Blog? What Blog?

I had all intentions of staying on top of this little bloggy-blog, but I'll tell you that it is not nearly as easy as it sounds.  My friends, this post will be short and to the point...

1. I have been pretty busy
2. There are some pretty exciting things going on in my little corner of the world--stay tuned
3. I have a trip to Indiana coming up in 11 days--woot woot.
4. The weather has been fabulous
5. This semester is winding down--and I am not ready for the end of it
6. I have a new found love for "Psych" the TV show...you should check it out!

That's a very quick summary of my life---I am planning a few great posts so stay tuned...

It's a commitment...to changing lives.

After my post about how I spent my days a few weeks ago, I received some feedback.  I was asked "how can you give so much of your time up?"  "Why do you spend so many hours at your church?"  and a few other questions along these lines.

Honestly, although it can be crazy-busy at the time, I don't really think about the fact that I am giving up time that could have been spent watching TV, wasting time on the internet, talking on the phone, catching a sufficient amount of sleep or making money.

When I think about how this doesn't seem to faze me, I am forced to explore the motivation behind my service.  Simply stated, I am focused on the impact of the hours that I am dedicating.  I found this quote online while researching for a project I am working on about volunteerism...it pretty much hits the nail on the head.

"The level of sacrifice of a volunteer is measured by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others."

When I consider the life-change that occurs through the ministry I am pouring my time, energy and heart into, the depth of my commitment to that ministry reaches new heights.

So, THAT is why I am willing to sacrifice my time, energy and resources -- to be a part of changing the lives of those around me.

Reality Check

So, today reality hit me like a ton of bricks.  Ouch.  With college graduation now less than 7 months away, the planner in me is feeling a little nervous freaking out!  I like making a plan and following through with the plan.  But, there is no way to plan what is going to happen in my life in the next year, specifically the next 7 months.

I honestly feel like the last 3 months have gone past at the speed of light.  I am certain that this trend will continue.  As I look ahead into the coming months this is what I see:

• One month from now, Thanksgiving time in Indiana
• Come back from Indiana, 2 weeks of classes and finals, end of semester (ummm...yikes)
• Nearly a month in Indiana/Florida Keys for Christmas break
• Return to MN in mid-January.

And ya know what's after mid-January?!  February. We signed the lease for my current apartment in February of this year for a May move-in day.  When I think about how quickly all of this will come and go, my eyes get wide and I start to feel a little dizzy (for reals...).

I feel God tugging my heart to a very specific context for my future career, and I have my "dream job" in my mind, but I am working hard at not setting my sights on a goal that might not be possible.  So I am looking into other options that would allow me to use my gifts, passions and abilities in incredible ways to further His Kingdom.

Right now my struggle is...There are 50 states in this country--How do you just choose one?  Naturally, I am drawn to the familiar, but I don't want to put God's plan for me in a box by limiting myself based on geography.  The one thing that I am gosh-darn sure of is that I do NOT want to live anywhere "rural" or super hot/humid.  I feel like being withing 30 minutes of a major airport is a necessity at this point.  So, that puts some limits but still opens up more cities than I could possibly consider.  In an effort to simplify, I have created a top 10 list.  Here it is (with my first thought of each):

1. Minneapolis/St. Paul metro (familiar but still new, friends, good weather...I know, call me crazy)
2. Minneapolis/St. Paul metro--I feel like this deserves 2 spots. (very exciting opportunities)
3. Cincinnati, OH area (pretty close to Indy... or maybe Columbus would work too)
4. Chicago suburbs (expensive housing but sweet church opportunities)
5. Indianapolis metro (home. -- but kinda bleh when it comes to my career goals)
6. Tulsa, OK metro (haha--one time I got sent here against my will on a flight with the hope of ending up in Minneapolis.  the airport is lame at 3am after being in transit for 16 hours. GREAT housing prices.)
7. Atlanta suburbs (too hot. Good housing. Incredible church in the area)
8. Louisville, KY (pushing it on the climate.  Do I really want to say that I live in Kentucky?)
9. St. Louis, MO metro (kinda random but I needed 10 cities)
10. and just to be crazy--San Diego metro area (Go big or go home.  The weather is perfect)

So basically, this is a list of MY plans.  I am trying to plan a life that is not even my own.  As I consider all of the decisions, uncertainties and opportunities that will come in the next few months, I am going to hold on to the only certain thing that I can think of.  In the midst of uncertainty, fear and worry, I can hold onto the certainty of Christ.  God has plans for me that I can't even begin to plan for, so I have to go into all of this knowing that He has my plans in His hands and that is the best place that they could possibly be.

