Day with Dibbs!

Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. -- Cindy Lew

This week I got to spend a day with my good friend Sarah Dibbern (Dibbs). This hang out time was greatly anticipated since I had only seen said lady once since the end of May. During our time apart, Sarah carefully constructed a list of things that her and I would be doing during my time here in MN.

Dibbs with "the list"

With the list in mind, we set out on our little day of adventure. First, we set off to do some shopping. She introduced me to a store named Charming Charlie. LOVE! It's this incredible jewelry store where the jewelry is all separated by color with all the handbags, belts, and other necessary accessories to match. Heaven on Earth I tell ya! After some more shopping, a run in with another great friend from college, and forcing Sarah to humor me and take some goofy pictures...

Yay Sarah!

...we were off to go ice skating in St. Paul. Yippee! As a child, I always had dreams of being a figure skater. On the lake behind our home, we would always clear off a spot to go skating. And while my brothers were off snowmobiling or making snow forts, I was busy daydreaming about skating for Olympic Gold with the likes of Kristy Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan. So, needless to say, I was so excited to relive my childhood dreams.

 However, it had been quite some time since I had been on ice skates and although at one time I was very sure of myself on skates, I was certain this ice skating experience was going to be a shaky one at best. We went to the outdoor rink by the Landmark Center and for only $2 it was a pretty great way to spend the afternoon.

Landmark Center in St Paul, MN

Story time: While waiting in line to rent our skates, Sarah spots this guy that she had a crush on all summer. I, not knowing who the fella was, asked her to point him out to me so I could be on the look out. "The one with the black hat and coat, over there by his family." "Okay. Got it." I was thinking that a little rendezvous on a skating rink made for a pretty great story, a "Meet Cute" if you will. (for more details on a "meet cute", watch the movie The Holiday) Sarah, on the other hand, was not having it. She did all that she could to try and stay away from this guy. I threatened her that I was going to shout her name every time he skated by me, but after she pleaded with me that I keep my mouth shut, I respected her wishes. Later on when we decided to retire for the evening - fall-free I will have you know - we were about to walk out of the warming house when... dun dun dun...her crush appears! FINALLY! He greeted her with a sincere enthusiasm, and I merely stood back and observed. But the one thing I finally noticed was that the guy she was talking to WAS NOT the guy I thought she pointed out. This entire time I thought her crush was some other guy in a black hat and coat skating around with his family. Wing-man fail! Sorry Sarah! But after a nice little chat with her crush, Sarah and I left to round off our evening with a nice dinner.

All in all it was a great day with Miss Dibbern and I am thankful for the time I got to spend with her. Dibbs, remember you are always welcome to come visit me in North Carolina. Love you!

Happy Holidays

Officially survived another holiday season. The evidence of it being a grand one is proven in the necessity of a good workout or ten. And of course, Minnesota delivered another white Christmas without fail. However, as grand as it may have been, I would be lying if I said I wasn't glad it was over. Now don't call me a grinch, but I haven't been the biggest fan of Christmas for quite some time. Big supporter of the meaning and purpose of Christmas, but for so many years it meant encountering family members I didn't have such an exciting past with. Christmas for me is usually survived with the continual consumption of wine.

My holiday survival kit

And now with both my older brothers married, Christmas is changing even more. But there were some great things that took place this Christmas. My little niece Abby celebrated her first Christmas. Why it is so entertaining to watch little kids open up Christmas gifts, I don't know, but it is. And why we even get little kids gifts to begin with is beyond me. They are so enamored by wrapping paper alone!

Abby's First Christmas

By far my favorite part of the holiday is watching Christmas movies with the fam. Elf is a must. And, I introduced my parents to It's a Wonderful Life this year. Can't believe we all hadn't seen it until this year. SLACKERS! Now it's time to look forward to the New Year and celebrating that with another wedding. Woot woot! Well, from snowy Minnesota, Merry Christmas!

Days gone by...

Tonight I went back to my high school to watch my former gymnastics team compete. Let me tell you...it was very strange. During my high school days, I used to live in that building. I spent so many years staying at school from at least 7am to 7pm with college classes, jazz band, or one of my four sports I participated in. So tonight, as I wandered down the halls, I tried to remember as best as I could where my old lockers were, which classrooms I had class in, and which teachers were still there.

I walked towards the gym to find one of my teachers who was at the basketball game and it even smelt the same as it did seven years ago. Believe me, I know. I spent far too much time in the gym and locker room in high school. While I was sitting in the gym watching the game, I had flashbacks from when I had to do boards for volleyball (taking a foot long 2 x4 that is covered with carpet and pushing it from base line to base line with your hands and feet over and over and over again...nasty things, great for your butt) high school dances, band concerts, pep rallies,  prom proms (confession...I went to prom 5 times). Even though I graduated seven years ago, (wow, I now feel old, thank you very much) it all came rushing back. Sometimes it's hard to believe that such a small place had such a large impact on who I am today. I loved high school. No way in hell I would ever want to go back! But my time there was great. So here is some residual school spirit....GO IRISH!

