Senior year. With only a month left of my high school career, I look forward to my time at college. I also look back and reminisce on all the great times I have shared with so many wonderful people. This month is the busiest I have been all year with Prom, Banquets, and a Cotillion, but I am loving every moment. High school has truly been a journey. 

Participating in the Allen Band with over 700 members (we are so proud of that!) has been one of my favorite experiences. We just had our Band Banquet yesterday and I am now officially an Allen Band Member for life! I look forward to coming back for Homecoming  and seeing all my friends and old Directors again. I have learned so much from them.  The crazy spring trips, long hot and cold practices, and rainy games in soggy uniforms were completely worth it. I have made amazing friends and great memories in my four years with the band. I wouldn’t take back a single moment of it. 

Every Homecoming and dance has been amazing in high school, but none could measure up to the Senior Prom. I’ll never forget the group of friends I went with in a white Hummer Limo, especially my single ladies group. The dance was glowing with our theme, “A Night Under the Stars”. With the red carpet rolled out how could we not feel like stars? Dancing all night, saying hello to all my friends not in my group, and taking pictures were the highlights of my night. My friends and I struggled to stay awake until 2:00 in the morning for “After Prom” after partying all night, but we managed to squeeze in a bit more fun. I will definitely remember to stretch before the time next I ride a mechanical bull. At least it was good practice for when I go to Billy Bob’s at TCU.

With a Cotillion, Graduation, and Graduation Party still around the corner, I won’t have much time to rest, but I will definitely be cherishing every moment with my friends and family as we celebrate a wonderful ending and a new beginning in my life. I am looking forward to all the new opportunities that await me. Deep down, I know I will always be an Eagle, but I am ready to move forward and become a Horned Frog.

I must admit choosing a college to go to next year was not easy. I researched and visited as many colleges as possible, so I could make the best decision. As the deadline to chose a college grew near, I was stuck between TCU and another college in North Carolina. But after spending the night at TCU with some of their students I was sold. The best thing about TCU is that you get the best of both a small and large university. With classes no bigger than 200 students, freshman can receive a very personal education in their first year. Because the school only has around 10,000 students, TCU is a very close knit community. There is always some event going on to bring the campus closer together.

I remember when my mother and I last visited, she mentioned how interesting it was that the majority of students we saw were sporting TCU gear. “It wasn’t like this at my college!” she exclaimed. I smiled in reply because it said something about the school that you can’t research on websites or get from the millions of college reviews. It showed how the students felt about the school they were attending. Every student I talked to that day loved their school and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else for college. The spirit at TCU is irresistible, once you step on campus every student will let you know. 

Of course there are logical reasons why I picked TCU as well. I am planning on majoring in Business Marketing, with a possible double major in Entrepreneurship. The Neely School of Business is ranked number 26 in Bloomberg Businessweek  and is highly recognized for its outstanding programs. I am sure TCU will provide the best education in my field of study and many opportunities for me to grow into the business leader I aim to be. The facilities at TCU are the best I have seen  compared to all of the other colleges I have been to. The gym has so much to offer with a pool, inside track, weight room, and rock climbing wall. Football games will be amazing next year with the new stadium and TCU now in the Big 12 Conference. I can’t wait to get all my TCU gear and show my pride while tailgating next year. TCU has much to offer its students. I can’t wait to get on campus and be involved . Only eleven weeks left before I am an official TCU student. Go Horned Frogs!! 

“I am no one special. Just a common man with common thoughts. I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but in one respect I’ve succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived. I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul and for me that has always been enough.” – The Notebook

To me, that quote is the essence of what love means. I have been fortunate enough to fall in love with my best friend, and for me, that’s one of my successes in my life so far. Many people go looking for love; I was lucky enough to have it find me. I used to search and try to find the “perfect” man for me, but when I wasn’t looking, he found me. I’ll admit; I used to settle for guys that I thought I could “change” or that I could “learn to deal with.” Two years ago, I had just ended a relationship with a guy I could have sworn was “The One.” A few days later, I accepted a summer job at a local marketing firm, and then, I saw him. He was tall with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. His name was Drew, and I was immediately smitten. 

We had our first date that night, “The Hangover 2” midnight premiere, and from there we continued to date on into the summer. He had already graduated college and was in the Army Reserves, and I still had to go back to TCU in the fall. We agreed to try long distance to see if it would work, and that was the best decision I ever made. We have been together almost 2 years, (2 year anniversary in May) and I can say I have definitely grown from this relationship.

