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?

Liquid Sunshine

"Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet."  -Roger Miller

                              "Being soaked alone is cold.  Being soaked with your best friend is an                                     adventure." -Emily Wing Smith, Back When You Were Easier to Love

The red canvas of my shoes is stiff and unforgiving as I pick them up, two fingers at the heel, and put them in my closet.

Yesterday I helped a dear friend of mine ship a few boxes of her life to Texas.  She is preparing to move this weekend, driving over a series of days to return home.  I rode the relatively short distance to her house with my windows half way down, watching the fog in the mountains.  The day was gray but warm, as if it took no notice of the date on the calendar.  My heart was light, in spite of the overwhelmingly long to-do list that loomed over me, and my free hand was keeping time to the music on the window frame.

I had known the day was coming.  Our relationship is unique and my life has been intertwined with Beks for a few years; we are alike in more ways than not.  I knew this little town couldn't hold her big heart forever.  She recently settled into the idea of moving and I never doubted her decision - it's time.  The last month has been full of excitement and preparation and bittersweet conversations as I know she'll only be around for a bit longer.

I arrived at her house about 9am, accompanied by a light sprinkle.  In the midst of packing tape, address labels and sharpie markers, little attention was paid to the weather.  Not long before we had prepared to load the cars, a loud clap of thunder drew our attention outside - a full blown rainstorm, blowing in suddenly, wasting no time with pleasantries.

Because of other obligations we couldn't wait long to move our packing party to the post office.  Despite the weather, we took multiple trips across wet grass and pavement, balancing boxes and tugging on doors, running and laughing, trying not to fall on wet leaves and concrete floors.  We both emerged soaking wet, tracking in leaves, water running down our faces and changing the color of our clothes.  I'll admit, I had to fight the urge to stomp through the little rivers that appeared down the sides of the streets, and I marveled at the movement of the water as it collected and spilled around the tires of parked cars.  What is it about rain that encourages the child within us to be silly, to laugh and dance?

I will likely not see Beks again before she leaves, but I couldn't think of a better way to send her off.  As we left the post office and the rain began to let up (of course!), tears made new trails on our already wet faces as we hugged and said goodbye.  I know it's not really goodbye - you can never say goodbye to someone who has left such an imprint on your heart - but rather "see you later".

The Sound of Silence

I walked out of my apartment this afternoon to go to work and stopped.  For the first time all summer, there was silence.  It was a little shocking to be honest, as this must have been the locust year.  All season there's been noise, no matter the hour, of these insects loudly proclaiming their presence.  I'm not complaining - it's the sound of summer.  But to have it stopped so suddenly, I guess you never really know what you have till its gone.

Unfortunately the silence outside has no comparable resonance in my life right now.  There are meetings at work, conference calls, two months worth of activity planning, shopping and packing and laundry, new youth groups to start and familiar ones with which to reacquaint myself.  Even though the summer might not have been all I wanted it to be, it was wonderful and I'm going to miss the weather, the lazy pace of life.

So, to commemorate Summer 2011, some cell phone photos for your viewing pleasure.

Engaged 6.27.11

The Fair's in town - June 2011

Sunset from the mountain top July 2011

Moth outside work July 2011

Patriotism

Putt putt poses August 2011

Second to last game of the season August 2011

Awesome presentation on some yummy Chinese food Sept 2011

Free as a bird!

I have a rare thing today:  a free Saturday.  Not just a Saturday, but a whole weekend actually.  Although I don't work, there's still lots going on.  On the list include:

• Night out with my good friend Tim - done!
• Shopping with Tim for new clothes - done!
• Closing out my Thirty One Fundraiser - done!
• Shopping for Ethiopia with Em
• Baseball game (second to last one of the season)
• Church on Sunday
• Meeting with two ladies about Ethiopia
• Fall kick off event at my other church
• Loving some kids at St. Johns
• Preparing for the week ahead
• Bowling and general merry-making with friends

There's also some not fun things on that list like:

• Clean the bathroom
• Vacuum
• Do the dishes
• Shop for groceries
• Figure out meals for the next week or two

So far, though, things are shaping up nicely.  Although I'm making sure to pack this weekend full of things I want to do, I probably really should take a small break and relax.  Starting next week, I'm training in another department at work, which will increase my weekly hours closer to 40.  I'm excited about it but it will leave less time for planning for after school, which is really my main focus these days.  Next week 20 elementary school students (in groups at least) are responsible for making their own snack, as well as getting along with each other and trying not to get swim privledges taken away from them.  Phew!

