"1L of a Year," as They Say

In case anyone was curious, not only did I plan a pretty fantastic wedding, but I have officially passed my first year of law school. And man, was it quite the ride. They warned us at the beginning of the year that law school can be transformative, that we would change as the year progressed. 

I have slept, drank, and cried more in the last year than all four years in my undergraduate. I have also developed deeper friendships with the friends I arrived with and learned to make true friends in a competitive environment, something I could not have done a few years ago. I have learned how to think harder and study longer, how to sit still for hours upon hours. And through it all, I have been incredibly thankful for the uphill battle this has been. 

I think the most important thing I have learned in the last year though, is how to laugh at myself. Almost four weeks ago, sitting around a small fire, surround close friends and distance acquaintances, I laughed at myself for a simple, funny mistake about a person's name. And in the midst of my laughter, I marveled at the person I have become. That night, I made new friends, I played yard games and lost miserably without blinking an eye. I mentioned law school rarely, not flaunting my lucky position. 

Law school has humbled me. No longer am I a straight "A" student nor do I feel like the one of the smartest in the room, but this year gave me a better understanding of myself in time for my marriage. I'm more likely to ask for help when I need it and rejoice in the success of others as well as my own. My relationships, my work, my knowledge has grown thanks to the work I put into it, alongside those who loved and supported me along the way. 

Tota tua. 

Dear Camp Volunteer

Dear Camp Volunteer,

You recently sent your application in, and you're eagerly anticipating the your placement letters that will come out in early May. Never mind that this is over a month away, you're probably already checking your mailboxes with enthusiasm. Thank you so much for your eagerness and joy to volunteer at a summer camp. You are going to be such a fantastic addition to the teams that the director is slowly piecing together right about now. She may even be taking a break to write you this letter. I am so overwhelmed and humbled by how far our camp has come in the last two years, and I just wanted to take a moment and tell you all thank you.

1.) Thank you for volunteering eagerly. I, rather snottily, asked for you turn in applications on time this year, making it very clear I was not going to tolerate tardiness and you rose above and beyond. Whether it was because you were just excited to apply or because you truly listen to me, I am thankful that you did this, making my job a little bit easier.

2.) Thank you for being open to change. Not a week goes by that I don't have some kind of idea to mix things up. You've learned that I fear stagnation, and that I love to mix things up, and you've been open to everything I have tossed in your courts. Not only that, but you have been open with me about how feel about these things. Thank you! I listen to your opinions and truly take them into account each time I consider making some kind of large change. None of these would be successful without your genuine enthusiasm to try these ideas out.

3.) Thank you for your joy! Your applications seem to drip with the joy and excitement for the upcoming summer. Playful notes, sincere offers to do whatever is needed, and dreams about where you may be placed make reading them that much more fun. What could be a tedious office job is no more, because of how happily you filled out those applications. You make me excited to work with you this summer-your camp spirit is infectious.

4.) Thank you for your honesty. You tell me what you really think about the jobs being offered to you. It's okay that you don't want to work kitchen staff again! You did it last year, and we were thankful for you hard work, and besides that, I want you in a job you will love. Thank you for telling me that you cannot work two sessions or that last year was your last. I wish you all the best, and we will keep you in our prayers for years to come.

5.) Thank you for your faith, the faith that you are ready to share with campers this summer. Thank you for being willing to put yourselves out there and discuss the beauty of your faith, your personal relationship with God, and your own unique of getting to know God, the Son, and the Spirit, so that your campers can follow in your faith-on-fire footsteps.

6.) Thank you for trusting me with your most precious place, your home-away-from-home, and your safe place. The place where you can be beautifully and uniquely yourselves. The place where you are unafraid to feel all of the feels, participate in all of the things, and share yourselves with each other and me. Thank you for trusting me, despite my lack of constant warmth, my sarcasm, and the fact that sometimes I scare you.

7.) Thank you for all you give me. I would not be who I am, what I am today if was not for all you have taught me in the last two years as director, and the years before that as a fellow volunteer. You make me feel so brave and strong, so empowered, and so capable. Your faith in me helps me to do what I could never do. You truly bring out the best in me.

I hope you're getting excited for the summer, and I promise, those letters will come sooner than you think.

Tota tua.

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day!

Although this is often just celebrated as our last days of summer, it is important to remember that Labor Day was created to celebrate the working men and women, particularly our blue collar workers. Not too long ago, unions were necessary to achieve fair wages and safe working conditions. But it isn't like that everywhere... 

There are many corporations that still take advantage of inexpensive human labor in other parts of the world. Human trafficking, slavery, and exploitation are still a major problem. 

As much as I want you all to enjoy your freedom today, I also would suggest taking a few minutes to pray for those who are not as fortunate as us today. 

Enjoy your lakes, boats, pools, and BBQs, but also remember that this day is supposed to honor many hardworking men and women! 

Tota tua,

LeAnn 

Greetings from Dallas!

Last semester, I told you all that I had received an internship from Pitt State's business club, Enactus. Enactus opened a store in downtown Pittsburg in December that focuses on sustainability, fair trade, and shopping local. 

