And it just got better...

My last post was about having a good semester thusfar... It seems like it only getting better lately. A couple of weeks ago I found out that I got into UMC medical school in Jackson! woot!! :) I was/am pretty pumped. Now just to figure out what to do for the next 8 months of my life! Keep reading to see what the options are looking like.

Options:
1. Hang around starkville, get a job, and spend time with some of my favorite people. This could include staying around until may or until school started. If I stuck around until May, it would allow for me to spend some time next summer doing some other stuff. (camp/lagniappe/something else...)
Pros: Make some money (probably not the most), get to hang out a lot, don't have to leave my friends yet.
Cons: I won't be establishing myself in Jackson at all and will be moving there with little time before school starts. Also, this option may limit my ability to save in the meantime.
2. Go somewhere, do something! where? what? I don't know! but somewhere! But seriously, I could go do anything for 8 months, but I just don't know what that something would be.
Pros: Probably form some amazing memories, enjoy a last hurrah before holing away for a few years.
Cons: Probably not make much money, won't get to see people that I know here very much.

3. Co-op somewhere with an engineering company (this could be anywhere!)
Pros: Certainly this would probably pay the most. This would be a great way to make money that I'm not going to be making in medical school.
Cons: This would be the biggest commitment and would also make taking a class in the spring difficult. I may or may not have to move away in order to work this job.

4. Go home, get a job, and start 'establishing' myself before the fall time.
Pros: It is true that I'm eventually going to be living in Jackson. I will eventually have to say goodbye to everyone here in Starkville either in December or in May/August. In one sense I'm delaying the inevitable by staying (somewhat). This would allow me to make a few friends outside of school and reunite with the friends that I already have there.
Cons: I'm going to be in Jackson for a long time. I am not in a big hurry to get back.

Really, I have no idea what is going to happen. I am excited to be almost done with mechanical engineering (it's about time) but I don't know what is going to happen. If you think about it, pray for me. I'd hate to waste this time, but I know that the Lord is going to provide just as He has so faithfully done so far.

The Lord has been so good to me lately. I've been so aware lately of how unworthy of all this I am, but all I can do is be thankful for all the things he's been lavishing onto me.

What a great semester * (thusfar)

Now that the MCAT (try #2) is over, and I hope I never take that thing again... I feel like I have time to see people again :)
Living at the Prisock's house this semester, which has been an amazing change for me, for the good that is. It is weird that this has become normal for me by now since I've been here for about a month.

Why is it that it always takes so long to really get attached to a place, and then by the time you get attached, it is time to leave? I look forward to the fact that maybe one day I can get a little more 'settled,' whatever that means. Thing is, one day I'll probably be so settled that all I want to do is move away! I guess we're never really content with things as they are.

I've really never been shown grace to such an extent. I always feel like I have to 'earn' everything I do. I feel like living here has been a constant challenge to my pride. For example, I don't necessarily cut the yard here because they 'make me,' but for two other reasons. One thing is it is a way for me to give back to them. At the same time, because I take responsibility for the yard, if it looks bad, I know that to other people on the outside, it makes me look bad. For a while I couldn't get around to cutting the back yard and it was killing me because I knew that people probably thought I was a lazy bum... pride. gotta hate it.

So weird that I have no idea what I'm doing next semester. I mean, if I get into med school, then there is really no reason to leave Starkville yet. I can just get a job here, maybe take a class or two, and then hang out. I'm not ready to say goodbye to everyone here yet. I really have come to love this place, which really means I've just come to love the people in this place. If I don't get into school, then I'm just going to have to reevaluate, which could very well lead me to moving back home to Jackson to get me a job at UMC. Either way, these are just some things that I really need to be on my knees over.

RUF seems to be going well at MSU this fall. We're going to Lagniappe in a couple weeks, which I'm really getting pumped about. The best thing is when it isn't just my close friends that decide to come, but it is a lot of people that I don't know and that don't know each other. This brings RUF as a group a lot closer. This was definitely the case last year.

How did this happen?

It all started when I was vacuuming my car and Michael Phillips called.
"Hey Rob, I'm about to leave for Lagniappe and was wondering if you'd like to come. Can you meet me in 20 minutes?"
Well, those weren't his official words, but they were close. Within a little over an hour, Michael, Ben, and myself were all headed to Lagniappe.
They headed back today and I'm still here :) (until Friday!)
Yeah, crazy. There is some free medical clinic in Biloxi that I can go shadow/work at for a couple days this week. This could be a really great opportunity to see what medical ministry looks like! I'm excited about this and hopefully it will give me a little bit better picture about some opportunities and my calling.
So, if you think about it, I'd appreciate you prayers over my time here for some extra validation during my time here.

