Will work...because I love it

I have been staring at this screen for days. Wanting to write, but not having any ideas.  Needing to write, but worried to share.  I finally settled on this safe topic, working!

I have worked a lot in my life, mostly teaching swim lessons and lifeguarding.  I actually started teaching swim lessons and coaching around age 12. I never asked to be paid, but I would get things like gift cards and eventually started getting money for teaching lessons, but I would have gladly done it without the money.  I also taught some private lessons for kids that I coached.  That led me to a job when I was 15 lifeguarding and teaching lessons where I was actually getting a paycheck.  I liked that job a lot when I started.  I loved the people that I worked with! I was younger than most of them and so when they all left, I was still working there.  Yeah, some new people came in that I liked well enough, but it was never the same.  Some of my favorite memories of those years of my life are with those people I started with at that job.  It was kind of hard without them.  That was when I knew that I didn't want to be there anymore.  I was doing it for the money and orginally the money was just a bonus and I would have worked for free. Don't get me wrong, I love kids and I love teaching but some things had changed and I was not excited about working there anymore.

When I left that job was also around the same time that I started getting really into horses.  I had plans to attend camp for four weeks to be an advanced wrangler in training.  The pool manager said he didn't know if he could save me a spot for later in the summer if I was planning on being gone for four weeks.  And I told him that was okay, just put me on the substitute list, I'll come when I can.  A year before that, I may have stayed home from camp to work. And I am so very glad that I didn't.  That four weeks helped me to realize that I wanted to work with horses.  After that four weeks I was hired to work as a counselor and I wanted it so badly when I applied that I would've done it for free.  Looking back, I can't believe I ever thought that.  Being a counselor is hard work.  Not only physically, but mentally.  Those kids wear. you. out. I think it's not necessarily harder than being a parent, but it's similar.  Similar and harder in specific areas.  For anyone who's ever done it, you know exactly what I mean.  The next summer I worked as a lifeguard and the following a wrangler.  I have wanted to be a wrangler since I was ten years old and I loved every single second of it.  I absolutely would have done it for free. Camp has been the highlight of my summer since before I can remember. I can't imagine summer without it.  It makes my heart ache to know that I may be saying goodbye soon.  I love camp so much and I would work there for free because I love it. 

Working with horses at camp, outside of camp, at school, and outside of school has furthered my love for the horse world and what comes with that.  I know that it's hard work but that is part of why I love it so much.  I can't imagine doing anything else with my life.  Sometimes I doubt myself and I need someone to help me realize that I can do it, and that I will succeed.  I know that I can succeed because I do love it so much.   I am paying tuition to work with horses now just like I had to pay to go to camp.  Hopefully in the future I will be getting paid to work with horses and I would do it for free. 

I learned at a young age that if love what you do for a living then you can't really call it work.  And that is all I have ever really wanted.  To do what I love and to love what I do. 

My Best Friend, The Lazy Bum

I'll start with this letter I already gave to you.
Lazy Bum,
I wanted to tell you that I understand and I will always, always love you.  I'll miss you so much, but I'll look back on our memories here and smile.  I'll miss going to Tucker everyday with you, cuddling in your bed, sharing stories, yelling "lazy bum" when I walk onto our floor and hearing you respond when you're awake and waking you up when you aren't.  Thanks for letting me use your printer, and your shampoo, and your q-tips.  Thanks for always letting me eat your Oreo's and sharing chips and salsa with me.  You've always been there for me and I don't know what I would've done without you.  I'll miss our our ipod jam sessions in Megan's car, our movie nights, window creeping, and laughing the whole way to Tucker because that car wouldn't go.  I can't believe you are leaving, but I'm so glad you get to be home with your family.  I want you to know that 'My life would suck without you' and I am happy that I can call you my best friend.
P.S. You'll have to come back a lot so someone brushes my hair.  I love you!

