three very special members of the class of 2011

(photo stolen shamelessly from Mercy)

There they are. My beautiful students from my homeroom last year, Grade 11 (minus Grace who is in Indonesia now). These 3 - they are incredible people. I can't fathom the ways they will contribute to this world and build the kingdom of God.

I am simultaneously consumed with pride for them and their accomplishments, and crushed knowing I wasn't able to be at their graduation ceremony today.

Chima, Tomi, Winston - go forth in the knowledge that you are loved fiercely, supported by a community (ICS!) who believes in you, and empowered to accomplish every good work God has prepared in advance for you to do. I miss you!
Love,
Miss Maggie
P.S. Just because she isn't in the picture doesn't mean I've forgotten that we were four last year! Miss you, too, Grace!!!

on photo-swooning

How is it possible that when I look at a photo of my handsome fiance, I absolutely melt? It's sure to happen every time. He's so darn good looking! (And I'm so darn lucky!)

Tell me how I was supposed to withstand these photos, the first 5 of from our engagement session (because let me tell ya, I was a goofy-grin, giggly mess when I saw these):

Gosh, I just love him.

I can't look at these pictures and have any other reaction but "Oh man, I get to marry him."

123 more days.



Photo credit to Jameson Bast Photography. We loved working with Jameson & Kristen!

on sex & souls

One of our students shared this video recently on Facebook, called Sexual Healing. The young man's passion and conviction reminds me of my students who wrote and performed their own poems at last year's Poetry Cafe.

It's worth watching, if not for this one line:

If sex is just for fun, why does it take such a toll?...
Because you don't just have sex with a body, you have sex with a soul.

on other people's transitions

So, obviously, transition is a big theme of my life. So much so that I'm wondering when I won't find myself in transition. But in all my self-absorption and focus on my own transition, I forget that others are in transition, too. I'm remembering that their transitions can affect me, often in very bittersweet ways.

Exhibit A: Kathryn Rose moved to Florida yesterday.

Kitty and I have known each other since nineteen-ninety-I-can't-even-remember. She has been a constant, faithful friend through middle school & high school, when I moved away to college, when I moved away to Africa, when I moved back to the US, when I moved into the room across the hall.

Now Kitty has moved away to Florida, and although she's left behind reminders of her presence (read: Fluffy the cat, who sleeps next to me even when it's 95 degrees upstairs), it is my turn to be a friend-from-afar, as Kitty has been to me since we met.

My favorite memories will always be...

the weekend she and Ashley came to visit me at Wheaton in the fall of 2006,

Heather's bachelorette party summer 2009,

the birthday party she and Ashley planned for me last summer ("Raise your hand...")

and of course, the past 4 months of adventures living with her and Ash in the best townhouse in the world, including broken A/C upstairs and mice on the kitchen counters.

Also of note would be the number of times Kathryn has dressed me (often in her own clothes), like this rockin' outfit of hers I wore on the most important night of my life:
Kitty, you are so courageous. God will go before you, behind you, and with you. I pray your transition from Minnesota to Sarasota is smooth sailing, friend. I love you tons, miss you already, and plan to make a visit when the weather here is crappy!