Today has been the most perfect day off that I’ve ever had. I had already planned to go sit in on one of Joey’s classes so that I could see the “instructor” in action. The class met in the same room where I had Women in Lit, eh….nine years ago (or so). I sat in the back this time (I usually sat on the front row by the window whenever I could). The kids looked sooo young. I don’t remember us looking that young when we were freshmen. I don’t feel like I look al that different other than the extra forty pounds, few wrinkles around the eyes, and white hairs here and there. I could still pass as a student! Anyway, Joey did a really good job, and the kids were attentive and talkative, so that was neat to see. There were a couple of girls who asked if I wanted to work in their group with them when Joey broke them into groups for discussions. It was really sweet…they didn’t know who I was since I didn’t say anything.

After that, we talked to our friend Mark who’s a religion professor there, and then went and hung in Joey’s office for (part) of his office hours. I spent an hour with Dr. Little-Sweat, my poetry/creative writing professor. She’s got some really great things coming up dealing with poetry and performance. Expect to see some discussion of that once she’s finished her project. She’s actually the third longest-standing faculty member at Wingate….if I’ve done the math right, she’ll be entering into her 47th year there next year.

I spent another hour with Dr. Thomas, for whom I worked as a student assistant for 3.5 of my 4 years at Wingate. I just love her to death…she really made me want to further my education and go on beyond undergrad. I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t do it right away like I had originally planned, but had I, we wouldn’t have left Baylor and Joey would have gotten a much worse education than he did at Gordon-Conwell. I think we’re getting the best of both worlds now. I’m getting a good education through ECU (they know how to do distance ed right!), and Joey’s getting a VERY rigorous workout in his PhD program and is working with some of the greatest minds in theology currently. I really could’ve sat and talked to Dr. Thomas for another hour, but she had a noon class.

I tried to stop in and see my favorite Spanish professor, Mark Schuhl, but his office hours ended at noon, so I just missed him. It was weird to walk into the alcove where the foreign language prof’s offices are. Mark had us do our Latin American lit class in their breakroom because there were only three of us in the class, so we met in there instead of a big, empty classroom. I spent soooo much time in that room between that class and the two independent studies I did with him and Carmen Rivera. I miss Wingate so much…even thinking about it makes me want to cry, honestly.

They’ve carpeted the first floor of Burris. The student center looks totally different…the Klondike is gone and the mailboxes are where it used to be. There’s a little stand with some pre-made sandwiches, snacks, and drinks. You don’t get your own textbooks anymore…you go to a desk at the back and they get them for you. The new Hayes building (connected to Burris) is incredible…the classrooms are really swanky. But, it’s still the same old place….there’s such a feeling of comfort in prowling those halls. Even if I did get lost trying to find the bathroom again in the basement of Burris. That was always my go-to poop bathroom because no one’s there early in the morning;).

Anyway, we hit Wal-Mart after we were done at Wingate and stocked up on some groceries for the week…came home and had lunch, and I went to take a nap when our friend showed up to install the new water heater. That was about 2:30. Joey woke me up at 6. I had light ice cream for dinner (hehe). That’s a Labor Day that can’t be beat:). I’m about to go and make some almond butter and then relax a little before hitting the hay (again).

Oh! The oatgurt is done fermenting…I moved it to the fridge this morning. Hopefully, I’ll be brave enough to try it tomorrow. I hope everyone had a fantastic Labor Day! Remember to appreciate where you are now…you may look back on it years from now and realize that it was one of the best places in your life.