MySpace

My Dearest Xanga,

I've tried to ignore the obvious. I thought if I didn't address the issue, I would get over it.

But it's just not happening...

I've been seeing someone else.

MySpace and I have bonded; we're very happy. He lets me be myself, truly be well-rounded. I'm sorry, but...but, I think you and I are done.

I'm sorry.

If you'd ever like to visit me, I would love to be friends. Just because I'm moving on doesn't mean you and are any less of friends.

www.myspace.com/christenlcarter

I'll love you forever.

Christen

Boys and Girls

So this has been bugging me lately (and I'm about to be super honest with you). I honestly want your feedback and thoughts.

I'm a girl...a very girly girl, to be precise. According to Karissa's personality test (which is SO true), I am a guardian provider, which basically means I am a classic, southern hospitality, motherly-instinct kind of girl who wants a fairy tale when it comes to romance. Now, I can rough it with the boys when needed (geo-caching, anyone?), but for the most part, I want to be a girl.

This is what bugs me: Why is it that as a girl, if I say that I want to be in a quality, loving relationship, people automatically label me as boy-crazy and someone who just wants to get married? In this moment of honesty, yes, eventually, I'd like to get married, but not tomorrow or necessarily even next year. However, for guys, when they say they want to find a girl, it's seen as noble and manly.

I just got through rereading a blog from my friend Steven. He wrote it this summer, and it's amazing. He talks about saving himself for his future wife and how much he can't wait to meet her, yet he's content in waiting, as long as he finds her eventually. People absolutely sang his praises after he wrote it. Every girl basically fell in love, and every guy thought he was awesome. Also, on MANY of my guy-friends' profiles, they have "my future wife" or "a nice girl" under their "Who you'd like to meet" section. Yet, if I were to write either of those things, people would think I was crazy.

Especially at Southwestern, people assume the majority of girls are here just to get their M-R-S degrees. Just so you know, there are some girls here who have brains and want a degree and really, really value their school work. Sure, I'm guilty of having no idea what I want to do with my life, but I'm not here just to get married. I want an education. I came for an education. Now, (another moment of extreme honesty) did I hope to find my better half here at the GU? Sure. My brother did, and a lot of people do. Why not? I go to school with hundreds of men in my age group who love Jesus and are obviously smart enough to be pursuing a college degree. Odds are, one out of this group could have some potential. But is marriage my reason for being in college? Heck no. I believe in God's timing and plan completely.

Anyway, sorry for the bitter rant. I just don't understand why girls get such a bad rap. Yes, I would like more than anything to find someone to spend time with just for the sake of pleasant company, but I'm not boy-crazy or a shallow girl. Thoughts??

Christen

To my wonderful friends...

Thank you to everyone who made this one of the best weekends of my life!! I feel like I took a hiatus from school and just reconnected. I'm serious- so refreshing and fun!! I haven't laughed as much as I did this weekend in a really long time.

I have this theory that I have 3 generations of Southwestern friends. My freshman year (pre-Master's commission) I was mainly friends with older people, and now they are grown up and getting married. After Master's, I was friends with people my own age who are either seniors or one year out of school now. And now, my friends are mainly juniors and seniors. These are three very distinct groups that I love for so many reasons, and they overlap to a degree. Karissa tends to be the main over-lapper. haha But I love and appreciate them so very much.

This weekend, I managed to spend very significant time with all these people. It started Thursday night at my house. My newest group came over for pizza and games, and we all just hung out. It was really nice. Then Friday, I went to dinner with several of my older girls because Angie Yandell was in town (she's getting married in 2 months!!!!!). We cracked each other up with our awesome hair styles and cheerleading routines. haha!! Later that night, I got to camp with some very dear friends for Shelby's birthday. We went geo-cacheing which is probably my new favorite thing, for sure! I've really miss being in the woods and enjoying nature (except for those wretched spiders!!), so it was great. We roasted marshmellows and had great "life" talks and even made breakfast Saturday morning. I love my friends so much!