Drew is my best friend and absolute favorite person in the world. We could spend every second of every day together and never run out of things to talk about. We find pleasure in menial chores, such as folding laundry and grocery shopping. Drew and I also enjoy each other’s company just watching a movie on the couch. We’ve been known to finish each other’s sentences and thoughts, have millions of inside jokes and crack up over life’s little things. We share common goals, dreams and aspirations. Not only that, but we support each other in everything we do and hope to accomplish. Since we spend so much time apart, Drew and I never take any time we spend together for granted. I only get to come home to Houston about once a month, and Drew visits Fort Worth when he can. We have learned to compromise, work together as a team and communicate every chance we get. 

Relationships are all about teamwork. They can’t be one-sided. If one person isn’t willing to work at it, then the relationship is in for a rocky ride. Love is feeling secure, safe and knowing that nothing could ever come between you. There are no second guesses in love. It’s not something you think you are in or guess you are in. The second I knew I loved Drew was when he and I locked eyes for the first time. Sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I knew there was something different about him, and the more I got to know him, I fell deeper and deeper in love with him. I’ll admit I’m a hopeless romantic, and sometimes, that’s okay. Love is the greatest of all things. 

Happy Valentine’s Day Y’all!

With Spirit, 

The Passionately Rivalicious Team


 Thank you so much for our dress! She got so many compliments at church yesterday. Sic ‘em Bears!! – Kim

Passionately Rivalicious, you have super cute game day clothes!!! – Sara, Clemson 

Love your Passionately Rivalicious Business Model! – George H. Fischer IV, Advertising/Marketing Director Vanderbilt Student Communications

What cute gamewear! As a coach’s wife I am always looking for new cute items to wear to games! – Channa

Holyturf sent us…. Cute stuff – Ronnie-Marci

Of course, I love your Razorback stuff!! WPS! – Laura

You have done such a great job with this!! I love everything you have! – Hillary

I am Passionate about the Arkansas Razorbacks!! Woo Pig! Go Hogs! Just wanted to make it clear that my mind is on Saturday! Rush week is going great and I’m ready for gameday! Go Passionately Rivalicious or go home!  – Warren

I love Passionately Rivalicious & WOO PIG SOOIE! – Bailey

Oh Goodness this are sooo adorable!! – Nina

We are PASSIONATE about cute collegiate clothing at the University of Arkansas! GO HOGS! – Savannah

I have a white Arkansas bracelet and it is my favorite. It is much nicer than the picture. I always get lots of compliments on it. – Lyn

Love your page! Go USC Gamecocks!!! – Amanda

Saw you on Kelly’s Korner – so stoked about some cute aggie gear for my little ones! – Gara

Love love love love love the new updates on the website so cute and convenient! Plus all the updated pics are FAB! – Nikki

Congratulations!!! I am so excited to know that y’all made it into the top 20! Y’all deserve this win with the hard work and true passion that y’all put into designing clothes. Y’all treat every customer as an individual which is why y’all truly deserve a win! – Savannah

These Tutus are the Cutest! – Lindsay

Love these PiperBrooke Dresses ….Great Photos, too! – Candace

PiperBrooke Dresses for Passionately Rivalicious … So stinkin CUTE!!!!! – Joy

Ohhh! I need a girl to wear the adorable smocked jumper dresses!!! – Lindsay

Holy Turf sent me…LOVE all your stuff!! – Sarah

I received my smocked bishop dresses and bubbles in RECORD time, thanks! They are absolutely GORGEOUS!  – Carmen

Ohhh, yes! Want these Nap Mats!!! I’m looking forward to placing another order. GO POKES – Carmen

Just shared this on our page in Alabama. Love your company and telling everyone! – Doran

I am a Texas Tech Red Raider and the hubby is a BYU Cougar. We cheer for both. I love those cute dresses and -hope to win won over at Confessions of a Southern Socialite!!!! – Dee

NEW Passionately Rivalicious Poplin Dresses are soo cute! – Danika

New Arrivals – Ruffle Dresses … great stuff! – Cheryl Lee 

Thank you for answering so quickly! I’m passing along your website to all the MSU fans I know! And my little boy will be wearing the MSU camo overalls this fall. – Michele

I am a Texas Tech Red Raider and the hubby is a BYU Cougar. We cheer for both. I love those cute dresses and hope to win won over at Confessions of a Southern Socialite!!!! – Dee

Just shared this on our page in Alabama. Love your company and telling everyone! 
- Savvy Mom Doran 

Ohhh, yes! Want these!!! I’m looking forward to placing another order. I received my smocked bishop dresses and bubbles in RECORD time, thanks! They are absolutely GORGEOUS! GO POKES – Carmen

