Plans For Christmas Break

I just got back in town after a long weekend in MD with KOTR.  I forgot my camera charger, so I didn't take any pics while I was there.  Major fail.  I had a wonderful time hanging out with KOTR and his cousins.  Now I'm just counting down the days until we see each other again! :-)

As y'all know from my lack of blogging this semester, I've been extremely busy.  Over Christmas break I don't have to do any work or schoolwork.  I have to start planning UNC Dance Marathon, but other than that I'm free!!  Since I've got so much time on my hands, I've compiled a "to-do" list to keep me occupied.

• Watch the last season of One Tree Hill.
• Work out at least 4 days a week.
• Skype with KOTR.
• Create policy manuals and volunteer schedules for UNC Dance Marathon.
• Plan a special outing for the next time KOTR comes to NC.
• Keep my blog updated!
• Begin invitation list for the wedding.
• Sleep in!!

We shall see how this goes!!

2011 Dance Marathon Overall Committee

Here's that post I promised that doesn't relate to weddings or work!

As y'all know from a previous post I'm on the 2011 Overall Committee for the UNC Dance Marathon.  Our mid-summer progress is due in a week, so it's been on my front burner for the past few days.

I thought now would be a great time to introduce y'all to 13 AMAZING ladies that are all going to do great things for the kids this year!

Sarah Beth: Overall Coordinator 

Olivia: Alumni Relations

Courtney: Business Management

Galen: Campus Fundraising

Cathy: Community Events

B. Rand: Corporate Marketing

Alice: Entertainment

Christine: Event Donations

Bethany: Fundraising Projects

Gracie: Hospital

Emma: Morale

Katie: Outreach

Becca B.: Publicity 

I can't even begin to express to y'all how excited I am to work with these girls over the course of the next 8 months!  I can't wait to form a special bond with each and every one of them.  On that same note...I can't wait to meet Christine--she's been abroad, so I hope to meet her soon!

Y'all better get used to me talking about the girls a lot!!

new developments in the dance marathon world.

as i said, come into my dreams has a very significant meaning.
it was perhaps the most memorable song that was played at the 2009 dance marathon--which just happens to be the first marathon i actually participated in.

two weeks the application for a position on the overall committee were sent out to all previous committee members. since i had only been a committee member for one year, i didn't think i was ready to be an overall chair, so i wasn't even thinking about applying. i had planned on waiting until the applications for subchair positions came out.

that all changed when i got an email from the current operations chair encouraging me to apply for an overall committee position. i decided to step outside my comfort zone and apply, and i'm so glad i did because....

I GOT IT!!

i'm so thankful for the opportunity to be so involved with dance marathon! the work has already started. the applications for subchairs were sent out this morning and we'll be interviewing for those positions next week. so wish me luck!

you can read more about the marathon here.

and i finally got my name in the daily tar heel!! i'm on page 3!! [can you tell that i'm a little too excited about that??]

i hope this blog will be a great way of documenting my experiences as i get ready for the marathon. i think it will be extra special to go back and read through after it is all said and done.

toe tapping thursday.

this has a very significant meaning that i will explain as soon as i can.
for now i've got to pay attention in class and then head southbound for ocean lakes!

i think i've finally recovered.

as i've mentioned in previous posts, this past weekend was the UNC Dance Marathon.

i was up for over 40 hours straight and on my feet for most of them. in the end, it was all worth it! these banners required us to get up on lifts in order to hang them...and this one fell at 5:30...less than an hour before the dancers were going to arrive. talk about a stressful 30 minutes!

the treasure chest (note those beautiful pearls that i spent the entire super bowl cutting out)

some of the 1600 dancers standing on their feet FOR THE KIDS!

more dancers

when the end of the 24 hour marathon rolled around the overall committee revealed the total amount of funds rasied.....$421,851.32 for the North Carolina Children's Hospital. some of the families that had previously benefited from the FTK fund were there when the final total was revealed...and seeing those children made all the pain and fatigue so worth it!!! after all, 24 hours is a really short amount of time in the long scheme of things, so why not help those that are less fortunate than me?!

i got home around 10:30pm on saturday night and i hadn't been home since 9:45am on friday morning, so needless to say, i was exhausted. i sat down on my bed and called kotr and after we'd chatted for a few minutes i looked down and noticed i had dried up liquid that had leaked from all the bags of trash i had carried on my legs. i told him that i'd have to call him back after i got out of the shower. once i hung up the phone i tried to stand up to walk to the bathroom and i literally could not stand. i know it's super gross, but i had no choice. ...but don't worry, after i woke up on sunday (at 3pm) i immediately washed my sheets! :)

i CAN'T WAIT for dance marathon 2011!!!!

the next two weeks will be killer.

ahhh! i'm going into stress mode starting....NOW.

i just finished putting my assignments, meetings, work schedules, etc. into my day planner and got increasingly more overwhelmed. i'm not usually one to get too stressed out about things, but these next two weeks are a slight exception.

i have my first exam of the semester on thursday. i'm worried about it because it's for my western civilizations class....and i have absolutely no interest in ancient Greece or Rome. i really don't have any prior knowledge on the subject...which is definitely not normal for me in a history class. the professor emailed a study guide over the weekend, but there's so much material on it i almost think it would have been more helpful if she didn't give us anything at all. oh well...i'll get it done and i'll take the exam and it'll be over with by 12:15 on thursday.

dance marathon, the largest contributor of my stress will not be over until around 9:00pm next saturday. for those that don't know dance marathon is a 24 hour stand for the children of the NC children's hospital. [yes, that means that i will be standing up for 24 hours straight] i know i can stand and stay awake for 24 hours because i was a dancer last year, but this year is different. the committee that i'm on requires us to handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff that actually makes the marathon function. i'm worried that i'm not going to be rested enough and i won't contribute to the committee like i should. i'm trying to get as much sleep as i can now since i know i won't have any time when it's marathon time. next thursday i have to help set up for the marathon from 6pm until 2am...and then be back at the site by 2:00 or 3:00 on friday. the marathon actually starts at 7:30, so all the dancers will start arriving and that's when the stress will really set in. at 7:30 pm on saturday all the dancers will be able to sit down [and i will too!!], but we'll still have to clean up...which i have a feeling will be a lengthy process. i'm nervous and excited all at the same time!!

on a better, more positive note, kotr will be here this thursday!!!!

however...a large chunk of my weekend will still be dedicated to DM. we have a meeting on thursday at 6:30, a date auction at 11:00, and i have to assemble decorations for the marathon on sunday. oh well though...it's FOR THE KIDS!