After camping, everyone headed to Southwestern's homecoming football game (which we won!!!!!!!) to see Sigi and Girien crowned Queen and King (and to see me cheer, of course...haha). Shelby had to hand over her Queen title. We had a really great Homecoming Court (shout out to Nate and Chris!), and I would have been pleased with any of them winning. It was a great game and a beautiful day. My parents even came. It was wonderful to see them! :) After dinner with my padres, I attended Angie's wedding shower. It was lovely (Andrea is a wonderful host), and she received some beautiful things. It was so refreshing to see all the girls there. I miss them terribly. Post shower, I continued in the celebration of Shelby's birth at her house. Karissa made her famous cookies, and we all drank hot chocolate before a rousing game of Farkle (dice game). I lost, but it was still a blast. Then, we just goofed off until really late. I miss my roomies. :( But it was fantastic to see them all weekend. :) Thanks to Brooke for spending the night and bumming around with me this afternoon! Love you!

So, here's to my friends who enrich my life and make me who I am. I am so blessed. I was telling Jeanene last night how much I enjoyed myself and almost started crying. I couldn't have asked for a better college experience or better friends. I love each and every one of you and am so thankful you are part of my life. I love you!

Christen

As promised, here are pictures from my birthday! Sorry it took so long, but I've been using the computer at work to maintain this thing, and I can't really upload pictures. Anyway, now I'm at home with the wonderful thing known as wireless internet. :) Thank you to everyone who made my birthday spectacular. Enjoy!

Wednesday, Brooke and I got pedicures! woo hoo!


Cute, huh, with the little flowers!


Then, Friday night, Scott, Erik, Sigi, and I graced Medieval Times with out presence. :)
Birthday girl and Sigi (we wore our crowns proudly):


Me and Scott goofing off before dinner:


Sigi and Erik (such a fun picture):


Though cheesy choreography, it was a great show:


And then Sunday night, we had a little girl fun at Magic Time Machine. :) I love my friends!!
Andrea, Jessica, and Danae being fabulous:


Danae, Birthday girl, and Esther:


I think this picture is SO cute!! Jeanene, Karissa, and Shelby:


Okay, here they are all smiling:


The group: Andrea, Jessica, Danae, Me, Esther, Jeanene, Karissa, and Shelby:


Yay, birthday!!!
If you'd like to see the rest of the pics (not that many more), go to: Birthday Pics

Birthday '06!

Thank you to all the well-wishers on my birthday!  I had a tremendous birthday.  You all made it so very special.

Wednesday, my dear friend Brooke took me to Midlothian for a pedicure.  Oh, it was awesome, and we have super cute little toes now. :)  Then we met up with all my amazing friends at Chick Fil A for dinner. Yum! That night, Scott and I got to hang out for a bit.  Good times on the day of my birth. :)

Then Friday night, Erik, Sigi, Scott, and I went to Medieval Times to celebrate.  (I have pictures, but I haven't had a chance to upload them yet.)  It was so much fun.  I kinda felt like a little kid all over again.  Afterwards, we had some game time, and yes, Erik won Catch Phrase in all it's glory. ;)

Sunday night concluded the celebration of me (just kidding...okay, I'm not) with a group of friends going to the Magic Time Machine (pictures to come). So...it was nothing like what I expected.  In my head, I was thinking Cheesecake Factory meets Chuck E Cheese.  I thought it was going to be semi-nice yet crazy.  Nope, just crazy.  Our waitress was the toothfairy, and she was to the point.  There was no fluff with this woman.  She was there to work; it was kinda funny.  Then, a magician came by, as did Superman.  Yeah, Superman was really in costume. Ekk.
   The food was great, but the whole atmosphere was borderline creepy.  haha  Oh well, it's impossible to not have a good time with those girls (Andrea, Danae, Jessica, Esther, Karissa, Jeanene, and Shelby).  Afterwards, we went back to the Karissa-Jeanene-Shelby household for homemade, made-from-scratch ice cream sandwiches.  I'm not kidding; Karissa is freakin' amazing! (Man, I miss my roommates!!) 
   Oh, I also took a personality assessment from a book Karissa has that could not have been more accurate.  I'm a "guardian provider," which basically means I thrive on family, social engagements, and routine, and I'm warm-hearted and a nurturer.  I don't do well with spur of the moment plans.  I like being courted in the traditional sense: flowers, having doors opened, being affirmed vocally and emotionally.  Relationships are about quality time and togetherness.  Anyway, I promise you, it was like reading a recipe for me.  I was freaking out on how perfect it was.  This guy John was the one reading me my results, and he was laughing so loud because I kept saying, "Oh my gosh, yeah, that's totally me."
  So, good times.  I've had a great birthday week. :)