Sitting down to look at it all makes me feel busy but blessed.  Time to start checking things off that list - hopefully Irene doesn't have any remnants that ruin baseball plans (we're not supposed to get anything but I guess you never can tell).

In the Blink of an Eye

It's been over a month since my last post.  I've opened a window and hoped to write many times but the words just didn't come.  And once the end of July hit life hit full swing and I couldn't seem to find the time to sit and fight the words onto the page.  So here's a brief recap of the super fast month that was August.

At the end of July, my church had their second annual VBS/Day Camp.  We opened it up to many churches and organizations in the area, as well as the Nepali church that meets on Sundays next door to us.  We had a great turn out and I was blessed to be a part of the planning and teaching.



These kids were such a joy to be around and I loved getting to spend time with each of them.  We're waiting to see the doors the Lord is going to open with these kids and our church.

At the beginning of August I kicked off my fundraiser for Ethiopia.  A friend of mine who sells Thirty One products offered to host a party for me and donate all the proceeds toward my trip.  We had a party on the 20th and so far have had a good run with things.  All orders have to be in by Friday so we'll see what the final outcome is.

Along with the fundraiser, I also made a commitment to not spend any extra money until my trip in October.  So far I'm doing pretty well with it, only dropping a dollar at a baseball game Monday night for a hot dog.  I did spend some for the party last weekend to make sure we had some food but all the extras I'm eating.  :)

The middle of August brought about the last few weeks of summer camp.  With a lot of our staff heading back to school, everyone on the schedule was working overtime for two weeks to keep our day camp with 40+ kids appropriately staffed.  It was fun, but I'm glad it's over.  Forty kids is a lot to deal with, and while the trips were fun and the kids were fun, I'm looking forward to settling into a routine.

This week school started, so that means the after school program at work did to.  This year I'm in charge of that program, planning and organizing and coordinating everything those kids do from the time they arrive to the time parents pick them up.  Right now we have 21 kids but it's possible we'll get a few more next week.  That's still a lot of kids, but much more doable than forty!

This part of my job I really like actually.  Sometimes the kids are a little crazy and don't listen really well but it's all worth it.  Yesterday I was in the pool with a little girl in a life jacket (got to have an adult within arm's reach at all times) and we were going through the lazy river.  When we finished I asked her if she wanted to go down the slide or through the lazy river again.  Her answer: "I wanna go through the crazy river."  Love it!

Hopefully things are going to start slowing down here soon.  I've finally done all the laundry in the last two days, the sink is empty, I can see my floor, and all the stacks on the coffee table are at least organized.  Life is good!

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.

Source

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.

Post in Pictures

I feel like my posts have been lacking in pictures lately, so here's a few to tide you over...

The clouds have looked like this for the last few days.  I think they look just like when little kids draw them, big lines to make the clouds and coloring in the sky to leave the white of the paper for the clouds.

I passed this on my way home the other day.  County fair here I come - surely that means it's summer!

I got news yesterday that one of my oldest friends has gotten engaged - congratulations Brad and Bentley!!

In other news, I will be taking a hiatus the next few days preparing to go out of town, and then actually going.  Be on the lookout for an update upon my return though.  Cheers!

Letters from Home

The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt

Today I did something I haven't done in a really long time - I wrote a letter to someone I didn't know.  Not just a cute card sent in to a friend at college, but an honest-to-goodness, handwritten on lined paper letter.

