The Annual Christmas Card

Once again it's time to create our annual family Christmas card.  As usual, I'm running late.  I procrastinate every year, because I always argue with myself on doing the card.  Should I just send a plain Christmas card and sign our names?  Well, what about the people who I don't see but I like to keep in touch with?  I should write a little update of what's been happening with our family.  If I do that, it'll take me forever to write in people's cards.  Maybe I should do a Christmas letter?  Well, if I do that, it always has a tendency to come across as "bragging" and the whole year sounds fake and fabulous.  But, then again, why would I write about the bad stuff that happens?  Everyone has bad times and nobody wants to hear about other peoples problems, they have problems of their own.  Everyone does.  So, the letter will just have the highlights of the year.  But, what about a picture?  Do we have a picture of all 5 of us? 

This train of thought made me consider not doing a Christmas card this year, but, then each time I get a card in the mail, I feel guilty.  So, two nights ago, I went on-line and finally made a Christmas card with a picture and a Christmas letter.  I ordered it, and it will arrive on December 20.  By the time people get it, people will be taking their cards down.

Oh well, better late than never. 

Maybe next year I should just resolve that I will do a card and start working on the card early in November.  Besides, I like having the cards.  They make good memories of us and they're fun to look back on.  Sometimes I am embarassed by what I put in the card, but, I still plug away at them each and every year.

Well, tomorrow I drive to Minneapolis to pick Kayla up for the winter break!  I am so excited!  We're going to a nice dinner, then to a play and I'll stay in the dorm with her for the night.  How cool is that!  On Friday we will stop and do some Christmas shopping on our way home.  It'll be the perfect start to the week before Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!  (PS:  At least I don't make the family do crazy pictures like this...)

Snowpocalypse

"Snowstorm racks Minn.
In Minneapolis, 17.1 inches of snow fell, the fifth-highest total in city history."

Even if I hadn't woken up to this headline on the front page of The Minnesota Daily newspaper on Monday morning, I feel quite confident I would've been well aware that the metro was the target of a massive blizzard this past weekend...considering I became trapped in the dead eye of the historical storm that ultimately made sports history forever. Let's journey back to Saturday, December 11, 2010 shall we?

One of my best friends, lets call her Dakota, was visiting me for the weekend from UW-La Crosse and we had plans to travel to the nation's largest mall on Saturday to do our Christmas shopping. Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into as soon as we stepped outside of Frontier Hall...

No, that's a lie. We knew. Considering the wind and snow made it nearly impossible to walk to the bus stop a few yards away from the dorm and the Rt 16 Bus even got stuck on the way to the lightrail station and we had to walk a block or so to the station, we knew it was just the beginning of a monster. Our thoughts were further confirmed when the lightrail was stuck for about 15 minutes on the tracks on the way to Mall of America. Alas, Christmas shopping needed to be done, Dakota wanted Johnny Rockets, and I needed a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory premium apple. Priorities people.

Fast-forward to 4:00 pm. The stores started to close, very "Titanic-esque" pulling down their gates to refuse customers any more service for "the safety of the employees." Just then, I received a text from a friend back on campus, "So...MetroTransit is suspended." (Note: MetroTransit is the ONLY public bus transportation system in the Twin Cities. They have a monopoly.) Thank God the lightrail is NOT included in this suspension, so we booked our butts and bags to the lightrail in the parking lot of the mall only to shove our way onto the train that has about 5X too many people. Here, we learned that the train has been sitting there for about 45 minures because oh, I don't know...there was a WRECK a little down the way! Eventually, the train started to move, and since the lightrail only goes downtown, not to campus, I texted my friends back in the dorm to look up the cab service numbers to send a cab downtown to pick us up. New Text Message: "No cabs are running. Some won't even pick up the phone." Alright, so now panic starts to insue. We are crammed into a tiny lightrail car with 100 other people, heading to a place that isn't even home and....the lightrail gets stuck, multiple times. Claustrophobia? Hey I'm Kayla, nice to meet you.

Part 2 of the journey begins when the lightrail finally gets us safely to the downtown stop. Some people on the train said they are going to walk back to campus so, instead of dropping $100 on a hotel for a night, we decide to attempt to make the trek and follow them.

Apparently these people are Olympic sprinters and hurdlers. As they bound over snowbanks and fly across snowy, icy, intersections, me and Dakota are panting far, far behind, tripping over our Uggs, nearly slipping on corners, shopping bags hitting our legs and further slowing us down. Funny, considering I'm so athletic and Dakota so nimble and quick...we get left in the dust, or in this case, powder. We trekked about a half hour and as we looked around, we realized we were in a scene from The Day After Tomorrow. People were walking in the middle of the road, cars in ditches and the few that were moving had tires stuck halfway into the snow. For a while, I knew what road we were on and kinda had some bearings, but then the city decided to be a brat and change Washington Ave into 4th St without any warning. With windblown faces, runny noses, freezing hands, soaking wet boots, and no sense of direction, we ducked into the sole establishment open on the street we were on, The Corner Bar.