Happy weekend to you!  Tomorrow is my very first football game as an SAGU cheerleader.  Crazy!  I absolutely can't wait though.  Home games start next week.  I'd love it to see your face in the stands.  Feel free to come anytime. :)  For those who have been asking, here's the home game schedule:
September 23 @ 6 pm
September 30
October 21
October 28
November 4

It's been a crazy busy week.  Sometimes I wonder why I do this school thing, but it's almost over (May!!).  Anyway, have a great weekend.  I'll be in Kansas starting tomorrow.  woo hoo!

OH- and my birthday is in 5 days!!!  I hear there's a plan in the works, but I really have no clue what.  Yippee- I love my birthday!!

Love you all!
Christen

Just so you know, my birthday is in 16 days :)

Life back at school is so weird and different and upside down.  I came into this semester with a lot of expectations, and to say the least, they aren't anything like what I imagined.  All of it's not necessarily bad- just different.  I have a bad habit of imagining, down to the detail, how I want an evening/an event/a situation to play itself out.  Then, when it doesn't meet, or exceed, my expectations, I'm disappointed.

I want amazing.  I want extraordinary.  Is it wrong that I don't want to settle for normal?  It encompasses every aspect of my life: school work, friendships, relationships, holidays, birthdays, cheerleading.  I have plenty of "normal" in my everyday life: watching tv, eating microwave dinners, running errands, going to work and practices and classes.  Is it too much to ask for the other times to be significant?

I don't know.  You probably think I'm crazy, but it's how I feel.  And I'm really being okay with my feelings (however illogical or unfounded they may be).

So, all of that to say, my semester is going okay; it's just super different.  Classes are tough, and my apartment is freakin fantastic.  I'm making a homemade meal tonight (first one since being here).  woo hoo!

Christen

 

And it starts...

Wow, no, I haven't abandoned you, Xanga, but instead I have moved into a fantastic apartment with no internet connection (due to my poorness). However, thanks to the wonderful fastfood chain known as Whataburger, we will still have one another. :) I know you can't contain your enthusiasm.
Where do I even start? Last Saturday, with the help of my padres, brother, and Andrea and Steven, I moved into a great little one bedroom apartment. Then, Mom and I shopped for decor and a bed. I got a super cool bed from IKEA. Oh, my dearest IKEA, what would my apartment be without you? Anyway, after many purchases and my summer savings being depleted, Mom had to go home. So, this week has been filled with organizing, building (oh yeah, I hung all my own curtains, put my bed together, and even hung a mirror with a big bolt thing), and cleaning. And it's all done. woo hoo!! I'll post some pictures later, but it is in fact complete. :) yay!
Then Tuesday night, I began a new (yet very familiar) chapter in my SAGU life. I started cheerleading. We met for dinner and just some get-to-know-you time. We have an amazing squad. We have 3 returning cheerleaders, 2 brand new freshmen, 4 transfers, and me. :) Oh yeah, that's 10! Then Wednesday-Friday we had cheer camp. It was no joke- we met at 8:30 am and left about 10:30 each night. I promise you that I have never had so many muscles and tendons hurt in my entire life. We learned cheers, chants, dances and some great stunts. It's going to be a good year. :) Anyway, here's a few of the girls. I'm so glad I'm getting to do this.
Ashley B and Ashley R:


Tiffany and Kollette:


Me, Tiff and Ashley (we were having pictures, thus the uniforms):


So, we have cheer sisters for accountability and prayer and things. This is my beautiful little cheer sis, Ashley:


Bev took us to Campuzano's on Friday night (yum!!!). Here's Brennan, Krystal and Leslie:


Kim, Tiff, and Donna (our captain):


Me and the Ashleys again:


Here's the squad- Krystal, Brennan, Tiffany, Me, Donna, Kollette, Ashley R, Ashley B, Leslie and Kim:


Though I'm super tired, it's been a great week. I can't believe classes start this week though. ugh. Oh well, today should be fantastic. ;)

Christen

Blingo!

