We're Here!

Home, at the hearthroom, drinking coffee, with our friends :)

Home - a post by Kaitlin

Home: this word comes with so many different definitions. Tomorrow I will be driving home for Thanksgiving break. 9 days of pure relaxation where everyone knows me, I can be myself, and most importantly I know who lives there and where everything is. To say the least, I CAN'T wait.
When people say the corny line"Home is where the heart is" it really rings true to me. I love my home. It's where I go to be comfortable, express myself, love and be loved. My parents have always been my base and support system. Whenever I'm having a horrible day or a great day, I know that I can always call my parents/family and they will sympathize with me or be ecstatic for me. I will always love them for this.
In my lifetime I have had two homes. One in McPherson and one in Minneapolis, KS (north of Salina). For me, McPherson has always been my home. I can honestly say that moving to McPherson has made me into the person that I am today. Although, our sheltered community can sometimes be unfair I wouldn't have it any other way. People are so drawn to this quaint town that it has even become a joke.. " Whoever lives in McPherson and leaves for whatever reason, will be back." It's a wonderful little town.
I am so thankful for my family, friends, community and church. In this time of merriment and thanksgiving I challenge you to truely look inside your life and determine the aspects that have shaped and molded you. Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!

I Am Thankful (a post by Annie)

As I am sitting at my desk, racking my brain to try and finish this paper, I am preoccupied by the thought that I will be home Friday morning- I LOVE going home! One of my friends here, on the other hand, is not as anxious to get home as I am. Today she filled me in on some things happening back home, while I can't stop yacking about how I love going home- to my beautiful home were I have TWO parents who love me and provide for me, parents who have never told me no and who would give their last breath to make me happy, to send me to college so that I can earn an education and have a better life than they do.
As an 18 year old girl, I am not worrying about whether or not my single parent will be able to make the next house payment or have to add on another 12 hours to her 60 hour work week.
My sister also just called, and after you read her blog post you will have observed that we have not experienced the loss of any close family members. How is it that I can be so fortunate in this life, and others cannot?
So as Thanksgiving approaches, I would like to list just a few things that I am so thankful for:
1. My parents...my wonderful mother who is always looking out for me and going above and beyond to show me just how beautiful of a person God has made me to be! My father who provides for me and the rest of my family and who has loved me so much that I do not struggle through relationship after relationship wondering what I am looking for in a man, because I already know I am looking for someone exactly like my daddy!
2. My siblings... my sister who is my best friend and who, even though she can't be with me face to face, is the first person I call when I am happy, sad, or have any questions. My brother who always makes me smile and whose hugs are better than any hug I've ever had!
3. My aunts, uncles, and cousins... they are truly just an addition to my mediate family. They are more like brothers and sisters. I am so lucky to have such a close-knit family!
4. My grandma and papaw. Thank you both so much! You are the foundation to all of the things listed above. Because of you I have all of these wonderful people in my life and I couldn't pick two better people to set an example of how I should lead my life to follow Christ!
Happy Thanksgiving

Why I am Privileged..--Post by Kaitlin

I was recently assigned an assignment in women's studies that requires me to write a 2-3 pg. paper over why I'm privileged. I can write about how I am privileged by my race, gender, religion, sexuality, social class, ability, education, etc. I'm almost leaning towards religion and/or social class, possibly comparing the two on how privileged I am to have in my life and how detrimental the two came be on each other or how the two benefit each other. (maybe both) We as a society often overlook the privileges that we have. I know we all know the basics: freedom to worship, freedom to express ourselves... I know I often mistake privileges for freedoms because they so closely go hand in hand. But as I am thinking about my paper, we have so many privileges that we take for granted. I was reading a really good article for my class it outlines privileges, the benefits and down-side and how we can embrace our privileges... Check it out!

http://brown-betty.livejournal.com/305643.html

Blame it on the Squirrels

Today we experienced something new in our college life: Most of the power on our campus was out because a squirrel fell into one of the generators. At first we thought that this was tragic, but also very awesome at the same time due to the fact that all of Annie's classes were cancelled (Kaitlin not so lucky). As we were sitting in our room enjoying a quick episode of One Tree Hill a very irate girl from another wing came parading down our hall complaining that there was no hot water. We immediately let this problem not affect us until she started cursing and complaining that today was her birthday and we pay a lot of money for the facilities. We then started to find this situation quite comical. She was yelling about how cold and mad she was and how much her day was ruined because of no hot water. After this we found the situation pretty hysterical. Some people are ridiculous. Due to her complaints around the building there are now fliers posted alerting all residents to avoid further complaints.

Enrollment Continued- Post by Kaitlin

It's official. I hate enrollment. It's frustrating. They (k-state professors) know that K-State is a rather large school so.. why do they not offer enough class openings for people who need the classes. I need to be enrolled in Kin 310, but there are not enough openings for that many Kinesiology majors. I am currently on the waiting list, yes, I am on the waiting list for a college class that I have to be in. Why do they offer the class? If students who need the class don't get in, why don't they just create another class so all the students that need specific classes get them?

I Believe

Kaitlin and I found this and we like it!...
I Believe-
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I Believe-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by other. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken that the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I Believe-
that you shouldn't be eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.

I Believe-
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I Believe-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving well wishes. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe-
that you can keep going long after you can't.

I Believe-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe-
that we don't have to change friends, if we understand that friends change.

I Believe-
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I Believe-
that you either control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, that passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I Believe-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones who help you get back up.

I Believe-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I Believe-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I Believe-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

Living History

We both participated in our first ever election yesterday! (technically last week due to absentee ballots and early voting)... And yesterday we watched history happen and this time, we were a part of it. Our dorm was going crazy last night. While some of us were celebrating Obama's victory, we seemed to have forgotten that we were in Kansas, at the most right-winged conservative school. We are also positioned right by Ft. Riley, the military base, and happen to be friends with numerous army brats. They were not happy, to say the least.
So while some of us were ecstatic about the new turn for our country, others were proclaiming the end times. But we would like to reiterate what the new leader of our country said last night: "We are not red states or blue states, we are the United States!"

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:1

Stress Level - Post by Kaitlin

I often wonder if I'm the only one who is continually stressed or worrying. Why does everything always seem to fall apart or pile up conveniently all at the same time. The one reason I have found about is .. it is God testing my ability to have faith (ironically,most of the time I fail this test). As I'm experiencing this life dilemma, my college stress level seems to be escalating and the fun level falling. This week could quite possibly be one of the most busy weeks for me. I can't wait until Thursday when my 2 tests, a paper and assignments are done and I can return home to relaxing McPherson. I know that my situation is no where near as bad as it could be, and that there are others out there with more problems than me, but I've been wondering: Is there a solution to all the madness?

Enrollment

Why is enrollment the most painstaking process?
Do they think they need to make it so hard and confusing to test us to make sure we're smart enough to be in college?
I mean really, is should not be this difficult...