Walking Two Moons

Eating, and hospitality in general, is a communion, and any meal worth attending by yourself is improved by the multiples of those with whom it is shared.  - Jesse Browner

A life of hospitality begins in worship, with a recognition of God's grace and generosity.  Hospitality is not first a duty and responsibility; it is first a response of love and gratitude for God's love and welcome to us.  - Christine Pohl

Today, I didn't vacuum the floor.  There are still little piles of dirt hanging out throughout the apartment, tracked in as snow melted and the ground stuck to the bottom of my Chuck Taylors.

Today, I didn't play catch up on work.  Despite two snow days, I feel like there are so many moving parts, so many what ifs, that I'm in a perpetual state of catch up.

Today, I didn't go grocery shopping, or put gas in the car.  I didn't clean the bathroom or do laundry or take care of the recycling.

Instead, I hosted one of my best friends for coffee.  We talked about life, ours and the new one she's carrying inside her.  We laughed and connected, talking of the past and the future.  I realized how refreshing it is to start my day with honesty.

Today, I laughed with a friend over terrible games of bowling, each of us taking turns barely breaking 100.  My skills, or perhaps lack there of, got teased by friend and stranger alike.  I tried sushi, good sushi, for the first time and marveled over the different textures found in similar looking rolls of rice.  I fumbled with chopsticks and giggled over inadequacies.

Today, I celebrated a student's birthday with her and her family in their home.  I ate homemade tamales and looked at family pictures eagerly shared.  I made new friends and smiled until my face hurt.  I left with plates of food and a small headache from trying to keep up with the Spanish flying between family members.  My belly, and my heart, are full.

Today, I didn't check one single thing off my "to-do" list, but I did connect with important people in my life.  I played and laughed and was reminded of the simple joy of being together, as friends and as strangers.  I experienced a beautiful picture of hospitality and a caring for one another in a way that is often lost admist the hustle and bustle of daily life.

As I sit and reflect on the day, I am reminded at how important it is to spend time with one another.  Being an introvert and living alone allows me to get comfortable with myself - that in itself is not a bad thing.  But it also breeds complacency, and I sometimes find that I seek solace in myself, by myself, instead of with others.  I realize it can be easy for me to forget how much I need community in my life.

Although I'm a few days late, perhaps I will spend this Lenten season investing myself in the company of others.  During this time of renewal and preparation, I desire to draw closer to the Lord daily.  Many times, like today, it is in the company of others where His presence is most noticeable.  Even though these interactions are likely to be uncomfortable or inconvenient at times, I am hoping to see the Lord in each of them.

How are you renewing yourself during this season of Lent?

Life is funny

I'm sitting at a cube at work, off the clock but not at home because I have to teach later and it's pointless to use time and gas to go home when I'll just have to turn around again.  I'm eating butternut squash soup (delicious!) that takes me back to Ireland and all those lovely soups and bread we ate.  Too bad I don't have any bread.

While I was sitting here I decided to blog search and see what else is out there, hoping to learn a bit more about how to make this more interesting for my few readers, and also hoping to find something out there worth reading.  And I stumbled across something quite coincidental.

Let me begin by saying that yesterday in between meetings I found myself in Barnes and Noble looking for a Bible study of some sort.  It's been a while since I've participated in one and I know with some upcoming life events I really need to make a conscious effort to put my faith first and foremost.  I wandered to the Christian Inspiration section and looked at all the shelves, sometimes picking up titles by my favorite authors or things I'd seen other people reading.  It wasn't until my third round that I saw a title - Grace for the Good Girl. 

Source

The title struck me first off.  I've always considered myself a "good girl."  I focused on my school work and worked hard to make my parents happy and proud.  I always tried to do "the right thing" and didn't do things that made people question me or my motives.  Because of who I am naturally, I find it hard sometimes to accept Jesus's sacrifice for me.  I didn't think I need saving because I'm not a "bad person" (I still struggle with these thoughts sometimes).  I read the first pages of the book in the store before I bought it, and I'm excited to start it in earnest.

What makes this story more interesting is that, just a few minutes ago, I checked one of my real life friends blogs.  E has an excellent writing style and is funny and real and I check in on her virtually every day.  So I decided to see what blogs she reads.  I found one listed under her "inspiration and faith" section called Chatting at the Sky.  When I arrived at the opening page, the first image I see is one of the cover of my new book.  Weird, I thought.  She must have just bought it too.

Wrong.  She's the author.

What are the chances?  (Probably about the same as my airman pen pal has of being neighbors with the brother of one of my high school best friends - yeah, that happened too).