Hey guys, sign up for Blingo! Win with me!



It's a search engine powered by Google. You don't have to buy anything or fill out any surveys; it's just a search engine. They give out prizes like iTunes $ and iPod nanos. No joke! My friend Taka won a nano just this week. Plus, as you sign up friends under you, if they win, you win!! So, Jeremy who got Taka to sign up ALSO won a nano. Sweet, huh?

Anyway, you should do it. What's it gonna hurt? I would sure like to win something when I'm gonna surf the internet anyway.

Christen

Vacation 2006!! woo hoo!

What an amazing week! It couldn't have been better! I hope you're ready for some pictures because that's what you're getting. :)

We left last Friday and drove through the night to reach Platoro, Colorado. Now, when I say we were in a remote camping area, I mean, Platoro is not on the map, nor are the roads that lead to this place. But it was beautiful and peaceful, and I had a blast with my family. Sunday, we went fishing, even little Eli.
I'm not a serious fisherman. Yeah, that's People in my lap, and Pride and Prejudice on the ground. haha


Aren't Grandpa and Eli cute?


Mark fished while Eli hung out in the little sling:


Even Grandma did some fishing:


Yeah, he stands up with a little help. I can't believe how big Eli's getting. He's seriously laughing here. :)


How gorgeous is this place!?


Monday, Mom, Sheila, Scott and I went horseback riding. It was a guided tour where you followed the leader, but our guide took us on some cool trails. We went up in the wooded mountains, by some old mines, and through the river twice. It was fun and beautiful scenery.

Here's my ghetto brother:


We stopped to let the horses eat a little:


Monday night, Scott drove up from Colorado Springs to hang with the Carter clan. It was good to see him. On Tuesday Dad, Scott, Mark, Sheila, Scott and I went white water rafting in Durango, which was a total blast. For the Spring Hill readers, Jarrett Brelsford was our guide. Good times.

Here we are going through Smelter. It was the only level 3 rapid of the day:



Then on Wednesday, Scott and I headed back to the Springs. I got to hang out with him and Justin for a couple of days. We watched movies, went to the batting cages, ate some good food, went white water rafting at the Royal Gorge with Erik and his sister, met some friends and family, and toured Aurora and Denver. I had an absolute blast.

I flew home from Denver in order to go to Karla's wedding on Saturday. The only down side was the airlines lost my luggage. Supposedly, it didn't get transferred from Continental to American during the layover in Houston. boo I was so tired (and obviously emotional) that I just stood there and cried for a few minutes. I was SO frustrated! Oh well, it made it back to Longview Saturday night (which was of no use to me in Arkansas). Anyway, here we are dropping me off at the airport:


Saturday, I got to attend Karla and Dallas's wedding. So beautiful and special. What a great day! I got to see several friends too. Oh, and yes, this concludes my summer of weddings. woo hoo I attended 6 this summer.
Here's Danae, Melissa Hall, and me:


Here's some pretty girls, Viema, Danae and me:


My old roomie K-Ross and me (it was great to see her):


Isn't this a cute little cake? It has Karla written all over it:


What a gorgeous bride!!


SAGU was definitely represented on Saturday. All these people are alumni except me (I'll graduate someday, I promise...haha):


Me and the very lovely Andrea Bazan:


Well, vacation was fantastic. I loved every minute of it (some more than others). ;) Sadly, I have to go back to work in the morning. :( Oh well. I move back to Waxahachie in less than 2 weeks. Can't wait.

Christen

Sunday Ramblings

I'm sorry I don't write more often without some sort of agenda. Life's a little boring right now. I work and come home, not much else. So, I hate to bore you with repeatitive details of my days.

Yesterday I attended wedding #6 for the year (5 for the summer), and yes, I have one more in two weeks. Between all the weddings and making arrangements for the apartment, a lot of reality of adulthood has set in this week. Did you know that every one of my childhood friends is now married? Angela, Kelli, and Joanie (all from Graham). Sara, Ashley Lopez, and Kelli A. (all from the early years in Longview). And then Chesley is married and Alesha is, well, engaged (from high school). Isn't that crazy? And in less than a month, I'll be moving into an apartment by myself. Wow, talk about responsibility and growing up.