Until uncertainty turns to some level of clarity, I will be over here struggling to trust as I take baby-steps along God's path for my life.  Advice is welcome!

Reflections: Opportunity

In my last post, I mentioned that many hours of my life in the last few weeks have been poured into my church/internship.  I have the privilege to be a part of what God is doing at Eagle Brook Church.


When I moved to Minnesota for school over 3 years ago, I thought for sure that I was on the hunt for a church that did not exist.  In my last few years in Indiana, I was able to experience the Church first hand while serving in the kids' ministry at my childhood church.  I made some incredible friends and mentors, and thought for sure that this once-in-a-lifetime experience would be left behind in Indiana.


My Minnesotan church hunt was terrifying at first.  I wanted what I had left behind, but had no hope of finding it. I had left behind relationships that had been years in the making.  My first two church visits were to churches very similar to my church in Indiana...except without the already formed relationships, I found myself in a crowd of a few hundred people, feeling completely alone.  When the family that I worked for, invited me to come to church with them, I went into my 3rd church visit without a lot of hope of finding somewhere to belong.  I had an idea of the "perfect church", but I was totally unaware of the wonderful church that God had in store for me.


It was September 9th, 2007--the day after my 19th birthday.  As we pulled into the parking lot, I was instantly questioning my decision as I looked at a massive building that looked as if it could house a million normal-sized churches (*possibly an exaggeration*). If I had known then of the opportunities, growth and experiences that I would encounter inside of those walls, I would have been elated.  Except, I didn't know what God had in store for me.  As I walked in through a sea of people, I began to feel the energy within the walls of the less-than-traditional building.  After sitting through one service, I was hooked.


That day, Pastor Bob talked about a family who travels over 80 miles ONE WAY to go to EBC, the thousands of children in Mozambique who receive support from EBC, the announcement of the opening of a 3rd campus to open more seats for lives that would be changed, God-sized dreams, the current attendance of 8,000 people, 1,800 lives surrendered to Christ in the last year, the Church of Acts that was "simply irresistible" and how each number represented a name--each name, a person who is incredibly loved by God.


I knew that God was using these thousands of imperfect people to do His perfect work.  And I wanted to be a part of it!


I felt something that I am not sure I had ever felt before that day--I was so overwhelmed by God's presence in that place--I will never forget that feeling.  It is the same feeling that I still experience every time I stand in the worship center with a few thousand people praising God without reservation.  Sometimes I just stand there and think "We live in a country where we can pack out this building and praise God for his work in our lives!"


Since that day over three years ago, I have attended as many weekend services as possible--considering that I make regular trips to Indiana.  After a few months, I got involved with preschool ministry at the White Bear Lake campus.  In a matter of months, I was a regular volunteer at the Lino Lakes campus!  I could tell you stories of my days in the Walker's room for hours, but in an effort to get to where I am now...I will let you know that through my time in the walker's room, I made connections that led me into the role of leading a team of volunteers and now into my role of Early Childhood Intern.


Through this experience, I have learned about myself and I have seen God use His people to spread the Hope of salvation to thousands of people.  I have heard stories of life change.  Seen children come alive in Christ.  Felt a passion for people burn inside of me.  In my 3 years at Eagle Brook, God has grown them from a church of 8,000 meeting at 2 campuses to a church of nearly 15,000 meeting at 4 campuses with plans for a 5th within the next few years.  Thousands have said "Yes!" to Christ, thousands have been baptized.  Lives are being transformed by God through His faithful servants.


