North Carolina, you better raise up!

AHH, I love North Carolina so far. We are living in a small-ish town called Goldsboro. It's the biggest town I lived in since leaving home, but it is still lacking a lot of fun. However, we are living in possibly the coolest house EVER. It was built a loooonnnggg time ago by a very eccentric man. And you can tell by the decor. (pictures to come!)

While we are here we are working for Habitat for Humanity. Building two houses, and LOVING IT. Our sponsors are absolutely amazing. I am learning so many new skills, that will help me when I become a homeowner. For instance, the other day, Matt and I built and entire deck. Anyone in need of a deck? I can build you one!

For Memorial Day weekend, my team leader, two teammates, and I took a vacation to Atlantic Beach, North Carolina to soak up some rays. Atlantic Beach is the cutest beach town I have ever seen. And they have a killer aquarium that costs only 8 dollars!!! If you are ever looking for a place to vacay, choose Atlantic Beach.

I really love working with Habitat for Humanity. Just the other day, I was working along side the future homeowner of the home we were working on. You could tell how excited he was to have such an amazing opportunity presented in his life. Habitat is not only an amazing corporation, but it is an amazing life changer. Get out in your community and find a local Habitat for Humanity to volunteer at. It is well worth it.

What's next?

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. With round one winding down, I am finding myself more stressed than ever. But in exactly a week, I will be heading back to Vicksburg to prepare for my next project. I will be heading to Goldsboro, North Carolina to work with Habitat for Humanity! I am insanely excited to work with H4H, building houses and changing lives.

I know I haven't been updating my blog very regularly, but I am still alive and well, building trails in Kentucky!

Joe

Exactly one week ago I lost my best friend, my soul-mate, my everything; Joe. He was taken out of this world by a random act of violence in New Orleans while serving in AmeriCorps NCCC. 

Joe was everything I wanted in a man and more. He was sexy, funny, compassionate, forgiving, generous, respectful and every other good quality imaginable. 

He treated me like an absolute princess, every single day. 

He would find me in the hall after a shower and tell me how beautiful he thought I was. 

On the very last night we spent together, we were laying in bed and he was telling me all the things he liked about me. Me, being my insecure self, disagreed, and he got upset. Then he pulled me to the mirror and showed me how beautiful I am. 

Anytime I was in a bad mood, he would hold me and tell me that everything would be alright because he would take care of it, and he did. 

He constantly stood up for me when someone would say anything but nice things to me, even if they were joking. 

He was an amazing kisser. 

His personality was so huge and happy, everyone knew him and everyone loved him. 

On cold nights, he would rather wear nothing than watch me shiver. 

All if these things, AND MORE, I learned after only knowing him for a couple of days. We may have only known each other for 2 months, but it didn't matter. We cared about each other more than anyone else. Whenever I was with him, I was filled with happiness. The way he looked at me melted me. I loved him with every ounce of my being, and I just wish I could tell him that again. 

I'm so grateful to have so many beautiful memories with Joe.

He made my life a living fairy tale. A fairy tale that should have continued.

I miss him more every day. But I know that he is being taken care of wherever he is, because he deserves it more than anyone I know. Joe touched the life of everyone he met and I know he is being missed by thousands.

They tell me I'm {beautiful}

Going into Americorps there was a lot I didn't know. A LOT.

But one thing I defintely did not know, was that my confidence would be sky rocketing.

Complete strangers tell me I am beautiful.

They tell me I am beautiful when I haven't even tried.

They tell me I am beautiful every day. 

And the reason they do it is not because they feel like they have to, but because they want to. 

The word beautiful has never been said to me this many times by virtual strangers.

I don't know what I did to deserve this sort of princess treatment.

The people of Americorps NCCC are special, lovely people that I wouldn't be happy without. 

The people are what makes the program so enjoyable.

Amanda and Taylor. My girls. My support.

Destine to be BFFs since we first Facebooked! <3

My main boys. George and Brendyn.

Matt. Teammate and awesome friend.

Some of my favorites before a night out in Vicksburg.

Nick. The best hugger EVER

Joe. <3 <3 <3 

Katelyn! The first person I met in the airport. Sweetest girl ever.