I think it's cool. Yeah, parts of it are scary: finances, choosing a profession, making big decisions. But for the most part, I guess I'm ready to be grown up.

Thankfully, I don't really have to grow up for one more year! :) Starting August 23, I get back into the swing of things for my SENIOR year in college. I have very high hopes for this year. I'm going to be cheerleading, which is fun and exciting. I haven't really been all that involved at SAGU up to this point, so this will be a huge change. Plus, I think I'm going to really like my classes, and I'll get to hang out with Scott, and I'll have my own apartment. Things are really looking good.

Well, I guess that's enough rambling for this Sunday afternoon. How are you? How's your summer and upcoming school year looking? Miss you, friends. Love you!

Christen

Apartment Needs Updated

Thank you to everyone who has offered their wonderful things to me. I am very, very thankful. The apartment is coming along well, though a little mismatched. haha It's definitely functional now. So far, I have been offered a love seat, coffee table, end tables, kitchen table and chairs, microwave, television, and a washer and dryer. I'm WAY excited. :)

Here's the updated list of what I still want/need:
-Queen size bed frame (head and footboards preferred)
-Queen size mattress or mattress set
-Dresser(chest o' drawers)/armoir
-Couch
-Nice chair/recliner
-TV stand/entertainment center
-DVD player
-Desk
-Pots, pans, dishes, silverware
-Toaster oven

I know I don't need all these things, but a girl can dream, right? Thanks, everyone. Love you, friends!!

Christen

Apartment Needs

Well, it looks more and more like I'll be living off campus this coming school year. I really wanted to stay on campus my last year for a number of reasons, but the pros and cons are slightly tipping the scales towards off campus. No fear, my friends, I'll just be in Victorian Square. That's like 200 yards from SAGU's campus. Nothing's definite yet, but I'm just thinking ahead (I'm a planner, big time).
So there's a few things I need to live on my own. I have the very basics (a twin bed, small tv, personal items), but I'd like to have a slightly more liveable home. Here's where you come in. If you'd like to sell, lend or give me any of the following things, that would be fantastic. I'm willing to buy some stuff at a very reasonable price, but I'm sure I can find things cheaper used than brand new. Okay, here it goes:

-Queen size bed frame (head and footboards preferred)
-Queen size mattress or mattress set
-Dresser(chest o' drawers)/armoir
-Nightstand/side table
-Couch or loveseat
-Nice chair/recliner
-Coffee Table
-TV stand/entertainment center
-24" or more television
-DVD player
-Desk
-Small kitchen table and chairs
-Pots, pans, dishes, silverware
-Toaster oven
-Washer and Dryer

Well, just let me know if you'd like to contribute to my sad little apartment. haha I really am serious about rounding these things up eventually. Anyway, hope your summer is going well. I'll be back in Waxahachie in no time. :)

Christen

A Sad Goodbye

Today marked the end of an era. My cute little dog Chance was put to sleep today. If you've ever even stepped foot in my house, you saw that little fur ball with his crooked underbite sticking out. He has been a good dog: low-maintainence, calm, and a joy to have around. We got Chance for Scott's 4th birthday; that made the little guy 10 1/2 (70 in dog years). Anyway, in his old age, he'd developed a lot of health problems, and the vet recommended that we have him put to sleep instead of letting him suffer, so that's what we did.
After Mom brought him home from the vet in a little box, we buried him in the backyard behind the storage building. We had a mini-funeral with some shared memories and a short prayer. I did cry; Chance has been a part of my life for so long. Plus, he was Scott's dog, so I was hurting for him, too.
Anyway, goodbye Chance. You were a cool dog.

Brandy's Wedding

Today my lovely cousin Brandy married the love of her life, PJ. The ceremony was intimate and beautiful, and everything went off without a hitch. I had the honor of serving as a bridesmaid for the wedding. So much fun!!

The weekend began yesterday at a bridal luncheon at The Potpouri House in Tyler. We had an amazing lunch and the opportunity to talk and relax.

These are the girls: Jill, Brandy (the bride), Sarah, Me, Rachel and Lori (matron of honor)


Today, we met for lunch at 1. Brandy was nervous and excited and stressed all at the same time, but she looked amazing. Her dress was gorgeous, and the flowers and decorations were great.

