Of France!!!!*

*sorry Heater, I laughed so hard at this that I couldn't resist to make it a subject line...

So, I just got back from Carthage visiting a very cool girl and let me tell you, it was amazing.

You never fully realize the effect you have on people until either a) they tell you (like my friend Steve did yesterday) or 2) it comes back to teach you something. I've been living in the latter, and then tonight I experienced the former.

A year ago this young woman came to me to ask me to be her mentor. Me, of all people, I didn't feel worthy, but I knew that it would require me to put into practice what I have been learning since I've been here. I wanted to mentor someone, especially someone who was in high school because I often felt during my high school years no adult really wanted to invest time in me. So, I said yes and it changed my life forever.

She is up at college now, doing her best to remain true to who God has created her to be and at the same time figure out how to balance school (she's so freakin' smart), friends, and fun all at the same time. She's essentially figuring out her rhythm of life, and I'm so grateful that I have been a part of that experience.

I drove to her college campus, all the while reminiscing about mine (and trust me, I LOVED college...it was some of the best years of my life) and once I got there, I saw how well adjusted she is and how she truly is simply loving on the girls and guys she is around on a daily basis. I love it. I love who she is and who she is becoming; I love that she is figuring out what she really wants to do with her life and I love the fact that she is loving school. She's the only 18 year old I know that was willing to say to herself "yes, I think therapy is a good idea".

I have so many dreams for her, about who she will become and what she will do and I feel fortunate that she wants to share that with me. She pushes me to look deeper into who I am and what I do and learn...she is amazing.

Liz, you are one great kid and I am so fortunate to not only to call you my mentoree, but also my friend.

ps-She, like me, is a nerd about her blog...check her out here: http://www.xanga.com/dremor

to brighten my day

A good friend of mine sent me this email today:
here's the quote that's been on my mind...
"oh my god, danny devito, i love your work!!"
hope you're having a good day!!

Nothing more, nothing less, and it was the best thing I could have received in my inbox today. Unlike my friend Heather (www.dooce.com who, let's be honest, has never met me but I know that if we did meet we would be great friends) who receives mean emails in her inbox on a regular basis, I tend to get only good ones and the occasional spam.

I get emails from friends and family members, jokes, pictures of my best friend's adorable child, and information from united and american about flights I can't take right now. And I do want to get away. I want to get some space from all the drama that is happening right now, lay on a beach like I did last year in Puerto Rico and simply sleep the day away as I listen to the ocean crash up against the shore.

I know fleeing won't cure anything, in fact, I know that the drama will still be here when I get back, but I feel like I need a break.

And it's not bad drama, it's just drama and I wish it would end because I don't know how much more self-realization I can handle.

Until then, I go to Carthage College (www.carthage.edu) tomorrow to visit a girl that is awesome and as an 18 year old, I truly believe on the transformational journey. I can't wait!

So, in order to brighten your day, I leave you with this quote:
"I ought cancel your Spring Fling. Now, I'm not gonna do that because we've already paid the DJ. "

Haha...I defeated the gods...

Okay, as you can see below, I have figured out a way to post pictures on my blog without confronting the Willow gods.

Thank you www.flickr.com! Prepare for greatness!

A reminder of the beauty of this city

IMG_0236.JPG,
originally uploaded by mes9193.

Despite the weather here, I wanted to remind myself how much I truly love this city.

I had the most fantastic weekend here and it was all set here, in this wonderful city...

I can't imagine being any place else.

Scrubs, Zach, and Tom...

So one of my new favorites show is "Scrubs". It airs on Tuesday nights at 8:30 pm here in the Windy City. And to say it's one of my new favorites is an overstatement simply because I've been watching it for about a year, when it use to be on Thursday nights and then it moved, so I had to begin to tape it. I try to tape it every Tuesday night and I'll watch it when I get home around 11:30...a good laugh before bed, it's great!

Tuesday's show focused on grieving, a topic I feel more competent in now than I did two years ago. JD's father passed away and his brother (the one hot Tom Cavanagh from the other fabulous TV show that was cut way too soon "Ed") show up with a cake to break the news to JD. We see how each member reacts to the news and the support that Cox gives to JD. This show I believe speaks to the members of my generation, much like M*A*S*H spoke to my father's generation.

Then Zach Braff (the star of Scrubs) makes a beautiful movie, one that also speaks for our generation and it makes me want to give him a kiss on the lips. He understands our generation, the issues we are going through, the thoughts that run through our heads. Zach Braff is a genius and I love what he is doing.

If you get a chance, and are willing to sit through witty communication and deep moments, this show is for you. My favorite episodes include the one with Rerun (the boys were planning Turk's bachelor party) and the one that included the song "99 red balloons". Watch this show, support it, if not for yourself, but for me.

By the way, you can read more about "Garden State" and other fun things from Zach here:
http://gardenstate.typepad.com/

So, here's an update...

For those of you who know me, you know how much College Football means to me. If you don't believe me, look at my previous post entitled "One Thing I Love". It was posted on September 4th. Anyways, my Kansas State Wildcats are doing horrible. We lost to the University of Kansas and we've beat them 11 years in a row. And they are terrible at football...typically. We play Oklahoma next (there's no way we'll win) and then Nebraska (hopeful, but expectation management will be done prior to this game). I'm even questioning whether or not we'll get a bowl bid this year.

Life is crazy busy. I worked 14 hours on Friday. Have you ever been in your office building for 14 hours straight? Let me tell you, it's not fun, I don't recommend it. School started last Monday and I'm currently enrolled in two classes: Ethics (and come on now...everyone I tell that I am in an ethics class they roll their eyes, which I agree with completely. Me of all people studying ethics, it's quite funny) and Leadership Communication (the same class I've taken 5 times in a row). Bethel's leadership classes are very lack luster. Perhaps it's in the culture I am in, but these classes could use a revamping so that everyone benefits from them, not just the students outside of Willow.

I went to a bachelorette party this weekend. I'm exhausted. I've never sat in a room with women and had a more open discussion regarding sex. I feel fortunate that these women were open enough to share with me in the room and that people were willing to share.

Otherwise, I'm hanging in there. Life and leadership has been difficult recently. I've stepped down from leading a small group of women in their 20's and during that process, I've had some learning lessons. I've never realized how lonely leadership can truly be, and I feel like I now have to watch what I am saying every second of every day. I'm worried about how others will take it and that's hard.

Another interesting thing is that an English professor of mine from Kansas State was arrested for murder. It's a little strange and very creepy.

I'm reading "The DaVinci Code" right now and I can't put it down...
I know it's fiction, and it is a page turner...
I'm tempted to buy the new Gavin DeGraw cd and I really want to buy "Saved" yet with cash being low these day, maybe Santa will bring them for Christmas. I guess I should start being a good girl then.