It is Day Two of the #100HappyDays Challenge for me and I'm on a roll.
There are two pictures that describe today, and they're definitely things I want to share!
First and foremost was my walk back home today after work. It was a high of ten degrees, but the sun was shining. I loved knowing home met me at the end of that chilly walk...with so many wonderful people!!
And at home...it was Man Meal Monday in our house. Ryan came over and made our house "Man Meals" which consisted of Meat Lover's Pizza, Wings, Fries, and Hostess Cupcakes. It was quite the treat. :)
We ended the night watching "The Bachelor" of course!
Grateful for the many blessings of today!
This was a pretty big trend that started last year and generated the hashtagged-phrase: #100HappyDays. I even hopped on it with Ellie for a while, but then decided I didn't want to annoy people with pictures constantly over social media. So for now, I am going to post pictures on the blog. We'll see if it'll be daily or just a post of pictures once a week!
If you're interested in joining me...feel free!
My first #100HappyDays picture is this...
Day 1: Coffee-Homework-Date with three of my wonderful friends and housemates! We went to one of the wonderful coffee houses in town which was newly-decorated. In it's newly-renovated state they are now open late so we did homework instead of watching the Oscars! I had a Chai-der. (Chai tea mixed with Cider. Pretty tasty! And pretty sweet).
Since it is Sunday, I am looking forward to a terrific week!!
Although the thermometer is resting at just above one degree, you wouldn't know how cold it is outside because of how warm it is in the house!!
I figured I would start a blog series on "A Few of My Favorite Things"! (Cue in Sound of Music Song)
Here are A Few of My Favorite Things from this week!
KIND Bars: I love that these are tasty and healthy bars! They are sweet and made with ingredients that you can pronounce (so says the company). They have made for a perfect between classes snack.
2.With the arrival of various tour groups back on campus, there have been several concerts this week! I love being able to go to so many cool musical concerts throughout the school year at Luther. There is seriously so much talent at this school and it amazes me to be surrounded by it. This is Nordic Choir singing at their Homecoming Concert after they got back from Tour.
3. Each year, my Outreach group at school leads a retreat at Sugar Creek Bible Camp in Wisconsin, right along the Mississippi. This marks year number three going to the same retreat with the same retreat. It was terrific to spend time with these wonderful people!
Three hours of broom-ball and tubing later!
4. Story People. This company is based out of Decorah, and the artist, Brian Andreas creates some creative artwork with adorable quotes! I get the story of the day in my inbox and it is always something to cheer you up!
5. The Symphony Concert! My housemate, Halle, was on tour with the Symphony Orchestra in Vienna, Austria, and they also put on their Homecoming Concert. Such beautiful music!
In Four months, the Class of 2015 will be college graduates.
It has only been a week in to the semester and already has been full of ups and downs.
I am scared of the job search. Especially with the loads of licensure applications I have to fill out as well as job applications.
I am unsure of what I will be doing this summer.
Hello living on a college budget again.
Hello thesis-driven essays I haven't written since sophomore year.
So yes...there are lots of things to think about. My mind feels like it's on a bit of an overload, and how could it not be?
However, there are so MANY reasons to be glad.
This is a semester where it is okay for me to sleep in until 8 o'clock since I am not teaching.
I can stay up late talking to some truly wonderful people about life. Yay life conversations!
I get to look forward to teaching next year...and I cannot begin to describe how excited I am about that!!!
Yes...it's a college budget...but I've made some really really good tasting recipes. Even if I burnt the first batch of pancakes I ever made in our kitchen...they still tasted really good. Really good...because I made them as my first meal in our kitchen and that little act of achievement was definitely sweet!
In reality...each of those job applications is helping me to prepare for the future. And there are no complaints about that!
This is also a semester full of spontaneity. We planned a house outing last weekend to the ballet on the spur of the moment. Sometimes we all sit and gather in our living room and drink tea just because we want to talk and catch up.
This semester is full of fun, crazy, different classes that I may not have the opportunity to ever take again...like Creative Writing. (Such a great decision to take this class)
And most of all...I am realizing that yes...it is the beginning of the end of college...but in reality...it's the start of a greater beginning. It's the carrying on of lifelong friendships...it's the making of sweet memories...it's the laughter that fills the air every time friends are together...it's the Culver's dates...and the promise of so much good in the future.
Last night, we pored over pictures of wedding ideas as Libby plans her wedding. It was the sweetest moment to know there is so much promise in the future.
Sometimes...I get caught up in all that has to be done...when in reality, there is so much that comes out of the little moments in life. Those random, monotonous moments that pass quickly and fleetingly, but will someday be treasured.
So with that...here's my theme song right now.
It is a song by Phil Wickham about how God is beautiful in all that he does. He loves us so deeply.
The Spring Semester has started and that means all my housemates are back! The six of us each have our own room in our house on campus and we have had so much fun decorating and making meals together.
It is a huge blessing to be living with such terrific friends, have great conversations.
Laughter seems to be continuously filling the house.
After living by myself as an RA the last two years, it is great being with my closest pals!
Here is our lovely decorated house and pictures of our life in Trondheim 2!
The delicious Falafel meal Jenny and Ellie made
The lovely ladies of Trond 2
Our living room--and "The Bachelor!"
Anna is too great
Classes are beginning and things are getting more in the swing of things! It is a little bit of an adjustment to be a student again after being a teacher, but I know I'll get more used to it as time goes on.