On other things, it feels like I'm starting to see my first wave of people 'dispersing' and 'growing up.' My friends are getting real jobs, they're going to graduate school, and even though I've seen people get married in the past, now some of them are younger than me and getting married (Allan and Jane Gray Bledsoe!!! congratulations!). Several people who were in starkville ever since I've been there will be absent this fall and that is sad to see. I am very happy that I have at least one more semester in starkville. I am not quite at the point of saying goodbye, but I know that day will come.

Love and Intentionality-ism-ness

Experiencing love (not eros... erotic, romantic love) is something that we have all experienced, but maybe to different degrees. Agape love, as I've heard it described is sacrificial love. It is that kind of love that I experienced today from one of my friends. Let me expound:
I went to Lagniappe this weekend with a couple of my friends from Jackson. They wanted to come home soon after arriving, so I needed to find a ride home. They left Friday night. With an offer standing to let me leave Saturday morning I figured I would just do that until my friend John tells me if I'll just hang around, he'll take me home on Sunday. Now, in case you haven't noticed... gas isn't cheap these days. When it's your family, I think we come to expect certain things just because they are family and feel obligated to do such things. This is one of the most powerful things I've ever been offered. That this guy would give his entire afternoon to take me home even though it cost him an arm and a leg.
This is love... (okay, this is when you put your big people pants on and don't laugh that I'm talking about my guy friend).

This next semester (the fall) presents me a very unique situation. I have no class on Mondays and Fridays. I think it is going to be real challenge to my ability to prioritize and plan.... in short, it will challenge my ability to be intentional about my time. What a blessing to have 4 (four!!!) day weekends every weekend. The only question is how well they will be used. I pray I don't reach December and think I wasted all that time. My propensity is to not plan, but rather just to hope things kinda come together when it comes to my schedule. When it comes to some things.. i.e. Bible study and talks, I am good about planning. When it comes to what I am doing this Friday night, I won't usually think about it until the afternoon of. This isn't always true, but it is more true than I'd like to say.
Therefore, I'm planning to plan!

Shout-outs

Semester in Review II will come... some day, but not at 1:40 in the morning

Organic I is toast.
Yes, it is done and as much as I'd like to chunk all that I just so diligently filed away into my brain, alas, I must use it for another month as a foundation to build on during Organic II! And as much as I'd like to chunk that information after I finish that class, alas again... I'll need it for the next time I take the MCAT.

This summer has been a mixture of being great and dull at the same time. Let me explain.

I don't really have to discuss the dullness in detail. First of all, that would bore you, thereby declining your readership to my blog. ...and we can't have that

This summer has been a little dull because I'm in school a lot and b/c I am not working in some great camp/ministry setting in which each day presents itself being surrounded by tons of other great staff people who you are around 24/7 and provide unceasing amounts of fellowship and entertainment. I think I've just gotten used to doing this with my summers, so it has taken some adjustments to get used to.

On the other hand, it has been a great summer so far.
I attribute such greatness to this summer because of all the great people that I have met. People make the world go round, or at least mine. Let me give props to a few people for making my summer better while living in Jackson. Please forgive me if I've forgotten anyone.
The Bassett family! Joel, Jonathan, and Rachel... (in alphabetical order, I can't play favorites!). Y'all have been so gracious to me this summer. I can attribute many meals to you all. Thanks for your terrific friendship, I only hope I can pay you back with some of my corny jokes and maybe a meal someday.
Anna G. and Nathan B. - Thanks for running with me- I've been a lone runner for a long time, and I want to throw up at the end of each run thanks to y'all! (Just in case you were wondering, that's a good thing in my book). Have a great trip in Peru, Anna!
Mom and Dad! -thanks for the food, the room, the friendship and your patience with me
John Monteith - dude, I'm really glad you're in Jackson now -enjoying our Sunday get-togethers
Daniel Boyett - thanks for your endless availability to hang out and to always supply me with more philosophy than my little brain can handle. it's always a joy to go over and hang out. Glad your dad is gonna get to come back this summer!
Joy Richardson! - Thanks (7 hours in advance) for going to help me pick out glasses! You are such an encouragement I have to say. Good luck in Nursing school.
BenJAMMIN' Ratliff - watching a rockband marathon says it all. where else could I go to get my fix or to get a cheap sonic burger? Let's go to Lagniappe next weekend!
Mr. Jason Collins, Drew H., Courtney B., Hannah K., and Chris C. - thanks for your friendship in Organic I. I really enjoyed hanging out with you guys despite the setting :)
Lance -thanks for your persistence in our friendship. Ole' faithful. And yes, we need to finish our conversation.

The Semester in Review...

For the 'millions' of you reading from facebook (I wish that many people had interest in my blog :) ) I don't think these pictures are showing up... so you may have to go to the 'view original post' link.

