the weekend of 10/29

Here are some key events from the end of the week/weekend:

The Saint Peter's Halloween Carnival was awesome! Hearing a lot about this carnival we just had to go. Granted, it was a lot more fun for the younger ones, but it was great to see the people we see in church every week in a more relaxed setting. We had some extra tickets left over, so we took a friend of ours little boy

around the carnival.

He was so happy that alone made the whole time worth it.

Saturday was the homecoming game. It was SOOO cold, but it was worth it. We had a great time and the pirates won. We had great seats and I had like 5 layers on. I looked like a pirate ninja. It was also Band Day where there were thousands of people on the field from many schools around the area. It was really cool to see them perform with the ECU band.

Today we went to church and then walked around campus. Danny had to do a project for school where he had to capture the essence of ECU through still photographs. Since I went along, he took some really nice pictures of me. He took some really good pictures of the campus. See my Facebook page for the pictures.

Also, I would like to make a public service announcement. Please please please stop at stop signs. Today I heard about the 2nd accident in a week caused by people not stopping at stop signs. One resulted in a totaled car and a few freaked out kids, and the other resulted in major injuries including 14 broken ribs and broken vertebrae, as a result, having difficulty breathing and being in ICU. This shouldn't happen. It has an easy solution. You may be in a rush, but if you hit someone, you sure won't be going anywhere fast. Please take the few seconds to stop to prevent these accidents.

Yes this is halloween weekend, no I don't want to go out. I have too much to lose to go out. Even being in the wrong place at the wrong time can get me in huge trouble with the university and the honors college. But it is funny to sit outside and watch people walking down

town.

I get to see Sydney in FIVE days!!!! I just have to get through this week and i get to see the family! I am doing a 5k this weekend, so please pray for me. It's the first major thing I've done since my knee surgeries.

Have a great week everyone! Until next time...

fun facts about ECU

Since this weekend is homecoming I thought I would share some fun facts about East Carolina University:

1. The University was established in 1907 as East Carolina Teachers Training School.

2. In 1920 the name was changed to the East Carolina Teachers College (ECTC). In 1951 the name changed to East Carolina College and finally in 1967, the campus got it's present name East Carolina University

3. The Cupola in the mall is a replica of the original that sat on the top of the old administrative building. There is a myth that if as underclassman, you walk under the Cupola, you will not graduate from ECU in 4 years. You will see people clearly avoiding the area, and sometimes see cruel friends trying to lead their friends under the cupola.

4. The Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium is our football Stadium that holds 50,000 people. We also have Minges Coliseum for basketball and Clark-LeClair Stadium for baseball. Soccer, swimming, track, and volleyball are among the other sports offered at ECU. Athletics are a huge part of the experience at ECU.

5. The Student Pirate Club is one of the largest student organizations in the state. We are loud and proud to be pirates. Most schools worry when coming to play at ECU.

6. ECU is home to 9 undergraduate colleges. a graduate school, and four professional schools. There are about 28,000 students enrolled and 5,000 faculty and staff.

7. Barefoot on the Mall is held every year in the spring. It is a day full of musicians, vendors, food, and games.

8. The University has a really good ROTC program in Army and Air Force. We are very proud to support the armed forces.

9. There are 15 dorms split into three neighborhoods. The Hill, Central Campus, and West end.

10. Our Mascot is PeeDee the Pirate, and our colors are Purple and Gold.

Cheer for East Car'lina,

Cheer on for old E.C.,Loyal and Bold,we're the purple and gold,WE ARE THE PIRATES OF E.C.U.!

This is Our House. This is Our State. This is our Nation. The Pirate Nation.

ten things you may not know about me

some things just for fun:

1. I have always been known as the "tomboy" but I LOVE shoes and getting dressed up, sometimes the gym shorts and tennis shoes are easiest.

2. I am always known as the confident person, but sometimes i just want to curl up into a ball and hide, rather than face the facts.

3. I really like to sing, especially songs that mean something to me and I know by heart.

4. I miss playing sports more than anything, having 2 knee surgeries and 10 years of knee problems, I'm not able to do any anymore. I get really jealous of my sister who can.

5. I hate the color pink. I think it is ugly.

6. Halloween is my least favorite holiday. I hate scary and creepy thing, and don't understand the holiday.

7. If I didn't have to worry about school, jobs, and money, I would love to just drive across the country, stopping at any historic place I feel like.