You are an incredible friend.  I don't want to lose you. I know you are doing what is best for you and that is so important!  I have trouble thinking about William Woods and Alpha Chi without you.  I know that when the time comes, tears will too.  And you know how little that happens for me.  I don't know if I can express what you mean to me.  We lived synchronized lives and I have loved every moment of it.  Even though sometimes you're too quiet or too loud and you take WAY to long to shower I love you.  Even though you are a lazy bum almost all of the time and sleep a lot I love you.  I love you even though you boots are hoosier and you don't really know what that means.  And you can't walk and drink at the same time.  We've been through great times and hard times together, boy troubles and friend troubles, love and loss, and I trust you with my life (you're a crazy driver even if you don't know it).  I've grown up since being here even though I never thought I would.  You've been there with me. Through it all.  It just doesn't seem like enough...



My life would suck without you.

Live, Love, Laugh.

I never really liked the popularity common phrases like Live. Love. Laugh.  or Peace, Love,____.  But I feel like I have learned a lot recently about living, loving, and laughing. 

Living.
Everyone says live life to the fullest, you never know when today could be your last. While I do agree with that statement I feel more strongly that you should live your life.  Just live your life. Do what you want or what you have to do.  Don't waste your life.  Every moment you spend should be doing something to get you somewhere or with someone you love or doing something that you love.  Sometimes I feel like I have already lived so much of my life it scares me.  But I know I'm doing everything I can to have happiness in my life and that is really all that matters to me.



Love.
Most people see love as something special, something to be reserved in relationships for 'the right time' I agree that love is something very special but it isn't something to be held back.  Love is not scary.  I knew in kindergarten, the first day I met my best friend Kim that I loved her as a person.  She was awkward and shy but we were 5, who isn't?! At five years old I loved her because she was nice and fun! In middle school she had a boyfriend or 2 and we didn't hang out as much but I knew that I could always count on her and whenever we were together it was like we'd never been apart.  In high school she was the friend that I could have a conversation with and we didn't even have to speak.  We just knew.  Now in college we swap stories and look back on all of the stuff we have been through together.  We both still remember the first day we met.  Kim is the person outside of my family that I have loved the longest and I know this is what has kept us friends for 15 years (We're old hahaha).  I love you Bo!
My family has also been a big influence on this I believe.  Every time we talk on the phone "I love you" is said before we hang up.  Even my 3 year old niece will get on the phone and say it when I talk to my sister.  I wouldn't say we throw it around loosely.  We just say it a lot.  Love is so important in a persons life.  It is the driving force for many.  You cannot live without it.

Laugh.
I have laughed so hard my stomach hurt for days.  Laughing will make you forget all of the things that may be wrong in the moment because all you can do is laugh.  Tickling is unfair.  Sometimes it is entirely necessary, but still unfair. Laughing is part of life.  Part that makes it enjoyable, memorable, and unique.  Not everyone will laugh for 20 minutes because Gianna can't walk and drink at the same time.  But Megan and I sure can.  Not everyone would laugh when Jessica calls this my bunny jacket, but we sure will!  That's part of the specialness in friendships and in life.  Laughing so hard that you cry. Laughing at other people laughing.  I truly believe that laughing is part of life and without it how can you love your life?

Live, Love, and Laugh together make up what essential pieces of life.  You can't live without loving or laughing.  Well I guess you could, but it wouldn't be truly living.

I am so lucky.  I have amazing friends and  family who give me so much even if the don;t really know it!

this is for all of you:  I LOVE YOU!!

Seeking the Positive

Everyone makes mistakes.  I believe it is the best way to learn something.  Particularly the embarrassing kind.  Those are the worst kind of mistakes to make, but the ones that stick with you for awhile.  I guess it's worth making these kind of mistakes to learn from them.  In the end it still sucks because most mistakes can be prevented. I'm saying all of this because I made an unintentional mistake that has some pretty big consequences.  Not just for me, but for other people.  Everyone keeps saying it isn't my fault.  But it is.  I wouldn't feel this way if it wasn't.

The positive side: I am growing and learning and becoming a better person because of this and hopefully bringing some others along for the journey.

I know being positive isn't really everyone's 'style'  but I don't know how to keep going without it.  I can't wallow in the bad, I have to thrive for the good in life.  I know not everyone may agree, but it's the only way to live.  Being proactive and happy.  Even on days when you may not feel so great, putting on a smile could help someone's day be better.   It's totally worth it.