Well, I finally got a little gadget that helps me pull of the pictures from my computer. I'd lost my cord and my pictures were 'stuck' in my camera. Here is my semester in review:

Nic, Ross, Libbie, Christy and myself all decided to go to the Yonder Mountain String Band concert in Oxford. It proved to be a great time. :)



Suzie and Aaron got married! I worked at Twin Lakes with these two, and it was great to see them together. Riding up with Kate, Aubra and Debbie proved to be as fun and
interesting as one would expect

Andrew Reed made it one more year in life. Yes, this was his birthday party at McAlisters. I think this may have been the night we took sidewalk chalk and wrote all over the pavement near the bakery. In the paper a couple days later, turns out someone had reported us for 'vandalism.' I guess they didn't appreciate our 'good morning' and 'have a great day' messages.

After the tornado hit Jackson, TN, Marielle got to come down to MSU and stay for a few days. She got to meet all my crazy friends. Poor girl.
Lagniappe took up my first half of spring break. Aubra and Ry accompanied me and we had a blast with a group from Delta State. This was the second of 3 trips for the semester... I just love that place.
This is a result of not checking on the foods in your refrigerator very often. Yes, this is an onion. And yes, it's awesome.






Brent McLemore and I took a little weekend trip up to Maryville College. Wow, this was a great trip! We got to do a little family visiting (for me), job scouting (for him), and checking out some of the mountains, but certainly not as much as I thought. Some of these pictures are from when we went to a music get together called "Rocky Branch' where people all just got together on friday night and played bluegrass music.
My pastor from Maryville and family!


Following a wonderful spring break was Easter w/ the family. Here are me and the parentals. I don't think Suzanne made it in that weekend.

Followed by easter egg dying! One of mine dropped...


I was invited to a formal at the "W" in Columbus, so Ben, Ross, Annalissa, and I hightailed it over to Columbus to rock out the night at the dance. When we got there, no one was dancing. By the time we got through with it, everybody was dancing! :)
The boyz...


The guhz...

So this isn't chronological... but who's counting.
RUF Crawfish Boil 2008! I think the best part may have been Suicidal Margarine (ya know, how the butter always dives out of the fridge when you open the door?)
The famous John Sabin came up with Sarah and Ruth from Lagniappe to come cook our crawfish. RUF "Dudestorm" was quite an experience. The viewing of "There will be Blood" says it all...
Wow, this was a good semester, I haven't even mentioned Wil Prisock's birthday party...
And for those of you who think I only hang out with people and never do schoolwork. No, this is not true, I just don't ordinarily take pictures of me and my friends doing our homework. Except on this occasion. I'll share this one with you ...I am blessed. That's really all I can think to say.
Have a great sabbath.

It's over... Praise the Lord

I don't know how the MCAT went to be honest. Parts of it went really well. Other parts... eh.. we'll see.

Now I can have a life! Until I start studying again that is. But I don't have to feel guilty for hanging out with people anymore! :)

Nothing really enlightening on my mind right now, but just thought I'd put some words out there to let everyone know (that reads this thing) that I'm still alive.

haha

This was a pretty funny picture I saw in an e-mail from my mom. Yes, that is a little puppy peeing on a computer.. haha, poor computer owner

Unfortunately, there really isn't much to update people on. I wake up, eat, read, study, do practice tests, shadow, sleep, and visit people who have had surgery. That's about it.

Yesterday, I did get to shadow Dr. Fyke (a cardiologist in Jackson, who actually took care of my grandmother a few years ago) and I was just amazed by his way of dealing with patients. He was so sensitive and caring despite the circumstances (as a cardiologist, he deals with a lot of people that aren't doing well). I had a good time with him, and he said I could come back anytime!

If you think about it, please pray for me as I prepare for the MCAT on May 31. It is coming ever so quickly and I still have a decent amount of ground to cover, although I've had the chance to cover a lot of ground in the past couple weeks.

Hope y'all will still be friends with me when all this is over :)

oh the fun...

This summer....
could be the best/worst summer of my life. I'm hoping for the former. I'm gonna do my best to make it that.

I thought moving home would make me completely incapacitated in terms of getting things done, but fortunately it hasn't done that completely. It does make it harder to roll out of bed early though, because I don't have class.

Something funny I came across...















So here's the story on these photos. This tiger had triplet cubs and because of their low birthweight, they died. The mother got depressed because her cubs died and she started to decline in health, so the zookeepers started looking for other cubs around the country that could be adopted by this mother tiger. To their chagrin, they didn't find any, so they decided to dress up some pigs and let the mom 'adopt' them, and the pictures tell the rest of the story :)

Anyways. Going to Lagniappe for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and I feel like it is my vacation for the rest of the summer. Wow, I really can't wait for it - there is something refreshing about working with your hands and seeing people that you love in a place that you've grown attached to.

Well, that's it for my first real post, hope you're doing well!

this is my new blog... enjoy

Considering finals are going on right now, I really can't say much, but I am excited about finally getting a blog that people are more likely to see. I think xanga died in the past year or two.
I'm hoping to be more persistent/consistent in my posts this time :)