oh hello

hello, my little slice of the internet. it has been so long. i am doing so well.

what to say when you haven't said anything for months? it would be difficult to explain so much, so instead i will explain nothing at all. hello hello :)

i absolutely love sundays. i feel all prepped and primed for the week ahead. mondays are always my most productive, because i'm determined to start a new week off with a bang! unfortunately with this newish job i experience little jabs of anxiety at random moments...but that's slowly going away.

hello!

january 2014 reflections

for the past few years, at the end of every year, i've done a massive roundup and reflection in my journal of the previous twelve months. i always find this enjoyable and even somewhat therapeutic, and in 2014 i've decided to make it a monthly ritual. i'm hoping this will help keep me better focused on some goals i've set for myself, while also reminding me of the smaller, often forgotten blessings i've experienced- as well as the not-so-great moments.

i rambled on for quite a bit about all this in my journal yesterday, but thought i'd condense some of it into list form here.

in january of 2014:

• i went on my first job interview in two years and was offered a fantastic position. i'm no fool, i accepted straightaway, and am excited to start soon. more on this later.
• i visited my family in maryland for the first time in nine months. it was a lazy week of lolling around the house and spending a lot of time with my parents while wandering into the kitchen every couple of hours to stuff my face.
• i worked only 11 days- and it was a 3 paycheck month! SCORE!
• the weather in #chiberia was frigid and snowy- 33.5 inches of snow total, with wind chill temperatures reaching approx -40 degrees! my office closed for four days.
• i was sick for about two weeks; absolutely miserable for one, and sick but recovering for the one to follow. F was so sympathetic and took the best care of me. it made me realize how nice it can be to have someone around to coddle you when you're not feeling well.
• F rcvd a free overnight stay at an amazing hotel and we enjoyed the most luxurious night! i looove staying in nice hotels, it is one of my FAVORITE treat yo-selfs. he also stayed at my place for a week as he was trying to figure out if his allergies and sinus problems were due to his apartment. i was surprised to find how much i looked forward to coming home to him every night, even though i had to learn to be more flexible about other things (like not having my space be as neat as i like). 
• i opened up a lot to F and we had a conversation that i've really been wanting to have with him about faith and us. if i'm honest with myself, i had been really scared to have this talk with him. it's hard for me to be that vulnerable, even with those closest to my heart. it was definitely a good thing both for myself and for us.
• my small group thru church started again after a month's break. i love these people! i was more engaged one-on-one with my church family this month, particularly some people from small group and my women's huddle. growing in this church has been by far one of the biggest blessings i've experienced.
• a good friend of mine moved to chicago from dc, i am so excited to have him here! (hi manu!)
• i reconnected my internet after not having it at home for 1.5 months. in the beginning i thought i would never survive, but as the weeks went on i realized i didn't really mind being offline at home. alas, it took me just a few days to become re-addicted to youtube.

that's a fairly good run through, methinks. overall january was a really good start to the year. i maintained a balance of time spent with myself, with F, and with friends, which was one of my goals for 2014. there was a good mix of lazy days, especially with the weather, and active ones. i did a little bit of traveling and spent a lot of quality time engaging people i care a lot about.

february has been off to a crazy start, but in the best way. i am already exhausted and can't wait for a break, but there are also a lot of good things coming up. full steam ahead!

apartment tour

as someone who has bounced thru multiple homes since i left my parents' [home] in 2005, i am proud to have renewed a lease for the first time ever in 2013. staying in one place for more than 6mo/1yr has provided a certain sense of ownership and stability that i value. i currently live in a teeny tiny, just under 300 sq ft studio apartment in edgewater, a neighborhood on chicago's northside. luckily i am not claustrophobic, and have always loved cozy spaces. i thought i'd finally share some photos of my home, mostly to benefit the curiosity of faraway friends :)

 

this is the first non-student housing apartment i have lived in without a roommate. i was willing to sacrifice sq ft in order to live on my own within a reasonable budget- i started out paying just $645 in rent (water/gas incl). there are challenges, of course:

- minimal storage: i have just one medium size closet...ONE. in my whole apartment.
- hosting guests and visitors: uncomfortable because you are constantly in each other's space.
- keeping everything clean: having one thing out of place can make the whole apartment look a wreck!

but it has been so worth it. i love coming home to my home, each and every day.