Dearest blog from my past:

I've thought about you, remembering that one time when I was 23 and wrote to you.  I’ve longed to share with you my very important, inquisitive and insightful thoughts, feelings and hopes. I considered posting many times over the past, ya know, 5 or so years.  I guess I just never got around to it....
    If we are being honest though, I can most certainly project that there is a greater reason why I abandoned you for so long.  But, I a cannot dive into that psychological whirlwind right now.  In fact, I probably only have a few more minutes of uninterrupted time.  So let's recap my life over the past 5 years. Bullet points seem appropriate:

• moved back to Milwaukee
• got engaged
• bought a house
• got married
• got pregnant
• BABY
• started career
• got pregnant
• paused career
• BABY
• started career 
• paused career 

So, I guess, I've been busy.  Busy being married and having children, jobs, careers and a home.  I have been waiting for the perpetual mountain climbing to come to a plateau. At least for a while.  I am realizing now that the plateaus in my life are short, so I should probably take the chance while I have it.

         So here I am.  I am (as of this week) in a new season of full-time stay-at-home momdom.  And so far so good! Right?! That's what all the people in blogland want to hear?  Of course, it's good!  I get to be with my kids.  I love my kids. These are incredible humans that God has gifted me the privilege to raise up.  However, as I prepared myself for this time, I was anxious.  As it turns out, this is not my first season of being home. I have some experience.  And although I enjoy being home immensely, it is a slippery slope.  And of course, I was reminded of this as I coincidentally stumbled across mommy blog, after mommy blog of the challenges of motherhood.

    So let’s just put this out there…. This is NOT a post about motherhood, because we all know being a mom is a hard job.  In fact, it's the most difficult: that and being president.  So let's just get that whole thing out of the way.
    This, my long lost blog friend, is a reflection about work... work as worship.  My current profession is full-time wife, mom, homemaker.  And I take my job very seriously.  God has given me this body to house my spirit.  My spirit is His. He created it in His image, along with my body to worship Him in all things I do.  My physical body is for my husband, to grow, birth and nurish my children, to serve in my home, my community.  But this spirit, this spirit is made to worship God.
    I got all hippy-dippy (as husband would say) on you, didn't I?  And that's because I am!  I am reflecting on the peaceful, harmonious creation of my being.  My prayer, reflection and most of all, worship is internal as I meet with God continually throughout my day. He has me here; in this time, in this space and place to serve him through my family.  This is my work.

   But,  ya know, I didn’t come up with this on my own or in my own efforts.  It came to me while running.  I began training for a half marathon as a distraction from the inevitable.  Because, motherhood is like treading water.... that, or drowning.  There are few times, if even that, that you feel as if you are getting ahead.  You are in a constant state of productivity, because if you stop for even a moment, you fall behind.  The loads of laundry, dishes and garbage pile up.  If you don't bathe the kids tonight, they will go to grandma's dirty, will come home too late to take a bath tomorrow and will be stinky for church on Sunday.  Or if I don't vacuum right, right this second, the kids will play with all the pillows on the floor and then the pillows will get dirty with dog hair and then I will have to do double the work to vacuum the carpet and the pillows.... you get it?! But, like I said, this is not about motherhood, so back to work as worship - I began the training to get away, even if it was for a short time.  Instead God spoke (as He always seems to do) to me about work.

1 Colossians 3:23-24 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

    Running is hard, really stinkin hard!  Let’s just say my 29 year old body isn’t the same as my 23 year old body.  And good thing it’s hard work, because God shows up!

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my groaning. - Psalms 5:1

My spirit can’t help but worship the God who created me for the exact purpose of running 13.1 miles and being the woman of this household.  He put me in this exact space and place to bring glory to Him.  I am overwhelmed with the blessings and responsibility that is my work!  What else is there to do than to serve him with every ounce of being?!  Because it is, yea, we get it, really hard work - but it is so very worth it.

Bon Iver and scenes from Wisconsin

I stumbled upon this video on youtube during my many hours stalking Bon Iver.  It is probably obvious that I love Justin Vernon, but what may be less obvious is how well this video speaks to Wisconsinites, especially those well traveled between here and Minneapolis.  For those of you who make this trip several times a year, as do I, you know what I'm talking about.  Although the quality isn't the greatest, the video captures the bleakness of the winter; and that overwhelming feeling when you look out your window and think, Justin Vernon know's what up. Oh Wisconsin, you get me every time.

