Return of Saturn

I spent a few days in Chicago, my second home, this last weekend.  What a trip!  Seriously, it was pretty surreal.  It seems like a lifetime ago or a whole other life that was home.  It made me realize how much I've changed- although, I did get reminded that I haven't changed too much as I walked around Anthropologie, just didn't bring out my wallet.  It was confirmation that I'm not supposed to live there, but I'm thankful that I had the chance to live there.  Chicago is where I "grew up" and basically became an adult.  I'm glad I had my big city experience and know that I can do it!

Through some crazy times, I had some great chats with friends out there!  It was good to talk with people who have known me longer than a year and are at a similar stage in life (AKA didn't just graduate college or retire!).  

Of course, the real reason I went out there was to celebrate the wedding of probably 2 of the nicest people: Stephanie Thies and Brian Geier!  Oh, it was lovely.  I'm so glad I was able to join in the fun!  Here are some highlights...

Here are 2 pictures that sum up three of my favorite things in Chicago:  Friends, brunch, and crazy nights out!  Good times were most definitely had!

Please note: this is a joke, I found this bottle on the floor and
thought it would be funny to use in a picture... I was right!

Everybody cheer!!

One thing that I feel like sums up my life out here is "I'm head cheerleader for the volunteer's softball team that has never won a game."  I actually love that we never win, but we probably have more fun than any other team out there- we definitely have the loudest cheerleaders!  I love cheering things like "Yeah, you got out, it's cool."  What's interesting is that you see small town life in it's prime.  Some of these teams are made up of guys who were pretty good by Valley standards in high school and softball season is kind of what they live for.  Most people are nice enough, but some are kind of jerks.  I try to remember what this means to them and not yell about how everyone on our team has a college degree.  But, that's a whole other topic...  Otherwise, people we play can be pretty cool.  Baseball and softball are not my favorite sports, definitely to play and really I don't love watching it, but I love cheering and yelling random things.  Honestly, they play twice a week, but I usually only go to one (and I avoid the 9:30 games, it's too late for me and I'm so wound up after games that it's hard to get to sleep).  I wish I was ok with team sports, but I hate the pressure (even though no one cares at all on this team).  Also, I hate that everyone is watching you as you bat, ugh...

To honor our friend, Chloe, we are the DreamWeavers.  Chloe's last name is Weaver and her favorite quote is "Dream Big."  We have crazy bright orange t-shirts, her favorite color.  I like to yell "Weave me a dream... or a basket!"

Here are some highlights of my nights at the ball game

Our trademark?  A team tunnel at the end of the game!  It is so fun to yell for everyone as they go through.  They add on the end and we end up with a big tunnel, so fun!

Join our insect nation!

Oh 4th of July, I always have mixed feelings... but maybe that will be another post at another time.

It was a busy weekend, so I didn't have to think about it too much.  (I did miss yelling "America, F*ck  YEAH!").  Lots of movement happened: a friend moved in down the street (yay!), two friends left the Valley (sad), and a new volunteer moved in with us (so far, so good...).  This meant for lots of community meals!  Oh, I ate soooo much, but a lot of it was from our garden- so fun!  We served a Taco Salad as a main dish for 10 people with lettuce and spinach from the garden.  I made a great Chard Cheese Bake with a lb of rainbow chard and some onions from the garden.  We spent one evening out at a friend's house in Alamosa Canyon, AKA middle of nowhere, it was great!  Of course, no small town celebration of America is complete without a holiday parade.  This one has nothing on Bainbridge, but this also pretty much the same one for the many parades in town.

Ok, I do need to say a few, just a few, things about patriotism...  Another thing I love about the Mennonites?  They don't say the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the National Anthem, because they can't "pledge allegiance" to anything but God and our nation isn't just the US, it's the world.  I love it.  And really what does it mean to be patriotic anyway?

I was all weird again

Ok, there's been way too many pictures here...

It is interesting to not have alcohol a part of my life, really at all, down here. I would say my biggest reason for not drinking much here is finances- it's just not that important to me to spend what little money I have on it (which is a good sign). There is also the fact that my housemates don't drink (and are a bit more anti than I think I would care for), but I could if I wanted to.

I think it's been a good change. Not that alcohol has ever been a focal point in my life, but it has held a certain place along the way. It's funny to look back at views and fears of it over the years. In high school and some college, I was scared of it really. It was this pretty unknown thing to me. Not that I didn't know what it was- good and bad- but I didn't have any personal connection to it (besides seeing some it's more unfortunate effects). One thing I didn't like was that it kept me from seeing bands who played at bars- even though I didn't even want to drink! I had always steered clear of it because I didn't like the idea of not being control over my own emotions or alcohol's potential hold over me. Another thing was that I honestly just didn't like the taste.

The church's stance on alcohol also made me a bit confused. There are some fairly vague verses about not letting yourself be under an influence and that your body is a temple (if there are others, please let me know). Then there many cultural things that make the church weary of alcohol- it's not what you're "supposed to do" and, yes, it does come with some consequences. I started getting pretty confused when I saw people I looked up to not only drinking, but making it. This did open me up to the art of beer.. and alcohol in general.

Then something changed when I turned 21. I found a beer that I liked- Hoegarden. Oh man, I was excited. I was also scared and nervous. I started slowly, enjoying this new thing in my life. I spent nights out enjoying myself and friends. I never drank something I didn't like the taste of just to drink, I've always appreciated what I'm drinking. Honestly, I'm happy with my decisions regarding alcohol, even if some of them weren't the best (including not drinking and being a little judgmental, I know where you're coming from if you're there). A few times through the years, I have made a point of going out and not drinking just to be in control of my relationship with alcohol. It wasn't that I felt there was a problem, just didn't want a problem to begin.

Now that things are toned way down for me, it's interesting to think about what I like and don't like about drinking. Honestly, I miss being tipsy and letting loose. I think this can be and has been a really good thing. I love seeing the effects of just one drink on people at dinner and really start talking. I miss buying and trying different kinds of beer. I don't miss a hangover (although now my body does let me know when I've had even 1 or 2). I don't miss that feeling of “Oops, maybe I shouldn't have had that last one.” 

What does it mean for a Christian to drink and even enjoy being tipsy? I'm not sure, but I'm also not sure there is anything wrong with it by itself. It doesn't control me, I don't NEED it. I don't mean to downplay the darker side of drinking, that it can be a problem. There is a thin line between enjoying and having a problem... and when to say something. It's hard to judge alcohol from the outside as when people when people don't understand ENJOYING alcohol, not abusing. I really relate it to having a problem with food, because you can have too much, become addicted, and it can have serious health and psychological effects, but that doesn't mean food in and of itself is bad.

Objections?  Concerns?  I'd love to hear it, because if we don't talk about it, nothing gets done.  We will continue to be "those people" to each other.

Open the gate pt 2

A little garden update, with some older pictures...

Found the official before picture... we hadn't touched it all

This was a couple of weeks after we planted!

Here it is today in all it's glory!!

Onions galore!

Beautiful greens!

Peas and carrots are coming!

And, I've finally figured out how to compost... basically

Our broccoli and chard are so big, I could really capture them on my camera.  This week I'm going to make a chard cheese bake!  Let me know if you have any good chard recipes.