I'm very fortunate to have my fair share of really great days.  And I don't say this lightly.  I have had some REALLY GREAT days recently.  Days where everything may not be perfect, but everything makes me smile. I love having the most amazing friends ever to share it with.

I do not like my birthday and I'm not sure why.  I just don't.  Well, my birthday started out being one of those REALLY GREAT days. And no one knew it was my birthday all day! Which made the day even more great!  No matter how hard I tried to make myself have a bad day, great things just kept happening. The ending of the day was really what ended up making it so great.  My sisters put on this amazing skit for a fraternity and they LOVED it.  I was so proud of my sisters who can sometimes be shy and reserved for being fearless! The boys were literally rolling on the floor laughing.  And that made my day.  Unfortunately this is also where the mistake occurred.  So I look back on it and smile, but then I stop myself.  Good things can come from mistakes.  But not good feelings. 

The purpose in my heart

The title of this post is also the name I have chosen for my blog.  I thought I should explain a little about myself and about Alpha Chi before explaining the title.  This title comes from a quote in the Alpha Chi Omega shared commitment.  From my last post, you can see how much Alpha Chi means to me and that shows how much I believe in this phrase.  

At Alpha Chi Omega we are Real. Strong. Women.  That is something that we live by.  It's something I have always attempted to live by, so seeing this as a part of Alpha Chi after I had joined meant a lot to me.  I knew even more when I heard this, that this is where I belong.  

"...We are Strong.  Strong in the courage of our convictions, the confidence in our actions and the purpose in our hearts..." 

From the moment I first heard this, it has tugged a little at my heartstrings.  I know where ever I go in life, I will be following my heart.  What ever my purpose is or will be, I know I will be strong, confident, and it will be my passion. Right now, I'm doing everything I can to be a good person, a good Alpha Chi, and a great friend.  Hoping that this will lead me to somewhere... 

Alpha Chi Omega

If you had told me at any point in my childhood that I would join a sorority, I would have laughed.  I was your typical "Tom-Boy."  I played every sport I could, any chance I got.  I had mostly male friends my whole life.  I played on boys teams.  Starting with the all-boy (except me) t-ball team and continuing to the male dominated sport of water polo.  I was always that girl refusing to believe that boys are better than girls. I never thought I would even consider joining a sorority.  I just wasn't the 'typical sorority girl type.'

Even though I was convinced Greek Life wasn't for me, the moment I stepped into the Alpha Chi Omega house, I felt something good, something great.  The girls I met going through recruitment weren't what I thought to be 'typical sorority girls'  and I liked that.  These girls were caring, smart, strong, supportive, and fun!  I knew before I stepped out of the Alpha Chi Omega house on that first day that I felt at home.  I know this may seem a little corny, but this is the only way I know how to express the love I feel for my sorority.  

As soon as I became a member of Alpha Chi, I knew that Greek life was something that I had been looking for my entire life.  A chance for leadership, and to make a difference.  Unlike most of my sorority sister I grew up in a house full of girls and went to summer camps with a lot of similar aspects of living in a house with other girls.  That is what a lot of people look for in a sisterhood, a home away from home, clothes to borrow, girls to share with.  That wasn't what I wanted, what I needed from my college experience.  

At Alpha Chi Omega, I found values, confidence, leadership, sisterhood, friendship, strength, kindness, purposefulness, and the most wonderful women I have ever met.  The women in my chapter are what makes it what it is.  Some of these women are unfathomably strong, supportive, kind, and courageous.  It was hard for me to understand at first how such young people could be so amazing.  Now I understand how Alpha Chi has helped them harness and polish those qualities so the entire world can see them.  I love my sorority sisters more than I ever thought I would.  

The more I live in the sorority house the more I see those little things that make me think of the 'typical sorority girl.'  Now, I've noticed they aren't so bad.  The screaming, chanting, cheering, singing, hair flipping, and phrasing make me feel like maybe I'm not so much of a 'Tom-Boy' anymore.  I'm a sorority girl and I NEVER thought that would happen.

The  typical sorority girl is smart, confident, strong, ambitious, and caring.  And I see these qualities in my A-Chi-O sisters everyday.  And I couldn't be more proud to be a part of it.  

