15 Years Ago

I chose to go to Tabor College.
I decided the week before it was time to leave that I'd just stay home.
But, I knew I was really going to go.
And I'm more than GLAD I did.

I met and moved in with Nicole.
I went "potluck" for a roommate. It took about 1.5 seconds until she was my new best friend. If I remember correctly, Rod Hamm (who a few days later became my head soccer coach) put us together as roommates. I don't know why he did (God told him to), but it was the totally right thing to do. I accidentally locked her out of our room the second or third day I knew her. She was barefoot, and we had to be at the chapel for our Sunday worship. Thankfully, another gal loaned her a pair of shoes. She loved me anyway. I was "HK"; she was "Nic"; and Tonya (another instant friend) was "T". There are absolutely NO WORDS to describe how much fun we had. Late nights, laughter like you've never heard, pranks, singing into hairbrushes, being the loudest table in the caf, long discussions about boys, eating olives while watching Oprah... we took the campus by storm (or at least we did in my mind). A few years later, she was my maid of honor, and a month after my wedding, I was her matron of honor. We don't see each other that often, and we don't talk as much as I'd like, but she is a forever friend. {Her birthday is tomorrow - happy birthday, Nic!}

I don't think there is anyone in the world who has or had more fun in college than I did. I get majorly sentimental when I think about my time at Tabor. I enjoyed almost every second of it. My heart melts a little every time I think of my time in college. I wish I could put it into words. I don't know if someone told me this, or if it was just this thought I came up with on my own...but I knew in my heart that choosing a college was one of the most important decisions in my life. I knew that I would get my degree there which would lead me to my future job/career. I knew that I would meet new people who would become my new friends and most likely influence my future. I knew that it was very likely that I'd meet my future husband which would drastically affect my future. I knew that everything stemmed from that decision. I was correct on all of it. Who knew I'd play soccer? Who knew that the game of soccer would impact my life for eternity with friends and my love of running and exercise? Who knew that soccer would restore my love for sports? Who knew that I'd marry Aaron who was from Colorado who wasn't MB who had family in Arizona which is how we ended up in the desert for 7 totally fun and unbelievable years and that he'd give me my Molly? Who knew I'd become an English teacher and teach 8th graders in a public school in Gilbert, Arizona and LOVE it? I could go on and on and on and on.

I'm thrilled because I found my Tabor College life-time athletic pass the other day. I thought I had lost it.
Tabor was worth every penny!
I am a Bluejay forever.