Meet Kym

Tonight we had All East Young Life and kicked off the semester trying to sell camp to our high school friends.  AWESOME NIGHT!  The east side of Knoxville Young Life is blessed this summer by having an unbelievable opportunity to take our kids to Frontier Ranch in Colorado.  This trip usually goes to the west side and is $900, but with the grant we have been given, this trip is possible for my girls who only will have to pay $500.  That is still a lot for them who have to raise every dollar, but the Lord will provide...He says so!  Anyway, I want you to meet my friend Kym.  She is a junior at Central High, and just recently let Jesus capture her heart with His love and peace.  A little background on Kym...she is a sweet heart!, she will be graduating early next December, she has a handful of friends at school but also a handful of enemies,  her dad has been diagnosed with a throat disease which hospitalizes him about every month, Kym is trying to find acceptance and peace and love from Jesus because she is realizing that He is about the only consistent thing in her life that won't turn away or let her down.  The time I get to spend with this sweet girl is precious.  She is real, and we get to talk about all the real things she is living through.  This is very rare with high school girls.  Jesus has definitely blessed me in those conversations.  Tonight, I got to pick Kym up for a dinner date at Sonic and YL club.  We were able to catch up and share with each other what has been going on in our lives and hearts lately...priceless! Tonight was a great night with Kym.  My prayer for her is that she "may experience the love of Christ, thogh it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that come from God" (Ephesians 3:19).  I pray that Kym's heart may overflow with the love of Christ and experience the real life that He wants to give her. 

Sorry Little Darlin', Hope I Didn't Dent Your Do

Last night Mom, Lindsay and I met in Market Square for dinner at the Tomato Head,  a Black and White cookie from Cafe 4, shopping at Bliss, and....HAIRSPRAY the Musical at the Tennessee Theater.  It was awesome.  If you do not know me and my mom and sister, then you probably do not know the extent of our love for Broadway musicals.  I will have to say that my sister has the deepest passion for Broadway.  For example, try to get any Broadway fact of news by her and you will fail.  Also, when the first note was played when we saw Wicked in New York immediately tears flowed down her face, and they didn't stop until the end of the show.  Just picture mascara all over her face!  Now, that is passion and love! So, needless to say we loved Hairspray.  We all have watched the movie and have even seen it on Broadway in New York, but seeing it last night was just as great if not even better.  My favorite part was the song, "Welcome to the 60's."  

Lindsay and her pose with the hairspray

Mom with her hairspray

Me spraying hairspray

100

I can't believe it.  It is exactly 100 days until the eighth day of May.  That seems like a long way away, but when I think of how many days I have spent in school, it seems as if it is just tomorrow.  I am looking forward to what the rest of the day holds.  Class will start for me at 11:15.  Then I will have a study break until 2:30 when class will start again.  I am going swimming today with Rachel.  She loves to swim for exercise, and I love that she loves it too.  It is a lot easier and more fun to do when you have a friend to swim with you.  I am also going to go to cardio hip hop. It is our Monday night "senior" tradition.  We do break a sweat trying to learn all the dance moves, but better yet we laugh the whole hour at ourselves and each other.  So,  join me in celebrating this joyous, 100 days left of school, day!  

So sorry for my delay in updates faithful followers!  School is just picking up, and I am already feeling overwhelmed.  What happened to "senioritis" and the confidence in the fact that you are going to graduate?! I wish it was like high school and you didn't have to take finals senior year.  That would be nice.  I can't be talking about finals yet. I haven't had one test yet, but you will see me to the left in the library with one of my teaching books.  It is one of my favorites this semester.  I didn't just take the picture either.  I did actually read two sections tonight, but of course I needed a study break to pose in front of my Photo Booth camera.  You might also notice the unique and artsy effect I added.  That is just me still discovering all the fun my MacBook has to offer me.  I really love this laptop I got last summer from my parents.  THANKS MOM AND DAD!  I rarely leave home without my precious pink MacBook...seriously!  Well, school is going just as usual.  I love my class schedule.  I do not start class until 11:00, and I am finding that I am a lot happier.  I wake up, eat breakfast, read, sometimes exercise, and prepare for a day of classes.  I love not being rushed and late!  Today was an exciting day for me.  I met with career services at UT and talked about my future career.   It was so awesome.  She gave me so much literature and resources that I might end up with about 14 jobs.  My imagination is going crazy with all the options.  We talked about where all I can go with my teaching and how that is done.  AND, we talked about Google.  If you know me, you would know that I really love Google and would LOVE to work there one day if I can.  So, she gave me a contact and and email address and phone number! I couldn't believe it.  She has only had one student go to work for Google, Inc.  All I can do is try and pray.  Who knows what could happen.  All I do know is that I will learn something a long the way.  For now, I will keep studying and working hard here at the University of Tennessee!

Young Life club starts up tomorrow.  Pray for us, please!  I am giving the first talk...a little nervous, but more excited to talk about Jesus to a room of high school friends!  My YL girls spent the night on Sunday night, and it was great time spent together eating a lot and watching movies.  They are sweet!  

Well I better get home before it is too late. Lindsay, my sister, just yelled at me for being out so late by saying that I live on the most dangerous corner of campus. Thanks Lindsay for your concern for my safety. You are sweet too!

Back to School Blues

Here is a picture update....

Brand New Mommy!!! KatalleyGomez and Baby Sebas pictured above.  The club made a cookie visit to the Gomez household this past week to see the little family.

This is a little embarrassing to admit, but this was the first diaper I have ever changed.  

It went great.

My Young Life Girls and I celebrated the New Year with lunch at Wok Hay.

I love that they love my favorite place.  We are a perfect match!

Tomorrow starts the Spring 2009 semester at the University of Tennessee, which means I will be back to the uncomfortable desk chairs, countless hours in Hodges Library, and sore legs from walking numerous steep hills and steps (more than likely in the pouring rain).  So instead of this dreary and negative attitude I have had  lately about tomorrow, I am going to point out some positives that tomorrow might hold....

1) First day of my last undergraduate semester of college

2) Who knows, I could make all A's this semester...is it bad that I dream of making all A's?!

3) No stress, it's the first day of class!

4) New friends could be made

5) I will get to see all my old friends

6) First day of school always requires a cute outfit

7) 118 days until I will be an official mathematician...that could be scary to all the other mathematicians in the world.  I hope they welcome me with open arms...

I will stop there...7 is a lucky number?!  But, above all this I am really excited to see and discover each day what Jesus has in store for me.  Reflecting over the past 3 1/2 years here at UT, He couldn't have a more evident presence in my life.  I couldn't be more thankful.  Hard classes, Central High School YoungLife, friendships, you name it...He intentionally planned for me to experience to grow closer to Him.  I couldn't be more thankful.  So, who knows what great things He has intentionally planned for this semester.  I'm sure I will keep you all updated!