Snow day!!

Today is a snow day! Amazing. It's beautiful and peaceful and I love it.

My first snow day ever.

Jobs.

Oh, I have a job. And I think I'll like it.

Spring break starts tomorrow at 5:30pm for me... And it couldn't have come sooner!

Tea.

Since I got sick on Thursday, I've been rediscovering the joys of tea. Last night I had a cup of 'Tension Tamer' (which is delicious despite the lame name), and found this quote on the back of the box.

It's talking about wildflowers...

"We can only hope to be like them, serene, aware, confident, surely born of simply sun, water and time".

And that reminds me of Matthew 6, where it talks of the lilies of the field. "They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?" (Matthew 6:28-31)

I'm always glad for reminders.

out of here.

I bought my cap, gown, and tassel today. I guess it's official - I'm graduating in two months.

And now I just want to go. To India, to Nepal, to Argentina, to Peru, to Equatorial Guinea... anywhere. And I want to live life there or here or anywhere and I want to live in life's beauty and know God and be confident and love wholeheartedly... God, myself, everyone. I want to live out all that we just keep talking about. Good intentions, knowledge... great. Let's just go.

But I guess first I need to find a job that will pay me more than minimum wage (so I can live: "livable wages"), and cheap housing and an attitude that lets me LOVE wherever I'm at.

So this weekend I will research human rights issues in the form of hunger and diseases, and I will shop at Azteca Ranch Market (and eat free samples at Whole Foods), and I will sleep in and do yoga and drink coffee.

And the week will start over yet again until it is spring break. Then I will go home and SLEEP. And eat their food. And glean their knowledge. And come back again and love this place for another month until I'm thrown out into the REAL WORLD.

And I want to love God like I always have. And have the faith of a child. And that I will learn to do again.

I could probably handle life as it was today. I think I'd even enjoy it.


My candle is flickering on my 1-year-markdown-beautiful-flowers...


Muhammad Yunus, "Banker for the Poor". Read it.


I love Denver's sunny days. And all the days, but I love the sunny ones. I can't wait to live here this summer... and until further notice.


Madelyn and Kaila come tomorrow... It's been 2 1/2 years since I've seen either of them. I've changed, and so have they, and I'm really looking forward to these next few days with them.

Life as I know it.

Life as I know it is about to change. Sometime soon I want to write about my whole college career... so much has happened. So much has changed. I had an interview with the Dalit Freedom Network on Wednesday... I'm not sure if anything will come of it, but it was so interesting just to be there. The woman I met was great, and she seemed pretty enthusiastic about a possible job for me (when/if money comes in), even going so far as to suggest that she might need some sort of assistant. So, if you're wanting to donate to a great non-profit anytime soon, DFN should be the one! But really - they do amazing things. They are a branch of OM and work with the Dalits (the "untouchables", the lowest caste in India). They provide schooling, healthcare, support groups, and jobs for the Dalits. They are doing amazing work, and you should definitely check them out. Oh, how I would love to be a part of that. To work for an organization like that right out of college would be amazing. But I'm trying not to get my hopes up, and still searching and sending out resumes like crazy! [If anyone has any connections with non-profits or humanitarian organizations here in Denver, let me know!] I'm just so ready to move on. I LOVE the kids I nanny for... They're so precious. They drive me absolutely crazy, but little moments keep me going.
Running with Claire on the playground
Reading with Daniel
Laughing with Katie and Jen
Having real conversations with them
Sharing my life with them
Singing along to music: High School Musical, Disney Princesses, Taylor Swift, and Coop's cd.

There's so much more that I love, but these things keep me going. And I love the things I do and the girls I live with and my friends and life right now... But I feel stagnant. The things they try to preach at us in chapel make me want to run away screaming from this place. I'm so done with force-fed Christianity... I'm already living it (I hope), and want to live it for real, in the real world. Get me out of this bubble!

Anyways... So much has happened in college, and I can't wait to read my journals and just process through it. That will have to wait, though, until May 9. I can't wait to see what's next in life!

Oh, I want to travel again. I already miss it like crazy. I'm content right now, waiting for the next chapter, but I want that next chapter to include a trip. Just one. Please? If I worked for DFN (dreamin', here), I could go to India! That would be amazing. I already listen to the Slumdog Millionare soundtrack everyday... I'm pretty much an expert on Indian culture, now.
No, but really. I would love to go there. Nepal, maybe? Peru? Africa again? We'll see.

I need to have a garage sale come May... I have too much stuff for living how I want to live.

I can't believe it's already been a year.
I also can't believe it's only been a year.