Sarah - 2014 In Review

What is home?

Sarah chose to go to the University of North Georgia to get away from Carrollton, meet new people, and gain a fresh start.  Not to mention, the integrity and respect the school had.  She craved a small, close-knit school.  She wanted to be surrounded by a beautiful campus.  While UNG was a great school with GORGEOUS surroundings, she came to learn that it wasn't for her. She missed running into people that she knew. She missed her family. She missed the backroads of Carrollton. She missed "home". She learned all sorts of academic lessons while there, but the most important lesson I believe she learned was what "home" really is. It had more to do with the surroundings and people in it than the roof over your head.

At the end of her Freshman Spring sememster, she moved back into her old bedroom and took summer classes at the University of West Georgia, the local college that she grew up around - the one she said she would never go to because "that's where everyone in Carrollton goes".  She ended up enjoying the familiarity of it.  She loved that she was stopped on the streets by people that she knew and she liked being close to family. It's funny how the tables turned!  Sometimes, it just takes stepping away from something to see just how good it is.

This chapter of her life reminds me of a poem that she once wrote for an assignment her 9th grade year. It's heartwarming to read this again.

In the Fall of her Sophmore year, she moved into a gated apartment with one of her friends and 2 other random roomates.  The apartment is right outside of the West Georgia campus.  It's a four bedroom, fully furnished, apartment that shares the kitchen and living room space. She loves the freedom that she has, but also security in knowing that Daddy is only half an hour away when her car has a dead battery or runs out of gas (yes, that happened!).

A few months into her new living arangements, she adopted the cutest, most energetic little 5 week old golden labrador mix puppy. She named him Tucker. While he is a lot of work and requires much of Sarah's time (as she quickly discovered!), he has also stolen a huge part of her heart. Sarah has done such an amazing job at house training and teaching him manners. So far, he knows sit, shake, high five, "watch me", stay, come, and down.  It's been fun watching him grow.  She is in denial that he is getting too big to carry.  I think the pictures speak for themselves!

She's a Kappa Delta girl!

Sarah partook in the nerve-racking Rush week and was so excited to receive a bid from her top choice - Kappa Delta!  She has made so many friends through KD and had many opportunities afforded to her through the sorority that she may have never had otherwise. She was recently voted into a new member position and is looking forward to fullfilling that leadership role. Kappa Delta's philanthropy is Girl Scouts, which is close to her heart since she was a Girl Scout herself for several years.  Her old Girl Scout leader even appeared at one of the philanthropical events that Sarah was participating in! Being in a sorority has given her a sense of belonging, helped her tremendously with grades, built responsibility and personal development, and she has formed lifelong friendships.

A REAL job!

With sororities and puppies, come member dues and vet bills!  Sarah walked into Chic-Fil-A to drop off an application and was given and interview and hired all in the same day!  She works the evening shifts part-time so that it doesn't interfere with her classes.  Until now, Sarah has earned money babysitting neighborhood children.  This is her first REAL job, as she says!! She takes pleasure (no pun intended) in her job (and the paycheck) :)

So proud!

Sarah has done an outstanding job at balancing college classes, a job, sorority meetings and events, family, a boyfriend, and a puppy.  She is maintaining a B average in school in order to retain the HOPE scholarship.  Somehow, she still finds time to come home and have dinner with us; or pick the boys up from school and take them for an ice cream.  She is really a remarkable girl with a great head on her shoulders. We couldn't be more proud of the beautful young lady that she has become!

Sarah with Tucker and her boyfriend, Dillan.