Ladies of ICS 05

Five years ago, 10 other ladies and I traveled to Europe and Africa with Northwestern College for the Intercultural Studies Internship (ICS). Before we left for the trip, we were a bunch of perfect strangers. We had no way of knowing that those two months overseas would cause us to be life-long friends.

The ladies at a lake in South Africa

Since the trip, even though life has often separated us by land and sea, we always do what we can to get together and catch up on life. This past weekend we had another holiday rendezvous and it was so good to see these girls! Having a few "type A's" in our group, we all take our turn sharing where life has brought us over the year. Here's the low down on the ladies of ICS 05.

Warming up in Petris, Romania

Tina is back from her year in Honduras and is currently working at what sounds to be the most dysfunctional alternative school that Minneapolis has to offer. (stay strong Tina!!)  Katrina has just sent in her paperwork to get a visa to head back to Spain. Beebs and her husband Steve (the man who shaved a dragon into his chest hair on the trip) moved up to Duluth, MN as Steve starts med school.

Getting ready for the day outside our "hotel" in Mozambique

 Megan is either going to the West Coast to study counseling or going to Australia for ethnomusicology (the latter could happen within the next two weeks). Emily has bought a house and her and Liz are starting their own business. Jorgen is onto her second year of grad school and is looking to purchase a condo (if she can find something as fabulous as her!) Kristina met a man and got married within the last year. And, Betsy and KJ both had their third child. So much has happened for all of us over the past five years, and it's hard to believe that through moments like these...

Goofy Faces!

...We have stayed such close friends! I know that whenever I need someone, I can turn to this group of girls. And if they keep if up, I will always have a ton of places to visit internationally! The two months I spent abroad were some of the best of my life, and I know that is largely due to the fine women I had surrounding me during that time. Each time I get the great opportunity to catch up with these ladies, I am continually amazed that the Lord brought us all together and I walk away inspired and encouraged. Thanks for everything ladies of ICS 05!

Nothin' like a "sunny" day on the Indian Ocean

White Wedding

December 11th, 2010 was the date of two major events in MN: a blizzard and my brother's wedding. Not sure the bride and groom really wanted those two things to occur simultaneously, but nonetheless they did. I flew into MN around midnight Thursday night only to kick off wedding events just a few hours later. After a much needed trip to get manicures and pedicures, we were off for the rehearsal and the grooms dinner. Who knew walking down the isle would require so much practice?! It's probably for people like me who struggle with pacing and would just rather run down the isle. (slow learner, party of one!) So after some detailed instructions on when to pause, where to stand, where to look, when to fix the brides train, when to turn, when to walk off stage (without tripping on your dress) it was time to eat.

Under the overwhelming sense of excitement, there was a lingering sense of stress. A lot of people would be traveling a distance to get to the wedding and with the impending doom of a poorly timed MN blizzard, we were all left to pray and keep our fingers crossed that it wouldn't effect the "big day" too badly.

Next morning: we wake up to the fury that is mother nature. There is snow... everywhere. And the relentless wind -much like what it is in the mountains - comes at you horizontally. The morning includes a slow, white-knuckled drive to the hair salon (who cares that it was only a mile away; I forgot how to drive in that stuff) running through snow drifts higher than the protection of my newly purchased boots (darn it!) a momentary hiatus in the hairdressers chair getting a million bobby pins stuck into my head with an entire can of hairspray unloaded onto my product-free hair and then we are off to the church!  Beyond the shivers from the cold, smiles were in abundance. The bride was gorgeous. The groom was nervous. And then came the pictures...lots of pictures! But before you know it, we are getting set for kick off, no -go time, hmm... the big event?! Maybe.  The ceremony was personal and filled with laughter. A couple excited "I Do's" later and I have a new sister! Yippee!

The new Mr. and Mrs. :)

After braving a few pictures out in the snow (bad idea but at least the snow matched the wedding colors) we were off to the reception...a.k.a time to get our groove on! I don't think the bride ever left the dance floor!! All in all it was a great celebration. And even though the weather was horrible, so many people came to wish Trent and Liz well.

So here is to Trent and Liz: Trent, I am so happy for you! You found an incredible person to share life with. Love you. Liz, I knew before you and Trent started dating that someday you would be my sister. Thank you for loving my brother the way you do. You're incredible! :) Welcome to the family!

Going "Home"

I don't know what I think of when I talk about "home" anymore. Technically, I guess you could say that I'm "home" now being back in MN. I'm at the house I grew up in. I see all the marks on my bedroom door when I tried to figure out how tall I was when I was growing up. Under my bed there are three plastic storage bins filled with pictures, old homework assignments, all the articles from my hometown newspaper where I happened to be mentioned. I still know how to walk up the wooden stairs that lead up to my bedroom so that they won't make any noise and wake my parents up. Everything is just the same. But it feels so different. And I can't help but feel a little bit like a guest.

(when did the place I grew up in and considered home become just "my parent's place"?)

