Live to Love & Laugh Alot: June 2009

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

"But I want you to know honey, I love your love the most"

Last Tuesday (June 23) marked mine and Timmy's 2nd Wedding Anniversary, and like the first one we were apart in different states. Last summer I was interning at VT so we celebrated the weekend before our actual anniversary by spending the weekend in the Bed & Breakfast we stayed in in Christiansburg when we got engaged and spending an evening at Chateau Morrissett. This year I was at the Wooden Institute so we celebrated this past weekend when I got home. Since Timmy has a serious sweet tooth and since I was gone the actual day of our anniversary I had a cookie bouquet delivered to him at work to enjoy. Friday night we went to the movies and had dinner out. Saturday as my gift was our day. Timmy had given me monopoly money and list of activities, meals, and even home spa services to choose from that he would treat me to that day. We started the morning with a nice family walk at the river followed by a great breakfast and a few wii games. Then we went to the pool for a few hours and then when we came back in I had my spa afternoon, including a relaxing bath (with sparkling white wine and chocolate covered strawberries), a foot massage, a body massage, and nice back rub to top it all off. It was a wonderful day and I was so glad to spend it together relaxing and enjoying some of the things we love to do. There are a few pictures below of Timmy's cookies and him and Zoey, he even wore his VT hat to the pool for me on Saturday!

Well my summer has officially ended. As soon as I am done posting on here I am getting in the car and heading to Charleston to start work tomorrow. I am excited and looking forward to this new adventure. Kassie, my new supervisor, was able to find me an on-campus suite to stay in for the next few months until Timmy and I get moved in to our new place in September. I will be moving in to that tomorrow night! I will be sure to take some pictures and to post this weekend about my new job and new "home" (at least Mon-Fri) for the next few weeks.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

"But I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more"

Well many of you who know me know that being Greek has truly been a life changing experience for me. Growing up my father was very involved with his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, and I have fond memories of attending conventions and visiting the old chapter house at Virginia Tech when we would go up for football games and Beta reunions. Personally I had decided going into college that being in a sorority just did not seem like anything I would ever be interested in doing, I had bought in to the "Animal House" stereotype and knew that was not the kind of thing for me. Despite my resistance dad dragged me to the Panhellenic info session during orientation, even after leaving that I was still sure it was not for me. Fast forward to January and one of the few girls I knew in a sorority at the time, Katie Weaks asked if I was interested in joining Chi Omega. I still was not sure about the whole sorority thing but I knew Katie well and knew what she stood for and believed in, I figured if she could do it than maybe I could give it a try. Thus I joined Chi Omega and I would like to say that the rest is history! Clearly joining Chi Omega was one of the best decisions I ever made, I learned what Greek organizations really were and what they stood for and it took no time for me to get involved in my chapter. I loved it so much that it is now my life, working for Chi Omega, working in the Greek Life office at USC as I was in grad school, and now as I begin my first full time job post-grad in just a few days as Assistant Director of Greek Life at College of Charleston I cannot imagine my life without the experiences and friendships that being Greek has brought into my life. I am also extremely grateful to have a wonderful husband who although is not Greek, supports my passion and involvement with my career and fraternal experiences.

Aside from growing up around Beta Theta Pi, it has continued to be a huge part of my life through college and into the present. When I was a junior the VT chapter of Beta was recolonized and I had the opportunity to connect with a number of the founding fathers who to this day are some of my closest friends. I was honored my senior year when the chapter made me their sweetheart and was so happy that so many of them were able to attend my wedding and serenade me on my big day (for those of you who do not know, Beta is the singing fraternity)! Last summer I was invited to facilitate at the Wooden Institute which Beta holds each summer for members of their collegiate chapters across the country. It was an amazing experience for me and I was thrilled when the opportunity to volunteer at their Southeast Keystone Regional Conference in February and to facilitate again this summer were offered to me. Beta has meant so much to me throughout my life that is truly an honor to be able to give back to their great fraternity with my time and I truly hope that as I start my first "real job" I will also be able to start giving to them financially as well so that more Beta members can benefit from their great leadership development opportunities. As a Greek Life professional it is great to be involved interfraternally and it is equally refreshing to see that there are organizations out there that are getting it right and are providing great development opportunities to their members. Below are some pictures from Session 1 of the Wooden Institute and the men from my Chapter 5 small group that I worked with last week. It was truly a wonderful experience and I hope to continue to stay involved with Beta in the future. It also remotivated me after my summer of boredom to start work this week!

Chapter 5 on the last day @ the Alpha House

Chapter 5 Men after serenading Bonnie Fey

Michael Hay & I The Fearless Chapter 5 Leaders

Thursday, June 18, 2009

"So hot outside all I can wear are these cutoff overalls and these sandals on my feet"

Well sorry it has been a long time since I have blogged, the past two weeks have been filled with a mixture of boredom which did not warrant anything to write about as well as multiple house hunting trips to Charleston and a trip back to Chester last weekend for Dale and Meredith's wedding. I am leaving home in about 10 minutes to head to the airport to fly to Ohio until next Wednesday. I will be visiting my friend Megan from grad school tonight and then will be headed to Oxford, OH to facilitate at the Beta Theta Pi Wooden Institute. This will be my second year out there for the Institute and I am really looking forward to it!

In exciting news Timmy and I found a place in Charleston! We thought we had found the perfect house and were prepared to put an offer on it last Monday and then our realtor took us to this new community called Carolina Bay to check out some of the new town homes that are being built, we fell in love and purchased one that they have just started building. We put down our down payment last night and signed our first round of contracts. The home won't be ready until the end of September but we are excited to be home owners soon and to have something brand new. There aren't really any pictures yet but you can check out the floor plan. More to come when I get back from Ohio, I am hoping to get a break from the extreme heat and humidity we have been facing here in Columbia, but am also hoping to avoid the tornado's that hit last year when I was in Oxford! I will also post some pictures from Dale & Meredith's wedding when I get back and have more time.

Timmy & I with Meredith & Dale

Me & Timmy

Some of the Chester Crew @ the Wedding

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

"And These are the Moments, I'll Remember all my Life"

Well it has once again been a quite a long time since my last post, but I was away for a little over a week and then had a nice last minute visit from Tina and Eric down here in Columbia Sunday-today so I have had little time to even turn the computer on. However my time at home and in Maryland to celebrate Liz & Adam's wedding and all the festivities that came along with it were wonderful. I cannot imagine a better way to have spent my 26th Birthday! (Thanks to those of you who sent birthday messages via phone, text, and facebook, sorry I wasn't able to respond to everyone yet but it was a busy day with the wedding!)

Anytime I have the opportunity to go back to VA and to see family and friends from home and college I am reminded of how blessed I have been my entire life to be surrounded by such wonderful people. Between the wedding festivities, my Memorial Day/birthday cookout that I had at mom's where I got to see lots of old neighbors and friends, getting to spend time with mom and Reed and have a nice birthday dinner with dad, hanging out with Tina, almost suffering several heart attacks while driving around Baltimore with Danielle, getting to meet Breslyn Marie Weeks and finally hold her, and Timmy and I having some time to catch up with his parents and Jonathan I had lots of opportunities in a short amount of time to catch up with lots of people who mean a lot to me and to Timmy. While that much time away can be very tiring it flew by and I had a great time catching up with everyone. It definitely was a nice break from my previous boredom! Below are a few pictures from the fun at home and in MD for the wedding.

In other exciting news, Timmy found us a realator in Charleston and we will be making our first trip down to look at places this weekend. I am excited about this first time home buying, and while I know it will be stressful look forward to embarking on this adventure with Timmy. More to come on that front!