A [Laundry] Room with a View

Saturday has arrived!  What a perfect opportunity to begin tackling my overwhelming amount of homework!  I am certainly not new to college, but "syllabus shock" still gets me every time.  To distract myself from endless pages of reading, I decided to check out the laundry room on the fourteenth floor of my apartment building.

 I know.  Not too exciting, right?  Well, check out the view!

 

I stared out the window for awhile, quietly soaking in the vastness of this city which I now call home.  These years are to be treasured.  The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to spend my first years of adulthood in a world-class city, surrounded by dear friends, immersed in a dynamic Christian community.  My selfish complaints about long work hours, demanding classes, and inadequate sleep... they melt away when held to the magnificence of His plan.  It is an honor to serve Him here.

A Signature Birthday

Josh and I celebrated his birthday last night!  Usually, he plans our dates and leaves me in suspense.  It was my turn to surprise him!  With vague instructions to dress up and to arrive at 6pm, our evening began.  My roommates helped me get ready, and they even snapped some pictures for us!

Our first stop was McDonald's!  (One of our inside jokes about college poverty.)  It was still "nice;" we went to the Rock-N-Roll McDonald's on Clark.  Two stories!  

We enjoyed fruit trays and iced coffee before heading over to our final destination... the Signature Lounge!  This restaurant and bar is located on the 96th floor of the Hancock Building!

We had wonderful seats, right next to the corner windows!  We were able to watch the sunset over Chicago as we ate delicious desserts.

We ordered vanilla cheesecake with caramel sauce and chocolate mousse cake with berry sauce.  Amazing!  Once the sun set, I wandered the crowded restaurant to snap more photos of our incredible city.

We had an unforgettable time!

Sweet Home Chicago

I am back in the Windy City!  I am settling into my new apartment (shared with two dear friends) and I have already enjoyed some wonderful time with my fiance.  This weekend has been utterly relaxing!  Free of work and classes, this has truly been a vacation for me.  Josh and I spent yesterday evening exploring the Chicago Riverwalk.

We discovered an awesome fountain, too!  We even remembered to take a picture of ourselves.  (This rarely happens.)

We also checked out the Crown Fountain.  I took way, way too many pictures of these beautiful buildings!

  

It's going to be a great semester!

Tea and Travel

This is my last day in North Carolina!  I can hardly believe that my plane leaves tomorrow morning.  I am certainly excited to return to Chicago (and see my fiance again!), but it is always difficult to leave family behind.  To dull the conflicting emotions, I decided to indulge in a Southern "delicacy" at lunch today.

I used to complain that Bojangles was majorly overrated in the South, but there's something strangely satisfying about those over-salted fries, breaded chicken strips, thick honey mustard, and sickly-sweet tea.  Yay for diabetes and obesity.

I have essentially finished packing my bags.  They are extremely heavy (sorry, Josh), but I intend to weigh them tonight to avoid embarrassment and inconvenience at the check-in counter.

I decided to listen to John Piper as I packed.  Listening to the exposition of Scripture caused me to realize just how starved I am for the Word of God.  This summer, my time on the Internet has taken me through countless episodes of Lost (five entire seasons, actually), hilarious re-runs of The Office, and pointlessly funny sites like FAIL Blog.  Entertainment is harmless, right?  I'm not so sure.

 

Evident in my life is a creeping degradation of the mind.  Reading material which requires me to think (or worse, to feel convicted) is avoided entirely, and I remain unchallenged and unchanged.  Through seeking continual, seemingly harmless entertainment, I have inadvertently exposed myself to sexual references and material which have seeped into my mind like a stubborn stain.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  Philippians 4:8

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

My God deserves better.

The Ocean Blue

I leave for Chicago on Saturday!  I have completed my final shifts at Second Go-Round and Panera Bread, and I have said my bittersweet goodbyes to dear friends at church.  Remaining are three days of sweet freedom!  I plan to rest, pack, watch re-runs of "The Office," spend time with family, and...

Leaving for college has heightened my appreciation for these beautiful beaches!  My family is blessed to live only fifteen minutes away from the ocean.
 

Relaxing on the sand this afternoon, sipping a massive cherry limeade and listening to music, I felt at peace.  This summer, though mostly consumed with long shifts and sporadic wedding planning, has truly been a wonderful season.  Josh and I created some fun memories before he left in July, and I also enjoyed some get-togethers with high school friends!  It has also been a blessing to live at home for three months.  I will miss my family when I return to the Windy City.

Second Go-Round

Well, I am finally enjoying some quiet after a busy weekend at Second Go-Round!  I have worked at this little consignment shop since I was seventeen years old.  Today marked my final shift, and I was glad to spend it with my sister.

We have custom name tags.  (Yes, we are that cool.)

Seriously, most of my wardrobe has been purchased here, one special piece at a time.

I will miss working (and shopping) at this special boutique.  Nothing in Chicago compares!

Southern Nostalgia

Well, during this quiet morning at home, thinking excitedly about my upcoming return to the Windy City, I was struck with a sense of appreciation for my childhood years in this house.  Settled comfortably on a quiet, Southern street, this little place has been a welcome solace from the day-to-day busyness and troubles of life.

The rooms of this old house are small and familiar, each caringly decorated by my mom with treasures acquired on therapeutic trips to consignment shops and thrift stores.  My extended stay in hideously bland dorm rooms has heightened my appreciation for the cuteness of this house!

 

Strangely, this is my last summer in this small town.  I will return next May, but only for a few weeks, caught up in last-minute wedding plans and the excitement of welcoming guests!  Soon I will create a new home with my wonderful fiance and soon-to-be husband, leaving behind this cottage for a new one.   The future is a new adventure, but in each new journey I cannot forget to cherish the little things left behind.