Not my pen, or my penmanship

Danielle, a friend of mine from college, had told me of a airman in her husband's basic training class that hasn't received any letters since the start of training.  She'd sent out a note asking if anyone would be willing to write to him, and without anything to fill my days lately, I had no reason not to say yes.

There's something romantic about handwritten letters.  I've always liked giving them and receiving them but nowadays it's much easier to power up a computer and send an instant email or message.  (I have at least two shoeboxes full of handwritten cards and letters that I've received since I was a kid).  I like to think about all the hands touching my letter, and the excitement the recipient will feel when opening it.

I love letters

I will admit, though, that the experience of writing to an unknown serviceman was more stressful than I'd imagined.  What do I write to someone I've never met?  (I'd also like to mention that not only have I never met him, I don't even know his full name - which means I'm also assuming the person I'm writing to is a he).  Danielle gave me some pointers, but I still wonder about the adequacy of my letter, although I'm sure any notes from home are much appreciated.

While I'm aware that I've romanticized much of (OK, all of) this situation, there is a part of me that hopes he writes back.  I mean, with songs out there like the Dixie Chicks' Traveling Soldier, and John Michael Montgomery's Letters from Home, what woman in their right mind could help but romanticize.  All morning I've thought about the person I've been writing to, wondering about him, and felt a bit like a WWII woman, working to keep our service men's moral high.  At the very least, I'll have a new friend and pen pal out of the deal.

I have also decided today to spend at least one day a week writing letters to people I love, local or not.  Who knows, maybe I'll be struck to do more than one a week.  I'll keep you posted...

Source

Chats and the Centennial State

Promise me you'll always remember:  You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.  -A.A. Milne

This Saturday I got to spend part of the afternoon with my beautiful friend Katie just chatting about life and catching up.  I first heard about Katie when she was a freshman.  I remember seeing her around RC's campus and she was always smiling and talking with people (she was hard to miss with all her red hair).  It wasn't until my junior year, her sophomore, that I really got the chance to be blessed by her.  It was my first year as an RA and she was my resident, her room opening into the same quad as mine.

Yesterday's chat was much needed.  There were things I was able to verbalize with her that I have a hard time putting into plain English with many of my other friends, and there are a lot of things where our thinking is very similar.  Katie and I have one of those easy friendships, and we can go months or longer without seeing each other but each time we get together it's like no time has passed at all.

One of the things that really stuck out about our conversation was a desire that's been on my mind for a few weeks now.  A fellow youth group leader had mentioned to me, after I told her some of my dissatisfaction with my small corner of the world, that she thought I would fit in well in Colorado.  While the idea of moving terrifies me, I haven't been able to let that comment go.  In our conversation yesterday, Katie mentioned she'd been thinking that moving might be an adventure she needed.  Neither one of us has ever been out west but I'll give you one guess where she's been looking...

Isn't this beautiful?

Katie's leaving mid-week to return home to PA to help build a house for her grandparents.  We've promised to be in touch about the potential of moving and have some Skype chats together.  It's always so cool to me how God will plant an idea or desire in your head and then bring people around you to make it happen.  Who knows if anything will actually come of it, but it's nice to think about.

Goin' to the Chapel

On Sunday I got to celebrate the wedding of my college friend Lauren.  Her and Jared had an outside wedding Sunday evening; the rain held out and it was absolutely beautiful.

I first met Lauren when she came to tour the campus residence halls as a transfer student.  I took her and her family around to see different dorms and tried to provide advice on things to bring to school (one of my favorite parts of that job).  Lauren immediately struck me as someone I'd like to be friend with, and we often ran into each other in the art building.  She became an RA in 2009, after I'd left, and was awesome at her job.

Watching the little bit of the romance between her and Jared that I've been privileged to has been a blessing.  They are truly meant to be together and its clear that her quiet and demure personality compliments his outgoing tendencies perfectly.  Congratulations to Lauren and Jared, maybe you enjoy many years of life, love, and laughter shared together.

