"Uhh.. no, I'm not. But thank you, I really appreciate that" I replied. She nodded and continued on her way, and why she stopped me outside of Charlotte Russe I'm still not sure but I'll take it as a compliment... I guess. Regardless I chuckled to myself as I walked away, because for a moment I thought that I should have included that while I appreciate the offer, I am already employed. But then she might ask what it is I do and well.. that's a doosey.
When I was first told I would be the resident consultant for the Theta Rho chapter at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut I called up the one sister who I knew could answer my questions, silly and varying as they may be - miss Eryn Shannon, Theta Rho's O.G. colony consultant. She was a wealth of information and advice (and still continues to be - thanks girl) but the one question I couldn't seem to wrap my head around was simply: what do I DO all day?
I've found that the answer has been simple really, and the days do go by pretty fast. I won't lie and say that being in Connecticut some 1000+ miles from my friends and family is easy, but I've been more than occupied since I got here and I thought I would share a little bit of my day to day happenings with you all - because well, why not.
9:30 am - wake up. Unless it's two days ago, when I was awoken exactly 2 minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off by the fire alarm. Groggily trying to determine WHY my alarm was suddenly so loud, I realized that there was also flashing lights to accompany the awful sound and perhaps I should collect my things and get out of the room, just in case it was to suddenly become ablaze. The things I made sure to grab before I stumbled into the hall to learn it was only a test of the equipment? My iPhone(s), iPad, and rainbows. #priorities.
9:30 - 11:45 am - breakfast, news, and get ready for the day.
11:45 am - hop in my little red Hyundai and make my morning commute to campus.
12:00 - 12:10 pm - search for parking. I've learned that the plights of parking are not only limited to the UW Greek community.
12:15 - 7:00 pm - post up in Hawley Lounge for officer meetings, emailing, committee and/ or team meetings, and work. This is the part of my day that seems the most normal and office-like - if you could call sharing an office with 2 pool tables, 6 TVs and the resident Dungeons and Dragons club normal.
7:00 - 12:00 pm - campus/ chapter activities. The thing I have come to find about SHU is that it is typical for students to have class until 10:00 at night (and I thought 6 o'clock ECFS classes were bad), therefore most campus activities don't begin until 10:10pm. I was warned that I'd have to get used to a late schedule and well... I'm adjusting.
All jokes aside, I also wanted to share the overwhelming feeling I've had lately that despite my fears, concerns, and uncertainties, I am exactly where I am supposed to be doing exactly what I should be doing. As an addendum to my Sunday schedule yesterday, I had a craving for some Jesus-time and looked up the address to a Fairfield church. Now, as I still do often... I got lost on the way. I will try to defend myself and say that Siri was telling me that the place was located on the side of the freeway, but we all know that I barely know which was is up here in CT so it didn't make much difference anyway. Frustrated and running out of time to make the service, I took the next exit which happened to be to Sacred Heart and turned down a campus side street to get my bearings. And there, backwards and alone, I realized - I had somehow found my way to the church. With two minutes to spare I headed inside and found myself a seat only to learn that the theme of the message was to be 'Roots'. How appropriate for a recent East Coast transplant such as myself, I thought. As the pastor spoke about his own life, growing up in Fairbanks Alaska as the son of two alcoholic parents, and his journey in serving the Lord he shared that while he first set off to college at the University of Miami he later transferred to attend seminary a little closer to home. And where was that place, you might wonder? Seattle.
After the service I made it a point to go introduce myself to the pastor and his wife, both previous Seattleites, and explain that I was a recent UW grad plopped in the middle of Fairfield for work. The way the man shook my hand, and really listened to what I had to say... it was amazing. I knew God had gotten me to that church on time for a reason. Wait... isn't that a song?
Today after my quick mall trip and offer of a pre-teen's dream job, I was rushing to make it back to the Extended Stay in time for a conference call. Once again though, I got myself lost going the wrong way on Highway 15 and ended up going 5 miles in the opposite direction... so I pulled off at the next available exit, determined that I would have to hop on the call from the first parking lot I could find, and turned in to an empty Methodist Church. 30 minutes on the phone turned in to 3 hours, and before I knew it I'd been working from this new remote office location longer than I'd been home most of the day! At least at this point the muggy, rainy weather had somewhat passed and as the sun got ready to go down I got out of the car to stretch and call home.
I paced the length of a small garden probably 10 times while debriefing the day with my mom. I laughed about the craziness of this job that I do, but shared my appreciation for all that I'm learning from it. Ever-supportive, mom agreed. As I got ready to hang up, head home, and finally call it a night a large rock marking the entrance to the garden caught my eye:
Well played Jesus. Well. Played.
Tomorrow I leave for Big Sky Country to spend my September days off with extended family! I can't wait for catching up, relaxation, and fun. And for what I lack in sleep while getting there... I know I'll make up for in family bonding ;) Adios!
