howdy from the redneck state

dearest friends of mine,

greetings from texas. as usual. I'm glad to hear that everyone seems to be having a good summer and that the job search is either in full swing or a complete success (Shay!).

As for me, I've been trying to keep myself busy. I ended up landing the job and after lots of paperwork confusion, will finally start said job June 8th...here we go 8 to 5....at least I'll be bringing home the green, if you get my drift. I keep telling myself I can do anything for 2 months, so it won't be that bad. August is all about Tanzania...I've already started fundraising and I'm praying that somehow I'll raise the mulah. I know y'all are all just as broke as I am, but if your parents, the ones that know me at least, want to donate to a good cause (that's also tax deductable, hint hint) I would greatly appreciate it :) I have just applied for an au pair job (for all you non-frenchies, that means nanny) in Paris and will find out soon if that is going to happen, so keep your fingers crossed! 

Otherwise, I have been in Houston for the past couple of days spending time with my dad, brother, and friends from home. Being here where I grew up, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on how far God has brought me and how faithful He is, which is making me even more ecstatic about my future and I don't feel so reckless in taking the risk of going to Paris because I know He's there every step of the way...even though that sounds cliche. And I rhymed. Great.

What else have I been up to? I work out every day, which has been great, I'm just trying to see how in shape I can get before the summer is up. I've also painted the entire exterior of a house by myself...never knew I was a handy woman, did ya?? My mom and Robert are fixing up his old house for my grandparents to move in to soon, so I've been painting every day....don't really wear makeup all the much anymore...I look like a sweaty redneck most of the time :)

Here's a cool story...so tonight I got back to my dad's house at 1am after hanging out with friends, thinking everyone would be asleep...turns out I was the first one home. My brother showed up 20 minutes later...and then my dad and Charlotte show up around 2:30 after being at this bar out in the city limits called Tin Cup...and they were both a little sloshed...you know your life has changed when you are no longer the college kid getting tipsy and going to parties or hanging out late at night, and your own FATHER is now doing these things...good grief, sometimes I wonder who is actually the adult. 

ANYWAY. I love you all and Ellen Anne and Linds, get on it! At least one post over the summer and I'll be satisfied. 

Over and out.

All my love,

Becca

Hello friends!!!!!

Sorry I've taken so long to blog. I was kind of waiting for something eventful to happen that I could talk about...but that might not happen for a long time. First of all, I miss all of you SO MUCH! It is really so weird knowing that we won't all be back in Malibu come August. You all mean so much to me and life's just not the same without having you around everyday!
So...here's a summary of my summer so far: job applications, sleep, more job applications, picking up my sister from school, job applications, taking my sister to fencing, more job applications, going grocery shopping, more job applications, working out with my mom, more job applications, MISSING ALL OF YOU, more job applications, doing the dishes, more job applications, watching lots and lots of Gilmore Girls, more job applications...I think you get the pattern.
Basically, I job search everyday, send out applications, and never hear anything back from anyone, which is kind of frustrating. I'm trying not to get too down about it. I've even applied to work in the middle of the LA ghetto...they apparently don't want me there either. My hope is that once school is out and administrators have more time, I might actually start to hear back from them. We'll see...
Oh...I actually do have one kind of exciting event. I went back to so cal a few weeks ago for a Renaissance Fair at my school. I was so excited to see my kids again and they were all so excited to see me and it was just wonderful. Sad to say goodbye to them for real too. I also picked up my pretty silver medal from Pepeprdine with my name engraved. I even ran into Tomi on campus :)
My other exciting event...we just finished booking tickets for our family vacation this summer, which I am really looking forward to. And we are going to...drumroll please....Dallas! My sister has a fencing competition there in July so we are all going for nine days. I've never been to Texas before, so I'm super excited. Maybe I can see you Becca while I'm there?
Sorry this post is really random and not super cohensive, but I just thought of a funny story too. Well, its kind of funny now but was really not funny at the time. My mom started teaching me to drive stick because the car I am buying from my parents is a new, cute white bug but its stick. Now I've failed several times at driving stick before. I actually started out pretty well on my first lesson. Started the car in first gear about forty times...over and over and over. Well it was a couple weeks before my second lesson and it was awful. For some reason I wasn't doing as well anymore and...well...I was on a hill and started rolling back and tried to start and did something really wrong. The car made a super loud noise and started smelling like burning really really bad. The smell (which apparently was the clutch burning) didn't go away until the next day. Bad, bad, bad. Complete fail!!!! Anyway, my parents have finally agreed to give me a second chance. I'm super nervous and I'm sure I'll have more stick stories to report throughout the summer.
Though fairly uneventful, home really has been great and relaxing and it is so wonderful to spend time with my family. They are just so amazing and I've missed them a lot. But I miss all of you soooooo much too. You all mean so much to me-six of the mos amazing girls I've ever met. I feel truly blessed to have you all as friends :)
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo~Tomcat

