THANKSGIVING BREAK!

I am soooo excited for some time off... not that it will exactly be "off time." For I have well six significant papers I would like to tackle while in MN. It would probably be best to say that I am soooo excited for some time away. I have class all afternoon today and I am taking an over night bus to Minneapolis.... I am so excited to see friends, family, the surprises my parents have in store for me at home ( a baby brother perhaps...). HAHAHHA I will spend Friday and sat. with friends (we are taking in a sgroves concert) and then go home to my family for the holiday. The weekend after thanksgiving will be spent in Duluth to visit old friends and places I miss dearly. I can't wait...!

After Thanksgiving I only have two weeks of class and I hopefully then will have survived my first sem. of Grad School. It is looking good so far but the next couple weeks will indeed be rough. I also just accepted an on staff (youth and family ministry position at a church SW of the city. I look forward to integrating myself there and all that this PART TIME position will entail.

Not a whole lot else to share... probably good that I blog once a month...

The above is a picture of my favorite visitors! They came to see me a few weeks ago but this is one of my favorite photos from our adventures. This picture was taken in Millennium Park downtown Chicago.

Fall at seminary....

Here is a little UM pride for ya..... How do you like them pumpkins....???

This just in....

I don't know if y'all have heard this but... Did you know that on avg. ten people die a year from vending machine accidents.

Delayed Gratification

Last night I went to a bed later then what I like to... (11:30 instead of 10:00). I woke up this morning and realized it was 11:00.... there goes my day... might as well go back to bed. No worries I didn't.. but for crying out loud!!!!! I haven't slept that late since.... well I cant remember.

So i woke up and had a breakfast of chicken,peas, and a huge baked potato. I made a to do list that will take me from now until Thursday at 9:30p.m. It is kind of overwhelming and think i should have broke it into smaller parts..oh well.. I find lists to be so satisfying... especially those with boxes that i can check, x, or puncture holes though as a sign of completion... as for getting everything done I have this really great process.... I read from the New Testament World book then reward myself with a couple chapters of Diana Butler Bass (yeah its part of a class!!!). Then its back to some New Testament reading followed by a reward of checking my e mail or in this case I'm blogging. All too soon it will be back to New Testament and then I will press on to the Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counseling (yes its a dictionary) YIKES... After reading that I like to reward myself by getting out of my apt. Perhaps today i will return Blades of Glory to my friend "The Red Box" where I rent DVD's for a whopping dollar!

My egg timer has binged... meaning I must go back to "The reading chair."

Oh but while I am thinking of it... I bought reading glasses... turns out I really needed them... I can read so much faster and i am not reading things over and over because i cant find the next line... its fabulous... they are black.... (the brown and blue ones looked funny)... not that these don't but whatever...

Susie,Suzy,Suzie,Sue-z

I wouldn't exactly say I qualify as a regular here at this particular coffee shop but I have been known to make an occasional appearance. Today sitting almost directly across from me as a woman named Susy. We will spell it this way because then it will be clear we are not talking about me.... (clear to those of you who actually know how I spell my name at least). Susy (whom I have seen on several occasions here) is wearing white tie shoes with purple and pink puffy paint polka dots. Coming out of these adorable shoes are knee high Nike soccer socks(royal blue). Her shorts are navy blue and yellow Hawaiian patterned men's swim trunks. Her shirt is a starfish and shell multi colored t-shirt over a long peach collared blouse. Over her sweet brown hair is a blue and yellow flowered scarf. She is by far the CUTEST LADY I have ever seen( I can say that cause my Grandma doesn't read my blog). Now I Hope you don't get the impression that I am making fun of her...for I am mearly describing.... I think she is adorable and I want to take her home. She knows almost everyone in here by name. She greets them and thanks them for doing nice things for her.

I don't have a relationship with her but the young man that just asked to join her clearly does. The gentleman sitting next to her (age range approx. 75+(the same age as her)) Just said "Susy, I have to ask... where do you find your wardrobe?" She responded "well Salvation Army of course." Then he said "you must love bright colors" she responds by saying " I am a parrot. I love bright colors, I like it hot, and I want to live until I am 100!"

I just thought that was great.... and worth sharing. Hope this lady is able to brighten your day too!

weekend review

Alright.... So I ventured two hours west of Chicago with a friend of a friend. We stayed at a retreat center comparable to (Luther Lodge @LPBC). It was a young adults retreat. Primarily people in there early thirties. and then me (nothing new)... Most all of them new each other so i was kidna the odd gal out...(once again... nothing new.. hahaha). It was overall ok.. I would have done it a bit different.... and well things are always more fun with friends.... Next time...right...

I brought the fixings to make choco tacos... This includes tortilla, penutbutter, mini choc chips, and mini marshmallows. All wrapped up in tinfoil and cooked over a fire. Nobody at the retreat wanted to have a fire or choco tacos... sad day... so I brought all the stuff back home... Tonight I am having a few friends over (they invited themselves because I have a T.V). Since I have the stuff, and a gas stove... I am thinking this could be good....

Sorry this is sooo random... my heart is not in blogging today.... wait is it ever....

Blog attempt number 3 of the day:

Turns out the weekends are the only time I will probably ever have to squeese in an update.

I do have faithful readers so I feel that I need to write something but I am frantic at the moment. In less then a half hour I will be departing on a weekend getaway. It will be somewhat of an adventure because I couldn't tell you who I am going with (other than a friend of a friend), or where it is that I am going to.... sounds dangerous no??? Well its not... I am going to be Presbyterian (Robyn would be so proud)for the weekend.... (yay for weekend retreats) I like them.... I hopefully will have exciting stories to tell on Sunday when I return. Its been a bit crazy because I haven't had a whole lot of (personal reflection/faith time) since coming here... which is sad cause well this is seminary.... That's not exactly true its just hard to keep up with spiritual disciplines when I am constantly stressed out... but I am happy folks.... NO MORE CRYING PHONE CALLS.... well for now. Its hard... not going to lie... but I have my eyes on the prize... and as my friend LeBec pointed out to me.... I could be doing Math.... and shes right.... It could be worse.... much worse...! Hope you are all well.... Happy weekend!!