Life changes so fast.

This past weekend was full of love and friends, good food, and lots of rest for me. It ended abruptly with the loss of my job this morning. I feel quite sideswiped as I have worked very hard the past 2 weeks to make this opportunity a success, and then to have everything change so suddenly is very unnerving to me.

All that said, this is a good decision. It wasn't a good fit or a healthy environment for me to remain a part of, and I am looking forward to see how God will make this interesting. He certainly has my attention now...

Not sure yet if I'll be staying in Chicago. A lot depends on if I can find employment in the next couple days. I might head home for a while during the wedding season and then make my way back to this place I've come to love so much.

God is still faithful. Still.

How much do I love Lincoln Park?

Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much.

Seriously. This weekend has been true rest for me, the weary. And it's only Saturday afternoon!

Things that make this weekend perfect: college roommates, their sweet apartment in Lincoln Park, public transportation and the number 11 bus, friends in from out-of-town, dinner and drinks at a neighborhood Irish pub, Four Weddings and a Funeral, SATC, sleeping in (!), the ferris wheel at Navy Pier, and (maybe) a Cubs game!!!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Those blessings are named Sara Beth, Sarah, Hillary, and Kristi. I am at rest.

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart

Today I woke up and set about my list of cleaning chores for the day. And in the middle of scrubbing dog drool off the walls of the laundry room, I was overwhelmed by the joy of the Lord in full force!

It was so unexpected, but I needed an attitude adjustment and my discouragement was replaced with joy.

Hallelujah.

New Beginnings

First, the obvious: I am a Wheaton College graduate! Graduation weekend was an absolute whirlwind, but my family was all in town so it was very special. Goodbyes were pretty tough, especially with the roommates. I have so taken that part of community for granted. They shaped the way I experienced Wheaton, and for that source of solidarity to end so abruptly seems cruel.

After moving out of campus housing (has it really only been 7 days?), I went on a retreat with the 6th graders from church. We had a blast with our team-building games, bonfires, girl talk in sleeping bags, capture the flag, and ghost in the graveyard. Oh, to be 12 again. The retreat was amazing, and I hope as meaningful to the kids as it was for me.

When the retreat was finished, I moved into my new digs in Elburn. It's a sweet house (I have my own room) and the couple is really cool. The first triplet came home from the hospital today, and I'm really anxious for the rest to make it home, too...can't imagine how their parents feel.

So my life looks dramatically different now than it did a week ago, and while that's overwhelming to me, I'm also looking forward to the freshness. 4 years is enough in one place for me. Time for something different.

the end is near

I feel like tomorrow is the culmination of the past 16 years of education. That is a really heavy weight to put onto one day, and it is finally beginning to weigh on me. I've known it was coming, and in so many ways, I've prepared for it, but today, it finally hit me that this is the end. There's a lump in my throat and a heaviness behind my eyes, but I'm not ready to cry quite yet. There are a lot of important things to do first: thank yous, goodbyes, cleaning, and packing (oh so much packing).