I am so glad that God has given me the opportunity to experience the passion he has instilled in the leaders of this church, the change in the lives of the people around me, the opportunity to learn from others, the passion that can be found within myself and the very tangible proof of what God can do if His people commit themselves to Him and allow Him to work through them.


Through God's work at EBC, I have learned more about what it means to take ownership, to be committed, passionate, eager, sacrificial, intentional, empowered, transformed, relevant and determined.


I am so excited to see what God has in store for EBC, and I am excited to see how God will use EBC in my life in the coming weeks, months and even years.

The thing about a blog...

The thing about a blog is that it requires time.  Since my last post, extra time has not been something I have had a lot of.  A lot has happened in the last 18 days.  There is no possible way that I could remember the details of the last few weeks, but just to give you a glimpse--

I have logged:
*about 50 hours at my incredible church (internship)--more to come about that!
*about 55 hours babysitting
*about 20 hours in class/education related meetings
*about 15 hours doing homework, and
*about 10 hours with friends celebrating birthdays and 10-10-10.

As you can probably tell, I have been keeping very busy around here!  While all of this was going on, another major thing has occurred.  Summer has officially faded into fall. And I love it.

(I aslo love that my phone--shameless plug for iPhone 4--takes absolutely incredible pictures.  A fall walk with the baby I nanny made for some incredible photo ops!)

A fall walk with the baby:)  

Is there anything cuter than chubby baby feet?

And Hands!

umm..seriously--me and the baby on the ground + iphone camera = one of the best pictures ever!!  No editing whatsoever:)

Passion

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love kids.  I love the total dependency of infants, the fearless nature of toddlers, the intense desire to learn found in preschoolers and the fun-loving nature of elementary kids.  I have a passion for kids that goes far beyond anything I could have imagined.

There is so much that adults can learn from kids...How is that the willingness to be dependent, try new things, learn about everything around you and have fun are things that fade as we get older?!  Seriously people, kids have got it going on!

I have always had a love for kids, since I was a child myself.  As the summer before my 12th birthday approached, I did everything humanly possible to push myself into the babysitting scene.  I took a SafeSitters course, got certified in CPR (ps-who would want a 12 year old girl doing CPR on anyone?), volunteered at the daycare at my church and began to offer my services as what is now called a "mother's helper" to pretty much anyone with young children.  I was determined.  I was passionate.

By the time I was 13, I was babysitting 15 kids on my own for over 2 hours while their parents had small group downstairs.  FIFTEEN children.  It was stressful, I didn't get paid much and I was ready to sleep for days after it was over, but for some strange reason I loved it.  And I looked forward to Monday nights.  Again, passion.

The years passed, the passion grew.  Now, over 10 years later, I am able to use my passion to pay the bills...how perfect is that?!  But, when it comes down to the truth of the matter, I couldn't care less about the money,  it's the opportunity to have a tiny part in transforming children into considerate, loving and passionate adults.

As a young teenager, I found joy in playing with children, gaining new responsibilities and investing in the lives of the kids around me.  For over a decade I have been able to pour myself into the lives of the children and families around me.  Some have come and gone, but some have left a mark on my heart that is sure to stay for decades to come.  I have had the joy of being there to see so many "first's": teeth, steps, words, skinned knees, toothless smiles...I have cheered at countless ball games, had hundreds of tea parties, wiped thousands of tears off their cheeks, drawn more pictures of SpongeBob than I could count, given underdogs until my arms were sore, laughed til it hurt, played hide-and-seek for hours, read hundreds of bedtime stories and received hundred of the best hugs.

Some people take the opportunity to be a part of a child's life for granted and it breaks my heart.  I know for a fact that I would not be the person that I am today without all of the children and families who have taught me more than I could ever learn in a class.  The spark of passion that ignited inside of me over a decade ago has grown into a raging fire that burns for the kids and families of our society.  

God has given me this passion and I intend to use it.  

The Wilderness and Hemingway (and a mini Meet my Friends)

So, as you may know, I do not take well to the wilderness and I don't really enjoy reading.  Therefore, the title "The Wilderness and Hemingway" should have sparked your interest.  As I was perusing the internet one day, I found a quote by Ernest Hemingway that struck me.  Hemingway once said "Never go on a trip with anyone you do not love."

