Tomorrow night is the final Southwestern Live of the semester.  I can't believe it's over tomorrow.  It's been really bitter sweet.  I've made some amazing friends through it since we practice so much.  But at the same time, it's stressed me out and affected my grades.  I really love the show.  I always have.  I'm just so tired.  I won't do it again next semester because I really need to do other things, but I still love the show.  It's so funny.  The first show this semester I was totally nervous, but I'm completely neutral this time.  It's going to be fun.  Someone described it the other day like this: "This show is just our playground."  So true.

Christen

Well, truth be known: I lost once again at Easter egg hunting.  Josh even said he wasn't going to try for anything but money eggs, and yet HE STILL BEAT ME!  I just don't know anymore. hehe  Anyway, I did get $20 through money eggs, so that was exciting!  Easter was a success!

I cried during English Lit II today.  I feel like it's so over my head.  I have a B average right now (there's no hope for an A), but now I'm stressed to keep it a B.  UGH!!

This week is crazy.  We have Southwestern Live practice every night, and the show's Thursday.  Then this weekend I'm going to be busting my butt to write a 12 page research paper for English Lit II.  (see what I mean?)  But after April 4, life will slow down significantly.  (Thank you, Lord!)

Christen

Happy Easter, my dear friends.  I hope you have a chance to celebrate the great thing Christ did for you this weekend...the whole reason we have the opportunity to be Christians.

Tonight I went to a rockin' concert in Van.  My cousin Josh's band, Homer Hiccum and the Rocket Boys, played, and it was fabulous!  I really, really enjoyed it.

Tomorrow I'm gonna hunt some serious Easter eggs.  Josh (see former paragraph) always wins, but I'm gonna try to this year (never happens).  Oh well, Happy Easter people!

Christen

Something big happened in my life this week.  I'll tell you all about it when I can.

The trip to Houston went GREAT!  I have the greatest friends.  We had so much fun listening to music and talking.  The service was amazing, too.  Mark and Sheila's youth center was really cool, and there were 275 people there!!  The town is tiny, may I remind you.  We ate dinner at their house afterwards; then, Sheila made us cookies.  Yum!!  Thanks, Sheila!

Easter is great.  Friends, family, food!  Couldn't be better.  For those of you that know my family well, you'll know this is HUGE:  I won Shanghi for the FIRST time ever tonight.  It's the first time we've played every hand, and I won fair and square!!!  Go me!

Christen

Tonight is the night of driving.  At 3 pm, Andy, Russell, and I are leaving for Mont Belvieu, Texas to go see my dear brother and sister-in-law.  Their new youth center is opening up, and they are going to have a blow out service!!!  I'm so excited.  However, I do have to drive back tonight because I have a HUGE test tomorrow here at good ole' Southwestern.

Crazy how life comes full circle.  When I was in junior high, I LOVED Dave Matthews.  Then I went through several years when I never listened to him.  But a couple of days ago, the guy my roommate's dating let us borrow a Dave Matthew's CD, and it is currently blasting in my apartment.  Weird, yeah.

Christen

Today's my half birthday!  Happy Half Birthday to me!! I'm 21 1/2!

Does anyone else have really vivid dreams?  I sure do.  Twice this week I've woken up and thought my dream really happened.  For instance, (names have been removed for...well...reasons) I dreamed last week that I went to Longview for spring break and saw one of my guy friends.  We were hanging out and discussed that we liked each other and if fact, had liked each other for years (this is false in real life).  He went and bought a ring and proposed to me.  I accepted.  Then the rest of my dream I'm justifying to all my friends why I was now engaged to a guy I was not dating.  Anyway, so I woke up, and thought, "Oh crap, what have I done?"  I, seriously, looked down at my hand to make sure it wasn't real.  Crazy, huh?

Well, this week is going to be stressful.  I have so much to do:  Southwestern Live practice every day, 2 tests, an essay and a quiz, and I'm going to Houston on Wednesday.  AHH!

It was so crazy this morning.  All weekend I've been stressed out and thinking that life will be better after all this stuff is due.  Then, in Sunday School, the lesson was about contentment in this moment.  It was exactly what I needed to hear.

Love you all!
Christen

P.S.  Go here --> http://www.purevolume.com/scatteredtreeshollohills
My friend Nate from Rockford is coming out with a new album, and you can listen to three of his songs.  He's amazing!!