I don't know if that means there's something especially good in this book and God wanted to put it forefront in my mind, or if it was just a happy accident.  But, with all that said, sounds like it's time for me to open that book now.

Full stomach, full life

I don't know what it was but I came home last night feeling more fully myself than I have in a while.  It was during the drive home from a dinner gathering that I realized how satisfied and light and fulfilled I felt.  I felt known and accepted and heard.

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity.  I've worked everyday this week (a blessing) teaching babysitting camp at the Rec center.  It's been a little stressful because the lessons had some holes in them - I didn't plan the camp and didn't get to see the layout of it until about 20 minutes before kids starting showing up on Monday.  Luckily it's a small group and they're flexible and forgiving and tell me that they're bored so we can cook up something fun.

Tuesday night I had dinner with a church friend of mine, Trisha, who's approximately 40 years older than I am.  I love meeting with her and hearing her take on life and God.  She often feeds my heart and my stomach well and getting to watch her and her husband interact is always a blessing.  They have been married for the same amount of time as our age is different.  I am so glad we've been able to connect outside of church.

Yesterday I had a job interview in the morning as a public relations secretary with the city school district.  I really have no idea how it went, but I know I'll be placed in a job that suits me.  All I can do is keep applying and keep interviewing.  Despite the hectic feeling of the day, I got to end it with a lovely dinner at the house of one of the families from the Rec center.

The Reedy's are such a lovely addition to this area.  They have two girls that I fell in love with the moment I met them.  (Their pictures were among the first hung at my previous cube job).  Both the girls are so lively and friendly and beautiful and happy and full of laughter.  Just seeing them brightens my day.  Last night included lots of laughter and sharing (a lot of that included the girls sharing their toys with me), and I left feeling uplifted.  I have never gotten a good chance to know the adult Reedy's but I feel this could be the beginning of something wonderful.

It seems lately that good dinners have equaled good conversations. 

This busy week mostly ends for me tonight with the Harry Potter midnight showing.  Em and I have decided we must be there.

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The first book came out in 1999, when I was in middle school, and the movie pandemonium started in 2001.  I feel especially kindred to the last HP movie, as the last book was released shortly after Em's and my B&N store opened (it actually caused us to open early).  While I've never read the books I do enjoy going to see the movies, and I certainly wouldn't miss this one.

Cheers to full lives and late night movies.

Love [begins] blind

Last night provided a much needed break from my normal routine.  Instead of attending a meeting or get-together of some variety (like I did literally every night last week), I spent the evening chatting it up with a stranger on a blind date.  He's not a total stranger I guess, but rather a co-worker of one of my good friends who treated me with drinks and dinner.  We gallivanted downtown, played some pool (where I proved myself a worthy opponent), and delved into some pretty intense conversational topics.  And I was out past my bedtime.  All in all a good night.

It was exciting meeting up with someone I didn't know (and who I'm fairly certain I'll never see again, seeing as how he's headed up north for a new job tomorrow), and of course it's always nice to get to talk about yourself with someone you don't know.  You get that chance to present yourself in your best light, omitting some things and making yourself seem as you wish you were.  Not only did the evening present me with a chance to meet someone new but I also tried some new things, including calamari and mixing jack and ginger ale (both good choices).

While it was a successful evening and I had a good time, there were some topics we clearly disagreed on (topics I'm not willing to bend with).  But I think it's ok, maybe in some cases better, to be able to more readily describe undesirable qualities in a mate than something you'd enjoy.  I know what I'm not looking for, but whoever I'm fortunate enough to share life with will surely have qualities that surprise and delight me daily, qualities I didn't even know I wanted in a husband.

It was refreshing to be pursued, albeit for a short time, and treated to a night out.  Here's to another life experience, another story to tell.  (On that note, I promise that 30 before 30 list is coming soon!)

Homecooking

I made dinner again tonight (second time this week!).  Tuesday night Katrina and I made chili, which might just be the easiest thing ever.  Then tonight I had fish, rice and veggies.  It was super easy and super good.  My secret?  Frozen fish and veggies.  Although I would love one day soon to learn to cook these multicolored beans from fresh produce, the frozen variety will have to work for now. 

While I have finally gotten comfortable with the oven, I still find myself calling mom asking her for advice.  Tonight the question was whether a cookie sheet would suffice for the fish, as I was without the shallow baking pan cited in the directions.  But despite this minor substitution, everything finished cooking at the same time (a skill I am far from mastering).  I am also convinced that some cooking magic still resides in my grandma's pots and pans.  She was one of the best cooks and I like to think that I inherited a bit of that talent (or maybe the pots are just lucky).