A Rare Free Weekend

I had this entire weekend off!  The reason:  I had a wedding Sunday (update soon) that I originally thought was Saturday, so I had taken Saturday off to attend and Sunday to recover.  Although the dates got mixed up, I thoroughly enjoyed finding things to do with Em, who also had a rare Saturday off.

At the suggestion of my friend Bekah, we headed to the civic center for the "Monster Flea Market" in search of bar stools.  We have a small bar in the living room that we want stools for to help provide extra seating.  Em and I both slept in till 11am (glorious!) and hit the road about noon.  While no bar stools were in sight, the event didn't disappoint.



As soon as we walked in, this is what we saw...



Reliving her childhood



Super thirsty



LaserDisks...do players for this still exist?

People watching is my favorite and never disappoints

The day's spoils

In our adventure, Em and I came across a vendor with at least 1000 records for sale.  We spent a good bit of time sifting though boxes pulling out ones that struck our fancy, deciding to use them as wall art.  We were careful to pick out ones we'd want to listen to also, and made a pit stop by my house to see if my old record player worked.  (It doesn't and even if it did, it only plays 45s).  So, we're on the lookout for a used, working record player for the apartment.  Anyone have any leads?

The flea market was a great Saturday adventure and the evening ended with Chris, a high school friend of Em's coming over.  We ordered pizza and were treated to a night of good friends and music.

I should take more Saturdays off...

TGIFriday the 13th

I'm not superstitious.  I'll take care not to walk under a ladder for safety reasons and I'll do my best to avoid black cats because I'm allergic, but not because I'm superstitious.  All told, this Friday the 13th was pretty normal.  I awoke at 6am and went about regular routines up until the time I exited the kitchen to watch the morning weather.  Much to my surprise and revultion, I watch something scurry quickly from under the kitchen table in the direction of the coat closet.

I got enough of a view of it to know it wasn't a mouse; at first I actually thought it was a cockroach.  Few things are more undesireable than a four (or more) legged creature scurring quickly out of view.  Despite my disgust, I really wanted to watch the weather so I decided to deal with it later.  I took my normal seat (feet up mind you) for a few minutes of precieved normalcy. 


Probably the brother to our visitor

Em was still sleeping, and I wasn't sure if I should wake her before I left to alert her of our new temporary tenant.  In an effort to control the situation, I began, armed with a tupperware container, to search various closets.  I'd put shoes on in hopes of bringing the creature to a swift end, but I'd seen how fast it was and had prepared myself to jump out of the way if the situation called for such action.
Without luck in locating our new friend, I continued about my daily routine, waiting for Em to wake so I could brief her.  It wasn't two minutes after she emerged that I spotted the illusive critter hanging out by the baseboard outside kitchen.  I utilized some sneaky ninja moves to walk past him and grab the tupperware (I'd have prefered to let the poor thing go outside rather than outright squishing him - at this point we were practically old friends). 

The result:

Not long after this photo was taken a phonebook was added on top for good measure.  I was running behind for work and we thought Bruce, the apartment maintanence man, would be by that morning and be willing to ablidge two female tenants.  Bruce, however, got tied up and had to reschedule and poor Em did the deed herself (my hero!)

The rest of the day consisted of work (something about Friday the 13th must have given people an unspoken right to be extra mean), and an impromptu concert with my good friend Bekah.

Amos Lee was headlining at the Down by the River Festival Friday night and Bekah was given two tickets to go.  We arrived a few hours before he was scheduled to begin, and much to my surprise I discovered Chris Thile from Nickel Creek breaking it down on stage.  Awesome.

Not a super great picture but I promise he's up there.

The rain, which had been pretty torential just a few hours before, held off for the entirity of the event.  Bekah and I chatted up some new friends we invited to sit with us since they were alone.  The evening ended at a local bar for drinks with said new friends and was a great success.

Despite the connotations, I don't believe Friday the 13th has to be a bad thing.

