Girls Weekend

I feel like all of my posts this spring have been about trips or people coming. It might seem like all I do is play but really it's just that everything else is just not something that you would really write a blog about. I mean if you want me to post my latest paper or case study or book review I would but I just don't think that would be a real "fun" blog to read. This semester is going well though, I feel like I'm connecting the dots in new ways and I am encouraged by how I am growing and being stretched. I also only have about 2 weeks until the end of the semester so things are a little crazy right now.

The real purpose of this blog is to show you some pics from a recent weekend visit with Melissa and Lily. I'm honored that they came out to see me and I'm also proud of how many Chicago things we crammed into one weekend. Even though we may have worn ourselves out it was a blast. It's fun to see how Lily is growing up and how her personality is coming out and of course it was good for my heart and soul to be with Misa for a few days. I have to admit that I was in a bit of a funk when they left. Having good friends is great...except when you live far away from them. **sidenote...I thought up a new idea today, I think that the year after I graduate from Sem I want to just spend a year traveling around the country connecting with all these people that I dearly love but never get to see. Consider yourself warned**

Here are a "few" pics from our many adventures that weekend...

Riding the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier













Molly's cupcakes...enlarge the picture to see the cupcake creation that Lily picked out :)

Lincoln Park Zoo














Energized by some cupcakes and ready for the cubs game!



















Lily sleeping off her suger overdose during the Cubs Game















Making breakfast...Lily enjoyed her coffee in a Nordy's mug, that's my girl!


Waiting for the El



















Lily Bean and the Bean
On top of the Hancock















Thanks for coming girls, I already miss you and can't wait for our next visit!

baltochicoxville

You know those cell phone commercials that combine all the different cities into one name...that's what I tried to do...maybe it's not that funny...

Anyways, the point is that to catch you up on the latest happenings in my life involves 3 different cities...Baltimore, Chicago, and Knoxville.


I went to Baltimore for Easter to spend some time with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandpa. I haven't been there for 5 years and the last time I was there was for my grandmother's funeral. It was a great weekend and it was fun to be there by myself but a little weird as I'm so used to being there with my family. It's funny the way that you remember places from when you were a kid and then you go there when you are 27 and it's not quite what you remembered. But I am very thankful for my family and it was fun to spend the weekend with them. I also confirmed that fact that I'm not the biggest fan of crabcakes (don't tell my gpa, good thing he doesn't read this!)







My adventures of the past few weeks brings us back to Chicago next where Sophie came to visit during her spring break. I really love when people come to visit because it makes me get out and do some fun Chicago things. Plus it was just really fun to have my sister here. I think she was frustrated that she couldn't really wear flip flops here seeing as it was snowing when she landed! So we managed to fit quite a lot into a fun weekend and I'm so glad that she came!


Last weekend found me in Knoxville with my CHIC iteam for a few days of dreaming and planning together. While it was kind of crazy how much we needed to talk through and plan, it was a great weekend for me. It was great to be with my good friends who are on my team and to do the hard work of brainstorming and planning together. I'm so thankful for the history that we have because I think it freed us up to collaborate together much better. I was also encouraged with how I found myself engaging in this planning. I found myself thinking about things that I wouldn't have thought 3 years ago and found that I had insights that I don't think I would have had 3 years ago and so for once it just felt like I'm actually changing in seminary. It's hard to get perspective sometimes and this was a chance for me to do that. I get so caught in this world that it is really helpful and encouraging when I can step out of it for a little while and see how all this hard work that I'm doing will impact ministry opportunities that I might have later down the road.

I always think that I'm going to slow down but as you can tell that doesn't happen to often. But I'm thankful for the chance to travel and to have people come visit. That always gives me something to look forward to and it's always refreshing for me to connect with family and friends. So that said, I have 6 days until Melissa and Lily come...YEA!!