A walk down memory lane...

I never should have been at UCCS. It was the last place I thought I would ever end up. It is in Colorado Springs and there was no women's soccer team...two big red flags! I was supposed to be at some big D1 school living the soccer dream but God had other plans, plans that He did not run by me first. So here is the story...

My first year I ended up at Mesa State College in Grand Junction, CO where I played D2 soccer. Soccer was my life, my God, my everything. It was the reason I got up everyday despite the depression and loneliness that overtook my life that year. I felt like such a nobody in that town, at that school, on that team. It took a toll on me and I went through an identity crisis and hit rock bottom. Soccer was no longer fun anymore, well I mean soccer AT Mesa State was no longer fun. So...I left.

Transferring schools is a pain but I HAD to get out of Grand Junction. I wanted to go to CU Boulder and finally play D1 soccer...my dream. I applied, got in, found a place, and registered for classes. One problem...I could not afford to live in Boulder. So...I ended up at UCCS and living at my parent's house.

I told myself I would be at UCCS for one year and that was it. One year and I would transfer to another school to play soccer...you know, live the dream. So...I gave in and went to UCCS for one year. I got two jobs to help the time pass quickly. I was determined to get out of there so I purposefully avoided making any friends...you know, I didn't want to get attached to anyone to a point where I couldn't leave. It was a lonely year and I was so glad when it was over....so glad!

Now I could pursue my soccer dream. I chose UNC in Greeley. I applied, got in, found a place to live, registered for classes, bought books, and moved to Greeley. Three days before classes started I found out that I was not eligible to play college soccer that year due to NCAA rules. Oh well, I thought, I already had a place to live and was moved in. God had other plans. A day before classes started I drove back home and swore I would not be going back to Greeley (I will not go into detail here, but basically I freaked out!). That night I re-registered for classes at UCCS and dropped all my classes at UNC. I moved back home and paid rent for four months on a place in Greeley that I never lived in. AHHHHHH...not back at UCCS!

As depressed as I was to be back at UCCS, I was determined to make it work. I needed friends; I needed a community; I needed something to cure my lonliness. So...I went to Campus Crusade for Christ and that is where God met me. I got serious about my faith and serious about facing my past. It was here where God changed my life. He brought some of the most amazing people I have ever met into my life, many of who are still in my life today. At times it was not easy but right now I stand here and tell you: thank God I ended up at UCCS.

This past Saturday was UCCS Cru reunion day and it was so awesome to reunite with these people who had such a huge impact on my life. Meet my friends...