Freedom

This picture (taken on the beach in Newport, Oregon) just encapsulates completely the feeling of peace I have this morning.

Today, I did not have to get up and be at work at 9 am.

Today, I do not have to be yelled at over and over by upset and irate customers.

Today, I am unemployed--and loving it!

I was discussing with one of my very best friends last night, this "in-limbo" state we recent college grads often find ourselves in. Our whole lives, we've gone to school, then to the next thing, and the next, and then we are graduating and BAM--what next? The real world, I know, but what does that mean?

There are so many options here in our country after graduating that we could choose to do, and as a result, I think we become a little afraid or nervous about committing to something. We feel pressure when someone asks us to commit, and want to be able to do anything, or quit what we are doing just in case "something better" comes along. I don't think this is the attitude God wants us to have. Yes, we should be ready and willing to do whatever he asks us, even if it means leaving our comfortable existence, but if we can't even commit to one small thing, how on earth will we be able to contemplate the eternal?

When I woke up this morning, I was thinking about how I committed to this job for 2.5 years. I didn't particularly enjoy it. But I committed, and that is something I am proud of. I think God really used me while I was at the job--and made me realize that a job is not what defines us; it sometimes is simply means to an end. As American Christians, we tend to buy into the idea that a job is who you are, even as a Christian, because it is the American ideal ingrained in us since childhood. However, what I did outside of that job was far more important than what I did while I was there. I learned and grew in ways that I would not have been willing to if I had all my focus on my job.

So, today is my first official day of freedom. I had a wonderful birthday weekend with good friends, and as of later tonight, I will be out of 410!

Right now, I will be doing homework.

How did this all happen?

MSP-PDX (and beyond)

I have returned! What a whirlwind (and I think it is still going). We left over a week ago for Portland, and I flew back this past Wednesday, and then spent the next two days hanging out with part of my family, packing, and finally, moving into my aunt's place today. I am tired, but I felt a second wind so I thought I'd try to post something.

The trip was so many things, but wonderful was definitely one of them. On our departure date, June 11, Lindsay, Serena, and myself crammed the car full and drove off to Sioux Falls to visit a friend from college, Ryan, who is in med school in South Dakota. His family warmly welcomed us, and he showed us the Sioux Falls sights. It was a really fun night!

Then we left early on Friday morning, drove across South Dakota, with an hour or so detour to see Mt. Rushmore, which I had never seen. It's interesting that the state had to create its own major attraction, instead of capitalizing on a natural one. The man who dreamed it up would be so amazed that it actually came to fruition.

Friday was a long day of driving through Wyoming and Montana mountains with the little Saturn. We got to Bozeman late Friday night, threw the tent together, and hunkered down for a few hours. Saturday, we drove through the rest of Montana, crossed Idaho (absolutely beautiful), through eastern Washington (not at all beautiful), and then drove into Oregon along the Columbia River (fantastic!). We arrived in Portland Saturday evening, and hung out there for dinner.

After hanging out in Portland on Sunday morning, we drove three more hours down to Newport, Oregon, to a friend of a friend's beach house with 17 others. There were two bedrooms, so a bunch of people set up tents in the yard, and we had a blast hanging out on the beach with a bonfire, drums, and hula hoops. I met so many interesting people! We drove back Monday night, went out for pizza and beer, and then walked around Portland some more to see the sights.

We woke up Tuesday, and went with some of Lindsay's new roommates again to Multnomah Falls and then to hike up a mountain, which ended up taking four hours, but was so cool. Oregon forests and mountains are abosutely beautiful, and I couldn't get enough of all the lush forest growth and multiple waterfalls. We headed back into Portland then, cooked dinner, went out for Belgian Fries, and by Wednesday morning, I was on my way back to Minneapolis.

There are so many pictures, so I've posted them in an album on Facebook which you can view (even if you don't have Facebook) by clicking here, if you'd like. I know I left a lot out on here--I tried to keep it short!