Although I do not know the motivation behind this insight, I can see the logic in this statement.  Trips have the potential to be incredible, memorable and relaxing or they can be stupid, stressful and generally terrible.  Obviously those with whom you are traveling greatly impact the quality of the trip.

I can't say that I always follow Hemingway's rule, but I know of one particular instance in which I followed his advice quite well.  This trip to the "wilderness" where running water, clean bathrooms and cleanliness in general were no where to be found had the potential to be a terrible experience.  However, due to the incredible girls that shared the experience with me, the Phileo Phour Wilderness Retreat 2010 was very fun and memorable.

Most of the p-4 crowd:)

So, now for a mini-Meet my Friends...Starting on the left, front row...

Abby--Meet my Friends: Abby

Rachel --Meet my Friends: Rachel

Katie -- one of the sweetest girls you will meet in your life.  Abby and I lived with her for a year and it was great getting to know her!

Rebekah--Meet my Friends: Rebekah

Laura--Meet my Friends: Laura

Me -- apparently incapable of choosing between the front and the back rows.

Liz -- Meet my Friends: Liz

Chelsey -- This girl is AWESOME.  like seriously!  She is one of the most fun, friendly people out there.  She has a heart for kids that I totally understand.  She loves to have fun and meet new people!  I super glad that I have been able to get to know her (and recruit her to serve with me at church..woot woot)  

Jess -- oh my, the first time I met this girl, my thought was "She is crazy in a good way"  Jess has a laugh that cannot be missed!  She and her roommates have started a trend of living in the rooms that I lived in...good times!

Eryn -- Eryn is incredible.  My first memory of Eryn involves me telling embarrassing stories and her telling her tale of hand vs. toilet.  It's safe to say that the toilet won!  From that day, I have loved getting to know Eryn more and serving with her at church:)  Eryn and I also both have Spanish minors and I have enjoyed helping her out with grammar---yes, I like grammar.  I also thoroughly enjoy having a love of  Grey's and Private Practice in common with Eryn and her roomies:)

Emily--My first memory of Emily is the day that I found out that she has 7 sisters.  SEVEN!  Emily is super sweet and I have enjoyed spending time with her over the last year...On other notes, we have a class together starting tomorrow...I am looking forward to suffering through Math for the Liberal Arts with this girl:)

-----Back Row-----

Kim -- I find Kim very hilarious...for some reason, most things that she says make me giggle.  She doesn't eat meat, she got her face in the school newspaper after being at Northwestern for like a month and she works at KTIS...how cool is she?!

Chaney -- Chaney is pretty sweet...She is super friendly, takes sweet pictures and always looks cute.  Chaney also witnessed one of the most memorable/mildly embarrassing nights of my life (let's just say, I have very vivid dreams).

Mariah-- "Mariah is made for the wilderness."  Although she was a freshman last year, I met Mariah before she moved into p4 because she is Rebekah's sister...Mariah also takes amazing pictures and she is seriously friends with everyone.  She is one of those people that knows everyone on the sidewalk.  Mariah loves to chat but hates to ride in cars...she is a very cool girl.  If she hasn't already introduced herself to you, you should get to know her...

Natalie-- Natalie is pretty sweet...she took over as the RA of p-4...perfect:)  My favorite memory of Nat is her dancing on a picnic table by herself to "One in a Million" from Miss Congeniality while we all watched.  It was awesome.  Natalie is super friendly and awesome to be around:)

Brande --Meet my Friends: Brande

Rachel R.--Rachel is super awesome and shares a love of tennis with Dana.  Rachel is friendly and outgoing and will share a smile with pretty much anyone on the sidewalk...

Ellen --Last but not least, Ellen is hil-ar-i-ous.  This girl is so funny...she is one of those people who is not ashamed of how awesome they are.  For instance, on this wilderness trip, Ellen wore a "onesie" aka--adult pajamas made to look like a sleeper for an infant.  Ellen can totally pull this off.  Ellen also calls me "James" which is sweet.

