Wednesday, November 04, 2009

A Winner and a Week-end Trip


Thank you so much for all who entered the give-away contest. I did the drawing the old-fashioned way and drew a slip of paper from a cereal bowl. The winner of the book and CD by Steven Curtis Chapman is:

Chappyswife at Journey to the Prize

I hope you enjoy it very much. It has been fun to see all of those who came over to visit and enter. Come back soon!





When I was a junior in high school, I took my first trip to visit the college that would eventually be my home for four years - four wonderful years. I went with a bunch of kids from our church - it was an opportunity to look over the college to aid in our decision as to where to attend when it was time.

It was my first trip to Oklahoma. It was the school that our church supported with funds. (Interestingly, the winner of the contest, Shawna, is from Oklahoma). I had never seen red dirt before. It was rather windy. But I had a great time there that week-end, and found the students to be very friendly.

I began to count the days until I could go there as a student. The day finally arrived, and the story of my time there and the way God kept me there financially, is one I love to share. I believe I have shared it here before.

I took a lot of pictures of the buildings during that first week-end.


This is the Student Center, where we spent a lot of time eating, checking our mail, studying, visiting over a Coke.




The library.




The administration building - don't you love the 60s car?




A classroom building where I had many of my elementary education classes.




The Lamp of Learning -- I loved this in the middle of the campus.




For my sophomore and junior years, I worked as a resident assistant in a freshman dorm. My senior year, I had a bit more freedom and lived in Honors Housing in this dorm, Bracken Hall.




Many changes have occurred on the campus since I was there, of course. But most of these buildings are still there, although with different roles.

Here I am with two of my suite mates for that year. This picture was taken on the bus on our senior trip to a resort at Lake Eufala. My most vivid memory of this trip is that it had been raining for several days. We had been praying for nice weather. As we packed for the get-away, my roommate (in the middle) and I tried to decide if we should take umbrellas or not. We felt it would show a lack of faith if we took umbrellas when we had been praying for the rain to stop. So we left them home. It rained all the way to the designated location, and as we turned the final curve, the sun came out, giving us a wonderful week-end of weather. It was a great moment in my faith journey.

Don't you just love all the teased hairdos??





This is my graduation picture.





So why am I taking you on this trip down memory lane?? It's because tomorrow morning, I am heading down there for my 40th reunion - I find it hard to believe! But I am very much looking forward to this long week-end.

I will be staying with the girl on the left of the picture on the bus. I was in her wedding right after graduation. I think I've seen her at one reunion since, but we haven't had a meaningful conversation. We have ALOT to catch up on. The one in the middle is my roommate (and we also roomed together our first year of teaching), but she doesn't get to come this time.

And - on top of it all, I get to meet another blog friend! Susan, Penless Writer, and I will meet for lunch on Friday. I'll take lots of pictures!


I will leave you with this picture out in my back yard this morning - the setting moon was just gorgeous.





16 comments:

Needled Mom said...

Oh, Dawn, I am so glad you are feeling well enough to go. I was worried that you might be getting the lousy stuff that is going around.

I loved the pictures that took us down Memory Lane.

Have a great time and we will look forward to hearing all about it.

Mary said...

Dawn,

Beautiful photos...treasured memories. Have fun at the reunion.

Blessings,
Mary

Shawna said...

Dawn, I am thrilled to have won! Thanks so much.

And you're coming my way! What a surprise. I loved your pictures and the trip down memory lane. I sure wish I had that car in the picture. lol

Hootin Anni said...

Congrats to the winner of your giveaways!! I loved the look back in time during your college days. How fun was that?!! Those were the good ol' days if you ask me. LOLOL In fact, today for my Thursday post I went back to the 60s!!

Have a great time at your reunion and yes....tell us when you get your pictures posted.

Hootin Anni said...

PS....I know, I know...our hair back then could've hidden a treasure trove, huh? LOLOLOL

And the movie, the Verdict, was way back in the early '80s...so, I don't think it was based on John Grisham. In fact I think it was a book from the 40s or 50s.

Now, go catch your plane...have a safe, but FUN trip.

Midlife Mom said...

Have a wonderful time on your trip! You will have such a good time talking with friends about 'back in the day'! See you soon!

Nadine said...

Sounds like you have a great time to look forward to. I hope you enjoy meeting up with old friends and have a blast.

Love the pictures of back then. Can't wait to see the new ones.

I visit Susan's blog so have a fun time with her. Tell her I said hi.

Congratulations to Chappy's wife.

Rita Loca said...

Love, love ,love the photos! And the hair!

grammy said...

Have a great time. Love those pictures. A blast from the past. I went to Manhattan Christian College in Manhattan Kansas in 1971. I loved it. I had never been anywhere but Colorado and close to the Denver Boulder area. Humidity was new to me. I still hate it. College was so different in those days... dorm hours and all that jazz (o:

someone else said...

Wow, those pictures are certainly a blast from the past.

Carole Burant said...

Congratulations to your winner:-) I so enjoyed your trip down memory lane and loved seeing all the photos of the college you attended. And look at those hairdos indeed! hehe You looked beautiful in your graduation photo. I hope you have a fun filled reunion this weekend and how wonderful that you'll be meeting up with Susan as well. Looking forward to hearing all about it:-) xoxo

Sam said...

Dawn, I hope you have a wonderful time! I LOVE these pictures!! Just love them!

I can't wait to hear all about it!

nancygrayce said...

I loved your school pictures! Didn't we all have either teased hair and parted in the middle and stick straight?! Those were the days! Have a wonderful time at your reunion!

groovyoldlady said...

Oh...You get to meet Susan TOO???? That is just TOO Groovy. She is such a sweet lady! I wanna hear all about her when you come here next weekend to meet ME!

:) Hope the reunion is wonderful!

Sharon Lynne said...

Have a wonderful time!

Sharon Lynne said...

I just went over to Penless writer and sure enough! There you were.

I felt like I was following you around.

Was it fun driving that yellow bug?