Viking funerals, leg waxing, and pie wars

My roomie's mouse, Bill Wordsworth, passed away, and she decided that he deserved a true Viking funeral. With the help of a couple friends, we made him a sailboat out of a styrofoam cup... doused it in wine (he needed one last drink)... lit it on fire and set him to sea (or creek - we improvised). It was a very peaceful ceremony, minus the few seconds that his boat got a little caught up in some brush and almost started a forest fire.

Yesterday was Relay for Life with Alpha Phi Omega. We, as a college, raised over $100,000 to fight cancer and set a personal record for number of participants. When we weren't walking the track, we were getting our faces painted, waxing the boys' legs (and chests) for donations to the American Cancer Society, and having epic pie wars.

He didn't even put up a fight... but you better believe I did.

When I told my mom I got pied in the face, she said it sounded like free breakfast for college kids. Very true. I'm a little delirious from lack of sleep, and I think my pneumonia is relapsing. But it was well worth it.

Alpha Phi Omega awesomeness

I was officially initiated into Alpha Phi Omega today. They blindfolded us and we had to walk across campus holding on to the person in front of us....I lost my leader at one point and had a minor panic attack. (Kidding. She reached back for me.) I'll be honest, I don't remember my pledge by heart...but the gist of it was to give up my own selfish needs in order to serve others. And really, that's what it's all about.

Miss twenty-something

I am officially a twenty-something. I feel like everything happens in this decade of life.... graduate college, start your career, get married, buy your first house, start a family. Or maybe move to Africa with only what you can fit in your carry on. It's a toss up.

My mommy came to visit the weekend before my birthday. She took me to Sam's and bought me enough groceries to (hopefully) last for the rest of the semester, plus a very cute birthday cake that we dug into at 11:58 pm on the 16th -- Christine gave up sweets for Lent.

Our stove is a little messy. So is the rest of our apartment.

Andrea came in town the next weekend. It was so nice having her around. The second she left, I called a friend to come keep me company. One of our excursions was to the tattoo parlor, which started off with a proposal.

I felt like a creeper taking a picture, but I thought they might want it. I got her email address.

It's Hebrew for "life." Because Jesus gave me one, and I don't plan on wasting it.

A lesson in closing doors

I may have learned a lot of things thus far in college, but apparently I have not learned how to close the front door.

I bolted out the door--late, as usual--yesterday afternoon to meet a friend at Starbucks. The second the barista handed me my hot chocolate (my taste buds are not sophisticated enough for coffee), I got a panicked message from my roommate that she had come downstairs to find the front door open and all of the cats gone. She had managed to catch four out of five (yes, we're up to five cats at the moment, I'm as horrified as you are), but my baby girl Greta was nowhere to be found.

One Chinese firedrill and a spilled hot chocolate later, my friend and I made it back to my apartment building and joined in on the epic search. We questioned neighbors and trekked through snow for half an hour, me all the while trying not to have a breakdown. I finally thought to ask Christine if she had checked under my bed, Greta's favorite hiding place... but she wasn't there either.

She was lying on the floor in front of the heating vent. That's my girl.

Happy Valentine's Day. :)

Yawn...

I survived my first all-nighter. I didn't even cheat! It's 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, and I have not slept since Monday night. Not even a nap. And it doesn't look like I'll be getting one anytime soon, because I have an ad to make for work and a very long chapter to read for class. My textbook is eluding me at the moment, and I'm not sure if I should take that as a sign that a) sleep is more important than a possible pop quiz or that b) I desperately need to clean my room.

The good news is, I'm 95% sure I got an A on my first exam, so it's all worth it. (I'll be telling myself that tomorrow when I'm nodding off during choir rehearsal.)

I should probably take up caffeine.

Who needs GPS?

I get the biggest feeling of satisfaction when I find my way somewhere. This evening I parked in a random parking garage, emerged with no idea which direction I was facing, but managed to make my way to my meeting just on time (without getting lost!) Maybe this campus isn't so daunting after all. Knock on wood.

I just left my first Alpha Phi Omega meeting, and I'm EXCITED. It's a non-Greek co-ed service fraternity full of really cool people, and I can't wait to meet all of them. I'll be initiated next month.

Tomorrow I'm signing a lease at my new house, and I'm very excited about that, too. Isn't it beautiful?

Only half of it is mine, no worries. Three bedrooms, two bath, big garage, and I can have my cat. (Did I mention that it's cheaper than my ghetto townhouse?) I'll miss my nutty, nice, crazy awesome roommate... but now I'll have two to keep me company. :)

What a wonderful day. And now on to studying for my first exam of the semester........