Wednesday, October 26, 2011

You are Cordially Invited to Christina Marie Gordon's College Graduation

May 19th at 2:00 a long time goal will be completed. I know, I know...most of my friends have already been there done that. College wasn't like that for me though, it was more of a journey of "Who does God want me to be"? It was His path that lead me where I am today. I take none of the credit. I'm just blessed that HE provides me strength. I have always been a good student, ok, rather obsessive is better word. I have two B's on my college transcript (which I consider to be like big ugly marks on my pretty piece of art). The rest are A's, and I am not saying this to brag. I am saying how relieved my BRAIN will be to quit having to be perfect in May.

My journey started in 2005 with my best friends Ana, Amber, Laura, and Elaina by my sides at the big ole "ULM". It was fun, honestly, I don't remember much that I learned, but I remember the experiences. I remember the day I started: Ok here's a story:

It was a good 104 degrees outside for ULM PREP and Elaina and I roll up wearing jeans (thinking we had to). We then decide on our 15 minute break (yeah we're dumb) we had time to go home to swartz to change. (We did get back late). Well I realized I need to shave my legs, so I did it dry!! Needless to say, as my legs itched at school Sage Morris (what then was Hancock) handed me some lotion. After rubbing it in, EVERY PORE of my leg began to pour blood out streaming down my legs. (What a way to impress the new "college guys". In my ID, I look traumatized. I help my prep bag over my legs all day b/c it was BAD! LOL LOL Not my brightest moments. The days came and went and I honestly remember the friendships I built more than the classes. When I remember: What was college like?

I remember Bat Man (a guy who rode his bicycle with his unbuttoned shirt flying with his speeding trike) stealing my seat in Tucker's class and Ana was like look batman it's her seat! He knew his nickname for the record (he liked it).

I remember studying like a BAZILLION notecards in the library with Ana and some dude who I'll never remember his name! The library has odd ghost like noises.. and a person who slurped their milk too loudly for Ana's likings. I remember that night.

I remember biscuits and gravy with 2 pieces of bacon for $2.33 in the morning at the "Wig~Wam"

I remember the day it DOWN PouREd and to be a good friend I walked Ana across campus to her car with a shared umbrella and the winds of Hurricane Katrina put that one into the Bayou with one gust of wind. We laughed until we cried that day!

I remember classes with Dr. Low--who had the cutest british accent--and Becky and I always cracking up at something and Courtney Andrews (then Miller) was with us too!

I remember ALL of my classes with Laura and Terri! haha my horrible date stories were our amusement that got us through McLeLand's class! *DO NOT ASK WHAT CHIPPER MEANS!* It is not British. I remember getting in trouble for asking the girl to turn her Christmas JINGLE BELLS MUSIC PLAYING SONGS up during his HARD should have be 500 level tests.

I remember Heather introducing herself as a bride to be! LOL And Tucker shooting that idea down! (Married lots of years now!)

I remember Amber, Elaina, and I in Dr. Bell's class with Squeaky and Mario. Oh and the lady who always sat like in the super front and bought him a coke every day, (God bless her soul).

I remember Dr. T's computer class with Megan M. and eating pizza in the computer labs that he bought us. (Rebels)

I remember Megan Bowman and I with our Cherry Cokes tailgating our first college games!!

I remember Jessi and Ashley eating my burned pizza and singing this one particular Taylor Swift song quite often (DO NOT SAY WHICH LOL)

I loved school, while I have always hated it. Ok, I say that I hate it, looking back I have loved it. It has made me grow so much and made go from being a determined girl to a determined woman. I know I took time off, but I am ok with that. I took the road less traveled. I took time to grow up and THEN went back to be who God intended me to be. I'll never be ashamed of that.

I appreciate the people along my path who have lead me where I am today.
I appreciate the phone calls from my family and loved ones who listen to me cry when I'm sleepy from work and have boo koos of school work to do.
I appreciate Travis being a loving man, and bringing a joy to my heart that made me want to be better. Though I will graduate for myself, I am doing it to make my family and him proud. He brought me out of a depression few knew about, I used to cry alone a lot. Though no one knows us like I do, trust me he brought back the "real" me. He is so supportive of my school work and praises me for my accomplishments. When I found out I was in the top 15% of my class he danced next to me.
Oh my family.....the calls they have endured. Hearing dad say, "You can do this, you are not allowed to quit once you've found your calling" For mom to say, "This too shall pass" when I am running on fumes...for my sister to be there for one night of fun to break up the vicious work, eat, homework, bed--cycle. For my brothers deep intellectual conversations about my classes.

Oh thank you God, I appreciate you most of all. Thank you for the strength. Please keep your hands on me the next 7 months.