An added bonus to help make today fabulous - I won breakfast at work tomorrow for having the highest referral rate among the newbies!  Now, take a look at tonight's dinner and try not to be jealous. 

Welcome to Adulthood

Tonight was the first night in the apartment where I made a dinner that required more than a microwave.  I channeled the talents of my grandmother, hoping some of whatever it was that made her cooking so good was still left in the pots.  The final product - Tyson frozen chicken nuggets and Kroger mac and cheese.  Heaven.  It probably took me 15 minutes to boil the water, and I started the oven about 3 times before finally calling mom and promptly announcing "I don't know how to work my oven."  Her response, laughter.  Gee, thanks mom.  At my busiest moment, I was on the phone with mom, sirring boiling pasta, checking two timers and preparing to open the oven to turn the chicken.  I didn't sit down to eat until almost 8:30 and it was 9 o'clock before the dishes were washed and the leftovers put away.  Being an adult is rough.

A second notable apartment adventure - laundry.  I waited a little over two weeks before doing laundry and set aside a Saturday to sort though it all.  My first load I sorted and loaded, and stepped back to survey my options, before realizing I'd made a fatal mistake (Ok, not really fatal but that makes it sound more dramatic).  After putting my clothes in the washer I poured my liquid detergent into the drain-compartment-thing, a normal next step when doing laundry at my parents house.  Come to find out, that drain-compartment-thing had a label...Liquid Bleach Only.  Crap.  On the upside, an extra rinse seemed to take care of the problem (at least it was an easy fix and not really a fatal mistake) and the washer held way more clothes than I thought, so the whole ordeal ended up taking half as long as I thought it would. 

Hopefully these risky undertakings have kept you smiling.  Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming posts on my first ballet class and a special joint post with Em.

Reality checks #1 and #2

"Moving is something to be enjoyed" - Daphne Moon, Frasier

Even though I've only been ending my day in a new location for slightly more than a week, my expectations are already being changed.  I'm still not totally moved in, and this only adds to the feeling of being in transition (Just in case you were wondering, the quote is purely for entertainment purposes and should not be taken as an accurate record of my thoughts on the subject).  Hopefully this feeling will leave soon, and when it goes I can regain use of the backseat of my car.

My first reality check is the fact that Em and I almost never see each other.  With me training for a new job and her working the opening shift, we're on opposite schedules.  She's up and gone before I get up and then it seems to vary on who gets home before 9:00.  The good news is we do see each other enough to keep informed on comings and goings.  This is hopefully going to change in the next few weeks, but once I finish training, we'll be the exact opposite of what we are now, with me out the door before she stirs.

Despite these mismatched schedules, we did enjoy our first sit down dinner together, both of us, hot food, no tv.  We had spaghetti and salad (and the best crunchy bread I think I've ever had - I'm still not over it), and it was all kinds of cute.  We actually got to talk and catch up a bit on each others lives.  This is, at least to my knowledge, only the second time we've dirtied up significant pots and plates.  I had always hoped the kitchen would be used consistently but I think that's out of the question until we get more settled into a routine.

After dinner we went downstairs and introduced ourselves to Ms. Ross, the neighbor who left pears for us a week ago. 

She.
is.
adorable. 

We sat in her living room and talked a bit about what's going on in our lives and she showed us around her apartment.  She talked about her two daughters (one of whom I'm certain would know my aunt - small world) and her grandchildren with great pride.  Before we left she gave us three wine glasses and a glass pitcher.  She said she was preparing of a party tomorrow night and found that she had extras.  She was warm and genuine and let's face it, Em and I are always down for a good party.  I think we'll be good friends.

Ok, I promised two reality checks, so here you go - grocery shopping is not all I imagined it to be.  I've never grocery shopped for substantial food before, and I have a new respect for all those mothers out there (including my own) who provide hot meals every night and keep the pantry well stocked.  Living in a residence hall in college meant that all my main meals were provided for me and any food I kept in the room was mostly snacky food with little nutritional value.  However, not only do I have to learn how to navigate the aisles at Kroger, I also have to think about healthy eating (especially since my new job has me sitting for 8 hours). 

On the up side (I like to end on a positive note), it's starting to feel more natural ending my days here and I can't wait until Em and I settle into a more regular routine.  Hopefully our attempts will not be foiled by a snow day tomorrow.  Although I won't lie, we're already planning skipping work and taking a walk in the snow (maybe).