6 weeks in...

Roadtrip!

The end of the story: I made it safely to Montana! 

Now, no one is allowed to ask how the following pictures were taken.  Theoretically, they were taken in a stopped car with a steady hand.  :)

Now for the beginning of the story, 

 I began with fresh flowers for a friend in Chicago that ended up accompanying me all the way to Montana.  Some were left in Scottsbluff, NE with the Webers and the remainders graced us with their presence at the dinner table tonight in Montana.

The road began with Iowa. 

Iowa City (where I saw Kris Allen - the American Idol), Des Moines (where I stayed for the night), and then proceeded on to Nebraska.

My spontaneous moment in Nebraska was stopping at this lovely settlers house.  I have no idea why I was so intrigued, but I was!  I was driving along THE Oregon Trail!!  Remember the computer game from grade school?!  I couldn't help but be enthralled with the idea of covered wagons trekking across the scenery I was driving through.

After spending the night at the Weber's, while talking on the phone to Susan I drove by this monument and loved it. 

And then I saw what it said and I loved it even more.  :)

In Wyoming I had to stop and do some exploring in Douglas, Wyoming in honor of my dear friend Doug.  This view was worth the stop. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the road.  The scenery.  The sky!  (Pardon the smashed bugs on the window).

There were many mountains that I felt snuck out of nowhere and all the sudden I found myself crying.  It happened twice! In Wyoming and Montana...I'm innocently driving along and...Wa La!...mountains in my face!  Unfortunately there are no pictures, I just could not get them to do justice.

I am here!  The roadtrip to Montana is finished.  May the adventures continue!

On the road

It's commonly thought that leaving is easier than being left.  Yet today, I found it particulary hard to leave.  I was going to leave for Montana yesterday, then I was going to leave this morning at 6am, finally at 10:30am I rolled onto Lake Cook Road headed towards the highway.  I decided to be silent for the first couple hours, which was good.  It did not take long for the tears to roll down.  I am looking forward to this summer in Montana for a million reasons, yet the tears were a affirmation of the love I have in Chicago. I am confident that God is going to do a good work this summer in Montana.  I look forward to telling you all about it. 

Lastly...some highlights from the car trip thus far

• Tyler Perry's book on tape - I am laughing out loud in my car!
• The Hoover Memorial library in West Branch, IA
• A doppio con panna (coffee) at the Java House in Iowa City
• Seeing Kris Allen (yes, the American idol!) walk infront of my car in Iowa City!  :)
• The green hills and trees as back drop to the trip
• A good run tonight at the hotel before crawling into bed.

Profile Pic

One of my most beloved readers reminded me that I needed to post pictures still...below area few favorite memories from the graduation weekend!

And yes, I have a camera now thanks to my lovely parents!  Woot!

Dad with some of his biggest fans!

Once Granny arrived, the cooking drastically improved!




In the city we played with the new camera in the Cheesecake Factory...

 

Post-Grad

What a whirlwind! I am all graduated.  It was a wonderful weekend!

Pictures are to come. 

But in case you were wondering, the graduation is final.

Great is thy faithfulness, O' God my Father!

7 days

Seven days until...

• I can no longer write "student" as my occupation on surveys
• I will no longer have a box of mail to check at Trinity
• I will no longer have a library card for Trinity's library
• I will no longer to see my new friends Lindsay, Rebecca, Mary & Julie at internship
• I will no longer be able to run into my school friends at school...I will have to intentionally call them
• I will have no reason to keep me from all the phone calls and coffee dates I've been missing (Esther, I'll call you soon).
• I will be able to schedule that Jr. High girls slumber party I've been wanting to have with the girls at church...
• I will have a much more open availability for work
• I will no longer have the heavy cloud of "homework I should be doing" hanging over my head
• I will begin to look for a new job more seriously
• I will no longer be able to put my security in school
• I will have the chance to exercise faith in a new way
• I will be with family and friends at a BBQ...
• I will have a Masters.

Bookends

Today is Saturday.

On Monday of this week I came to the library to work on a paper.  I sat at the only table open where I could look outside at the trees and be near an outlet for my laptop.  It was a particularly busy day at the Trinity library, and at some point a nice Asian man asked to join me.  I said 'yes'.  I was slightly sad because that meant none of my friends who I was sure would wander by and want to sit with me...could.  We were both there with our IBM thinkpads from early in the morning until dinner.  It wasn't so bad.

And here it is Saturday.  Friend Jayme and I came to study together and we ended up at the same table.  She left for work, I went outside the library for a minute, and when I came back...who should be at my table?  The same guy!  He looks tired today.  I feel tired today.  I think we would both rather be outside, or at the zoo, or taking a nap.