Class 19. The best class ever. Love them all.

the {trail} life

In Whitesburg Kentucky, my team and I have been building a new bike trail to attract tourists. The first day, we started off in an array of cold weather and trash pick-up. The day went on and we found ourselves nestled in the mountain on a trail that was formed hundreds of years ago overlooking the beautiful scenic views below. Everyday since then, we have been chainsawing, trimming, hand-sawing  and clearing brush on the trail spanning behind us. We have encountered many slippery mountain sides, heavy logs, and dangerous fallen trees; but nothing stopped us from pushing forward. 

Not only has my team accomplished a lot of trail work over the past two weeks in Whitesburg, but me as a singular person have accomplished a lot. I have learned and conquered the mechanics in operating a chainsaw. Which was something I didn't ever see happening in my life. Life skills are handed to me every single day in this program and I am so grateful for that.

Also, here in Whitesburg, my living conditions are slightly unusual. My team (8 other people) and I live in a garage behind an office building. Luckily they were nice enough to provide cots for us... but they were not nice enough to take out the lovely chicken incubator complete with chirping baby chicks. We have one shower, that we are able to use only between 4pm and 5pm, Monday through Friday. Even though I was way skeptical during the first couple of days of this adventure, it has worked out just fine! 

I really do love trail work. Which is something I would have never thought I would say, but the endurance I am building is worth it 100%. 

New{s}

It's incredibly hard to keep my blog updated when I don't have internet access, but luckily I have my phone and a trusty app!

The days are slow but the weeks are incredibly fast here in Vicksburg. Over the past (almost) month, I have been trained in many incredibly useful areas. Including CPR, First Aide, Disaster, Diversity, and a billion others.

Last weekend the entire corps loaded in the vans and took off to Oxford, Mississippi. There we stayed in a small summer camp and volunteered on their grounds. My team and I moved cross ties into a new trail formation all day. The next day we went to the ropes course at the campus of Ole Mis. We did team building exercises, rope challenges, ground challenge courses, and a lot of freezing to the bones! After that, we got back into the vans and headed back to Vicksburg.

Every Saturday night, my friends and I hit up one of the two local bars and unwind. Last Saturday we went to the Upper End, a karaoke bar, and had an amazing time. At least half of the corps was there, dancing, drinking, and singing karaoke. On Sunday, a group of 9 of my friends took a van to The Jackson Zoo to do some volunteer hours. We cleared brush from a fence for a couple of hours. But the thing about this type of work, is that we make it such a fun adventure every time. After working all day, we got to enjoy the zoo for free and check out the animals!

A couple of days later I found myself in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where a tornado recently hit. The entire corps took a day out of our training schedule to go clean up a park that had been badly impacted by the weight of the tornado. About half way through the day, I was sitting on a fallen tree trunk, taking a water break, and looking at the 100 other volunteers surrounding me. I think that was the very moment when I realized just how important and selfless what we are doing is. If only the entire nation could realize that there really are 18-24 year olds who think for the greater good of our nation. I am so happy to be a part of AmeriCorps NCCC.

Big things are going to be happening in the next week. For instance, IM GOING TO KENTUCKY FOR 8 WEEKS! My team (8 people) and I will be packing up all our clothes, gear, tools, and lives, and heading to our first project. In Kentucky we will be building trails in some very beautiful national parks. As I find out more, and get to a computer, I will add some pictures and more information.

arrival in the new place

Hey everyone, I have finally made it to my destionation in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

The first couple of days have been emotional, hectic, fun, and insanely tireing.

The feeling of homesickness is not fun. Let me tell you.

And I am only 3 days in.

Even though I know this is good and all, I am scared, worried, and also, sick.

I will keep everybody updated with what I am doing as soon as I start the fun things.

So far it has been all classwork, paperwork, and SHOTS.

I have met some really cool people though, so that's awesome.

flight itineraries & three days.

Although I am leaving in a mere three days, I have just barley received my flight information.

They like to keep ya on your toes, I guess!

I am very excited to start this adventure and boarding three different planes in one day.

Twin Falls -- Salt Lake -- Dallas -- Jackson -- Vicksburg

And even though I am feeling sad, happy, a little bit frustrated, and a lotta unpreparedness, I know that everything is going to work out. 

And since I do only have three days, I am going to make them the most stupendous three days ever.

Starting right after 4 p.m. today.

