A Week in the Life: Day 2!

Two blog posts in one day?!? Whoa. This is too much. Well, continuing on with my series of a weeks worth of activities as an RUF intern at the University of Oklahoma...

First one on one in the morning was the wonderful Miss Laura Bartlett. Laura is a junior from Tulsa studying Music Education!

My first two meetings of the day were at Cafe Plaid, favorite RUF watering hole. Cafe Plaid is wonderful. My favorite spot to sit is on a long bench looking at the coffee bar. It is a great spot to people watch. Isn't it just adorable?? I forgot to get a picture with my second meeting- sorry Kassandra!

A plus to Plaid (which is what us locals call it) is that it is not on campus, but it is right across from campus! I took this picture from inside Plaid, looking out towards the Visitors Center and the Union.

Sam Carper was my next meeting. Sam is a sophomore, so we have had two years to become great friends! Sam is from Tulsa. Don't you just love her cute hat?!?

Sophomore Laura Atherton and I had a meeting after lunch. Laura is from- you guess it- Tulsa! She is studying Psychology. We did not take a picture, but here is us together at the Pink and Black Ball in February!

A consistent part of my Tuesday schedule is Freshman Bible Study. We meet on the top floor of one of the dorms each week. We are privileged to have an upperclassmen and a grad student join us weekly for this study. Katie Tracy and I were feeling pretty goofy today!

There was some disagreement as to whether or not we should smile for this picture. Silly freshmen!

Aren't you excited to hear about Wednesday??? Boomer Sooner!

A Week in the Life!

During the past two years of blogging I have hinted at what some of my days look like: Bible studies, one on one meetings, football in the snow etc. But most of those things are the exception, not the rule. So what does a "normal" week of an RUF intern look like? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my"A Week in the Life!" series.

My intention was to chronicle from Monday to Friday, but Sunday night my roommates and I joined these lovely ladies for a joint roommate dinner. They live in the "Leslie House" and there are six girls living there (Maggie- we missed you!). Thanks for dinner ladies, it was delicious!

Monday morning starts off with some planning. I set up my appointments for the week, and I finish my Bible study for the coming evening. I lead a Bible study each week at the Gamma Phi Beta house on campus. We are doing a study called "Conversations with Jesus."

Most Monday mornings I also make treats for Bible study. I try to make them a little different every week. Last week I made Pioneer Woman's Chocolate Chip Cookies and they were FANTASTIC! They included instant coffee and two types of chocolate chips.

This week, however, I made a school-kid favorite: rice crispy treats!!

By the time all of my planning and baking is done, it is time to head to staff meeting! Doug and I meet for two hours to have lunch, plan, and talk. We were too engrossed in conversation yesterday for me to remember to snap a picture, but here is a silly one of us at Winter Retreat.

Immediately after I go to staff meeting I take Doug's youngest daughter, Anna, to the barn for a riding lesson. I have such a fun time with her because she often sees things in a much different way than I do. Yesterday she helped me shorten Chance's mane. It is not as simple as cutting his mane, and can hurt him a little if you don't do it right. When Anna would pull too much hair at one time I found her petting Chance each time and saying, "I'm sorry Chance- I didn't mean to!"

After Anna's riding lesson I head to Gamma Phi! These wonderful girls are great to talk to each and every week!

And that about wraps up my Monday! Aren't you excited to hear about Tuesday?!? Speaking of Tuesday, it is about time to head to that meeting...Boomer Sooner!

Not One but TWO!!

In my last post I wrote about the impending snowstorm. Well, since then we have had not one, but two storms blow through Oklahoma. With the storms came wonderful, white, powdery snow and 5 days off of school! Keeping OURUF's tradition, we played snow football the night of the first storm. My team won! It was a run-away victory. The other team never even made a touchdown!

Since the snow storms we have gotten back to life as usual. Two weeks ago OURUF attended a ball in the Union on Campus. Pink and Black Ball! We had 35 students join us for dinner, and then we headed to the ball together. I was out of town last year, so this was my first time to Pink and Black!

The snow has melted and, Lord willing, this week will be the 3rd full week of school since the semester started. Last week felt a lot like spring. The daffodils in my front yard are sprouting. This weekend my roommates and I threw a baby shower for a friend at church. Meghan is super sweet and was one of the first people to invite me to her house when I moved to Norman. They are about to have their second baby girl! Congratulations Barnes family!

Boomer Sooner!

