its like, you can never plan your life.

ok,

i have learned my lesson. i'll stop.

i had plans last year, graduate, get a job in this fun, new, exciting place, and start this new life, and be so not the person anyone expected me to be. take a leap of faith and just go somewhere not knowing anyone and go on this adventure. and those plans, nope. that did not happen.

i got a job in the one place i wasn't looking, i moved in with someone i knew, and in a city i grew up in. and i had all these new plans, to have a new sort of adventure... and then, just as i was starting to adjust its like,

woah, don't even think about it. ya know?

i know that life is always changing, and you are always going through times, good/bad/rough/exciting/new/same/etc... but sometimes, don't you ever think--life isn't fair. just flat out, isn't fair, not what you deserve, not what you expected, etc etc etc. but i am certain God put me right where i NEED to be, surrounded by the people who I need to be surrounded by. i have always felt so so so blessed by the friendships i have, and i am continued to be amazed by the support, love and loyalty of my friends. and I know that in these times when my plans are like way off then God's, he is just saying, dude(ette), let it go, i know what is best for you, and even if it hurts or is hard or is challenging or is not what you expected, I'm here, watching over you. Find peace, find assurance in that.

and this time, I am, and I hope that next time you are faced with some silly situation, or things don't work out perfectly, you just stop and think, maybe the plans i was making, wouldn't have worked out. and i still plan on having that new adventure, it will just happen, without my plans.

and the bible verse my dad made me memorize a couple years ago to get my christmas presents tells me just that, looks like it got me more then just christmas presents. it gives me hope and a future.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

one week down.

friends,

i am now an adult

well kinda. i don't really feel like I am an adult until i start drinking coffee every morning, so i'm going to start. i'll let you know how that goes.

but my first week of work was successful! I really like my job! It is such a laid back atmosphere, and I think I will be kept busy most of the time. I have my own desk and computer and email and everything! the strangest thing is, at 5:00 (or 3:30 on fridays for a couple more weeks) you can just get up and leave. You don't have to be finished with what you are doing, you don't have to be dismissed by a teacher or anything, you just leave! It's so great. I take my lunch every day and somedays get up the courage to eat in the break room..and try to make friends. Haha. but i got this free cup today.

which i love. i know it's silly, but its a plastic cup with a plastic straw! I guess silly things get more exciting when you are an adult..or i am just still in college mode where anything i get that is free automatically goes up to the top of my favorite things list.

and this week i got to see brian. which was so great too. and smags my little sister is a kappa at arkansas!

so i started off my adult life with a great week. and it is weird not being back in manhattan, going to class but I LOVE IT. because school and tricia don't mix.

but working all day is tiring. and i go to bed very early every night. which is okay with me. for now.

thats all.

what I have been waiting for.

well, all the big things this summer have happened, I have moved, gone to weddings, visited texas, and started a new life in a city i have been in my whole life. but it is new and it is good.

and it is what I have been waiting for. Last year at this time, I was beyond excited to move into my own house for my last year of college. (Say it with me-- SENIOR YEAR) I had no clue what last year would bring, but I thought I was ready. I wasn't prepared for the Dark Cloud of Doom that lived over our house first semester. There were tears, anxiety, heartache and laughter. I learned a lot about trusting God during that semester, and it has brought me here today. I now city in my room in downtown Kansas City, ("The Hood" as my mother refers to it) which is the only place I knew I didn't want to be.. but randomly one night I applied for an internship here, and SURPRISE--God had other plans for me. He knows my heart, and he knows that this is the best place for me. Isn't God funny-- the one place I said I did not want to be-he puts me? But I have a peace about it. For the next year, at least. I am so excited to start working on Monday, waking up and having something to do, which has not been the case all summer. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me this year, what lessons he will teach me, but I hope and pray that I can just live like he wants me to. I can hear his voice and follow his leading. It will be an adjustment, it already has been, but it has been good. I hope the dark cloud of Doom doesn't return, and this time next year, I could be in a completely different city, and that is exciting--but I don't know what is going to happen.

all I know is that I am so excited to start work on monday.

and even more excited to see Brian after 9 weeks of him being in Africa.

Next week-will be a good week. I start life as an official grown up.

wish me luck.

life after kearney

well. the day is here. My official last day in Manhattan as a resident. (I plan on visiting.. so it is not my last day here ever..).

so you may ask..what does tricia do on her last day in Manhattan? Well, I am currently sitting at Radinas. Reading and writing this thing. Then I will go home, continue to pack/ clean and then.. who knows what. Haha. Not too exciting right?

but my life is about to change..