Me and my beautful cousins, Brandy and Jill, just moments before walking down the aisle:


Mr. and Mrs. PJ and Brandy Bailey:


My super cute cousin Cassidy was the flower girl:


Sorry, I didn't get a better picture of the bride and groom with the cake, but look at that cake!!!


And what would a Christen post be without a picture of Eli? haha He was cracking up in this picture. Isn't he adorable?!? He was 7 months 2 days ago.


I had a fantastic time at the wedding and surrounding events. I wish them all the love and happiness that God intends for them. I love you, Brandy and PJ!!

Christen

Emerson's Inspiration

So, it's been pointed out that my blogs are becoming more and more sparse with words, so I'm going to try and make up for that. :)

I heard a quote today that really made me think:

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

It was used in a Christian setting to refer to God, but I really doubt that's what Emerson was talking about since he was one of the foremost thinkers of transcendentalism, which isn't exactly a Christian philosophy. Anyway, I took it to mean the potential-- the talents and thoughts and ideas-- that lie within each one of us that we have yet to tap in to.

I have dreams, big dreams, that I don't know what to do with. I have talents that most of you know nothing about. I have tentitive plans for my life that may, or may not, happen.

I am 22 years old and a senior in college yet have almost zero direction for my life. Sure, I have the fall back plan (which very well may be God's best for my life): becoming a teacher and eventually getting my master's in school counseling. I know I would enjoy this route. I love people and the education system and the responsibilites of school counseling. However, sometimes I sit and wonder if that's really my life's purpose, what I'm going to find fulfilling for the rest of my life.

What else would I do? I'm not sure. My interests/desires include editing, writing, wedding planning, organization, linguistics, literature, computer design, video editing, layout design, etc, etc. I just don't know how any of these could be something more or how they fit together. Then there's the ultimate dream of being a wife and mother, which will all happen in the right timing.

Thankfully, I'm not actually worried about my post-college life. I've trusted the Lord to lead me in the right direction for 22 years, and he has yet to fail me. A very wise man once told me that I would never be out of the will of God as long as I wasn't diliberately trying to step out of it. Well, I'm sure not doing that, so I know it's going to work out as always.

So back to the quote. It made me think about what's inside me, and I couldn't help but wonder how God is weaving these things together to create my future. Isn't it comforting to know we don't have to do this alone? My father up there loves me so very much that he WANTS to bless me, WANTS to see me succeed.

Which leads me to another thought (I told you I was making up for lost words...haha). Tonight I was very humbled before the Lord as I was thinking about how blessed I am. I have an incredible family, an amazing guy in my life, a good job, wonderful friends, and very few worries. (I'm not bragging; I'm getting to the point.) And suddenly this huge fear went through my mind: As soon as I acknowledge all these amazing things, surely the Lord is going to take something away from me. And it hit me, where on earth did I get the idea that the Lord would TAKE something from me? Am I not the one telling people that God desires to bless us?

He does. He blesses me daily. He provides for me. I live the good life. He is directing my steps and masterfully leading me in the right direction. He knows the true, deep down, possibly having never been spoken of, desires of my heart.

So, thank you, Mr. Emerson, for spurring me to once again surrender my life. It's nice not being in control.

Christen

Summer Highlight

Good week.

Wednesday I got to pick Scott up from the Greyhound station in Dallas. He's in town to work the first part of the Mavs' final series (which is 2-0, by the way). We got to hang out at my Nannie's (paddleboating, 4-wheeler, buttermilk pie) as well as with Nick and Jess. Good times, indeed.

Saturday, my cousin Cody got married to the very beautiful Karen. It was quite the family affair (did you expect anything less?), plus some old familiar faces were there. The ceremony and reception were absolutely gorgeous and fun and personal. I loved it, though I did not catch the bouquet. She might as well have handed it to her sister. haha Anyway...

My brother Mark, sis-in-law Sheila and adorable nephew Eli:


Isn't the cake beautiful?


They are so in love, and the dance was just adorable:


Me and the lovely couple:


Leaving the church:


Me and my awesome little bro Scott:


I've had a great week. How was yours?

Christen