classickiss_bbb

Thirty years ago today, my parents got married. December 29, 1981. It was in between semesters of my dad’s second year of law school in Indiana. My mom hadn’t started her masters degree yet and was working at a bank in Illinois. Now, 30 years later, my dad is a lawyer (he works as Senior [...]

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I hope you enjoy these photos from my fabulous Thanksgiving break, including my loooong train ride from Charlottesville, home sweet home(wood), my wonderful family, Starbucks, Chicago, more Starbucks, the Christkindlmarket, Daley Plaza, Washington Street, State Street, and Marshall Field’s Macy’s! By the way, this will probably be my last post until December 22, when I’ll [...]

chiposterpurple_ork

This Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful for: .: replaced and now reliable car brakes .: a 20-hr train trip that brought me safely (though sleeplessly) home in time for Thanksgiving dinner .: a all-family Skype call with my sister on the other side of the world .: my wonderful and unconditionally loving mom and dad [...]

IMG_0528

One week until I get to see all these beautiful faces and more! I’m so thankful I get to go home (first time since August!) for a couple days!! (I should have my parents on here too, and my grandparents and my aunt, but I don’t seem to have any recent photos of any of [...]

IMG_0327

Considering I only turned 24 (barely) a week ago, this new year of my life (25th!) has been remarkably eventful thus far… For starters, Tuesday was my birthday.  As in Tuesday, August 2, 2011.  As in the most frequently mentioned date in the national media for at least the past month or two as the [...]

glasseslist

This past weekend, I tearfully closed a small chapter of my life. I call it “small” in the context of my entire life, both past and future, but certainly not “small” in significance.  The past 7 months have been exciting, fun, busy, and—in many ways—challenging, but—in every way—rich. In 7 months… I both started and [...]

lantern

“Calvinism emphasizes divine sovereignty and free grace; Arminianism emphasizes human responsibility. The one restricts the saving grace to the elect: the other extends it to all men on the condition of faith. Both are right in what they assert; both are wrong in what they deny. If one important truth is pressed to the exclusion [...]

mr-smith-goes-to-washington

The past two weeks have just flown by in a blur of crazy busyness. I flew into DC on Sunday, January 2 and started my new job bright and early on Monday morning. And I’ve pretty much been going full speed ahead ever since. The first week felt very scattered. Because our office opened for [...]

letsbehappy_ruffle

If I had to pick a favorite day of the week, I would not choose Monday. For those who work or go to school Monday through Friday, Mondays are especially frustrating because they mean the end of the weekend and the start of a new work week. But, regardless of people’s specific schedules, I really [...]

applebarrel_haute

One. In honor of the new month… Dear October, Thank you for being such an all-around wonderful month. I love your weather, your temperature, your smells, your flavors, your colors, and your timeless beauty (even in Chicago!). I wish you came around more than once a year, but then, I guess, you might lose some [...]