Sitting here with my fiancé

:)
We're just here, in Chris' living room, by the Christmas tree, wish we weren't doing homework, but we are, except for me blogging, and someday ending this forever run-on sentence.


I. cannot. wait. for. Christmas. time. 
I know that I say this every year, but seriously, my senioritis is the worst and break could never ever come soon enough.


One of the multitudinous great anticipations of break is being able to blog more. But another, infinitely more important one, is getting to spend some quality time with my man. And this blog is just a little tiny bit of my appreciation for him.


First of all, I don't know where I'd be without him. Sounds cheesy I know, but I was just reflecting on how much I've grown because of knowing him and being challenged by who he is. I'm just so stinkin excited to see where we go next and what we will be doing and probably living in a tent for a little while because we will be so poor. But really, what are the first couple years of married life if you aren't poor? I know all the best stories I've heard have come from barely scraping by. 


Basically, he is just the greatest. And he just bought us some peanut butter chocolate ice cream, which was basically all the goodness of a Reese's peanut butter cup wrapped up in a creamy delicious bowl of ice cream. 
I can't wait to be out from under the oppressiveness of homework [and yes, I know, directly under all the oppressiveness of life after college, but] living life together somewhere new. 
Sounds fantastic.

...

I have had the Psalm chants from the monastery stuck in my head all day. The thing is, they just don't sound as good at the quicker tempo of life here outside the monastery.

Breathe

So, I just tried to shut down my computer. And it took for. ev. er. I mean, I've had this wonderful little mac all of my college career, and so a little slowness is usual and understandable, but this time it seriously took forever. And I think its because my mac is in some odd ways a representation of how my life is and I forget to shut it down often enough. Just like I forget to shut down and breathe and sleep and sabbath enough. 


One of the problems is [and I realize this is just an excuse] that I need to find a place to set up my hammock. Hammock being still time is just one of the best kinds. But I know I need to be intentional about establishing that before I get into all the craziness that is a college school year. So basically this blog is a little friendly reminder for myself and whoever else needs it to rest. and rest often. 


I just finished reading Plan B by Anne Lamott, and I pretty much loved it. This quote [I believe she is referencing her priest friend here] is a good reminder for me today [and everyday]:


p. 15 - "He teaches his students, and has taught me, to slow down, breathe, and take care of everyone, which is of course the same message Jesus taught--that breath is our connection to holy spirit, to our bodies, minds, and soul; and that if the devil can't get you to sin, he'll keep you busy."


On another note, my broski left for college on Saturday, and I miss him already. I wish that  Maria and I could watch Psych with him this fall...I just finished all of season five and I'm so pumped. 

broski

my lil sis is getting so old!

this is what summer is all about...

strawberries the size of my palm

that and family vacation....

 

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was the coolest ride I've ever been on in my life. There's some pretty sweet things in Islands of Adventure, like the old school Jurassic Park ride and Spidey and Hulk, but we lived in Hogsmeade, so that we could drink butterbeer and ride this mind blowing ride four times. If I had time, I would have gone eight more times. 

Ah. The beach. I miss my dolphin friend, even though he only swam by once to say hey and then ditched us. But I don't want to get down on him. I know if there had been less people around he would have come back to swim with me because he knows that I have read A Ring of Endless Light seven times.

The fam. At my cousin Noelle's wedding. Dance parties at weddings are one of the many amazing things about having tons and tons of cousins. I love it.

Compline...

What a great way to end the day. 
I'm glad I've outgrown my slight aversion to liturgy and am learning in college how completely wonderful it is.
I would actually love to end every day of the summer with a nighttime swim and compline prayer.
It's quite refreshing.

Call me lame if you want...

...but this is how I spend most of my Friday evenings in Indy...

...doing [a little bit of] work, drinking coffee, and watching Psych or Friday Night Lights...

           ....and I rather enjoy it....

Windows and Mirrors

I'm hanging out at Earth House Cafe right now. It's a sweet little fair trade/organic coffee shop/cafe. They have an art exhibit up right now called Windows and Mirrors with really sad but thought-provoking paintings on the war in Afghanistan. 

I'm missing my DR families and team today, more than usual. It's just hard since there's no easy way to see them again in the near future. Hopefully someday I'll be able to afford a plane ticket, but until then I want to write some letters.


It's also a little bit sad that my immediate family is spread out over four states currently. There are only five of us, but we have somebody in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Texas. Crazy. It'll be great to have a family dinner all together again, and vacation in the second half of the summer.


Also, my sister just went through an appendectomy like a champ. Wish I could have been there with her, but she's got my mom and grandparents so I think she'll be alright :)


The hummus, veggies, and flatbread I ordered here was pretty good. But it didn't taste quite as good to me as my eggs and biscuit dinner from last Saturday...