headed back to the workforce

I can't help but be aware of the fact that this is my last Saturday before I return to the world of professionals, pantyhose & paid lunches. The third is a perk, the second I could do without. I have been reflective, potentially over analytical of my life for the past year or so and have come up, out, or on the other side I believe.
These 8 weeks have been incredibly interesting and so much fuller than I would have hoped. I don't know that dread was the emotion I felt but more a fear of the unknown and frankly what I would do with all of my time. In honor of my relective self, here are some of the things that have risen to the top:

I started this journey believing I was looking for one thing and found myself realizing through events & conversations that I was looking for another. It wasn't the business world I was looking to break up with, it was the population that I was exposed to that would change.

An absolute conviction that a financial advising firm was exactly where God had this BA Psych grad after TU. Talk about worldview 101, I had assumptions about the world of wealthly and their lifestyles that were completely blown out of the water. What they were replaced with is an increasing passion towards stewardship and a humbling need to understand the way that God's economics work, even in the earthtly realm.

My husband is more gracious and giving than I ever can see myself being and three words he gave me, "I trust you" blessed me to explore what was ahead.

Confidence, in who I am and the experiences I have had. The conversations that were shared with different organizations and through interviews gave me insight as to where my gifts do, AND DON'T fit.

Appreciation for our home and how comfortable it was for me to spend time here & continue to make it my own. An offshoot of that one is credit to my mom for bringing me into her Friday morning tradition of thrifting. I have multiple 25 cent knicknacks as proof of that one.

More to come...

what a week!

we worked. we played. we surfed! and my best friend got engaged...




This past week with the high school students was such a blast. I am always blown away by how hard they work and what in turn gets accomplished. There were 31 of us total that cruised down last Sunday in a charter bus and after 21 hours in our chariot, I was ready for some Florida air in a major way. Monday through Thursday were pretty similiar in that we worked from 8-3 painting, building, cleaning up landscaping usually to a soundtrack of Rhianna, Britney and alot of gangstas that I don't know. Good times. One of the major highlights of the week for me was having Leah along as a sidekick as we co-lead the 8 girls on the trip. It was really fun to see the way our personalities brought out the craziness in one another and how we bonded with the girls.
After our days working we hit up Jacksonville beach armed with our boards and practiced getting up on the board while trying to stay clothed. It seemed like every wave one of us almost lost our top or had a major wedgie which was another source of entertainment for us and made it hard to modestly ride a wave. Our fearless leader Greg used to live in the area so he knew all of the good surf joints and hooked us up with great dinners every night after our nature filled showers. Dinner was always my favorite part of the day, and not just because of the awesome burritos and HUGE diet cokes but because we all shared our stories from the day and I laughed outloud alot. Why don't I have this much fun in my everyday life? I always come away from these weeks with a renewed sense of how much I need laughter and unadulterated JOY!













And then, if that wasn't enough, Ryan and I had the opportunity to share a really special day with our dear friends Emily and Dennis. When Dennis had called to let me know his proposal plans and hopes that we might share in their celebration I had already planned to be in Florida. But my husband, knowing me, knew how much it meant to me that I find a way to be there with him for this event. So after a few days of pouting, he agreed to let me fly home. Which saved me from another LONG bus ride and put me right where I wanted to be.

It has been so fun watching these two grow over the past few years from being great friends into a wonderful God fearing couple. My heart is filled with gladness that God brought someone as wonderful into Emily's life as Dennis. I still have memories of Emily lying on the floor in our off campus house senior year, talking to Dennis and us using our analyzing skills post-conversation. No more analyzing (and there hasn't been for quite some time now). It was a wonderful day sharing time with both of their families, feeling like we are part of Emily's and getting to know Dennis's fam. We can't wait for your wedding you guys!!

MeMe'd

Thanks Em for the taggage!

Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
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1. I didn't miss a single day of elementary school & still own the award
2. I already know what the first and middle names of my future children will be
3. In high school mock elections I was voted "class heartbreaker" and "best friends"
4. I am scared to try sushi
5. If left alone in the dark, I start to panic with fear
6. Dawson's Creek still gets my heart beating fast with excitement
7. I LOVE doing laundry

I would love to hear from my friends that haven't already been MeMe'd

Celebrating because...I got a job!

6 weeks to the day of this chapter in my life; a period of uncertainty after quitting my first real job and leaving a company I love to learn more about myself and my passions. I am so excited to share because this opportunity was completely outside my orchestration and really a divine thing. The way it all came together and the unique timing was really as others had said it would be, that it would "just happen". And it did. Beginning July 29 I am the new client manager for a local firm in Zeeland that provides consulting for non-profits. My job will be to make sure the clients are happy with the services they are being provided.

So, 2 weeks from now I will return to the full time professional life that I love and feel at home in. But not without fully enjoying every minute of this time now that I have no pressure. At 25 years old, summer is feeling pretty darn good and I want to soak up all this time has for me. Starting with our trip to Florida with our students to minister down in Jacksonville & ending with a week at home completing various decorative endeavors I have entered with all of this extra time. More thoughts to come...

3 years ago today...

This picture reminds me of just how much fun I had at our wedding 3 years ago today! Nothing better than being surrounded by the people you love...and marrying your best friend. Never mind that my zipper completely ripped out an hour before the ceremony (nothing safety pins can't fix) or that I literally had to drive to my florist's house to confirm her arrival the day before...it all worked out because the thing about a wedding day is it is just that, a day.
The real love is found in the days plural when you have to work late, find yourself being hopelessly crabby, or just plain don't want to do the impending yardwork. And here we are 3 years later going strong and thankful for those vows. yeah, the ones we wrote at 11:30 p.m. together the night before our wedding over breadsticks and wine at Olive Garden.

Today was an amazingly full day and I continue to be surprised, usually pleasantly, as the days unfold before me. I was really looking forward to this one though because I had not 1, not 2, but 3 interviews today which was wonderfully hopeful and exciting. It was a welcome routine from my days serving as Ryan's personal assistant and doing important things like returning cans & waiting in the post office line. Other than that, most days I get up around 7, work out, and try to determine what coffee shop might be my office for the day. I may have said this before but it is not like the tasky things of life feel any different. My laundry was always done before, vacuum run when it was needed & at least a clean glass to drink from. I just did all of those things after 5:00 where as now they are spread out. Which gives me hope that once I find a job I don't have to give up my crown as domestic queen. ha.

Today's interviews were at 9,11, and 1 which allowed me to break up my day with a cup of fairly traded coffee around 10:15 at Global Infusion in the East Hills District of GR at the table in the right hand corner seen below. I lost myself for few minutes in the hand carved frames from India and children's trinkets from Peru. The lovely store owner Joana and her BFF started the store about 4 years ago and feature gifts and yummy stuff from all over the world.


I continue to fall more in love with GR each neighborhood I pass through. I am jealous of those who have such close proximity to culture, even in West Michigan. Erich and I also enjoyed an outdoor lunch today (social butterfly on the cafe scene eh?) at the lovely Marie Catrib's, savoring each bite of the pita chips, cucumber, tomato and tuna salad with the cute little pasta shells. Every time I go there I get the urge to eat with my hands and order multiple items ala cart. But I refrain for the good of the dining public at large.