The Experience of a Lifetime...

Sometimes, we are given the opportunity to be a part of something truly spectacular.  I can honestly say that one of the best experiences of my life lasted for nearly 3 whole years.  As some of you may know, all the friends that I have introduced so far came into my life in the same way.  I have Hartill Hall to thank for some of the best friends and experiences of my life.  Although I no longer walk the halls of Hartill on a daily basis, I can honestly say that I left a piece of my heart in Phileo Phour, my Home Sweet Hartill of 3 years.


Before experiencing it, I, along with the general population, saw dorm life as something you are forced to do--an experience filled with disgusting showers, horrible food (true!), concrete walls, cramped spaces, bunk beds, annoying neighbors, loud nights, bad roommates, community kitchens and many other horrible things.  This was NOT my experience.  Although some of these things were true, for the most part, Northwestern has created an environment that encourages friendship and fun.  Hartill rooms are not your typical dorm rooms either.  They have their own full bath, kitchenette and walk-in closet.  But, for me, I think I would have put up with much worse if it meant having the experience that I did and gaining an incredible group of friends.


If you haven't already noticed, I have a deep love for Phileo Phour (my dorm hall of 3 years) and the incredible girls that I met along the way.  Through my three years in P-4, I loved each year a little more, but the last year blew the others out of the water!  Seriously, it was incredible!!


To give you a glimpse into my life for the last 3 years, I went on a hunt for some great pictures.  Through this I discovered that nearly every great memory of the last 3 years, was somehow connected to Hartill and the girls I met in p-4.  All the more proof of the impact this simple dorm had on my life forever!

True.  we went on a photo shoot in which we dragged this chair around campus to take pictures with it. (Early Fall 2008)

The first thing I saw when I entered the building for 9 whole months...

Fun times at Cub (Spring 2010)

Sophomore roommates...random photo shoot (fall 2008)

One random Wednesday night, we decided that measuring our height AND wingspan would be fun...most everyone participated in the fun...this was the last thing I cleaned off of the walls before moving out:( (spring 2010)

Upperclassmen 2008-2009 trip to Cafe Latte.

We had a crazy dance party, with glow sticks and all. (fall 2009)

The start of an incredible year.  This night set the tone for the entire year!  Gotta love these girls!

The girls of Phileo Phour 2009-2010 will always have special place in my heart.  We shared so many fun times.  They were there with me as I experienced one of the best years of my life.  Not only were they there, they made it the best it could possibly be!  It would not have been the same without them!  There will be more stories to come about these wonderful ladies!

So, now you have a glimpse into one of the most life-changing experiences thus far. The halls of Hartill were a place for fun, friends and memories that I will never forget!

Meet My Friends: Brande (a.k.a.- B-dizzle, not really)

Dear World, meet Brande.  That's her, right there in the front.  Brande and I have a great time together being logical and stuff.  We both nanny our lives away at this point and enjoy doing so (for the most part).  Brande has a passion for politics that I do not understand in the least bit, but I admire her heart for integrity in politics.  Brande loves to do crazy stuff but she is also content spending hours with me catching up on James Bond and other action-packed movies.  Her joyful heart, love of fancy clothes and commitment to her friends set this girl apart from most people!  Love you, Brande.

Brande dresses fancy.  And therefore attracts fancy men at the apple orchard. haha

Brande embraces random trips to IKEA with me.

Brande and I think a lot alike.  Which is sweet

Brande drinks juice right out of the container.

Brande sometimes name-calls...which is awesome.

Brande graduated college in 3 years.

Brande's favorite professor at NWC is the only professor I truly could not tolerate.

Brande spells her name oddly, which makes it almost as awesome as her:)  

At the Farmer's Market (summer 2010)

Ya know what's lame...we have spent most of the last 20 weekends together in addition to good chunks of the last few years, and I can't find a picture of just the two of us for my life.  Stay tuned...That will be happening!!