Krimson Kulture sells goods from local artists. We have necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry made from rock and metals, particularly copper. We also work with organizations like Raffa House, which helps victims of sex trafficking, Amazima, an organization based out of Uganda, and many others. Nepal bracelets, soaps, candles, recycled jewelry, and so many other beautifully handcrafted items. 

But why am I in Dallas? 

Dallas has a huge, overwhelming, massive, did I mention huge, market! Everything is sold at whole-sale prices, so you shop with the intent of stocking your shelves. All day today, we wandered in and out of shops looking for items that had the same "feel" of the store. 

The hardest part from me was that I was so completely out of my element! I am not a business major, I am very much my English major self. I like books and funky, different jewelry. Shopping for times for mom-aged women and other adults was different. Surrounded by business majors I did a lot of listening, watching, and learning. 

So, here I am, chilling in a pretty sweet hotel in Dallas, full of new information, absolutely exhausted after a day filled with new people, new skills, and fluorescent lights. And all I am is thankful. 

God is good...All the time! All the time...God is good! 

Totus tuus, 

LeAnn 

Finish Line

I'm sitting at my kitchen, eating way too much food, killing time until I celebrate the holidays with my friends by, again, eating way too much food.

There's only one thing between me and successfully completing by fifth semester at Pitt State and that is my final in British Literature tomorrow. I feel prepared, but weirder things have happened. Such as playing my last jury ever today! Which was such a good feeling to be done with that part of my life. Music is great and all, but it is not something I want a career in.

Although I am a day early, I'm ready to celebrate a successful semester! Classes are wrapping up and I have so much to look forward to over the winter break, and next semester. I just wanted to tell everyone thank you for a such a blessed and memory-filled semester. You all know who you are, and how much I love you.

Enjoy the snow, enjoy the holidays, and be ready to light that third candle this Sunday.

Totus Tuus,

LeAnn

Blessed

Sometimes, when I become really exhausted and worn down, I become very negative. And by sometimes, I mean every time. I'm tired, grumpy, sensitive, and oftentimes hungry when I reach this point and there are very few things that can pull me out of a funk like this.

But I do have a few tips and tricks for surviving those mid semester blues.

• Work out
• It's a great way to destress, turn your brain off, and relax. 
• Read
• Sometimes a good book is all it takes to help our brains lose track of everything we have looming over us. 
• TV/Movie/Video Games
• I am not a gamer, but I appreciate Grey's Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars, and How I Met Your Mother like any typical female college student
• Friends
• Coffee with Myka, gossiping with Sheilah, horsing around with Josh. They all help to take some stress off my sore shoulders
• Be thankful
• Instead of dwelling on what sucks, dwell on what's so great in your life right now. 

Without further ado, I present you with five things I am so thankful for right now at this very moment.

1. The internship I received today
2. My goofy-goober boyfriend, Josh who is pretending to not read this. 
3. My Pittsburg Home shared with a cat, a dog, and two crazy ladies
4. My immediate family, who I get to see tomorrow!
5. ChapStick. I have a problem...

And with that, I encourage you to list five things you are thankful for tonight. After all, there's so much more good than bad in the world, as long as we look for it. 

Totus Tuus,

LeAnn 

Perspective

This last week...

Oh buddy.  This last week has just been the pinnacle of my semester.  Not to be a "Debbie-Downer", but oh goodness, it's been a grueling past couple of weeks and this one just really stuck it to me.

Temptations were flying at me Friday night; the standard broke college kid fare of cheap alcohol and thrill of not being responsible for your poor decision-making the next morning.  But at the beginning of the semester, I signed a contract with parents that agreed to not partaking in drugs or alcohol illegally; so instead of getting hammered, I hightailed it home.

I'm lucky that I go to school only an hour and fifteen minutes from home; because as much as I would like it to be, Pittsburg KS is not my home.  The moment I turned on highway 37, I could feel so much tension fall off my body.  I could catch my favorite radio station, I knew these roads like the back of my hand.  There is a high amount of security in the area that you grew up in; and it was exactly what I needed.

Home was exactly what I needed to help me find what I had lost over the last few weeks; my perspective.  Perspective on what really matters; on my goals and my decisions.

That when it's all said and done, am I really going to remember the idiot who lied to me?  Is he worth letting my grades and other, more important personal relationships take a hit?

Absolutely not.

Because when it's all said and done, this is not my end goal.  I don't want to get married within the next two years, I definitely don't want to stay here indefinitely.  What needs to matter most is my future, my goals and plans, and how I'm going to get there.  I don't need a boyfriend; I need friends and family.  I don't need drama; I need to be able to focus.

By Sunday afternoon, at 3:30, I had pulled the sense of peace and security that I found at home into my heart and head, and I was ready to head back to Pittsburg.  And although PSU campus is not my home, McCray Hall, my friends, Twin, future is here, and that's enough perspective for me to be incredibly thankful for all I have.

So let me tell you; this next week is going to be much better.

Totus tuus,

LeAnn