Okay! Again, i dearly apologize for taking so long to blog. I think like Ashley, i have really been trying to keep busy so it won't hit me how much this sucks and how hard it is. I am glad to i got to hang out in Malibu and say some goodbyes or see you laters to people. I finally left Malibu monday night and its just weird thinking i will never go back for school. PS: My new word for this whole life afte college thing is WEIRD until i find something else.

Anyways, things are good. Shay, i know that you'll get picked over an UNDERGRAD! Becca, i still want to hear about your interview. I am so bummed i couldn't come visit BUT i think i'll still be seeing you. My europe trip is kinda on hold and might be later than August and you will probably be in Paris by September so..... you thinking what i'm thinking? Ashley, its so good to hear from you and i am so glad you are having such a blast. Umm...twilight? really? jk. At least i hear the book is way better than the movie. I ran into Tomkat the other day in school, it was good to see her. I hope EA is finally home and Linds needs to get on this.

I'll be moving back home in less than 2 weeks. There is some part of me that is ready to get to the real world and stop hanging out in this "in-between" It just keeps reminding me that things are changing and i should start dealing with it( I don't know if any of that makes sense). Home will be good even though its only temporary. Recently, i have been considering moving back to the US for grad school next year. London would be awesome but i already miss you all so much and would really like to be closer. Although, my fantasy of meeting a hot british guy at a pub and having his babies won't come true but oh well. lol. We'll see what happens. I am just at a point where i am so open to whatever God has planned for me. Anyways, i'll be busy for the first two months with work and my cousin's wedding. Then i'll be heading back here and i get to see Shayla!

So there, nothing too exciting besides the fact that moving is hardwork and so lame! I miss you all like crazy, it hurts so much. I am thinking of all of you.

Your fave Nigerian,

Hello my dear best friends!

I really have no excuse for not blogging yet... I guess the only one I can think of is that I am computer illiterate and can't figure out how to blog! Ha, but I guess I don't have that excuse because I just figured it out! (kind of...I posted it under the other friends page...oh dear, I really am electronically challenged...)

Last week I relaxed, slept a ton, and kind of embarrassed about this but I was surprised to find out that I love the Twilight series! I'm starting the third book today and will probably finish this and the last one before my cruise next week!!

About that, I can't wait to go to ...CANADA?? what? Like Shayla's cruise plans our Mexican cruise was rerouted to Vancouver Canada and Victoria British Colombia! I am really excited, actually. It will certainly be a blast with the Baker family. They are always a good time.

I just got back last night from my Gram's ranch in Platina near Redding... Matt and my gparents and I road ATV's and swam and rode horses! I love it there, I wish you all could experience the joy of this 14,750 acres of adventure! You would love it.

Unfortunately, all the things I have been doing to keep myself busy has not distracted me enough from missing you all...I don't even know that I properly said goodbye to most of you. Sorry about that. I guess it's just because I refuse to let it be a goodbye. I know I will see you again! (at least I hope I know..) No, I will.

I will be back in Malibu in June for the summer session living with my parent's from last summer, the Fitzpatricks! It won't be the same without you in my bed Linds... :(

Please come visit if you ever are in the Malibu area! After that who knows where I'll be.
Becs I'm calling you about Africa soon..

I love you all and miss you somethin' aweful!

Prayers for you all as you figure out your life. :)

~Ashley

Mine's coming!