Meet My Friends- Liz (a.k.a- Bliz)

Dear World, meet Liz.  Liz and I go back to "Roarin' Orange" freshman orientation.  My first thought when I heard this girl across Maranatha Lawn was "I want to be her friend."  Little did I know that over three years later, we would have tons of great (sometime sketchy) memories together ranging from following ambulances to an unforgettable night of embarrassment on my part and lots of ridiculous expressions.  Basically this girl's passion for people, love of laughter and heart for hurting kids makes me one proud person to call her my friend.  Love you, Liz!

Liz has a laugh that I could pick out of a crowd of 2,000 people.

Liz loves flannel and plaid...especially if is used.

Liz loves to find "treasures" anywhere that "treasures" can be found.

Liz took my on my first sketchy thrift store adventure of my life.

Liz  is a passionate person.

Liz has an uncanny ability to skip a shower and be totally ok with it.

Liz loves the wilderness. and the wilderness loves Liz!

Crazy times--priceless.

Liz, at her best.

You can read Liz's incredible blog about life here: Return To Laughter

Meet My Friends- Rebekah (a.k.a. Bekah, Beks, but mostly just Rebekah)

Dear World, meet Rebekah.  Our story is a funny one that began in the halls of Hartill.  I was actually scared/misled away from this wonderful girl by someone else, but learned quickly after getting to know her that she has a heart of gold, a passion for Chinese children and a great love for her friends and family.  Rebekah is one of the best listeners out there and her piano skill are remarkable.  I could seriously listen to her impromptu songs for hours.  Rebekah is super brave and would do anything for her friends! 

Rebekah is currently in China, as of 2 days ago, living her life-long dream.

Rebekah seriously dominates the piano and has 3 CDs.  Impressive? Yes.

Rebekah and I have had several classes together and it has been wonderful:)

Rebekah is excessively picky about food.

Rebekah likes rice. This will be her only hope for the next 3 months.

Rebekah is a wonderful friend and I am glad that I took the time to get to know her!  Love you, Rebekah!

Rebekah was part of this crazy night as well.  (Fall 2008)

Bummer that we don't have more pictures together.  This issue will be quickly addressed when she returns from her Chinese adventure.  You can follow her adventure here: Along The Red Thread.

More to come...

I have loved introducing my friends to the world...there's more where that came from.  Check back in soon to meet more friends and hear some tales of my life.

Meet My Friends- Rachel (a.k.a. Rach)

Dear World, meet Rachel.  I have to thank Laura for bringing this wonderful girl into my life.  Rachel has a contagious, yet silent, laugh, a dedicated heart and a passion for people.  I am so thankful to have this wonderful girl in my life!  I have her to thank for countless memories and my newest nickname, Jame.  Like it's hard to say the "e" sound or something.  Love you bunches, Rach.

Rachel loves anything outdoors-y.  So does her dad (haha)

Rachel is hard-working and committed to excellence.

Rachel loves ice cream and chocolate more than the average person.

Rachel is a firm believer in the whole "early to bed, early to rise" thing.

Rachel CANNOT control her laughter at the dinner table.  Which I love.

Rachel hits me when I say funny things.

Rachel used to squish her feet in cow poop.  gross.

Rachel loves little kids.  Except when they are crying, then they are just ok.

Rachel sometimes mispronounces words.  It is awesome.

Rachel loves her family.

Rachel is patient.

Rachel makes me smile.  Love you, Rach!  You're pretty crappin' sweet.

This day is my first memory of Rach.  We went to the apple orchard.
She got in trouble for sitting on a giant pumpkin. (Fall 2007)

Christmas 2008 Pie Night

Good Times:)  (fall 2009)

Wilderness Adventure (Spring 2010)

Haha--Lake Calhoun (Summer 2009)

Weekend at Rachel's house. (Fall 2010)

Meet my Friends: Dana (a.k.a. Dana-haha)

Dear World, meet Dana.  Dana and I met way back at the beginning of school.  She lived across the hall from me.  When I first met this girl with unmistakable hair, I had no idea that we would be roommates not once, but twice over the next few years.  Dana is an incredible person who finds joy in the simple things in life.  I find joy in Dana.

Dana loves summer and anything warm.

Dana is one of the coolest math majors out there.  

Dana dominates Calculus and calculators.