I hope that I find time to see each lovely face of my closest friends.

I am going to try my very hardest.

And ready or not

Monday will come

I will jump on that plane

then another

then another

and make it to Mississippi

where my dreams will be realized

and my passion will be renewed

I can't wait.

‎1 week. 7 days. 168 hours. 10,080 minutes. 604,800 seconds. Woah.

I leave in a week.

ONE WEEK.

and I can't even explain my feelings right now.

People ask me if I am excited.

I say yes.

People ask me if I am nervous.

I say yes. 

People ask me if I am ready.

I say yes.

People tell me not to go.

I say yes.

People tell me they are excited for me.

I say yes.

People tell me it will be a great experience.

I say yes.

I say yes becuase I don't know what else to feel.

I have no emotion about this.

I am excited, scared, nervous, ready, happy, sad, mad, overwhelmed, ect.

But how many feels can one girl feel? 

Apparently, a lot.

And in a week; hello new home. 

When you're about to leave...

you realize who really cares about you
and who doesn't
you talk to new people
you feel alone even in a crowded room
you realize how much you have yet to do
you make 500 lists
you wish it was tomorrow or a year from now
you get stressed out
you cry over everything
you hug your mom all the time
you start packing early
you scramble to get everything done
you feel like you'll never make it
you research everything
you get really excited


it all depends on the day.
but moving on, leaving, changing...
are all good things.
and i am ready.

is it February yet?

 So, I know that literally 2 posts ago I was talking about Mississippi and how scared I was. was.

over the past couple of days, i have met most everyone who I will be going with! what, what?

and we have a facebook group.

where we all talk.

and it seems as though everyone likes the same things! what, what!?

This is where everyone is coming from.

obvi.

(sorry about the blurriness...)

then last night, we had an 85 comment post about video games, movies, and the end of the world.

it was so funny!

and it made me get really, really excited :D 

and then, one of the guys had this awesome idea to make videos of ourselves before we actually meet.

which I think is the coolest idea, ever.

I am sorry, but also not sorry, that I am sharing these conversations with you.

because I know they seem like everyday friend's conversations, 

I just met these people on Sunday. . . 

new faces, far away places.

As the days pass by and it gets closer to 2.11.2013, my mind has become more and more overwhelmed with thoughts, questions, worries. 

It's true, and I know this, that I over think every situation, ever.

But how could I not over think this one? I am about to make a courageous move in the game of life.

and all I can do is sit and wait and wonder.

Until 2.11.2013

the day I leave for Mississippi for 10 months.

and even though I know this will be an amazing journey, I can't help but to think that I will hate it.

One good thing though: over the past couple of days, I have met (via Facebook) about 6 people who are also going to Mississippi on 2.11.2013

my thoughts are going to keep escalating, I know that, but I am just hoping my excitement will too.

well about seventy days until I go. . . 

woo, celebration weekend

This weekend was seriously amazing! 

I decided Friday night that I wanted it to be my "celebration weekend"

(celebrating my acceptance into AmeriCorps)

My parents got tickets for us to see the BSU vs. UNLV football game.

 So, Saturday morning, my mom, dad, and I left for the game! It was a black out, so we were decked out. But I didn't own anything BSU so, of course, I had to get a hat and some eye-blacks :)

We had the best seats ever! 4th row in the south end-zone :)

Then of course, I took a bunch of fun pictures...

After the game was over (which BSU won!!!) we headed back to Twin so we could have dinner with my brother and sister! When I got to my house, I realized that both my sister and I were wearing Rock Revival jeans! So cute :)

For dinner we went to Tomatoes and it was super fun! When dinner was over, I met a friend at the movie theater and we saw Pitch Perfect. Which was absolutely amazingly funny!!!

End of day one.

This morning, we decided to go to the pumpkin patch to pick our pumpkins! Which is a very odd thing for us because we typically just go to the store. Let me tell you, pumpkin patches are wayyyy more fun :)

For some reason, I was really into the pumpkins with the warts. Not really sure why, especially since they were gross looking. But in my hunt for the perfect pumpkin, I stumbled upon this one. . . that happens to look like broccoli, awkwart. haha (get it? awk-wart) 

Anyways, I am so seriously blessed to have such an amazing, supportive family. I could not have asked for a better weekend! <3