Sept5, 2013

Hello there. As you can probably guess, I am back at school. It's so different around here with almost everyone graduated. I wasn't sure how this year was going to be with so many people gone, but so far it's been very good and I think it's going to be a very good year.

I have officially changed my major to physics. I'm taking a physics class, two astronomy classes, and French. So far I am really liking my classes. I am doing much better! I am feeling motivated and really trying to do my best. I had my first test of the semester last week, in French, and got an A! I know it may not seem like a big deal, but compared to last year it's amazing. I am going to all my classes, doing all my homework, even doing the assigned reading. Well, okay some of it. Let's not push it. Have you ever tried reading a physics book? Yeah, not easy. I've really turned things around though, and I'm excited to show people I can do well.

I've also really been getting involved with the Revolution, the church I go to on campus. If any of you have read some of my previous blogs, especially from three years ago, then you know how different things have been for me recently. Basically, three years ago I was not doing too well. I was depressed, and just going through a really rough time. My friend Chad got me going to the Revo toward the end of that school year and I've been going ever since. I wasn't really involved though, I just went to church on Sundays. This year has been very different. I helped hand out cards for them during opening week as they handed out snow cones, I hung out with a few of them at Quad Bash, went tailgating with them, and then when I couldn't go to church that first Sunday before classes I still went to the picnic and then hung out with a bunch of them as they played ultimate frisbee and then a few of us went to Berry Winkle. They even walked there so I could go too. It's been a lot of fun. Tonight I went to house church for the first time. I was kind of nervous, but excited at the same time. I had a great time. I didn't know what it was going to be like. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail because I'm going to start a new blog just for this stuff but I just wanted to say how happy I am to be doing all this with this church. I love it and am so glad that this came into my life when it did!

~Caitlin :)

Sept4, 2013

As I sit in the quad alone I look around. I had no intention of stopping here, but the weather and my need of a place to relax for a few minutes drew me here. I'm glad I did. As I sit here taking all of this in, I see God in every detail. I take in everything going on around me, the beautiful surroundings. I see God's work and am amazed. I don't mean the buildings or even the occasional person walking by. I see the different trees, the grass, the sunlight sparking through the branches as the wind blows, I hear a mixture of birds and bugs, and see leaves fall to the ground as their time comes to an end. But beyond these things I hear life going on as normal. Cars driving by, people talking on there way to their own destinations, the bell tower going off, and a marching band practicing in the distance. So many sights and sounds of life going on around me. I feel so blessed and am thankful for my life. I need to remember this feeling more often, to appreciate the little things, to see all the wonderful things that are right in the world. I dread leaving this little spot of mine and having to go back to the busy and stressful day ahead of me, but I take all this with me and I know that this will always be here. Maybe not this exact spot, but if I just stop and take a moment and look around it will be there.

My suggestion is to do this as often as you can. Whether it's just for a minute or for an hour, take the time to just relax. Go outside and appreciate the things around you.

~Cait :)