Confessions of a Chicago Designer

I made a coworker some no-bakes for the his birthday and then snuck two while he was out of our office. #sohungry #the worst #sorrymike

Adam said, "we're pros at traveling," as he dropped our suitcase down the escalator.

I just got a "daaaayum girl" as I was walking down the street. Should I count today as a success?

Thanks for your input, stranger.

"Hey girl, I see you waiting for the bus. Need a ride?" #strangerdanger #thanksbutnothanks

my response

"Jigging but jiggling across the line in time" Adam's mantra for when his friends bet he couldn't run a 400 meters dash in a minute and 15 seconds. He did it in a minute and almost 10 seconds.

"Team work makes the dream work"- a cashier commenting on me ordering food and Adam buying it. #boom

Random thoughts

Often I think, I should blog about this and then I never do. So then I just start a blog post and act like it hasn't been days, let along weeks since I blogged. Like if I don't address it, will they notice how long it's been. Will they notice that's it's well into November and I still haven't mentioned anything about our summer, vacation, or my new job? I can only hope. So here's me pretending that we've been having this ongoing online conversation and we're just catching up on my new sitch.

So yeah, I am two weeks into my job and loving it. I mean the commute is longer (going from a measly 15 minutes on the bus to more like 45 minutes between walking, L, bus, and more walking). But so far, so good. I just use the time to read the section of the New Testament that we have to read for the day (Did I tell you that our church is reading through the New Testament in 8 weeks?) Yeah, it's kicking my butt. It's so convicting to have to keep to a schedule and read a lot but it's also so good. You really get a lot more out of it when you read it all together. (Shocker, right?). Anyways, I read it on the L and surprisingly have had 2 people in the same week ask me about what I'm reading. Never knew it it was such an ice breaker. But back to work, it's going really well. The people are so nice and the work is challenging because I'm getting to do different things all the time. I got to help with the set design the other day which was a new and fun experience for me. Just makes a huge different to work with people you like while doing something you like.

After next month, all our crazy changes should be done. We are set to close on our new condo and hopefully be done moving by the holidays. This will be my fourth move in three years so I'm excited to be settled in my job and our new home long-term.

Well I gotta run but hopefully we'll be able to catch up some more again soon.

Things I'm loving

Through the last few really busy months, these things have been keeping me sane so I thought I would share.

1. She reads truth – Daily truth straight to your inbox that is spot. on. Ladies that love Jesus and are being used by the Lord to encourage other ladies on their walk . There is a follow up image if you're on Instagram, which brings me to my second like of the day

2. Instagram – If you aren't on Instagram yet, let's stop the talking and you go get on that gram. Instagram can be catered to what you want it to be. Can be used to keep up with friends, be encouraged by other Godly ladies or inspired by other people in you field. I love a good creative or funny Instagram. (Etiquette for you new users: Instagram isn't for albums it's for single photos. No one likes a double or triple post-er)

3. Skimm – this one is a new find for me but I am loving it. It's a brief Monday-Friday email that gives you a give you a rundown of the news in a funny and friendly way. They read so you can skim.

That's all I got for now but hope you guys have a good weekend!

My Papa

Life has be very busy and crazy the last few weeks. When we got home from vacation, I learned that my grandpa had passed away. I was really sad and poor Adam, who had never seen my emotions to that degree, didn't quite know what to do. I was really blessed however to be able to find a decent flight to get out to the east coast in order to see my family and go to the funeral together. It was a really sweet time. My grandpa had told my grandma a while back what tie he wanted to be buried in (a bright tie with smiley faces and "Jesus Loves You" all over it), the sweet poem he wanted in his program, and the last part that really made me tear up at the visitation, was the paper he wanted in his hand had the plan of salvation on it. My grandpa was faithful to the Lord even to the end. My family was so blessed to have him as our patriarch. He lived a full life and I have hope of seeing him when I join him in heaven.

I don't have the originals of any of these photos but managed to snap a few on my phone to be able to have for now.

 My grandpa had a real life fox and hound. How cool is that?

 This is my grandma and her sisters. In the top photo, she is the second from the left. In the bottom photo, she is all the way on the right. I wish I could wear all her cool clothes!

My grandma and grandpa were married for almost 68 years. What an awesome legacy.

Leighann already wrote a beautiful post about my grandpa and I don't feel like I would do it justice if I didn't at least link to it.

Wrist Management

(the way you would think Adam and I's wrists would look based on our complaints)

I've been having some wrist pain and elbow numbness the last few weeks so I might have to cut back my computer usage, which is unfortunate because it's my job..... I've been using Adam's wrist splint and wrist rest (made that up-- but the mouse pad thing that goes near your computer mouse that has a raised part to it? never mind too confusing to explain.) I hope it helps because if not, there is no hope for our kids' wrists. Both of Adam's wrists have given him trouble. He had surgery two years ago for his left wrist and just went to the doctor for his right on on Monday. I hope we can get it figured out because you don't realize how much wrist strength plays into so many activities (cooking, cleaning, working, playing sports, typing on the computer... okay I'm done, you get it.) Anyways, we're fine and we're not complaining... just wondering what in the world two twenty-something year olds are doing with wrist trouble. Any prayers you want to say for us, we'd love. 

Honeymoon

I got married! Whoot! Whoot! Which is why it took so long for me to blog. Between a full-time job, wedding planning, job searching, packing up all my stuff, and hanging out with friends, blogging took the backseat. Well, I'm going to try and be more of a presence on this blog.

Moving on. I'll blog about our wedding when I get the professional pictures back.

