Seeing people cross thresholds of faith
+
Seeing students trained and excited to bring new leadership and ministering skills back to their campus
+
Praying myself into a stupor, planning a conference and being recognized for my contribution
+
Walking alongside people during such precious years of growth
+
Seeing inspired seniors commit to bringing God's redemptive values into their career
+
Believing with conviction in what we do
=
the BEST job. Ever.
(Working for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, that is.)









And it wouldn't be half as much fun without these fine people, my co-workers:

Here's what I'm learning:
Blogging is weird.

What makes us think it'd be brilliant to post pictures of our socks and/or snacks?
And why in the world do we think other people might want to see such things?

We may never know.

So, here's my snack today.

Homemade shortbread cookies, dipped in dark chocolate.

We had a bit more chocolate than cookie, so Jake reached for a couple oatmeal cookies to finish.
That guy. He is so resourceful. Especially when it comes to food. It makes me smile.

Now, how good does a shortbread cookie dipped in chocolate dipped in coffee sound?

I had the best Valentinesunday with my man!
Charming, silly, profound and prayerful is my Jake.

We got up early for breakfast at Southport Grocery.
A yum place we haven't been to in quite some time.
Mr. Golden sun came out to play and got us giddy.
We got an extra treat afterward at Anne Sather.

Church was a bilingual service, so of course I went nuts.

Later, we ran into a great friend and had impromptu coffee.

It's amazing how small Chicago feels after four years.

When I was a little girl, my mom used to make us sisters a Valentine gift of chocolate and makeup, usually in a bright red paper bag. And my dad always wrote his girls a love letter. Those are my best Valentine memories. Actually, those are some of my best childhood memories. I first learned love in my family, and now I get to make more.

Just a little something we like to do
to warm up the winter commute for our neighbors.

I remember, whilst putting away wedding gifts destined to become patches in the backdrop of our marriage and family, feeling still too young to own a set of knives. I washed them, soapy and slippery in the sink. One juvenile move and there could be blood. I wanted my mother. To wash them for me. I do not know the sharpness of a knife, I do not care to. I flinched and with white knuckles put the knives away.

These are BIG THINGS.

Our family plan "to build" is scarier than I anticipated.
It could be six years before Jake is done with graduate school.
And me? I almost finished my new year resolution project
to build a photo album, until I realized that they just don't
print pictures like they used to.
It's a big, scary thing. But I like building.

SnoMG.

I'm adoring everyone's snow day tales so much!

Ours began in yellow morning light, husband's work canceled, all of Chicago canceled,
running down the stairs to see the world outside & being amazed at God's abundance.









I did work from home, and in fact had a very productive day.
Which is nice because my anxiety has been through the roof this week.
My evening ended venturing out with darling Ashley.
We landed at the oh so cozy and snazzy Hopleaf bar in Andersonville,
where under a haze of expensive beer, fierce historical banter and gainful employment,
I realized that we indeed are the new breed of yuppie.
There was yellow candle light and pools of yellow street light.