Thankful

I have sooo many things to be thankful for this year, so here are a few in NO particular order....

I am thankful for:
-My parents. The older I get the more I realize how blessed I am to have parents that have daily shown me God's grace, encouraged me, supported me, and sacrificed for me.
-my RA position. I love it. I love Syme and I love my girls. God knew what He was doing when I was not hired the first round as an RA and was put in a wait-pool. He knew that the returning RA from last year would decide to give up her spot in Syme over the summer and that I would THEN be selected....on my plans, I would have been selected first round and would be in some other building.
-Salsa Dancing.
-my co-RAs. Even though this year began with a lonely start, God has been faithful to surround me with a consistent group of new friends (most of which are Christian!) to talk with, eat with, and laugh with.
-Destino. I thought Destino's days were over and that maybe it just wasn't meant for NC State's campus. God had other plans and it has become a place for me to truly fellowship and minister.
-God's mercy. I struggle often with the feeling of inadequacy; in school, as a friend, as a daughter, as a servant, as a role-model. And as I try to suffice for my inadequacies I am reminded that I don't have to because of God's mercy given to me.
-Friends/role-models. These two go hand-in-hand. I don't know where I would be without friends that challenge me to grow, without making me feel alone, rejected, or insufficient. For those who pursue me when I don't deserve it, and those that daily show me their love and appreciation for me. They are gifts!
-Zach, who has overcome so many obstacles and has worked so hard to achieve the position he has today. He is a role-model as well.
-Spanish opportunities. God has given me a love for Hispanics and their language and He never ceases to provide ways for me to pursue the love He as given me....Spain, Stoneridge Tavern, Destino, Mi Familia, Honduran friends...
-My grandparents. They have selflessly given to me time and time again. They are the first to support me and to brag about me to all their friends. Their generosity and kindness towards others never ceases to amaze me!
-Missionaries. Those who sacrifice more that some of us will ever understand to serve a God that we all get to benefit from.
-Forgiveness.

this is for you, Caroline...because if I hung it on my room wall you could not see it!

THE FOLLOWING IS TAKEN FROM AN EMAIL FROM MY RA CLASS PROFESSORS:

Hi Lara,
We hope you are doing well.  We wanted to let you know your final exam
and overall course grade.

Final Exam Grade:  100
Course Grade:  99 = A+

If you have any questions, please let us know by Tuesday, December 2,
2008 as we plan to submit grades on Wednesday, December 3rd.  We also
encourage you to complete the on-line course evaluation.

We thoroughly enjoyed having you in class and wish you all the best.
If we can do anything for you, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Good luck as you wind down the semester.  Take care!

-Kathleen & Jordan

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!!!!!

where does the time go?????

This week has been super busy and I have ended up canceling several evening activities because I just seem to run out of time at the end of the day; my daily scheduled activities don't seem to fit into one day!

This week is RA selection week for the next academic school year, so as an RA I have to help with the interviews, activities, etc.

Classes are wrapping up, which means lots of extra work! In Communication I am working on a final group paper (I finished my part this week) and I had an exam on Thursday. In my Run Conditioning class we had our final run exam on Monday, our final written exam on Wednesday, and our Nutrition Assignment due on Wednesday. In Spanish Literature I have a final paper and presentation due next Tuesday (so this class will be over for me before Thanksgiving!!!). I finished the paper last night and will work on the presentation today and tomorrow. In History, I have my final paper due after Thanksgiving...and I have hopes to work on it this weekend. For Intro into Education I have my final presentation ("teaching a mini-less"...I'm teaching the days of the week: los dias de la semana) this morning, and then my "Journey Of One" (final project) is due after Thanksgiving. I am done with the written part of Journey Of One, and I just need to create its physical display. I finished RA class last week and we took our final then. And last but not least, I turned in my final paper in Psychology last Friday and we don't have any more assignments until the final exam!

I only have two exams!!!....Communication and Psychology!!!! ...but I am paying for it this week and the week after Thanksgiving.

I am also holding the "Sexual Assault and Rape Hotline Phone" this week and I am on-call to answer calls from 7pm-7am (I have night duty!). On Saturday I plan on going to watch Christy Cor (friend from high school) play volleyball at State. She plays for UNC-Charlotte's club volleyball team. And I have a game night with some friends tonight!

Campus Crusade Dance Pictures

....compliments of friends with cameras! Ginny Davenport

Pictures with Kelvin, Jenique, Grace, and Ginny

Kelvin Zhang
j Jenique Taylor




Grace (co-RA)

My Week at a Glimpse

Monday:
~RA Training: "Around the Worship", various campus religious groups came out to present and then we had a question and answer session...very informative

Tuesday:
~Destino
~My Salsa Program for my residents, my Columbian friend Alexander Joyce (also president of State's Latin dance team) came out to Syme and gave a free Salsa lesson. We had a great time!

Wednesday:
~Despedida de William, Hillary and I made Cuban food (Hillary is Cuban) for dinner at the going away party for our Honduran friend William

Thursday:
~Crianza Con Carino (Growing with Care), a weekly meeting for Hispanic parents of small children that is to prevent child abuse. Our Destino group helps provide childcare.
~Going out Salsa dancing with residents and friends

Friday:
~Lunch Forum for Campus Crusade Leaders, presenters are CEOs from large companies (I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm going because I help lead Destino)
~Campus Crusade Semi-Formal, My friend Kelvin invited me to go with him

Saturday:
~I have weekend RA duty
~HOMEWORK!!!!

I'm a happy girl!

100
One-hundred
Cien

....that number sounds good no matter how I say it!

I got a 100 on my Spanish Literature Test!!!!!!!! How can this be????? I have no idea, but I got a ONE-HUNDRED!

Disclaimer: I actually made a 91, but the test had extra credit. I nailed the extra credit bring my grade up to a 100! The other cool thing is that I did so well on the extra credit that the extra points I received beyond the 100 my use-to-be-mean-and-ridiculous-but-now-great teacher put toward my first exam in the class (which was an 89, but is now a 98!)

Meaning: Exam One- 98%
Exam Two-100%
FINAL Exam Average in Spanish Literature of the Golden Ages- 99%

100=happy happy happy happy!

Spanish-ness

I have had so many opportunities to use my Spanish this week...YAY!

~Hillary Johnson and I went to a Giovanni Rios concert with some of our Honduran friends. Rios is a Christian singer, that sings to the popular tunes of Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Kumbia, and even a little Mariachi. The concert was at a large Hispanic church in Raleigh called Hosana. It was sooo fun!!! Afterwards we all went out to eat at a Salvadorian restaurant. (Mom, click on the words "merengue" and "bachata" to hear/see some music of his...didn't want you to miss out mom!).

I have a picture with Giovanni, Hillary, and me...but it's on Hillary's camera...I might get it one day...well, maybe!


~I went to a Despedida de Soltera (Bridal Shower) for Silivia, one of the girls in the Destino Bible Study. It lasted 5 HOURS!!! I have never played so many bridal shower games in my life. There was great food and I was the only white girl there...everyone else was Hispanic, hence I got to use my Spanish!

~We conducted Destino in Spanish last night! I was in charge of the "rompe de heilo" (ice breaker) and Ekaterina did the lesson. I quietly translated for Holly (the Crusade Representative) as her Spanish is minimal. Please pray for Berenise, who regurarly comes and always has great questions, but is not yet a Christian.

~Tomorrow night I am going to eat dinner at the home of our Honduran friends! MORE SPANISH!!!

~Friday night our Destino group is going out to eat at Havana Grill...followed by dancing! We are celebrating both Holly and Silivia's birthdays.