University of Florida Gators JUST FOR FUN...

Everyone has their favorite sports team. Me, I can take or leave all of them but  some avid Gator fans live in our house. In case you don't know, the team we cheer for is the University of Florida (U of F).  I did not graduate from there, so I get a kick out of all the STUFF that's out there for us to own and/or wear for this sports team.  Here are some of my faves... :) And this is just a handful!!!

I make fun of them but I'm sure most large colleges have all of this stuff for their own teams as well.  :)  At least there is a never-ending supply of gift items for Christmas!  :)

UPDATE Oct. 20:  This is at Publix for a limited time...

Sorority Reunion College Friends

UPDATE 8.27.12:  As my youngest begins college today, I'm reflecting back on my days in college and this reunion 2 years ago with my sorority sisters...some friendships made in college are truly life long...time for another reunion!
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Original post from 2010:

Yesterday was such a delightful time for me.  I was able to visit several of my friends from our college sorority.   We belonged to a local sorority of about 50-60 young college women called TYES  that has since become the national sorority Pi Beta Phi.   Local sororities are much less expensive than the national ones that require quite extravagant annual and monthly dues to be  active members and/or alumnae.  However, they are just as much fun!

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A few of us had even gone to high school and carpooled to college classes together since we lived in the same neighborhood.   Some people think that sororities are full of cookie-cutter Barbie girls. Ours were certainly attractive but different in so many ways, both then and now.   

We all played sports--softball, basketball, flag football, water polo--and were very competitive, winning lots of awards in college intramurals.    I'm glad I did since I have two sons.   :)  We do clean up rather nicely, too--see photo above.   We also won many awards for community service on campus and off.  Some were very athletic, some fashionistas, some liked to party hard, some musically gifted, others scientifically gifted...the list goes on.  Grade requirements kept most everyone's academics in line.  


As in all large groups or clubs there are always a few who are closer than others but what joy to be reunited with so many of them after 30+ years.  We're definitely not kids anymore.  I graduated from college  in 1977  so you can do the math. :)   Some Christians, some not.  Some have never married.  Some married young (some married older, like me) with children of all ages, some with grandchildren now.  Some have suffered through divorce, the death of a parent(s), spouse and/or children, sickness or other ways.  Some are moms at home, others have full-time careers. Many live out of state.  Facebook has helped us reconnect and touch each other's lives.  Amazingly, the friendships we had back then are still in tact, for the most part, even today.  

The college years from 18-22 years of age are such a growing up time of life as I can see now watching from the outside in my own son who is in college now (the same one from which I graduated).  :)  We made mistakes and hopefully, learned from them.  We learned how to get along with different personalities and how to appreciate those differences.  We comforted those with broken hearts, family struggles and rejoiced in each other's  accomplishments, engagements, weddings...

There was a reunion dinner on Friday night which was well attended (I couldn't go that night).  Saturday was another dinner and a tour of the university (which is in our city).  I had already done a tour a few months ago so I hosted a smaller gathering in our home--kind of a pre-reunion time of catching up.  

We chatted and laughed just like old times.  A dear friend to us all is in the midst of a battle with cancer (her husband of 34 years has myelenoma and begins the bone marrow transplant process this week).  They live in North Carolina.  We talked to her and met her whole family--kids, grandkids, her mom and also got to talk to her husband-- on SKYPE which was a first for me with VIDEO!    You've got to do this if you haven't already.  It's a free internet site that you can talk (audio) and/or have video at the same time.  It's almost like being there in person.  We were as glad to see her as she was to see us.  At the end  of our talk she put her arms around the computer and so did we for an internet hug.  :)  

Afterwards we headed over to a local restaurant where a room had been reserved for us.   About 20 gathered there to eat, share photographs, scrapbooks and albums, take even more pictures, laugh and talk more--mostly, a different group from Friday night.  We met at 7 p.m. and closed the place down at 11:00 p.m.  I have been hoarse all day from talking practically non-stop from 4:30 - 11:00 p.m.!  :)  

Many posted their photos on Facebook right away.  One of the organizers (thanks, Bobbi) set up a data base to help us keep current as to where everyone is, emails, phone numbers, etc. 

One of the women was headed back to New York so a few of us got together for one last lunch together.  :)

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of friends, particularly the ones who have known me the longest.  These women  are a treasure and I am blessed to know them and to be a part of their lives and them a part of mine, both in our youth and now into mid-life and beyond.  I love you, Ladies.

Philippians 1:3 

 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you...

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FAMILY & FRIENDS: First Day of College

Update August 25, 2011
Son #1 began his last three classes of college on Monday (2 taken this fall; 1 in the spring).  Son #2 began dual-enrolling at a local community college on Monday as he began his senior year of high school. This article is still applicable to the many who returned to school this week.


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ORIGINAL POST 2009

Jeremiah 29:11

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope..."

Ah, the first day of college classes. For my older son, they resume--this is the beginning of his junior year in college as well as the beginning of his first day of part-time work on campus. We have other young friends who have their very first day of college life today. I remember when I began. It was bittersweet leaving high school although my college (as well as my son's) is in our hometown.

• New responsibilities--no parents to remind you to do your homework or projects, choosing your own classes and making sure that two don't occur at the same time, budgeting your money, working part-time
• New friends--many of them several years older and most do not live in your neighborhood
• New instructors who are called professors, not teachers
• New course requirements--blue-book essay tests, one test determines your grade, and their strange letter/number format (AR101)
• New grading system--it is more difficult to get an A (93-100)
• Finding your way around campus and getting to classes on time

Every large group (student enrollment) needs its share of smaller groups so students can really feel a part and make solid friendships to encourage you during this stage of life. Some choose fraternities or sororities as I did (I was not a Christian during my college years); some choose athletics / intramurals; some choose clubs based on personal interests and others choose religious non-profit groups i.e. Campus Crusade for Christ which my son and many of his friends have chosen. Whichever group you or your students find themselves a part of, be careful of the company you keep. If you make a mistake and choose a group that later you discover is not for you, by all means, be bold and leave that group. Make decisions ahead of time as to what you will do when the temptations come--drinking, skipping classes, taking drugs, having premarital sex--to name a few.

Nowhere is it more apparent than in college, that Bad company corrupts good morals, so do not be deceived. 1Corinthians 15:33

My thoughts and prayers are with all who are beginning this initiation into adulthood and time of testing called college life. It can be a wonderful adventure as long as you make wise choices. More than likely, good parents are on their knees constantly during this time in their child's / young adult's  life.