The Best of Times

I spent this week at OBU, my college alma mater, as a sponsor for Joyworks, a "worship camp." Jessica and Mikayla and 8 other girls from our church went (AND another sponsor, thank goodness). The camp was great--the kids have a 1-hour choir rehearsal 3 times a day, plus 2 hours a day of classes they rotate through, learning instruments and drama, among other things. And they still have time for recreation, worship, and trouble free time. I had fun, mostly because I LOVE THAT PLACE!!! I have so many memories--good and bad, but mostly good. I was somewhat of a late bloomer, I guess, and had a lot of firsts on that campus. First time to be asked out on a date, first kiss, first time to share a room (no sisters!), first time to eat Cap'n Crunch, and pizza without scraping everything off, and a hamburger with more than meat and bread. First vacation w/o family (Gulf Shores!), first mission trip (which was also my first time to leave the country), first time to join a church my parents weren't members of, first time to use community showers, first time to be serenaded...I'm smiling just thinking about the friends I made and experiences we had together. Here are some of the sights that brought on my nostalgia:

This is where I broke up with that first boyfriend. He was moving too fast for me, saying he loved me when we'd only dated for 6 weeks. Funny thing is, I didn't mind at all when Mike did the same thing!

This place made the BEST milk shakes. And we used to sing "Down at the Sunset Tiger Grill"

My friends and I hung out here so much-- I think we're the ones who wore down that corner of the railing. We knew we'd see everybody on their way to get their mail...

...from boxes like this. I was 4057, see it! Pre-cell phone/internet days, we would write letters and put sticky notes on each other's boxes.

Cap'n Crunch, where were you all my life! And I'll never forget watching the Beta pledges moo getting their milk. Tee hee.

Sharon Cosh was my campus minister's wife, and I've always wanted to be like her. And I did marry a campus minister! But I'll never have her South African accent, and I stopped at 3 girls while she had 5. I really enjoyed getting to visit with her.

The cafeteria ain't Walt's anymore. I was quite impressed.

(Can't you just hear Mikayla yelling, "Wait up! Wait up!") This bridge was where I used to go when I was blue. I would lean on the rail and look at the ravine...

...which now looks like this! What have they done to my beautiful ravine??

Although I would never go back to that time, I am so thankful for my time at Ouachita. God changed my life and goals, and blessed me with lifelong friends-- and precious memories.