For the last four months, I have been calling Boone my home. Even though when I first moved down there I was dead set on just being in Boone long enough for school and when I was finished, I was headed back to MN to stay for good. At that time, MN was "home" and there wasn't anywhere else that could take that title. But now, something else has. And I am okay with that. Also, I know that a year and a half from now, I will be leaving the place I now call "home" and will be finding a new "home". With confidence I can say, I won't be coming back to MN. (hey with all the snow and freezing cold we have now, who would blame me?)The world is at my fingertips, I might as well go explore it. Here I come world! (said with a triumphantly raised fist) And...if my next home is half as great as my current home, well, then I am in for a treat! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MN. Minnesota is absolutely amazing during the summer. And if you happen to be obsessed with bodies of water like myself, MN is right up your alley.

But what I am finally realizing is that "home" isn't a specific place. Now...I'll stop myself from saying the whole "home is where the heart is" bit because I have never been too fond of throwing up in my mouth. However, I see the truth behind it.

The moments I feel most as home is when I am with the people I love the most. The people who challenge me to become a better person. The people who love me and my goofy self. The people who continually to reaffirm that I have some of the best friends in the world and that I am one truly blessed individual. People I love = home.

Which is probably why I have felt most at home in South Africa, Chicago and now Boone. (don't worry...MN makes the list, too!)

So in reality, home is where YOU are!

Artwork by: Valentina Ramos

A Warm Welcome

Tonight, I got to be the person running through the airport to give someone a hug. It has been over four months since I have been home and other than a few Skype calls with my parents and an impromptu flight out by the BFF, I haven't seen anyone from home. So when I saw my mom waiting over by baggage claim I couldn't help myself but run over to her! And then two other "bffls" (best friends for life) Jorgen and Kelly came to welcome me back to the land of frozen tundra as well! It was great! I had this goofy grin stuck on my face that wouldn't go away. Meh...whatever. I'm over it.

But the best part and one of the reasons why I love the airport so much was seeing a young man, dressed up in his service uniform walk toward baggage claim and then seeing his little brother with an adorable home-made sign run towards him and give him the biggest hug! PRECIOUS! There is nothing better than a warm welcome home! Speaking of home...it is weird to be back in MN. Too many MN license plates here. Which yes, I know. I'm the person in Boone that will always point out when I see a MN license plate. But now there are just too many. I have lots of thoughts about this whole "home" thing. But we'll get to that later. Stay tuned.

Winter Has Arrived

Not going to lie that I had high hopes that moving 20 hours south of Minnesota would mean that winter wouldn't last that long. Well right now it's not off to a promising start. Winter has officially arrived in Boone. There's snow. Lots of snow. And just because I grew up in Minnesota and can drive in this mess with the best of them does not mean that I am about to do cartwheels that it's here. It's cold! And the wind here blows horizontally. So that when you are walking around you can't make eye contact with the other poor individuals attempting to make their way across campus because the wind makes the snow pelt you in the eye. And when you walk outside, you have to look like this guy...

 Which, I think we can all agree on, is so cute! (hmm...) Not sure why the song "Fat man in a little coat" always goes through my head when I see this. But I suppose there are some great things that comes with the snow. It's an easy excuse to stay inside and watch movies. Lots of movies. Snow-angels. Simple yet fun. Sledding. Because who doesn't want to bring out their inner child and spend the afternoon sliding down hills! Snowball fights - sure, according to ASU rules I need your consent before I can unload on you, but I figure if you read this, you are giving me consent! And gosh darn it, it is the Christmas season and I haven't ever seen a Christmas where there wasn't snow. So while my apartment is about the average temperature of an igloo, I might as well get on the bandwagon and give three cheers to winter! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

Then and Now

Fall semester has nearly come to an end and I am one week away from going back home to MN. Now that life has slowed down and I have time to breathe, it's interesting to look back on how I started the semester and where I am now. I got to ASU so excited about everything ahead of me, but also scared out of my mind! I remember being so overwhelmed during training, always wondering "how in the world am I going to be able to do this job?" I was so afraid of failing and not being able keep up with everything. I was the annoying first-year that wouldn't leave the second-years alone - always asking more questions than necessary. On top of that, I often questioned my place within the CSD program, feeling like I didn't have enough experience to dive into the Student Affairs profession and be successful.

And now four months later, I am finally starting to feel like I have something to give back. This semester I have had so many things take place that have caused me to learn more about myself and what I want to be about. I have also had the opportunities (by way of homework assignments) to reflect on experiences that have shaped who I am and the things I am most passionate about. And I am now to a point where I feel more confident in what I can give back and what kind of legacy I want to leave. I have seen how stubborn I can be when it comes to things I believe in. I have also seen that I am my own worst critic and am someone who will sacrifice many things for the benefit of others - sometimes to an unhealthy extent. I have learned that it's okay to not have the answers for everything and to just go with the flow. I have learned that I can't do everything myself (even though I try to) and asking for help does not mean I failed. I have learned that some of the most important lessons I will learn won't come from within the classroom but come from the amazing people I have been blessed to get to know. So much has happened and I'm only a quarter of the way through this whole crazy ride. Bumpy as it may be at times, I love it! And I am so thankful that I am here. While I am psyched about getting some time away, I am ready for the next chapter of this journey and look forward to the lessons I will be privileged to learn.