Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Back to the Mitten
So tomorrow I am officially moving from Santa Barbara, my home of the past 4 1/2 years, back to Muskegon, MI.
Well, sort of.
More like I'm moving my things back to Muskegon.
Hopefully I myself will only be there for a few weeks before moving on to other parts of the world.
At the moment I am still very uncertain of where exactly those "other parts of the world" will be and for how long.
But that is what these next few weeks at home are for, planning.
Well, sort of.
More like I'm moving my things back to Muskegon.
Hopefully I myself will only be there for a few weeks before moving on to other parts of the world.
At the moment I am still very uncertain of where exactly those "other parts of the world" will be and for how long.
But that is what these next few weeks at home are for, planning.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Ecclesiastes
"For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and he who incresases knowledge
increases sorrow."
and he who incresases knowledge
increases sorrow."
Friday, September 2, 2011
It's long...bear with me.
Summer Highlights:
(Almost) My whole family was together in Santa Barbara for my graduation. Minus Anne.
Spent a few days hiking in Big Sur and staying in a yurt.
I watched my brother graduate Medical School.
I worked on a 3-acre farm, learning about the earth, people, and God.
I was given the chance to rekindle friendships and spent 3 unforgettable weeks living with two of the most beautiful individuals I know (Debra Warren and Satpreet Kahlon).
I moved in with my 2nd family (Dan & Karen Ribbens).
I played soccer again for the first time since last September.
I got to spend the month of August in the Midwest.
I got to see my sister for the first time in over a year
I spent a week in the Northwoods with my extended family. My boyfriend got to come as well :) I also got to spend a week with him in my hometown.
I spent a few weeks being a Barkett in Muskegon again.
And I was reunited with MESP soul mates.
Summer Lowlights:
Car was totalled.
Each time I had to say goodbye to a person I love.
(Photo Credits: Satpreet Kahlon, Emiko Corey, and Jordan Clark)
(Almost) My whole family was together in Santa Barbara for my graduation. Minus Anne.
Spent a few days hiking in Big Sur and staying in a yurt.
I watched my brother graduate Medical School.
I worked on a 3-acre farm, learning about the earth, people, and God.
I was given the chance to rekindle friendships and spent 3 unforgettable weeks living with two of the most beautiful individuals I know (Debra Warren and Satpreet Kahlon).
I moved in with my 2nd family (Dan & Karen Ribbens).
I played soccer again for the first time since last September.
I got to spend the month of August in the Midwest.
I got to see my sister for the first time in over a year
I spent a week in the Northwoods with my extended family. My boyfriend got to come as well :) I also got to spend a week with him in my hometown.
I spent a few weeks being a Barkett in Muskegon again.
And I was reunited with MESP soul mates.
Summer Lowlights:
Car was totalled.
Each time I had to say goodbye to a person I love.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
I miss you already.
Today was quite possibly the most unproductive day since...well, since a long time.
But it was a day that I needed.
I needed time to reflect. Time to digest and process the past week.
And that is exactly what I did.
I just returned from spending almost a week in Minnesota with four of my closest friends from my semester abroad in the Middle East.
And it was soo good.
There was a lot of driving, which meant a lot of great music.. as well as very sore butts.
We hiked, camped out, swam in Lake Superior, feasted on amazing "one pan wonders", reminisced about our semester together in the ME, laughed about things in the moment and things in the past, talked around the campfire into the late hours of the night...
It felt so good to be with these friends of mine. To share things on my heart that only they would understand because only they experienced that formative time with me. They were the ones with me when I began to see the world through a new lens. They were the ones that I dialogued with as I began to ask questions and as my faith structure came crumbling down around me.
They were the ones with me as I fell in love with a people, a country, a region.
They understand my desire, my need, to go. Get up and go.
There is a piece of me that I feel like no one but the people I lived with in Egypt will ever really know.
It felt so right to be together again. But now that we have said our goodbyes, it just feels lonely.
(pictures taken by Jordan Clark)
But it was a day that I needed.
I needed time to reflect. Time to digest and process the past week.
And that is exactly what I did.
I just returned from spending almost a week in Minnesota with four of my closest friends from my semester abroad in the Middle East.
And it was soo good.
There was a lot of driving, which meant a lot of great music.. as well as very sore butts.
We hiked, camped out, swam in Lake Superior, feasted on amazing "one pan wonders", reminisced about our semester together in the ME, laughed about things in the moment and things in the past, talked around the campfire into the late hours of the night...
It felt so good to be with these friends of mine. To share things on my heart that only they would understand because only they experienced that formative time with me. They were the ones with me when I began to see the world through a new lens. They were the ones that I dialogued with as I began to ask questions and as my faith structure came crumbling down around me.
They were the ones with me as I fell in love with a people, a country, a region.
They understand my desire, my need, to go. Get up and go.
There is a piece of me that I feel like no one but the people I lived with in Egypt will ever really know.
It felt so right to be together again. But now that we have said our goodbyes, it just feels lonely.
(pictures taken by Jordan Clark)
And The Summer of Love comes to a close.
As I turn the page of the tattered book I see the hallmark roman numerals and big block letters signifying a new chapter.
But I’m not ready for a new chapter, not tonight; I’m still captivated by the beauty of the last one.
So, I close the book, turn off my lamp, and settle into my sheets.
Yes, it’s too soon, I think to myself.
Instead of following the protagonist into the next chapter of her story, I close my eyes and fall asleep dreaming of the beautiful summer of love. _______________________________________
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Winter/Spring in Santa Barbara
Last soccer banquet...all the seniors.
Dan (one of my soccer coaches/best friends/so much more) and I have started a Saturday morning bike ride tradition. He kicks my butt on the flats and I barely beat him on the hills.
One day I came home from one of my rides with Dan and there was a kitten in our living room!!!
The next day we went and got a second one =)
(fluffy one=First Lady...tabby one=Riggens) *FYI I did not come up with the names.
Best Friends United in Santa Barbara! Tessa, Laura, and Debra came out to SB for their spring break.
We went wine tasting in San Ynez Valley and this was the beauty we were surrounded by.
Sunday Night Family Dinners at the house.
I'm happiest when I'm outside in the sun hiking.
Especially if I'm in good company =)
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