life at pi palace

1386 Ponce is quite the establishment.

It's one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. Tall white columns, brick, summer gardens, Druid Hills - Who wouldn't want to live here?!

ahhh, this is home... complete with a lion door knocker

This home has been around for quite some time. The owner was a judge here in Atlanta, and he & his family loved this home so much that the family's burial plot has a replica of the outside of this house. Alpha Delta Pi dedicated this home as Memorial Headquarters in 1955, and since then, the sorority has worked hard to preserve it.

my bed, sitting area, and parlor - in love.

So, basically, this house is an ADPi museum. Rumor has it the sorority keeps the dress each Grand/International President wore the night she was installed. You know something else? There's a wreath here at E.O. made of our founders' hair (yep - and it's sorta creepy); that's not something you see every day. OH - and get this: The funeral scene in the upcoming movie The Odd Life of Timothy Green was filmed here. In fact, Jennifer Garner used the blue bedroom as her dressing room! There's also a huge map of the United States right outside the library. It has a silver dot where each ADPi chapter is or was located. There are also tons of historical records. I stumbled across record of Eta Pi's founding (I owe those women a ton) and just had to snap a pic.

ms. blake's dress, the map, and where it all started for me

In 2003, ADPi expanded onto the back of the home to build Executive Office. It's quite the treat to walk across the Maxine Blake loggia (Ms. Blake is basically ADPi's FDR) to work every single day. There's nothing like strolling down this sunlight hallway with a warm cup of coffee in my hand.

how could you not love this commute?

Well, that wraps up Pi Palace. Actually - it doesn't, but I won't ruin all the fun for ya. You'll just have to head to the 30306 to see what it's really all about.

 

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christmas in july

If you know me...

You know I absolutely love Christmas (It's bad - I play & sing Christmas music year round.). Nothing can ever be better than the real Christmas. But, you know what is a close second?

first day in the ATL

I was the very first one to arrive here in HOTlanta, but it did not take long to be surrounded by suitcases, 26 suitcases + 9 purses to be exact. Yep - I know what you're thinking. How in the world did they get all of that to Executive Office? Well, we'll leave out the minor details, but let's just say we made it work (in two cars).

After lugging our suitcases up the stairs & snacking on some peanut M&Ms, we headed to the Training Room to get down to business. What business? See the pic below.

ah! azure blue pipad case, my own ritual book, plus tons of other goodies!

Can you believe it?! Again. I am so blessed. And, check this out:

yes. this is real.

Ah! I'm officially official! Only catch is my phone number is wrong on all of my business cards. No worries though; they'll be fixed.

I have had the best time here at Executive Office so far. The Pi Kappa Phi LCs came for a fun mixer, I've been to a tapas restaurant (It's great - you order a bunch of little appetizers & taste it all!), and learned how to make sock buns! Don't fret though... I'm learning anything & everything ADPi, too. Promise.

Here's my fave quote so far:

"You don't have to read my ritual because you can see it in the way I live my life every single day."

 

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first taste of consultant life

It's still a bit of a mystery...

but I think I'm starting to get what consultant life is all about: unbelievable fun. I mean, c'mon. Take a look at what I was lucky enough to do during my first week as a 2012 - 2013 leadership consultant.

the infamous hug train

How many times in life is it acceptable to get this close to people you just met? Not many. Let's ponder the hug train for a sec. It's a seemingly simple pose, but please look at the top photo: our first hug train. Note the awkward space, particularly on the left side. hug train fail. Now, the middle photo. We're getting better at this whole "let me be in your personal space for a sec" thing. Take three? Now, that's frame-worthy. Cant get any closer than that.

brittany goes to macon

Second item on my first-week-as-a-consultant agenda: visit Macon, GA. First stop: Eugenia's grave. I know what you're thinking: um, this girl is weird (unless you're an ADPi. Then, you know how awesome this experience was.). Visiting one of ADPi's founder's graves was awe-inspiring. If you can't get the whole sorority thing, think of it as a Founding Fathers thing. I mean, do you think Mr. Ben Franklin had any idea what he was doing? Probably not. Well, I don't think Eugenia did either. If she only knew what ADPi would do for thousands and thousands of women... Mk - enough sentimental stuff for now. Second stop: Wesleyan College! This is where Eugenia & our other founders went to school. There's a beautiful fountain on the campus dedicated to ADPi (it's also the perfect spot to cool off on a hot GA day).

lovely women of eta pi + sister cantley

Third item: Remember my roots. Without the Eta Pi chapter, I wouldn't be shaped into the woman I am today, and to them, I am eternally grateful. It was so wonderful to hear Eta Pi be called over & over to collect their awards. No, awards aren't everything (sisterhood is), but they're a great reinforcer letting the chapter know they're on the right track. Eta Pi has some pretty phenomenal women, and I will truly miss them this year.

violet sister reveal

And, last but not least, find out who my violet sister is! I must say, this is what I was most excited for all week. If you know me, you know that I ask a bazillion questions (Ask my mom. Right after dinner on a Tuesday, I want to know what dinner on Wednesday is.). Now, I know who to direct my questions to! Her name is Cristina, and she is a w e s o m e. Wanna know something even better?! Cristina has two of us! Me & Miss Laura Stewart. Laura & I are two peas in a pod, so this set-up could not be any more ADPerfect.

So, that's a wrap. Time to go pack because guess what?!

My year as a Leadership Consultant begins tomorrow.

 

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daily dose of motivation

Give a girl sorority...

and she'll want to change the world. (Well, that's what this girl wants to do) Seeing 100s of Alpha Delts gather in one place for Adelphean Compass, our summer pick-me-up (it's really a meeting, but who likes to call it that?), for one purpose: learn how to lead with self, vision, action, and relationships was incredible. In fact, as I sat there with my consultant name tag around my neck, it made me think to myself: 

Lord, thank you for blessing me with this job.

Because let me tell ya what, without Him, I wouldn't have it. And, let me tell ya something else: Alpha Delta Pi's are unstoppable. The thoughts and ideas this group of  advisors & collegians have for the future of their chapters & the future of this sorority was impressive amazing visionary. 


Here are just a few quotables from the weekend worth taking a sec to ponder: 

"No leader can lead in isolation."

Mrs. Beth Gentry Mannle, Beta Beta, former Grand President

"Encourage someone in their story, 

no matter what their story may be."

Mrs. Tracy Kerr Carson, Eta Xi

And my personal fave from the weekend - 

"Don't hold anyone to a standard that 

God does not hold you to."

Ali, Theta Kappa

See what I mean? With women in our sorority who think like this, how can we be stopped? We can't.

Consider this post your daily dose of motivation.
Now, get up & do something great.