I am about to move in to a new apartment, in a place that is semi foreign to me. I am then going to start a job I know little about what I will be doing. Although I did get more of a glimpse this week as I talked to last years intern. And I am excited. I will revert back to my high school life where I had to get up early, shower and spend the whole day in one place, but I think it will be good. A struggle at first, working for 8 hours a day, but also a good change. Don't get me wrong, I loved college, and the freedom I had, and the going to class only a couple hours a day..(when I went to class) but I need to grow up. I need to figure out who I am, what God has placed me on this earth for, and how to show his love to people.

and I trust that this is exactly where God wants me to be. If you would have asked me 3 months ago, I would tell you there is no way I would be in Kansas City after I graduated, but, here I am..that is where I am going. and I feel at peace about it, because I know that things wouldn't have fallen into place like they have been if God wasn't in control, and every day, I let him be a little bit more in control. He knows what he is doing, I need to trust in him more.

but it is still weird, I feel like I should be thinking about what books I need to buy, what recruitment clothes I need, and preparing myself for recruitment itself, but I don't! I have moved on.

So as I sit in Radinas, proudly wearing my ALUMNI shirt, it hits me.. that's what I am, and alum, and I am ready for the next part of my life.

lebron is 25?

so he has made his decision. going to miami (yes, i hope the will smith song just started in your head)

and there are so many people that are so happy right now.

and so many people that are so sad. and burning his jersey...a little extreme.

remember when bob huggins left k-state? that was the first time i experienced heart ache. seriously. you can ask my mom and stepdad..that weekend i was so mad/sad. I had never been broken up with..but that weekend, driving home for easter, I got word that, yes Bob Huggins was leaving K-State...and i was pissed. I blared my angry taylor swift songs, and sped home. I got glares on i-70. this is a true story. and then i got to pay my toll, and the lady was like..oh did you hear about bob huggins? YES I DID. and i was mad. i still don't really like the guy. he is sketch. major.

and remember that time that KU lost to Northern Iowa this year? and it was the best day of my life over spring break? to see that many KU fans mad and sad and depressed. I LOVED it. I know, I am an awful person..but I'm sorry--i hate ku fans.

so i am here thinking. all these people, probably more people followed this in depth then followed the last election....what is important in our society? in our culture?

its sports. (this is why I am pursuing a career in sports marketin..JUST KIDDING. i just like it.)

its also pop culture and twilight and justin bieber..(no i didn't watch an E! special on him tonight...) that is where all the money in the world is. (ok, not the world. but a lot of money is in sports and entertainment)

this money isn't in schools, where the children of the future are being taught, it isn't in getting people jobs or improving the roads in missouri, it is giving all these famous people more money, so we, the normal americans can be entertained and not have to think about people who can't even make $3 a day. (yes my boyfriend is in Africa, and he tells me things like this, I will admit, I don't know much about all this stuff either)

why? Why do we let people earn this much money--for playing basketball? for playing baseball? for singing in a bird cage? (miley cyrus..shameful that i even mentioned that).

and why do people get so excited about it? (Myself included.) Why do I not get this excited or spend as much time with God. The GOD OF THE UNIVERSE wants to know me, spend time with me. but i don't get excited about it. I get more excited that Jacob Pullen was selected for the USA Men's Select team. This is something I have been struggling with. Zeal for God. Passion. Wanting to spend time with him. Wanting to learn more.

and its hard, its something I have to change the way I think about. I have to be in constant thought about how I can serve God and how to show his love to others during my day. I will wait all day in line for a KU KState Basketball game, but I won't let God spend time with me for 5 minutes a day? he created me out of nothing. and i don't give him the time of day. he should come first, and i always put him last..yet he still loves me? It is so hard to grasp..but I am thankful for it...and the reason I am telling you (my 3 readers) this, is so you can hold me accountable. and i can do the same for you. just think about it.. next time you get wrapped up in all this.

and know that i am also probably right there wrapped up with you.

growing up.

well. its happening. come party with me and mara at our new place

its scary, growing up. but i am getting ready...my past week included..

yeah! look who Katie ran into when getting our tickets? i know. i missed it. story of my life, but still!! AHHH

and

a nice bike ride and morning read here. peaceful.

and thats about it. not very exciting...hopefully your summer is great!

9 weeks.

well the time has come. follow brian as he is in africa!

as for me, here are some things to look forward to.

• kappa get together

• apartment searching

• toy story 3

• BACKSTREET BOYS CONCERT. seriously. i am going. hahaha. remember high school tricia? she is coming back for one night only. monday june 21. lucky you

• golfing.

• not sleeping in until 11...people do things early here in KC.

• lake for 4th of july.

• nashville? hopefully

• family trip to dallas. shopping for grown up clothes...exciting

• rochelles wedding

and then start work.

and then in 9 weeks, i will be a working graduate, see my boyfriend, and live with mara.

LETS DO THIS!