8. I watch the food network almost every night before I go to sleep. I love to cook and wish I could cook real food (instead of a microwave)

9. Even though my twin sister and I fight a ton, at the end of the day she is my best friend and I would do anything for her.

10. My nickname with my family is Lyndsey Ladybug, because ladybugs are my favorite.

hope you learned something about me.

if heaven weren't so far away

The month of October is a really hard month for me. I am a really strong person and I have a strong faith...yet every year around this time I struggle. I lost two of the most important men in my life in the month of october, way before their time. They were both so young and had so much life left in them, yet God took them away from my family, from me. Today in Lifeteen we were talking about how great God is, and the whole time I was just thinking Why? Why is He so great? He took all these people away from me. They never got to see me grow up, they never got to see the rest of their grandchildren. My grandpas were two of the strongest men I knew, they were my rocks. Sure God has his reasons, but couldn't He have waited just a few years? I wasn't ready for them to go. It's been 11 years since Grandpa Schemmel passed, and I'm still not over it. I remember the phone call from my uncle saying that He passed right when we got home from visiting him for the last time. He was so happy and full of life when we left, that i couldn't imagine him not here.

During the program tonight, this was all I was thinking about. We were talking about letting go of the images and things that others want us to be, and to be free to be ourselves. With my grandpa in the back of my mind, I asked God to let me stop worrying about what others here think of me, stop changing who I am because of what others think I should be. Then I started thinking, what would my grandpa say if he were still alive? would he be proud to call me his granddaughter? And I realized, no matter what, that man would be the proudest man alive to have me as a granddaughter. I can see him telling all his friends about me, and my sister.

These were some of my thoughts as I sat in the church tonight, looking up occasionally in the presence of Jesus:

If heaven weren't so far away grandpa i'd pack up my bags and come for a visit. It's been too long since i've seen you. what would you think of your little baby granddaughter all grown up? would you be proud of who I am? of who I've become?

I miss you more than anything. I hope that you and grandpa sweet uncle carl and uncle warren and of course our little baby girl Sam are watching over all of us, and keeping us safe. I hope you fish with uncle carl and be the wonderful man who you were down here.

I remember you taking me fishing and being patient with me. I remember going to visit you and not going to say hi to anyone else until I found you. I remember you helping me climb the Looning Tree and I remember sitting on your lap driving the tractor. I'm your little country girl grandpa. I tell all the cousins tons of stories about you and letting them know that even though they never met you, you still love them more than anything.

Don't get me wrong I love God and my faith is so strong. But this is always a hard time, and in time God will show me why He did what He did. Everything happens for a reason.

Grandpa, you are my borrowed angel. I love you so much and I miss you every day. Thank you for helping me become the woman I am today.

10/24/2000

tattoo :)

This is my tattoo I got on September 29th 2011 for my baby cousin on the 7th anniversary of her death. She is our little borrowed angel who we all miss more than anything in the world. I got this to remember and honor her. When she died, it was one of the toughest times in my life even though I was so young. I know that some people don't like tattoos but this one is so important to me and my family. I will always remember and love that little girl. Her picture is right by my bed, and I see her face before I go to sleep and wake up every day.

When I was in 7th grade I wrote a poem for my english class. This year, on the anniversary of her death, I looked through my old email for a bunch of old pics and stumbled across it. Yes I cried when I saw the poem and the pictures, but it was really good. Here is the poem I wrote when I was in 7th grade:

why did u take Her,
from a Family of loving people?
i want to know why--
couldn't she have stayed longer?

She was like a blessing,
that touched Everyone's soul.
she was a rose,
that God had picked for My family.

she was so small,
she was as quiet as a mouse,
when She slept in my arms,
I couldn't imagine life without Her.

Consecration of the Altar at St. Peters

Today I went to the consecration of the new Altar at St. Peter's. Bishop Burbidge was there to bless the altar. This is one of the most interesting and wonderful ceremonies to witness. It is a very rare event, as it is not often that churches get new altars. My favorite part of the blessing of the altar was the incensation of the altar. While most people get annoyed by the incense, I find it one of the best smells in the world. It reminds me of the familiar smell of the church. Today as the smoke was rising near the lights, I swear a saw the face of Jesus. It was a wonderful sign and it was only for a split second, but it was a reminder that He was there, and that ultimately we were there to celebrate Him.

This was one of the best things I have ever seen, so if you ever get a chance to go, go.