Disclaimers?

1. Bear hugs are awesome! They tend to make people happy when they're sad. Or they just make them happier if they're already pretty happy. *Disclaimer: Sometimes bear hugs can be perceived as creepy. Make sure you know the person you're bear hugging, or you may be served with a restraining order.*

2. Painting nails is a great way to get someone to open up. Even if you're not a girly girl, it's a good way to get to know someone. My theory regarding why this works involves either: 1) The person is distracted while painting her nails thus sharing life stories with ease or 2) Nail polish fumes have a socializing (and possibly dangerous) effect on aforementioned individual. *Disclaimer: I do NOT recommend this technique for dudes. Try something less awkward like basketball, burping contests, or bear hugs.*

3. Never take yourself too seriously. Seriously. Fill someone's office with balloons, dress up like a dork and hang out with people just as ridiculous as you, and take a leap of faith knowing Someone will catch you if you fall. *Disclaimer: Literal leaps of faith can result in injury. I do not take responsibility for anyone who jumps off a cliff as a result of reading this blog.*

4. A little love goes a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG way. Hopefully the extra O's emphasize my point. :) When you're feeling down, sometimes the best thing to do is go show love to someone. First, it'll make you realize that life isn't all about you. Secondly, showing love is just part of being like Jesus. I mean, you can't argue with that. *Disclaimer: You could actually argue with that, but it wouldn't change my mind.*

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. -Acts 20:24

The Changes

Well, it's been a while since I last blogged and it's around 2:30 Saturday morning and I'm not sleepy, so here's an update:

1. My family visited! I had a great time with them. We walked around campus, ate awesome (somewhat sarcastic) Truman food, went to a football game, train bridge, and arts festival. It was a busy weekend!

They had homemade rootbeer at the festival. It was weird, because it had no carbonation.

Our group at the football game. Despite this picture, we really are good friends. I blame the cold for our awkward pose.

I love my daddy!

It took several tries to get this picture. My eyes were super squinty that day. Hmph.

2. I went to Quincy, Illinois with friends a few weekends ago. It was my first time actually staying in Illinois (we drove through on the way to Missouri) and I LOVED IT! Quincy is an adorable town on the Mississippi River. All the people I met were so friendly! We went to a QHS football game (they won!), ate at Steak-n-Shake, walked around downtown, and spent some quality time sleeping and playing Monopoly. Also, us girls cultivated our culinary skills by making cookies and even BAKLAVA. Yum!

Christina, Sarah, and me at the game!

Baklava

Side note 1: Wal-Mart had a super cute SMILEY FACE umbrella. Of course, I had to buy it. :)

3. The Pershing Society ate dinner at the home of TSU's president, Troy Paino (T-Pain). He's pretty legit.

Miscellaneous Info: 

-I love my classes!! It's awesome being able to apply what I'm learning in class to the real world. I'm tutoring a 5th grader who just moved here from Mexico, and it's really improving my conversational Spanish skills. Sometimes, my friend Christina and I speak in Spanish for extended periods of times. I'm a dork. Side note 2: I find myself confusing Italian and Spanish words frequently.

-I met my "little" for Campus PALS (People Acting Like Siblings... clever, I know). She's super sweet, and we have a lot of fun together. I'm going to her soccer game tomorrow, which means I should probably finish this blog and go to sleep!

-I won a Beta fish, but he died. His name was Desmond Oswald. I wasn't too attached.

-I'm coming home in 2 weekends! My gov school friends are having a REUNION even though it's not their fall break. I think that's pretty awesome of them. :)

-God is still showing me so many things about myself and others. I'm right where I need to be.