Tomorrow I am heading back to 410 to grab a few more things and tie up some loose ends, but I do hope to be relaxing a little bit. My sister Kate is in town as well, and we got to hang out with our mom on Thursday and Friday night, which was really fun (and funny). It seems like the summer is already flying by way too fast! And I am already behind on homework...whoops...

Thank you all for reading!

Peace,

J

Hit the road, Jack!

In a few short hours, I will be climbing into a very jam-packed Saturn and heading west! We are stopping tonight in Sioux Falls to visit a friend, will be driving past Mt. Rushmore (waving), and then camping Friday night in Bozeman, MT, at this campground. We'll hopefully get to Portland the next day! ETA: Sometime late Saturday night. Then onto the coast for a few days, and I'll be flying back on Wednesday.

I'll try to post some pictures eventually--when I get internet again.

Hurrah! Vacation, here I come :)

..and some celebrations!

On Monday, my younger brother Connor turned 16 years old! I cannot believe he is that old (and I know that is such an older sibling thing to say, but it's true!). I haven't lived at home in many years, though, so I guess it would makes sense.

At any rate, Happy Birthday, Fuzz! I hope it was a good one...and I'll be home again soon, so we can hang out and drive places together. Mario Party!


Also, today is my parent's 30th wedding anniversary. In that time, they've had three different homes, four dogs, five children, six cats, infinite laughter, sorrow, and I'm sure, many more things I can't even count.

I cannot even begin to imagine what an accomplishment that is--I realize more and more every day, looking around me, how difficult and trying marriage can often be (though not without wonderful blessings and benefits, of course), so for two people to make it over half their lives being married to the same person is a WONDERFUL thing that should be congratulated. So, hats off to you, Jay and Lori--I pray you can make it another 30! :)

Tentative plans...

We got the internet shut off at home, so I thought I'd give a quick update as to where I will be/what I will be doing until July. Also, as a result, I will only be able to check my email at work, so if I seem reluctant in response, that is why. Or I am camping in the wilderness in Montana. Both are favorites.

June 11-17: We will be leaving for Portland on Thursday, camping along the way, and hopefully arriving by Saturday night. I will be there until I fly back on Wednesday, the 17th.

June 18-21: Katesister is here, Mom is here, and Ben, Micaela, and myself will be driving a U-Haul over to my storage unit with all of my furniture in it. Again, hopefully. Also, I plan to be at Aunt Pam's by this weekend.

June 22-26: My last week of work!!! I will be commuting from Dayton.

June 26-29: I will be bumming it on the couches of Micaela and Katefriend and cleaning out 410.

June 30: SLEEPING. RELAXING. (Unpacking. Argh.)

Add an online class (which includes four exams), a birthday, apartment hunting, and a recent illness I have acquired, and it makes for a very interesting month, however exciting it can be.

As I said, this will all happen--hopefully. Things can always change!

Welcome, June

This week has been busy, but I have loved it (for the most part). On Monday, Linds and I went to dinner with my old college roommate, Molly, and her husband Pat, who was one of Lindsay's closest friend's in college. I don't get to see them often, but it is a blast when I do. Pat cooked a delicious meal for us--which he wrote about on his blog. Free publicity, Pat--just what you wanted ;)

The not so good part of June--yesterday at work, a Qwest truck on our block drilled into a water line and a sewer line. The two mixed and let's just say, it was not pretty. After our neighbor business sent someone in (yelling, "It's too much water! The flooding! The city says, it's too much!"), we went to the back office to find it was indeed, too much. Today, we still don't have a bathroom, or water service; just moldy carpet, moldy air, and lack of a breeze. I'm a happy camper! (Not so much.)

On a positive note--after work yesterday, I went to a picnic in the park with some very good friends, and it was wonderful. Bread, cheese, wine, and good friends--what more could a girl ask for?

Our dear friend Brittany is camping out at 410 with us for a week or so. I love when she stays with us. I am going to miss her very much when she leaves for Ukraine for four years!

So, that is June thus far. Nothing profound, nothing extraordinary, but wonderful nonetheless.

Off to Portland next week!

Peace,

J