Congratulations on this new endeavor … Passion Play Sports! Kudos to PR for giving back to the community! – Michelle

Razorbacks Tiffany & Kennedy Love ESPN!!!  Precious!!! – Michele

One Shoulder and Sweetheart Dress – Both are so cute!!! Go Hogs!!!! – Michele

We just received our Razorback flip-flops!!! My daughter is sooo excited…they are darling!!!! – Michele  

My dress just came in this afternoon and I AM IN LOVE! I can’t wait to wear it out! Thanks so much! – Darby

Love your stuff! Thinking about what to order for football/tailgate season! Go UK! – Jessica

Love the smocked children’s clothing! Ride ‘em Cowboys!!! – Albert

Poplin Dresses with Big Bows … soo cute! GO HOGS! – Danika, Arkansas  

Thank You very much and I hope ya’ll have a great day! – Karen, Texas

I just went on line and saw your page….its looks FABULOUS!! Its definitely shows all the effort that you put into it!! CONGRATULATIONS!! – Ana

I just became aware of your website today when I received an e-mail from DFW Child Magazine advertising your business. I think it’s a great concept and have forwarded the e-mail to several of my colleagues/friends. – Robin

Website looks great! Congratulations and good luck! – Kathy

We saw your awesome stuff at your tent at the Race for the Cure in Dallas. My daughter is the LSU fan! We will definitely be checking out your website and passing it on to others. – Amy, Texas

Hi there! Your dresses and things are so cute! I would love to see some for the University of Georgia. I love to wear my red & black proudly all year, so it would be great to see some on your website. Thanks so much! – Brooke

Great Stuff! – Cheryl, Colorado

Ellie Faith LOVES her Nap Mat!!! – Heather & Dave, Arkansas

Thank you for answering so quickly! I’m passing along your website to all the MSU fans I know! And my little boy will be wearing the MSU camo overalls this fall. – Michele, Mississippi

We received our Razorback Flip Flops!!! My Daughter is sooo excited… they are darling!!! – Michele, Texas

I just got the shipment already! Very Excited! TX A&M Swarovski Crystal Bracelets and OH, they’re even cuter than I expected! So very, very happy with the shipment and they’re so cutely wrapped! I really appreciate the extras!

What an awesome article on Yahoo News for PR!!! Congratulations! – Jenn, Texas

The Girls Campus Plaid Dresses make me want to have another girl. – Kookie, Texas

The Girls Campus Plaid Dresses with Bloomers are so cute! I can’t wait to have a little girl to wear one of these! – Kristy

Neat Website! – Bobby, South Carolina

I just received my daughter’s OSU Smocked Bishop yesterday, thanks for the super-fast shipping and providing unique OSU stuff! She loves the dress, and wanted to wear it immediately. I can’t wait to order in the future! – Erica

Love all the new pictures on your website! – Amanda

Wish I had a little girl right now. The Embroidered Skorts with Gingham Shorts are SO CUTE!!! – Lindsay

I have a 4 year old daughter who is a HUGE Wildcats fan & I adore the kids’ clothing you have. Also, the women’s clothing is adorable as well. – Amy

I am so proud of you two! You’re dynamic, polished and sassy. Congratulations on a slammin’ idea. Warmest regards – Anastacia, Texas

I just discovered your site and your items look awesome! I am an Arkansas Razorback fan! – Carrie

Thanks for my TCU Shirt! It is so cute and fits great!!! – Liz

I love love love your site and your stuff! Such a great idea! I am passing the word on to my Arkansas (and Baylor friends!) – Rebekah, Arkansas

Margaret and I are excited and proud to be associated with the ladies of Passionately Rivalicious! The website looks great! Much love and success! – Bill and Margaret, Texas

Green and Gold, Red and Black, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! College Football season is much anticipated in the Evitt household.  With both of our alma maters, being in the Big 12, this brings about some great family rivalries! My husband Phil and I met at work 15 years ago and have been married for 12.  We are a “House-Divided”, but rest assured I do my best to persuade my boys Ryan (6) and Jake (4) to cheer for my Baylor Bears!  This can be very difficult living with a Red Raider in the house!   To make things even more interesting Phil’s daughter, Hannah (17), has her heart set on Texas A&M! 

