Being in college has made me appreciate home more than ever. I try to come home once a month. I love being home, there is nothing like it.

I love the community that I have here. I’m blessed with an incredible church family, the best friends on the planet, and some incredible women who left their impact on my life. People complain about Albany and there being nothing to do but I’ll deal with it for the people that are here.

I have the best church family in the world. I’m blessed beyond belief to call Sherwood home. I grew up there and all the important people in my life have come because of church. The youth group molded me through two incredible youth ministers, Keith Harmon and Garrett Grubbs, all my Sunday school teachers, and friends who are still around. My college experience at home as been marked by Thursday Night Bible Studies at the Bennett’s, Progressive Dinners at Christmas, and Passion trips. The biggest privilege of all came when I got to intern in our media department this summer and being Hayley’s assistant. 

My friends are the best. I have met some incredible friends at Samford that I have no idea what I would do without but since being in college, my community at home as grown even stronger. I walked through the hardest year of my life as junior in college and friends from home were my rocks. I’ve gone to four wedding this semester and 3 out of the 4 were for friends at home.

So far this week, I have done shopping in Atlanta with my Sunday school class, spent time with my second family, had an ornament swap with some of my friends, spent last night at the Bennett’s caroling and hanging out, and if we weren’t doing Christmas with my grandparents I would be at the College and Career party tonight.

I love college and I love my friends at Samford but I truly learned: There is no place like home.

So, I’m soaking in every minute of being home on Christmas break and enjoying my friends while they’re all home and we can be together again. A big huge thank-you to my Albany family. I’m so incredibly blessed have each and every one of you in my life.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.