Readymade me something sweet

Ahhhh... a day in the life of an art school graduate, minorly employed, but overwhelmed with the abundant time, this life is an anxious ticking clock before the real job state of adulthood comes upon me.  I know it's coming soon; and although I am extremely anxious to begin making enough money to: pay rent, buy groceries and put gas in my car, I am eternally making a list of potential projects.  These projects could include both art projects and life projects, or even a combination of both.  And fueling my inspiration is ReadyMade; a great resource to inspire and keep myself busy while I'm awaiting a full time job.
Readymade magazine is not your traditional lifestyle resource.  It is not gimmicked by any collections label.  It is not geared toward the wealthy stay at home mom.  It is not called "O" or "Martha Stewart Living".  Now don't get me wrong, I do love me some Martha's spiced lemon cake, but I'm looking for some diversity here!  Ready Made is geared toward the moderately financed house hold, the cultural advocate, and the crafts-person in all of us.  It is like a visual to your first lesson on the environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. That's been the name of the game, but this is even better, because it's for adults.  It has an vast array of topics, one is bound to find something of interest.  I could tell you the mass amounts of cool stuff they have in their magazine or on their website, but that would take hours, and I'm not getting paid for this.  So check out their site http://www.readymade.com/  - great inspiration, cool things that I will use, makes me think... hey, I could do that!
And the best thing about it... they have an article about Milwaukee's awesomeness. Readymade: Milwaukee  I love when greatness comes in pairs.

MPLS.TV... You don't even know

A new genre of cool... "its like TV... on the INTerNET!"


City of Music: Gayngs from MPLS.TV on Vimeo.

MPLS.TV is perhaps the greatest new media site to hit... almost ever!  Ok maybe I'm exaggerating.  But, at least they are on their way.  I've been an avid public media participant since my early web surfing days.  Whether I was downloading mass amounts of music, stalking my favorite bands or watching Youtube, I was spending hours online looking to be entertained.  And with this blog, I thought that I could start something completely new.  A one stop space to see the coolest of the cool.  A place to waste time, without actually wasting time trying to find something sweet to look at.   But MPLS.TV has sorta beaten me to the punch.
When I moved up to Minneapolis my sister had told me about the site and suggested I check it out for internship opportunities.  I immediately was intrigued, and with their Gayngs video I am kinda addicted.  It helps that I love the song and the band, but even if I didn't, this video is kick ass.  Dan Huiting and Gimme Noise are making music videos the rest of the music video world is (or will be) envious of.  The production quality is superb and the creativity is... well let's say I'm alittle envious as well.
They do more than just music videos too.  Actually, they produce a video a day with each video as an episode for the series.  Check out What the F*** are you Wearing?!  That's pretty funny.  Or the variety show.  That's pretty funny too.  And the greatest thing about the whole site is that it's completely done for no profit.  I mean really no one in the world is paying these guys to spend time or their own money to make these great videos.  So what's the catch?  They're just really cool.

William, age 3

Residing in the Twin Cities

William, age 3, Valkyrie Superfan

I claim current residence in Minneapolis, MN.  Only a long 5 hours from my homeland of Milwaukee, WI, the Twin Cities is a familiar resting place.  I am here to play rugby with the Valkyries, and to do an assortment of other things.  Though, the "other things" were not well specified or planned, and therefore I have been filling my time with random work and distractions.  Four rugby players and a boyfriend occupy our three bedroom flat.  I share a room with my sister, Laura... we have bunk beds.

Rugby in the Women's Premiere League is pretty serious.  We travel every third weekend during the Fall season, which is fun, but really expensive.  Luckily I am highly skilled in both man and woman work:  I can paint your house or clean out your cupboards,  I can babysit your children, take their picture, help them with an art project or potty train them.  Or, let me take your dogs for a walk, or move heavy objects, lawn care ... in any case I have skills.  These skills have been particularly helpful this fall as the Vintage Valks have put my skills to great use. However, I do not hope my future endeavors include these skills as a sole source of income; and thus, my intentions for career sized employment hold weight along side my return to Milwaukee, my dire need to play rugby, a few large bills and happiness.

I blame this limbo land of decision making on age.  I recently turned 24.  That means just a few months ago I was 23, which means that I was at the worst age of all.  The age of 23 is a bumble way of confusion and unknowning.  It's like adult puberty, only worse because the outside world can't tell by your awkward posture.  You are stuck between young adult and real adult, and your developmental status is based on your "accomplishments".  The direct path towards employment, marriage and middle life is appealing; especially when you can pay your bills and still go out on the weekends.  Though, I've known for a long time that my conventions seem more like a zigzag, than a straight line.  The direct path is for those who know what they want, and know how to get there.  And now that I am out of the terror of 23 (and beyond self induced panic), I am more aware of what I want.  But where do you go when you want it all?  Where do you live, where do you work and how do you define yourself when your paths pull you in all directions?

My plan of attack has been whispered in my ear since birth: "one step at a time" (Mom is very wise on this subject matter such).  And thus; the Valkyries (myself included) are off to Nationals this weekend!  We will be competing in the top four tier.  How did we get there?... only we know!  Wish us luck and a little composure... and stay tuned! (you can get an up to date news feed from the games on our facebook page! MN Valkyries