Hey girls,

I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH! I am sorry i haven't bloogged yet. Its cos i have been all over the place. I am going to Boston on tuesday and i'll give y'all updates then. I love you all so much.

just a few things

First of all, Becca and I are the only ones who have utilized this thus far, and that's simply not cool. Get on it!

Now, to the point. I miss you guys to a very severe degree. I don't think anything could have prepared me for any of this. I'm afraid it will get worse before it gets better. Does anyone have a job yet? Or are you all sitting around like me? I did buy a couch! How old am I? It's red and it's arriving tomorrow. I think I might ever post a picture of it because I love it so much. In fact, I am going to cram it into my little tiny room. I'm stoked. My job interview to teach Spanish is next week. I found out that someone else applied. But the girl is 19 and hasn't graduated from college yet, so I feel as though she is little to no competition :) Who does that? Honestly?... Really? 

Also, I hung a bunch of framed photos on my wall today. I'm glad that we are all so good looking because it makes those photos so pleasant to look at. 

Anyway, you guys mean the world to me, even when we are sprawled across the country.  I love you a lot a lot and I NEED to have some updates because I am really wondering how things are going for you all and also because I am BORED!

Oh yeah, I am going on a cruise next month, with Chase's family. We're going to Catalina. Originally it was going to Baja, but due to swine flu complications: Catalina. Funny that I never went there when I was in college (haha "when I was in college") and it was right there... Anyway, I'll for sure let you know what it is like. And if any of you need a vacation, I have a comfy bed and a red couch :)

Love

Shayla

hey lovely ladies,

it didn't really hit me until yesterday that we probably won't all be in the same place for a very long time, if ever. I was sitting through Abilene Christian University's graduations (yes...I sat through 2 grads yesterday, longest day of my life) thinking that it was only a week ago that I was doing the very same thing. eating breakfast with all of you. sitting next to EA and freaking out because this was actually happening. packing up everything that I own in to my tiny car and driving 1800 miles across the country. yikes. it really hit me. I seriously miss all of you more than I ever thought was possible and it's only been a week! 

I'm in Abilene right now, spending time with the girls that I've grown up with since we were in diapers...and it's been awesome re-connecting with them and remembering all the stupid things we did growing up....but they will never mean to me what you guys do. I was sitting at dinner a few nights ago and something awkward happened and I almost did the awkward turtle thing, but remembered that no one there would have any idea what that meant and the situation would have just gotten more awkward. And Linds, you weren't there to make awkward turtle babies, so it just wasn't the same haha.

Another thing I've realized while being in Abilene (the most God-forsaken place on earth, by the way....dirt. sky. that's about it.) is that what the 7 of us have is so incredibly rare. My girlfriends here are only close with about 3 other people and are moving with those people after college, not that there's anything wrong with that....but I can count at least the 7 of you as my dearest friends that I know would drop anything to be there for me if I needed it, 7 courageous women who will span all corners of the globe because we're not afraid to take risks and we know that no matter where we are, we'll have each other (corny, yes, but roll with it!). 7 friends and 4 years jam-packed with the dearest memories I have. We need to remember how blessed we are to have each other. I'm painfully aware of it now that we're apart.

Anyway, I'll put debbie downer away for now. I have a job interview in Dallas on Tuesday, so your prayers for that would be greatly appreciated, I really want this job! Shay, I hope moving downstairs hasn't been too hard and I enjoyed cuddling in your bed wednesday night :) Ashley, I hope your parents are spoiling you at home and that you're finally getting some rest/we need to talk tanzania! Tomcat, congrats on getting all your resumes out, I'm impressed and will be praying that you find a killer teaching position! EA, I hope your roadtrip went well (since you probably won't see this for a while) and fyi, I have a shirt that is covered with your mascara from the night when we said goodbye...I don't think I'm gonna wash it because it makes me smile hahah. Linds, I hope beautiful Fresno is treating you well and that you find a good dr. pepper freeze and send it in a cooler via fed-ex (mmeeeeehhhhhh). And miss Tomi, have a blast sitting thru another graduation and I look forward to seeing you very soon, either in tejas or boston! 

I love you girls so much. I hope the start of the next chapter of your lives is wonderful....and I'm glad that even though we're all thousands of miles apart, we still get to experience it together. I'm done being sentimental now.

love, 

becs