Dana hates being cold more than a lizard, leopard or a rattlesnake.  That's a lot.

Dana makes funny noises to herself when she is bored.

Dana once saved me from a night of embarrassment by rescuing me from the halls of Hartill late at night.

Dana can be pretty dang goofy.

Dana has a strange love for popcorn.

Dana likes to take pictures with dogs.  Even if it's not her dog.

Dana LOVES tennis and uses her skills to invest in the lives of high school girls.  Yay!

Dana has the sweetest heart ever and I am happy that we crossed paths in the halls of Hartill. 

Love you, Dana!

I have no idea when this was, but it's cute.

We got in trouble for taking this picture...but we just had to have a picture of these huge sunnies:) (Fall 2008)

Grassy Knoll..again. (Spring 2008)

Laughing is fun. (Spring 2010)

Everything about this picture is awesome.  Especially Laura's face, my face and Dana's face. (Spring 2008)

Love you, Dana! (Spring 2008)

Meet My Friends- Laura (a.k.a. "Lars")

Dear World, meet Laura.  Laura and I go way back to the days of freshman orientation.  Although I do not miss the days of "Roarin' Orange" freshman orientation, I would do it all over again if it meant having this lovely lady as my friend.

Laura lives a life full of love for her family and others.  

When she is hyper...watch out--because you will be hyper soon--at least that's how it works with me.

Laura has some old, red sweatpants that I am pretty sure she would wear EVERY.SINGLE.DAY if it were socially acceptable.

Laura is hard to please when it comes to movies but she loves "Tommy Boy" which all that really matters.

Laura and I can turn an ordinary trip to Target into a trip that we will never forget ("I did.  Let's go.")

Laura went through a phase in which she hit me every time I said something funny.  Ouch.

Laura bruises like a peach.  But if you ask her she might say that she "bruises like a prune"

Laura cried when we painted the Rock for her 19th birthday.

Laura loves spontaneous fun activities (hence the fort)

Laura has an incredible heart and I am proud to call her my friend:)  Love you, Lars!

  

Sweet Fort (Winter 2009)

One of the best nights of college (Spring 2008... I think)

We like to do pretty awesome things together

The NWC Rock--Laura's 19th Birthday (April 2008)

Meet My Friends: Abby (a.k.a Abs/Ab/anything that begins with or sounds like Ab)

Reposted 9/19/2010

Dear World, meet Abby.  She is the very first college person that I met.  We were assigned to be freshman roommates in the summer of 2007.  I checked her out on Facebook and assumed that we would not be very close.  I can honestly say that judging someone based on Facebook is not very effective.  We went on to live all of our dorm years together.  Roomies from beginning to end.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Although Abs and I are VERY different, it works for us.  In this friend I have found a compassionate heart, a listening ear and an incredible example of dedication and hard-work.  Most of my college memories include this girl:)  I am saddened that Abs is so hard-working that she graduated a year early, leaving the rest of us to experience our last year of college with her on the other side of the city.  It's definitely not the same without her.

Abby is super smart--like, college in 3 years-, CPA in 3 months-smart.

Abs LOVES to talk. and listen.

Abby hates being cold.

Abby loves to encourage me to do crazy things while sleeping.

Abby's ankles pop very loudly in the morning when she first walks around.

Abby is very easily startled.  I learned this early and took full advantage.

Abby's hometown reminds me of simpler times.  Like in the movies and stuff.

Abby and I have cultivated a passion for lazy, winter weekends filled with sleeping-in, knitting, Presidential assassination movies and Law & Order.  This is what happens when you don't go home on the weekends like everyone else

I am so thankful for this girl and all the memories we have made in the last few years!  I look forward to making more memories as we all move on to bigger and better things!  Love you, Abs!

Freshman Roomies--Apple pie adventure (Fall 2007)

Night Watch (Fall 2008)

Grassy Knoll--Crazy things can happen (Spring 2008)

Abs has put up with a lot of crap from me...crazier things have happened.

There was some serious roommate bonding this night...haha

Gross--but realistic

Oh gosh--what a night?!

Love this girl!!