 Adam and I went to Mexico for our Honeymoon. It was really fun to A) go on vacation together and B) a warm place in the winter.

They knew we were on our honeymoon  so they kept making everything swans and flowers. 

 Adam and I had never been to a resort so we didn't realize what it all entailed.

 This one was like an all-enclusive zoo. So many peacocks. Loved it.

 Flamingos

 Parrots

and this cutie (coati)

One day we decided to explore the neighboring town and found this.

 our sweet digs.

The Happy couple complete with colds (real life happens)

We went to shows, played activities (ping-pong championships (adam won), dance lessons, tennis, etc), read by the beach, and enjoyed the time together. We had a really good time. We also threw away my immigration form and had a hard time getting out of the country. Haha We had to go to Delta's office and make a copy of my passport and they confiscated my tickets, then we went down to immigration where we had to re-fill out the forms and pay 295 pesos. Only we didn't have pesos, so we had to go to the ATM (which charged us) and then got gouged at the currency exchange to get pesos. Then as we were going back upstairs to the Delta office, I fell up the concrete stairs and almost broke our souvenirs.  At the time, I was really frustrated but now Adam and I laugh about how I almost had to stay in Mexico hehe

Olympics

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I am probably the only American who has no idea what is happening in the Olympics since I don't have the cable. It's really weird. I am so going to have to figure out how to fix that problem. It's also weird seeing as the last Olympics I was in the thick of everything.  Here's the first day from the last Olympics when I was there if you need a refresher. It's crazy because I can vividly think back to that time in my life. It was right after Adam and I started dating. Right when Kindra and I's friendship was just starting and I was unsure about so many things in my life. I can see God's faithfulness over the last 2 1/2 years. He has changed me. The last year has been especially difficult and I would never ever wish it upon my worst enemy or upon myself again but God has used it to show me so much about Himself, myself, Adam and our relationship, and life in general. There are things I wouldn't have learned if I hadn't been through the last year but I am so thankful that I have learned those things. I am so thankful for how God has changed me and opened my eyes to more of who He is, faithfulness, and to flaws in myself that I needed to work on.

I remember the energy of the Olympics and the excitement when we got there. I had a lot of cool experiences at the Olympics (and a lot of not so cool experiences haha) but I would not trade going back to the Olympics for the spot I am in now. Sure, I read some Facebook status of students from Asbury that are there now and have a twinge of jealously or want to tell them to shut it, you're at the Olympics so stop complaining haha but in all reality they are in for a real treat and learning experience that I have already had my time for and I can't really get mad at their complaints because I looked through my old posts and boy was I ever a complainer! Still working on that. I am excited for the next few months. I have a lot of fun things plan and things to look forward and I feel so at peace with where I am in life right now. I haven't had that for so long. Sure, I still have my days where I freak out or have an emotional day because I am far away from Adam, friends, and family but God led me to this place and I know he has a plan for my life. I have met truly wonderful people here. I absolutely love my coworkers and Marion isn't as bad as it once was.  (It's not a dream life here but I'm not so mad about my surroundings these days).

Happy Tuesday ;)

#Learning

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So I am learning how to code websites. I understand how to do it, it's just hard because there are a lot of things to remember. <----I just made that word smaller without use the smaller text button. I know, you are proud of me, right? Okay, so I can't do a lot right now but I did just finish my homework and feel proud of that. It only took 4 hours haha I saved it wrong when I worked on it last night so I had to start over. Oh well, I needed the practice anyways.

I think God must be getting sick of my prayers. They aren't creative at all. In fact, they are pretty much the same everyday. I know I am learning a lot about myself already and it's only been 2 months, it's just hard. So I'm sorry if I complain to any of you. I have a lot to be thankful for. I know I'm supposed to be here so I just need to be faithful and trust in Him and stop being a baby and complaining to many of you. I love my job just wish I had friends/my fiance here with me. Okay I'm done. I really am thankful. haha

In other notes, I've been working on a project for a week and a half and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so that is very exciting. Also I think my boss likes my work, which is never a bad thing. I have some fun plans for the weekend and nothing to blog about right now haha but didn't want to leave y'all hanging.

Hope you guys have a good weekend!!!

Summer 2011

I am now an officially graduate of Asbury University. So weird but I'm not freaking out like I thought I would (probably because I have for the last 8 months that when it actually happened, I was well, fine.). I had two weeks at home helping my family, getting rid of stuff I never wear or never use, and getting to spend some good quality time with everyone. And now I am back in the bluegrass nannying in the mornings and waitressing at night.It's not exactly glorious but honestly it's fun. (of course, thisis only day 2 of the routine but sofar, so good). The kids are cute. One girl at 3 1/2 and one boy at 10 months. This week and next are a little different because their mom is still teaching school so I pick them up from daycare and take care of them in the afternoon. This involves playing, bath time and naptime for the majority of the time. Not bad at all. I'll see what the morning involves in 2 weeks when their mom is done teaching and in fact taking graduate classes in the morning. I started server training last night. I really like who I work with and I think I'll get the hang of it even though I've never done it in my life.I'm staying in my OWN room in the family's basement of the kids I watch. It's a really nice room and I didn't bring a lot of stuff for the summer so if feels so open. I love it. I don't have to share with anyone and it can be as clean or dirty as I want it. It feels a little like freedom so I'm thankful for it. I think this summer will be a good one. I have a couple really good friends who are staying in the area so I'm really excited to get to spend more time with them before we really begin "real life".

oh yeah when I was home, I took lots of pictures of my friend, jack, for my lovely sister, Katie, and her husband.