Well, Spring Break '05 is almost over.  So fun though!  We had a good time at my home, but we're back in good ole Waxahachie now.  Ang and I went and saw The Ring 2 tonight.  It wasn't half as good as the first one, but it wasn't disappointing either.  I screamed a couple of times.  hehe  Last night we saw In Good Company.  It wasn't the love story I expected, so I was disappointed, but I liked it anyway.  We got to hang out with some of my closest friends-- Mark Sorgee, Alesha Pither, Kory Moon and Ikey Eason.  We all go WAY back, so it was a blast.

How is everyone?  Tell me about your life.

Christen

"Spring Break '05, baby!"  Every time something exciting happens, this is what I have been exclaiming.  hehe

Spring Break really has been everything I hoped for...fun, relaxing, good times with friends.  San Antonio was gorgeous.  We met up with one of my friends, Kyle, Sunday and ate by the Riverwalk.  Kyle must have thought my friends (Karla, Karissa and Angela) were crazy.  We are all four loud and talkative, but it was so fun.  Then we played cards and ate ice cream.  Monday we went to Fiesta Texas and rode rollercoasters all afternoon.  That evening we ate at a restaurant that was not as we expected.  We thought it was going to be like Ed Debevics (for all those familiar with Chicago) but instead, it was very...well...dirty.  That's all I'll say.  Tuesday, we drove into San Marcos and shopped at the outlets for like 8 hours, but finally went on to Van that night.  Today we were complete and total bums on the couch, but it was relaxing.  :)  Now we're in Longview and chilling with my family.

I have coined a phrase that I use often: "Rockford Days."  There are days when all I can think about are my friends in Rockford, or I experience something that reminds me of it, or I'm having a bad day and wish I was there.  Anyway, last night I had a "Rockford Day."  I drove to Van (5 hours) starting at 9:30 pm while my roommates slept and listened to two mixed CDs that were given to me up there.  Wow, God revealed so much to me last year about who I am and who He says I am.  Those songs just take me back.

To all my friends and family, here in Texas and up in Illinois, I love you.  Thank you for helping me become who I am today.

Christen

Wow, Spring Break!  I'm having a fabulous time.  I'm in Austin with my family right now.  We come to the Texas Boys' High School State Basketball Tournament every year, but the exciting thing this year was VAN WON!!!  Van is the town my WHOLE family lives in, and I grew up in.  They won the 3A tournament.  It was amazing.  They are so good!  Tomorrow, I leave for San Antonio with Karissa, Ang and Karla.  We are just chillin for 3 days then to Van then to Longview.  I'm loving this week already.

Christen

Well, the TWIRP date went well.  SO FUN!  We really had a blast.  Here's the run down:
-Me, Andy, Brooke, Russell, Angela, Arlin, Karissa and Scott
-Picked them up in a 1990's Cadillac limo (chauffer too)
-Chick Fil A nuggets, Chicken Express biscuits, and favorite beverages were in the limo
-We got lost for 45 minutes after an hour drive (still fun...everyone talked)
-Played Lunar Golf (black light putt putt) and Andy and I got 2nd  :)
-Angela drank Dr Pepper out of a bottle we found in the parking lot for $5
-Ate some good dessert at Bennigan's with a whole lot of laughing and talking
-Drove home with good conversation
-12 minutes late for curfew...opps!

Good thing last night was fun cause I didn't do so hot on my English Lit II test...ugh!  Tomorrow I go to Austin for the Basketball State Tournament!  GO VAN!!!

Sunday I'm meeting my roommates in San Antonio for 3 days of chilling out. Yes!!  Spring Break...here I come!

Christen

Where is the balance of wanting a good grade in a class and not stressing so much over it?

I have always been a good student.  Up to this point in my life, I have only made one B.  I don't say this to brag but to help you see where I'm coming from.  This semester I have one class that is kicking my tail.  I made an A on the first test (which was hard), but I just got my first paper back that I thought I did well on, and I made a 75.  I am so discouraged.

I say that I would be okay with a B, but the truth be known, I would be quite upset.  I want an A.  But I don't want to be stressed out all semester for one.  Ugh!  Where's the balance?  I want to think long term and see that I need good grades, but all I see is today...and today I'm tired on trying so hard all the time.

Christen

Hey y'all,

I'm not dead, but Karissa took her laptop to Seattle this week, so I have to come to the library to use the internet.  I'm having a busy, but good, week!  Love you all!

Christen