..Tam.Odom..

Wow! Every year seems to go faster than the year before and then you look back and wonder where all of those days you were wishing away went! I know for me I have definitely learned more about the preciousness of each day that I have here at CSU.

I just thought I would look back over the past year and look at where we have come from. Yes – WE not ME or I, because you have been right there beside me or behind me as we accomplished a lot of it.

Coming off a hard, but great summer! I went to St. Maarten’s Island with my Aunt and Dallas/Abilene, TX. I got the PRIVILEGE to mentor Kelsey and meet Kelsey’s family. I took three MBA classes and worked the rest of the summer.

Then it all begins with 2 weeks of Orientation! We had the best time this year preparing for OTLs from Party Walks to Team Contests to showing up the RAs in the lobby at the Orientation meeting. How about when we played the Magic Shoe game at the OTL retreat and it took three times to get everyone across the river but we did it (right nick!)! I remember the night after move-in day when I stayed up all night in the Brewer Center and Michael brought me SONIC at midnight (like I usually do) to make the video for the Saturday morning meeting to keep everyone engaged in the boring tradition of blah blah blah!

Freshman Week went off well and the OTLs loved each other….always a NICE goal to accomplish!

Once we get into the routine of classes then people’s schedules get crowded and they tend to go their own way. I know for most of my days in the Fall semester I did the work in the office thing during the day and the evenings I tended to find myself in the library working on that 80 page business plan for my photography and videography company! Yes, 80 pages! And YES, I did make an A!

A major thing that sticks out in my mind was the blessing of such a wonderful Elevate leadership team. Dustin and Kristen were the head-honchos for Elevate workers and the logistics. Deeter was the worship leader for all of our services. Their hearts to serve and learning to lead were such an inspiration. I can honestly say that when you put the right people in the right place with their gifting then you have a more dynamic and passionate team. You know the saying…”Great minds think alike!…” It is so true!

We had a great semester at Elevate. There were many other events that I took many pictures at…Jocelyn Culver won Homecoming Queen 2008! Aimee Connor won Miss CSU 2009 as a freshman! Fall Fest was a hit and I got to introduce the Men’s and Women’s BBALL teams to the student body! I got to speak to the Volleyball team a couple of times and fell in love with those girls! (GO LADY BUCS!) Midnight Breakfast in the CAF is always a big hit too! I remember the goofballs who busted into the walls and ate cereal during the Exam Study session in the CAF (which lost that privilege for everyone else!) How about Soccer was rocking it as they beat Coastal at BlackBaud stadium! The Blue Patrol emerged from the ground at the end of the Fall semester!

So I finished the semester and everyone was counting down for that semester to be over with…mainly because I think they were ready for me to be finished with complaining about school. haha! Ami made me a countdown chain for the office and we all enjoyed removing rings each day! It was fun to sit through that graduation because me and my home slice Tuesday sat there textin’ and playing solitaire on her iPod touch. It was amazing! We laughed a bunch!

It was not until the end of January when we went to Converge at Myrtle Beach that the Lord truly grabbed on to my heart and really opened my eyes to see what He had been doing through me and IN me too! At the beginning of the Fall semester I had talked with Clark about my intentions after Graduation from the MBA program which was in December. That was to fulfill the school year and then decide if this is where I would stay or if it was time to move on to the next season in life. So as people began to hear of this they began to pray (apparently)!

I tried to think about some of the things that took place in the Spring semester: Obama was elected into presidency and the party in the CAF (or the chaos that took place the night of the election???)! March Madness was a good time despite the rain and W. Soccer won the Ladies Intramural BBall Championship! We had an official Greek Week with an Ultimate Soccer game! Downtown Elevate had the most people we’ve ever had downtown in Marion Square Park! Spring Break Mission Trip to Baltimore was a great time especially on the Silver Bullet! Watched new relationships blossom like they usually do with those April Showers (its in the water)! SGA held an outdoor movie on our new big inflatable screen that Carolena did NOT help setup (j/k)! I took probably 6,000 pictures just in this semester!

God definitely taught me some great things about Himself and His love that He wants to show to His children! I have decided to stay for one more year at CSU and from what I can tell people are okay with that. I believe that there are a couple of students who God really used to speak to my heart on the issue of “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” (kinda sounds like someone’s been playing Rock Band too much!) Just to name a few that I know for sure God has used…Allison, Kristen B, Koryn, Meghan, Casey, Savannah, Clair, Kylee, Amber, Kaitlyn, and Carolena. Yes – these are all females…because I believe that the Lord is calling me to focus more time on loving, leading and learning from the women on this campus.

I ask for you all to continue to pray for me as I seek the Lord on HOW He would have me accomplish these acts of service and love. I am excited to be here to witness the good things that will come through relationships and worship! Thank you for all of you who have opened your heart and lives up to me! I love you all dearly….

Have a great summer and be thinking of how we will blow this school year out of the water with more FUN and OUTRAGEOUS EVENTS!