5 month anniversary!

Woo hoo! Today marks my 5 month anniversary working at Chapman. My boss and I were trying to figure out if that meant anything special but it doesn't. 2 months ago I was able to start using vacation days and in 1 month I can use my tuition reimbusements. I am guessing that I do no want to be in classes any times soon!

Last week I got to go to Long Beach for 3 days! NASPA - the national organization for Student Affairs Professionals hosted their regional conference in Long Beach and since my previous advisor and mentor from CSULB - Ken Kelly was the host I had to go! It was so great to be back in the city that I love. As I drove into downtown Long Beach, I almost started to cry as I drove past my old house, where I used to work, restaurants that friends and I celebrated birthdays. There is no other place that holds so many memories for me. It is always emotional for me to go back there. Only time will tell if I live there again. At the conference I was able to reconnect with some of my fellow cohort members who are working full time as well and hear how their jobs are going. I was also able to see current 2nd years in the College Student Affairs program at APU and my professor Carol. They are all so wonderful and it was amazing to laugh with them at the conference.

This past weekend I had a few hours when I was really missing APU and everyone that I met there. As I drove back to Orange County from San Dimas, I was almost in tears. I realized how much everyone there touched and impacted my life. I am so blessed to have spent 2 years there and create those connections. Luckily at church Sunday evening I was able to see a few of my students from APU and it warmed my heart to spend just a few minutes with them.!

There are lots of changes happening within my life and work so it will be interesting to see how everything plays out over the next few weeks! I will keep you all updated! Much love!

4 months in

Being an Resident Director is probably the strangest job anyone could ever imagine. I live in a residence hall with 350 college students, i dont pay rent, i wear a pager when i am on duty, am up till 2 am when called to an incident, have staff meetings at night...such craziness! I enjoy it but is most definetely a challenge. My residents have been here for 2 months and from the sounds of it are enjoying college! It reminds me so much of my dorm experience and all the trouble we caused for our RAs! It makes me miss Long Beach with a passion! My heart also misses APU and the amazing community I had there. My RA's are a great group of students and I am enjoying getting to know them. I love living in Orange County and the life that I am creating here! I know I dont want to leave California but I think I am never going to leave the OC!

I started going back to RockHarbor Church when I moved down here. It has been a joy to return to a church that meant so much to me when I was in college. I have wanted to get involved but wasnt sure how. Over the last 2 weeks, I have strongly felt God's presence in my life, in a way that I haven't felt in 2 years. During my time at APU I struggled with my relationship with God and have prayed for the desire to spend more time with him and learn more about who He is. The prayer has finally been answered and I am so excited. God is guiding me and teaching me so much! Last weekend I went on the College Ascent as a leader and am praying about continuing to work with College Ministries at RockHarbor. God has also called me into a special 3 month season of my life. I know he wants me to stop expecting things but just be patient and hopeful. He wants to teach me alot over the next few months and allow me to grow closer to Him. I am excited and nervous to see what till come and how God will start 2009 for me. I know his plans are perfect and are right for me. I want to become the woman God has created me to be and this season is part of that journey. As my friends and family who are reading this blog, I ask that you join me in prayer over the next few months.

Here are some pictures!!!

A surprise party for the great Eileen!

Roomies at Melissa's Birthday!

Seeing Santana with the family!!!!!!

The family!!

Glass Hall Staff - in Costume!!

Macally got married!!!

moving on...new chapter...loving it

Its been a little over a month since I moved to Orange and I am loving it! It took a few carloads and a lot of help from my family, but I got all moved in. My apartment is set up and I truly feel like it is home. A lot has been happening since my first and only post. I spent time in Long Beach and watched some on my closest friends graduate. My little bro Jeff graduated with his bachelors degree. It was a joy to watch him watch across the stage. Jeff was one of the first freshmen I gave a tour to when I was an Orientation Leader at CSULB. We quickly became friends and then he asked me to be his big sis. I am so proud of him! My good friend Brandon recieved his Masters degree! I am so excited for him to step into this new chapter of his life...working full time! WOO HOO!





Right after graduation my friend Loren and I headed to LA for the Kenny Chesney concert and the next day got on a plane to visit our friend Meli in Seattle! We had such a great time with her exploring the city, trying different coffee shops, going to a baseball game, watching sex in the city, and just spending time with each other. it was a great way to spend the weekend and to prepare for moving to orange. Over the next few weeks I packed, shopped, finished up my job at the YMCA.












Now I am here! In Orange!!! My first day was all about meetings, met the staff and moved all my stuff in. My weeks have been spent setting up my place, my office and learning all I can about this new job and new university. So far, I am loving it. I work with some great people, and am so excited to meet my students in a matter of weeks! woo hoo!...my weekends have been filled with fun times with friends. I have been to both the Brad Paisley concert with my cousins and friends from San Dimas, Toby Keith concert with my cousin and friends from long beach, a dinner party at laurens in pasadena, night out in LA dancing, party hopping on the 4th of july.

Overall I am settling into my new life in Orange County. It is strange living by myself and having so much alone time, but I am beginning to really enjoy it. I love that my cousins, who also live alone are livng close by. Ive been spending alot of time with Ashley and Megan and it is always a joy to be with them. I truly feel this is where I am supposed to be. God has guided me to a great place where I can grow, learn and be challenged. I am so excited to rejoin the RockHarbor Church community> Being part of a church is something that I have been missing over the last 2 years. It will be great to be around other believers as I continue to transition to life here at Chapman and my first itme working full time. I am going to need alot of support as I learn a job that I have never done before. My friends Audrey and Brandon are there so that means I get to spend time with them which is wonderful! I know that I need to be spending more time with God and investing in my relationship with Him. He wants to do work in my life and I have to let Him do it as I let go of control. I love my God and want my life to reflect that. For whatever reason, that has been difficult for me over the last 2 years and now it is time to focus on Him. I ask for your prayers and love! Thank you for who all of you are in my life and how you add so much joy to it. I am so thankful for the friendships that God has sent my way and treasure my time with friends and family.

Resident Advisors will be here in about 2 weeks and studens will be here in less than a month...watch out for the stories to come!!!

I GOT A JOB and a blog

Most of you know that on May 3, 2008 I graduated from Azusa Pacific University with my Masters of Education in College Student Affairs. After two years, I'm finally done!!! About 2 weeks after graduation, I finally got that call that all graduates wait for...someone on the other line was offering ME a job! It was Chapman University, saying that they wanted me to be the newest Resident Director of Glass Hall and I accepted! It has been a long road to this point. I applied for my first full time position in December and now after 13 applications, 8 interviews and 5 months, I finally have a full time job!!! I expected to move around July 1, but now I will be moving on June 12 into my RD apartment on campus. I am so excited to begin this chapter of my life. My time at APU was well worth it. I learned so much about myself, my career, God and my friends. Being at APU for the last 2 years was probably one of the best moves that I have made and I am thankful for every experience and every one I have met. Thank you to my cohort, my co-workers, my staffs, my students and professors for everything that you have taught me, for loving me, and giving me the tools to move on. I will hopefully keep this blog updated with my stories from Chapman!