I am a Baylor Girl all the way and LOVE my Baylor Bears in any sport or event that they participate in.  Phil is a Texas Tech Red Raider and grew up in the Lubbock area, going to Tech events from an early age.  Our two boys are often torn about which side to support.  My husband has taught them the Tech Fight song, which they can sing on command!  We are currently working on learning “Old Fite”!  In fact, I play it every morning in the car on the way to school for some extra practice.   Our “House-Divided” makes for some fun times especially when it is time to wear your favorite team colors to school.  Each boy loves to have both Baylor and Tech clothes, so they can support both teams.   If you ask them, Ryan leans more towards the Texas Tech side, and Jake more towards the Baylor side.  

An annual event in our house is the Baylor vs. Tech game, which is the last game of the season for both teams.  Each year we go to the game, alternating sides.  This year we will be sitting on the Texas Tech side, but rest assured I will be wearing my green and gold in support of my Bears!  Last year, even Phil enjoyed sitting on the Baylor side and watching all the excitement over the awesome season that Baylor had.  The best part of last year’s game was getting Robert Griffin’s autograph.  Ironically, he signed it on the Texas Tech side of the hat they gave away at the game.  HA!  Ryan has been to a game, and we are hoping to take Jake this year, so we can make this a true family event for many years to come! We both are passionate about each other’s teams and do our best to support each other – except when we play each other and then it’s GAME ON!

Ryan and Jake know it is football season because out come the flags!  We started a family tradition of putting up our Baylor and Tech flags on Saturday mornings in the fall to support our teams.  The boys think this is really cool and love it when a neighbor driving by stops to watch or yells GO BAYLOR or GO TECH!  Occasionally, we hear support of another team, which we politely ignore. 

So whether we are yelling “Sic ‘em Bears” or raising our “Gun Up” for Tech, our family loves the Bears and Raiders and all the excitement and tradition that comes with the rivalry!  

Most college students sit behind desks, file papers, or make coffee for their boss during their summer internship. I taught golf lessons to kids for the First Tee of Greater Houston. I had administrative duties as well, such as answering phones, writing emails, and grading tests. However, when other interns were filing papers, I was sorting golf clubs, and when interns were filling up the coffee pot, I was refilling the water cooler on the course before classes that afternoon. Similar to most internships, mine was unpaid, but the lessons I learned from my kids was far more important than any paycheck or college credit I could have received. 

The First Tee was initiated in 1997 to teach children, ages 7-18, the game of golf through Nine Core Values: honesty, respect, responsibility, judgment, courtesy, sportsmanship, integrity, perseverance, and confidence. The ultimate goal of the First Tee is getting the kids to implement these values, not only in the game of golf, but also in their every day lives and communities. This program allows kids the opportunity to utilize their spare time effectively, keeping them away from drugs, alcohol, and gang related activities. Although the program does not offer private lessons, I was able to spend quality time with my students and watch them improve over their sessions, which was an amazing feeling. I had a 7-year-old in our first level who had never touched a club before. His first golf swing was similar to that of a hockey strike. After the fifth week of classes, he was able to grip the club properly, fix his stance on his own, and strike the ball with confidence that would normally be seen on the PGA Tour. The look on a kid’s face when he or she hits the ball “like Tiger” is indescribable. 

I had worked with kids before when I was in high school, but nothing could have prepared me for the chaos that would come when 24 7-year-olds were running around with golf clubs and balls in their hands anxious to get started. Not only did I learn how to deal with young, rambunctious children, I was able to facilitate a girl with Down syndrome, a boy with Asperger’s disorder, and many kids that had severe ADD and ADHD. I met kids from all cultures and backgrounds. One of the groups, the First Tee of Greater Houston, works with is the Haverstock Kids. The Haverstock Kids are young African American children that live in Houston’s most dangerous apartment complex, Haverstock Hills. This apartment is notorious for its gang, drug, and violence, which is a poor environment for any child to grow up in. The First Tee received a grant from the state to allow these kids the chance to get away from their apartments and come play golf and be in a safer, more nurturing environment. One of the things that amazed me the most was that the slightest attention they received from you meant the world and more to them. They smiled from ear to ear when you would talk to them, held my hand when walking from station to station and gave all the mentors hugs after class as a huge thank you for giving them a chance. Sometimes, that’s all a child needs: attention and a chance. 

Having this internship taught me the virtue of patience, which comes naturally after working with children, the value of an education, and the power of attention and affection goes a long way for a child who does not receive any at home. Although, I didn’t get paid or receive college credit, I made a difference in many of my kids’ lives. I took up the game of golf when I was four years old and have played for fun and competitively ever since. I never thought that the game I have loved my whole life would have allowed me to make the differences I made this summer. I walked away on my last day of work knowing that I gave at least 100 young kids the chance to love the game I have loved for 16 years and the chance to make it a part of their lives too.