Snowpocalypse 2011

Well, the weather forecast in Norman for the next 48 hours is pretty grim. Heavy snow and wind are predicted. I am not sure if it will turn out as bad as they are saying, only time will tell. This time last year we had some bad weather too.

During that time I hung out with the Trusty Steed:

AND I discovered Pioneer Woman! Most of you know about her, but if you don't, check her out: www.thepioneerwoman.com. She will change your life, or at least the way you cook.

And since I discovered the Pioneer Woman, or Ree as I like to call her, I have actually also MET Pioneer Woman! She lives here in Oklahoma, and came and spoke at OU in the fall. My heart grew three sizes from the joy of that day! Personal Hero!!! {other than Jesus}

So, what does the {potential} Snowpocalyspe 2011 hold? Who knows!! One thing is for sure, RUF Snow Football is going to be awesome! 10PM the night of the first snow (Tuesday maybe) we meet on the lawn in front of the Visitor's Center.

Do You Remember Your Freshman Year of College?

I definitely do. It was filled with ridiculous moments, lots of laughter, and many, many good friends. We experienced the joy of feeling like we had the world at our fingertips. I look back on that year with fond memories, knowing that there will never be anything like it. The picture below is of me and my good friend Brittany French. 99% of my freshman year memories are with this girl. We once roadtripped over 1,000 miles in a day to get to a New Years Eve Party. We had to stop a sketchy gas station in rural Florida to put on these costumes.

A distinct pleasure of my job the last year and a half has been to be around freshmen, who are at this point in their lives. They enjoy spending leftover meal points at the convenience store in the dorms. They take ballroom dancing classes. They play pool and piano into all hours of the night. They play lots of volleyball in the Huffman Athletic Center. They watch lots of television on DVD. The first year of college is unlike any other of your life, and I have to say that the freshmen at OU take full advantage of it.

As Doug and I left Bible study today many of the freshmen stayed behind to hang out. It makes my heart glad to see that they have become friends.

***Disclaimer: These pictures in no way resemble my favorite freshmen. They are just some of the best pictures.***

This year the dinosaur at the Sinclair gas station in Norman lost its head in a tragic saw accident. Some of the freshmen particularly enjoyed welcoming Dino back home!

Freshmen girls at the barn dance! Yay!!!

And with that...Boomer Sooner!!!

Winter Retreat 2011

RUF Winter Retreat this year was in Branson, Missouri. It was warmer and less snowy than Colorado, but still a great location to nap, play games, watch movies, and enjoy each other's company. 23 people came. Here are some highlights:

Poker Tournament

White Shirts, Wings and WaPoker night in our cabin.

Laura and I in our white shirts!

Playing a favorite RUF game, Power Grid!

The 2010 List

Being at home for Christmas has had me thinking about what I have done in 2010.

My one official New Year's Resolution was to watch all of the movies that John Williams composed music for. That went really well, until May. Here are my thoughts on the movies I did make it through:

- Sugarland Express: Quirky movie about Texas outlaws.

- Jaws: Scary.

- Indiana Jones Trilogy: Fantastic.

- E.T.: I'll be honest, I was asleep after 10 minutes.

- Schindler's List: Horrific and amazing all at the same time. I have been to Anne Frank's house in the Netherlands, as well as the Holocaust Museum in D.C. I think that this movie was more moving than either of those things, which I had been very struck by as well.

- Harry Potter Movies: How can you not love the John Williams music from these movies?

- Minority Report: Eh.

- Star Wars (the first one): Darth Vader still scares me.

Other Notable Things about 2010:

- Travelled to Peru. This means that I have now been to 4 continents!!!

- First full year of working a job out of college.

- Burned the first pot roast I ever made.

- Watched the entire series of the West Wing.

- Taught Anna Serven to ride my horse.

- Made a lot of Pioneer Woman recipes. YUM!

- The first flowers I ever planted (tulips) bloomed in the spring!

- Met Pioneer Woman.

- Saw world class horse back riders at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Considered change in life calling briefly after this.

- Drank a lot of coffee (now considering teeth whitening) and had amazing conversations about Jesus.

- Drove thousands and thousands of miles to visit family and friends (JAX, Atlanta, Huntsville, Lakeland, Houston, Houston, Houston).

- Listened to Harry Potter 3,4,5, and 6 on audiobook.

- Improved my very, very primitive sewing skills, thanks to my mom and Kirsten Spears. I am half-way through a slipcover for a big armchair!!!

New Years Resolutions for 2011? So far all I have thought of is to master a recipe for Pad Thai. Suggestions?