We'd stay up for hours talking across our room about whatever came to mind. She'd be my fashion sense because we both knew she had it and I... well, she had it:) She'd let me know my hair was "lookin' good baby!" And my make up was, "Good job Shai:)" and she never ceased to love me. She would always share whatever was hers with me. I loved that. I felt bad because most of my gluten-free stuff was extremely limited... but We could act and behave like sisters. We were both from a family who knew the act of sisterhood. What's yours is hers. It worked well. I will miss living with Franny this year.

I'll never forget when Fran came home from being in a wedding one weekend. It was in May, and we only had a few more weeks of school. She was walking across the parking lot in front of Burritt, and I was walking out to study at the Union... we put our stuff down and she wrapped her arms around me, and I wrapped my arms around her. It had become a habit with us. We'd just hug. And wait till the other one started talking. Eventually we both talked about what dreadful happenings had transpired while the other was away. I had tears in my eyes as I stamped my foot. I always acted like a child with Fran... just for laughs. And Fran would act like my grandma or something... never quite figured that out, but oh, the joys of Shanda and Franda adventures. She had tears in her eyes, and we hugged again, and then picked up our stuff, and she walked up the endless stairs to room 312, and I walked out to the student Union as the sky continued it's stretch to midnight. I love that girl.

And then all the stories I could tell about everyone else... how much everyone means to me... I could never finish writing. But I can't wait to be with them all again. It's going to be a good year. Especially since Kirstie and I have already decided we will be going swing dancing every so often... get a bunch of cool people to come... it's going to be atrociously awesome. And we'll bring Taryn of course, because she'll be missing her husband like mad as he's away and she is finishing her last semester at the ville.

Well... time to get ready to teach some music!

And fyi... as I like people to know how I get my titles... Lady Antebellum, American Honey. Mmmmmm good stuff. For lyrics. i'd rather not taste it... not the biggest honey fan you'll ever meet. And so, fare thee well all.