Back to Basics

Women usually love what they buy, yet hate two-thirds of what is in their closets.  ~Mignon McLaughlin

I'm on a mission to update my closet.  I feel like I have a more grown-up life now, living in my own place, working at my grown-up job (I discount the fact I could show up in sweat pants; even grown-up jobs need a little leeway), and need some "adult" clothes to show off my newly stated independence.  Of course, there's always that undeniable fact that my closet space has shrunk by approximately 2/3rds.  It might look like I'm complaining but really I'm ecstatic.  I've been wanting to simplify for sometime now (clothes as well as other facets of my life), and having reduced space is just the swift kick I need.

The goal is to buy some solid pieces for spring/summer to update my wardrobe, throw out some stretched out tee's, and not dread getting dressed in the morning. I need things I can mix and match, and as Kat informed me the other day, I'm sometimes not so good at matching (I like to think that's done out of choice and not ignorance, although I'll sometimes admit to both).

Em has this relaxed but professional and put together sense of style I envy.  I'm hoping our soon-to-be shopping trip will allow some of her expertise to rub off on me.  I was that freshman girl in high school in wide-leg pants and extra large tee shirts and part of me has never truly outgrown that phase.  I like to be comfortable and will choose comfort over style any day (honestly, who wouldn't?).  Right now I'm sporting slightly worn straight-leg jeans, a black and green plaid zip down pullover with a hood, and a light blue three-quarter sleeve tee.  See, the epitome of fashion.

What sparked this not-so-sudden desire to change my outward coverings, besides the magical shrinking closet, was a short shopping trip with Kat on Tuesday.  We made a quick lap around the mall before heading to Marshall's, mostly to look at the housewares section and dream about decorating.  I had decided a few weeks ago I wanted this summer to be the summer of skirts and flowing, girly clothes.  Kat was present when I first made this declaration, so we headed to look at skirts and dresses.  Long story short, I bought two (going almost double on my spending budget for the day).  They are both longish, falling below the knee.  One is black and white with a geometric pattern and the other is blue with a gauzy overlay and large schematic flowers skirting the bottom.

[no pun intended]

It's probably a good thing I don't get many new clothes because I was almost late for work trying on different combinations to find something that worked together.  In the end I left feeling rushed and a lot less confident in this spontaneous purchase than I had hoped.  I don't feel like I matched at all, pairing the blue skirt with olive and blue Tom's, and a coral colored top.  Live and learn, right?  I guess growing up in your wardrobe can be just as hard as growing up in other ways.

Any suggestions on how to pair things together and make smart spending choices?  My friend Brit and I are going shopping tomorrow before celebrating her birthday with dinner, and while I doubt I'll purchase anything, I've learned it's not safe to promise such things.

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. 

Play dates and pears

This morning I got to spend some really sweet time with a church friend of mine and her two year old son.  On my way to her place I stopped and picked up some donuts from a nearby shop (her son kept calling them cookies, and one time he called it bread.  To make the whole thing even more cute, he only ate the chocolate pieces).  We updated each other on our goings-on, and I confessed to her some nervousness about teaching a ballet class next month.  She offered unwavering encouragement which was so much appreciated.

It was so nice to get to know this friend better, and get to spend some time getting to know her son too.  I continue to be amazed with her openness about her life and can't help but wonder what the world would be like if more people were willing to share their experiences.  Watching her son play was beautiful, and I'm humbled by the constant learning and growing that he does every day.  Her family was in and out, and despite being a guest in their home, conversations with her sister and parents made me feel more family than stranger.

Em and I have plans to introduce ourselves to one of the neighbors downstairs Monday evening.  This lady seems so sweet; the first day both of us were in the apartment she put a pink gift bag on our door.  Inside were two ripe pears and a note welcoming us and inviting us to stop by sometime. (What is it with old people and giving fruit?  The lady next door to my grandmother used to give us apples every Halloween.)  But I like pears.  And new neighbors.