Summer Summer Summer Time

I have been looking forward to kicking off this summer for quite a while. This past weekend is when the craziness started and it won't be done until about the middle of July (unless something else gets planned!).

Adam and I went to Kansas City with my brother to visit friends and family. While it was a short trip, it was probably the most fun I have had in a while. We went to a Royals game and the celebrations started at 10:00 am and didn't stop until about 11:30 pm when we went to bed! 

This coming weekend we are going to Omaha to visit Adam's dad and stepmom and brother and his family. Monday, morning, I fly out bright and early for a conference in Indianapolis. I have been wanting to go to IFI for quite a while and am really excited that I finally have the chance! 

I come back from that on the 14th (My birthday BTW) where Adam and I are taking a cooking class on stir-fry! I will have just enough time to get caught up on laundry and work before we leave for Key West on the 20th! We will spend six glorious days in Key West! I am so looking forward to getting some Florida sun, jet skiing, snorkeling, shopping, etc! 

We come back from that trip on the 26th and and my mom will be up 4 days later to visit for a few days. Once she is gone, I pack up and head to Door County for the 4th! 

Bah! Busy Busy Busy!!! I am sooo excited though! 

Happy Anniversary-Round 2

Last year, I was writing about my first year of marriage and how there will always be “firsts” through the rest of our marriage (children, homes, vacations, etc.) and year number two was no different.

Right after I wrote that post, I was offered a new job and Adam and I ended up taking the plunge and make the move to Kearney, NE. I am so grateful that I had Adam by my side during the process. Moving as far as we did from our families made us really rely on each other and further depend on each other. We have definitely had our fair share of highs and lows this past year but if I really look back at this year and compare it to our first year, I believe we have matured much more in our relationship.

Not only did we move to Nebraska and I started a new job, Adam started going to back to school full time. I have never been more proud of him than I am right now. I remember writing this same thing last Spring when he started taking a few classes and became catholic, but my pride for him has grown even more which makes me so excited for the coming years.

Adam, thank-you for being my support-sytem, my best friend, my sounding board, making me laugh when I need it, and knowing when to give me space. I love you with all my heart and am looking forward to what life will bring us!

I am not sure what year three will bring, but I am confident that it we will grow closer and become stronger. Happy 2^nd Anniversary Sweets!!!

Well...It has been a while!

As the title shows, it has been far too long since I have been on this and the last few posts really chronicle update of my new life and job in Nebraska. Today I want to focus on something that has been on my mind the past week

Adam and I typically go to one of two Catholic churches in Kearney but this past Sunday we decided to go to the Newman Center instead. I haven't been to the Newman Center since right when the school year started. Since I was so new to campus, I really didn't recognize any of the students and I doubt they knew who I really was. When we went on Sunday, I was surprised to see how many of the students I work with at Mass. These aren't students that I see occassionally, but ones that I work with multiple times a week and, for whatever reason, it never dawned on me that, "Hey, they could be religious" and it is from students who I wouldn't have quite expected. It was refreshing to see fraternity brothers and sorority sisters attending mass together. It makes me happy to see that the chapter they joined, with the members in, are supportive and share the same beliefs.

Too often, we allow ourselves to define ourselves by our job. My title as "Assistant Director for Greek Affairs" pigeon holes me in the category of just working with fraternties and sororities, putting out fires, tackling risk management, and the list goes on and on. The first thing that definitely doesn't come to mind is "listener." I have a student who is completely open and comfortable with her faith and loves to sit down and chat with me. Regardless of what I choose to believe it doesn't matter to her but what matters is that there is someone there who is willing to listen to her without judgement. I am not sure how I became that person with her, but I am thrilled to be that for her!

I think, especially since I work for a state institution, we aren't supposed to talk about religion or beliefs. The more I think about it, the more I find this to be contradictory to what I do. I am in the profession of "developing" students to reach their fullest potential. Finding one's spiritual self is part of the process that I think many college students go through in finding their identity. Why do we have to draw the line? We so much encourage students and colleagues to be that "safe place" for students who trying to find their identity when it comes to sexuality and personal identity, but why isn't religion inluded?