+for once, for once, i feel like i'm right where I belong

A pair of well-used running shoes in a kitchen that is in moving boxes. A chance to experience a big transition with a close friend - moving states and being in the middle of a tidal wave. Seeing old photos, old memories, laugh lines, community, and sharing in conversation and hospitality.

+so all of the thoughts I thought I might tell her turned into songs that until now she’s never heard of

This is my leg and my foot on the pavement in St. Paul, MN. I would love to say that I'm a confident woman who has outgrown the self-conscious days of being a teen and a 20-something, but alas I have not. I look at that knee and am disgusted. It looks dough-y and unathletic. I beat myself up so much about the way that my body has formed. Yet those shoes? Those shoes make me smile. This is the pair that won 3rd place in a local 5K last September. The same pair that carried me through 26.2 miles in November on that blustery morning, and the ones that still carry me on many a good run and look cute doing it. Despite where I am on my scale of body-image-confidence, these shoes will make me crack a smile daily.

+so you talk about a hand of glory

A mentor of mine once told me you can find out all you need to know about student culture on a campus from reading their student newspaper. Today I explored the University of Minnesota and their daily paper. A huge, sprawling campus, cute coffee shops, and more Minnesotan accents I have heard in all my life.

+there's beauty in the silver singing river

Can you spot all the perfect things about this picture? Well, yes, that IS a fictional book. Yes, that IS a steaming cup of dark coffee. And yes, that IS my dearest grad school friend reading some fiction of her own. About to head out for a 4 1/2 mile run and a day of meandering and cooking. This little scene is my slice of heaven on earth!

+if i have ever breathed in deeply

Unlike any other Spring Break out there, Greta and I have not spent a cent on eating out. We have cooked in with her fabulous family and our shopping ventures? The thrift store. Greta found a pair of $1.49 leather boots. I found a pair of (graduation?) red heels for $2.49. That left us with smiles the rest of the day!

+she just takes some glue to stay

 

One of my favorite things about being in Minnesota is all the sass that I get to experience. I love the Southern-niceties, but there's just something about the honesty out here that I love. This pic was taken with Greta, her mom and I at A Baker's Wife Pastry Shop after church this morning. This shop was so homey and cozy. You can't really go wrong with a bakery or a coffee shop, and this one was all-in-one. I love this sign...so sassy.

+reasons few have I to go back again

Today marks the first day of my last real student-version-of-spring-break! Minnesota bound, Kelly, Greta and myself found out that M&Ms now come in mint! Yum! This is my view from the back seat on our 8 hour drive. Nothing like sweet friends, closed halls, and a week in the land of a thousand lakes!

+two in love can make it, take my heart but please don't break it

Today when I woke up, I knew that two of the most important schools to me were both playing in the NCAA tournament - first round games? Today. 2pm and 9pm. Belmont and KU. Such a fun day, the start to spring break here at KU (sort of) - housing closing tomorrow at 2pm and so today was the first day that we were able to really revel in the start of the time-honored break in crazy Spring semester--a week to rest! The Bird Dog Bar (with my favorite detail- iced cups)  is roughly .2 miles from my home and was the locale of the televised Belmont game. Despite the loss, it is always a little surreal to see my undergrad on the big screen. KU pulled out the night-time victory, so all in all a wonderful day.

+we can burn brighter than the sun

Oh rejuvenated energy for this blog? So random, but I want to update it again all the sudden.

Though, this time, a pic or thought a day is all I want to do. There are so many hidden little moments and I don't like the idea of having the pressure to do them ALL, so the goal will be to pick one a day. This I can do.

So today: my shadow walking across campus. Ahh, walking across campus. It's over half a mile to the School of Education building, where I spend a considerable amount of time advising and in class. I walk it daily, and it's how I am more in tune with the weather changes and the morale of campus. Today was a  fabulously warm day where I got to wear a new dress I've been waiting to wear. You can see the flowy dress and the big water bottle as I walked. Oh, the feeling of a twirly dress, pretty makeup and hair, and the confidence that comes with it.

+she asked are you cursed, he said i think that i'm cured

Oh, how beautiful it is to wake up to this.

+watson library at sunset

+still there's a light

A detailed Saturday.

+what if we were like the northern sky?

+be, be here now

So, as I close in one one year of doing details, I realized I am done doing them. I love the little things and this past year has been fun to look back on. But, I'm done. I have exhausted them I believe.

So from time to time I may drop in to spice it up a bit. But for now,

"Don't let our mind get weary and confused your will be still don't try.
Don't let your heart get heavy, child, inside you there's a strength that lies.

Don't let your soul get lonely, child, it's only time, it will go by.
Don't look for love in faces, places, it's in you where you'll find kindness.

Be here now, be here now. Be, be here now, be here now.

Don't lose your faith in me, and I will try not to lose faith in you.
Don't put your trust in walls, cause walls will only crush you when they fall."

-Ray Lamontagne

+this is that new song

Making bigger decisions, sorting, delegation, taking an hour, food on demand, ideas and progress, name-learning-season, laurajean + mom, a much needed rain, honesty and confidence, the best sleep in days, understanding the flow.

+babe we both had hard times dry spells and bad lands

The calm before the storm, greetings and meetings, basketball noises to fall asleep to, group pictures, mattering, beautiful views from every place on campus, middle men & liasons, grocercy trips and nights out at the movies, purses full of candy, laughing so hard there are tears.

+tenuous at best was all he had to say when pressed about the rest of it, the world that is

Shaking my brain up big time, intelligent discussion, genuine concern, less office time, sweet fabrics, camera hunting again, stepping up, wonderfully thought out logic, world's best text messages, growing into the roles, hard rain storms with a breathtaking view, takin'careofbizness.

+does it matter? if we're all matter? what's the matter when we're done? when the sky is full of zeros and ones

Landmarks, good friend days, an acoustic Josh Ritter mp3, organization, words of affirmation, quiet drives, just feeling right, deep connections, good conversation, late office nights, everything feeling so worth it.

+ask me now and i won't hesitate

Excited about the resources, sunrises, sweaters, big earrings, picking up phrases and mannerisms, appreciation of younger students, upping the understanding ten fold, rice krispie treat day, focusing well, water bottles, situating.