Saying Goodbye to the "Summer of 48 Hours"

I'm sitting here waiting for my last blood samples to be taken at the endocrinologist's office and taking this time to reflect on my summer. I'm blogging from my phone so I don't think this post will look too pretty, but what can you do?

I'm so so so so so beyond thankful for such an awesome summer. And by awesome, I'm referring to all the things God's revealed to me. It's been a rough summer but I know everything has had a purpose in God's plan for me.

Not only did I get to see such amazing sights this summer, everything from the beaches and people in Barbados, the beautiful mountains God perfected at Lake Junaluska, the smiles on youth's faces as they worship, and the ocean at Jekyll Island. I've seen so much and I'm so grateful. I also got to experience some not-so-pleasant things like sun poisoning in Barbados, spraining my ankle at the lake, missing out on ADPi's Leadership Seminar, multiple health problems, and a very rushed summer.

I'm saying goodbye to the Summer of 48 Hours and it earned its named easily! Let's see, I was home a couple days between school and Barbados, then home 48 hours with a trip to Augusta and then I left for Lake Junaluska. My first week at the lake went by fast and Nana got put on hospice so I sped home. I was home...you guessed it, right at 48 hours! I got back to the lake and stayed until the middle of July! I got to come home for 2 short days while being stuck at home since I couldn't drive! I got to finish off my summer at the lake on the mountaintop and came home just to unpack and repack for the beach with my family. We got home Thursday and this is the longest I've been home since May! It's been filled with doctor visits and gearing up for my senior year!! Yikessss, it's here. I'm officially a senior!!!

How has my rushed summer turned into my last year of college so soon!? It's been fun to look back at the place I've been each year going to school...

Freshman Year: TERRIFIED!! I was terrified for many reasons. I was that 1/5000000 people who didn't want to go to college. Yup, I wanted to avoid the whole thing! My BFFL Katherine and I even used to make up plans to just stay home and skip over the college years! We knew it would never work but I was still hoping for my lucky lottery ticket to save me from the college years (not that my mom ever agreed to that). I wasn't scared of the work load or not being able to make friends. I was scared of change and change is exactly what I got! I had to make all new friends seeing as I didn't know anyone and I had only made two friends, Sarah and Callie, before heading to the Presby! I didn't have everything I was so used to having in high school including my family, boyfriend, best friends, church, and the comfort of my life in Irmo. Time to start all over...talk about scary! But the good news is on the first day of classes I had a sense of peace come over me to remind me I was in the exact place God wanted me! I had no idea I could be where I'm at now.

Sophomore Year: EXCITED!! I was definitely excited to head back to school. I had established friends (BEST friends), my place in ADPi, and I had 2 new jobs waiting on me! I had no idea how the year would change so much. Looking back and remembering how much change there was between freshman and sophomore year is crazy! Even though my freshmen from last year aren't my residents anymore, I still think of them as my babies haha. And even though my job is technically over with them, I know God placed them in my life and vice versa for many reasons! They continue to teach me and I hope I can continue to teach them. Coming back to school as a sophomore is TOTALLY different from freshman year! It's a good different but can be scary too! Let's be honest, what part of college isn't a little scary? I would say ALL of them!

Junior Year: OVERJOYED! I think that's a real word...if not, I just made it up because that's exactly how I felt going into my junior year. I had the absolute best summer of my life and couldn't have imagined a better start to the year. I was sooooo excited to be in Belk with my freshies! Freshmen are so much fun, sometimes too much haha! They're so impressionable and I knew God was preparing me for my role in Belk. My junior year was indeed the best year of college yet but it was also the hardest. My classes, health, jobs, and other commitments made it a difficult year but all the hard work paid off for sure.

And now we're to senior year. How am I feeling? Excited. Old. Confused. Invigorated. Anxious. Nervous. Happy. Sad. And probably any other emotion possible!! I can't wait to see what this year holds for me. I want this to be the favorite year by far! I'm sure it will be! All my besties are in the same dorm for the first time EVER!! God taught me a lot this summer I can't wait to use in my daily life. I'm hoping to glorify Him in my actions this year! And just think of where I could be this time next year...who even knows?!

Thanks for reading!!!! :)