Alpha Chi Omega has turned me into a sorority girl and I am so thankful to have the opportunities and experiences it has given me. 

I never knew.

I love Alpha Chi Omega all the way to the stars and back again. 

Some of my favorite sorority quotes:

"The ties that bind me to my sisters are not wrapped around my wrists, but rather are fastened to my heart." 

"My sisters have taught me how to live."

"When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us?" 

"Bits and pieces
Bits and pieces
People important to you
People unimportant to you - cross your life, touch it with love and carelessness and move on.
There are people who leave you and you breathe a sigh of relief and wonder why you ever came into contact with them.
There are people who leave you and you breathe a sigh of remorse and wonder why they had to go away and leave such a gaping hole.
Children leave parents;
Friends leave friends;
Acquaintances move on.
People change homes;
People grow apart;
Enemies hate and move on.
Friends love and move on.
You think of the many who have moved into your hazy memory; You look on those present and wonder.
I believe in God's master plan in lives. He moves people in and out of each other's lives and each leaves his mark on the other. You find you are made up of bits and pieces of all who ever touched your life and you are more because of it and you would be less if they had not touched you.
Pray to God that you accept the bits and pieces in humility and wonder,
and never question;
and never regret.
Bits and Pieces
Bits and Pieces"
-- Lois Cheney  

Hello

This is my first blog post!  I'm really excited to start this and I'm hoping I can keep it up!

     My name is Katie and I'm a student at William Woods University.  I absolutely love William Woods and everything about it.  It's a small campus where you can't help but feel welcomed.  The program that I am going for (Equestrian Science) is one of the top in the country.  I love the EQS program, especially the fact that is basically a student run barn.  Without the students, the barn with 150+ horses, would not run as easily. 
     People always ask me, "Horses?   You're majoring in horses?"  and the answer to that is Yes, and I love it!  I've heard it said that if you love what you do, then it isn't work.  Well I love everything about the horse industry.  The thing I love the most about the horse world is that there is always something more to learn and someone new to teach you.  Some people think they know everything (I won't name names) but it is impossible to know everything! I know people may not understand why I love it, but this is the best way I know how to explain it:
I Love
      The hard work that goes into making a horse comfortable, safe, and happy
      The on-your-toes thinking when an emergency could arise
     The precision that gets put into making a horse show ready, shiny, clean, and clipped
     The heart race of competition
     The knowledge shared with a student and knowing they will grow from it
     The feeling of a perfectly clean jump
     The hoof beats of a canter and the wind on your face
     The friends who share the same love and how it brings you together

The feeling I have right now is how I know this is what I am supposed to do.  Horses have brought me so much, helped me to grow.  And I cannot wait to share it with the world. 

     I had a teacher in high school who used to make us what he called 'practice for the real world' and 'dress for success.'  We had to wear business attire and sit at computers and do group projects and present them.  Once he had us go around the room and say what we wanted to do with our lives and then he told us how this class would help us.  When he got to me and I told him I wanted to be a horse trainer.  He was confused and told me it was an impractical career.  He said horses were a hobby, not a job.  In front of the entire class he tried to crush my dream.  I wasn't as strong then as I am now.  It really hurt my feelings then, but now it's fuel encouraging me to accomplish everything I can.  It's funny really, because he is the same teacher that ultimately brought me to William Woods.  I had a 3.4 GPA and I needed a 3.5 to get the scholarship to go to my dream school, Kansas State University (hello...purple everywhere, how could you not love it?!) His class was the only class I had a B in.  And an 87 at that! I got an A on my final and I was super excited!  But when our final grades came out it said I had a B.  I was really confused, so I talked to him.  He told me, so many people had done badly on the final that he reduced the amount of points it was worth so I ended with an 89.9 and he refused to round it up.  I was once again crushed by this teacher and I spent December getting over the fact that I would not be at K-State in the fall. 
     Although I was crushed by this, it also led me to find William Woods.  William Woods is one of the best decisions I have ever made and I wouldn't change it for the world.  I have met the most amazing friends, role models, teachers, and people at William Woods.  I am thankful everyday for the teacher who crushed my whole world, and led me to where I am now. Happy, healthy, and driven.  If I ever believe the saying "everything happens for a reason" it is right now.