We indulged in some refreshing beverages (pop), energy-enriched sandwiches (grilled cheese) and hot chili (yep, just hot chili.) We indulged very slowly, relishing each moment in the safety of indoors until we had paid our bill and had no choice but to embark back into the wretched environment outdoors. Using my context clues and a map of a random part of Minneapolis, I got us to the right road to get back to campus. Problem: it's an exit ramp. Solution: Being that there were no cars, we trekked and slid down the exit ramp, facing the would-be traffic head on. (Note: Dakota had fallen like 3 times at this point, at least this lightened the mood.)

Sweet victory. We saw, through the flurries, to an overpass that read "University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus." I literally screamed out in joy, "We made it!!" We then had to crawl underneath a fence and walk across the Mississippi River, but eventually we burst into Frontier Hall Rm 193, Christmas purchases in tow, with chilled bodies, stressed out minds, parched throats, and quite the story.

I end this post with some pictures: 1) An extremely flattering one of Dakota and I after we stripped off our durable, reliable winter jackets that got us through the storm, complete with appropriate facial expressions and a complete mat of icy, snarly hair on my head.

2) What happened shortly after, about 2 miles away from our dorm, to mark sports history forever as the day the Metrodome caved in and tore open.

3) TCF Bank stadium, about 2 blocks from our dorm, in the midst of being prepared today to host the Vikings and Bears in less than a week.

Mom comes tomorrow :) Safe to say I am ready to be home for the holidays.

“How far we travel in life matters far less than those we meet along the way.”-Anonymous


More or less, this past Monday I made it back from volunteering in one piece. And, being that I'm a huge believer in everything happening for a reason, I'm so happy I got mixed-up on the route home again, I met such an intriguing woman! Upon boarding the bus, I told the kind and cheery lady driving exactly where I needed to get off so she could maybe give me a warning. With a smile, she agreed. We began to talk, she asked me if I had just moved to the city (Gosh, am I really that obvious?) and I told her the abridged version of my life: From a small town in Wisconsin, here for school, studying Spanish, that's why I was way out at a bus stop in Northeast Minneapolis, etc. She then told me she happened to be from Eau Claire, and came to the cities a while ago to attend the U and study psychology. Never got to hear the end of that story, some new passengers boarded and were confused about the fare. Anyway, she pulled back onto the road and asked me if I had a computer, and proceeded to flash me the back of her clipboard that was covered by a sticker saying, "Need a Ride?" followed by a URL. "I have a blog," she told me, "It's called 'Picking Up Strangers' 'cuz, well, that's what I do!" I was instantly intrigued and began asking her about it. I then informed her that I, in fact, blogged also, and gave her a quick run down of Tale of Twin Cities. Surprisingly sad to end this bus ride, I thanked her, spread some holiday cheer her way, and couldn't wait to get on my laptop and check out her site. I spent at least an hour reading through months and months of her blogs, laughing at the crazy people she encounters, the contests she holds (this past one if you "found" her on a bus and told her a secret phrase the winner got a Brett Favre jersey--not that I woulda've wanted to win that one), knowing more about the routes (apparently route 2 is the one with crack heads on one side and college kids on the other), and some fun facts about Jeanne, The Happiest Metro-Transit Bus Driver: she likes to collect stuffed animals and bring them on her routes to give to little kids who get on. How cool! If you have some time, check it out, you won't want to stop reading about her encounters: http://www.pickingupstrangers.com/.


I'm getting so attached to my kids at the school! Cases and points: 1) This Monday, Enrique Iglesias was in town (screw being poor), and after I told the girls (yes there may have been some screams), we started talking about music. They ripped out a sheet of notebook paper and filled every line with their favorite Spanish songs that they insisted I download. My Recently Added playlist on the pod is now full of canciones nuevas. 2) As we were walking out to busses, I was talking to one of the girls about how I'll see her next year, to have a good Christmas, etc. My heart warms a little bit at what she said before we parted ways, in English: "Oh, um, I wanted to tell you that I think you got better at Spanish." Aww, I heart her. And, 3) One of the boys finally worked up the courage this week to yell across the room to me, "Ay, Senorita! You got a Facebook?" "Yesss..." "What's your Facebook name?" "Pablo I'm not allowed to add the students..." Something about those Latino boys... :)


Well, now that I'm all warmed up on my writing, I suppose I should start thinking about finals like the rest of the student body and start cranking out my final paper for my Latinos in the US course. How ironic that I hate this class to my core....

Beware of the Christmas Bell Ringers....

This time of year, when I see all of the Salvation Army bell ringers outside of the grocery stores and Wal-Marts, I think back to my first year of college.  I worked at the grocery store and there was an older guy, mid-50's I guess, who wore a Santa hat and rang the bell outside the store.  One night, I dropped in some change and struck up a conversation with him. As the weeks went on, I would talk to him on occassion.  For some odd reason, he asked for my phone number, and weirdly enough, I gave it to him.  My friends thought it was strange when he started to call me.  (So did I, but, I wasn't sure why.)  Then, he started to talk to me about his career.  He said he used to be a police chief in Detroit and he saw many things and he could tell me some stories that would really freak me out.  He said he was an ice fisher and he asked where I lived because he wanted to deliver some fish he caught to me.  At this point, my friends said he was a weirdo and I better stop communicating with him.  Then, one strange night came when he asked me to meet him for coffee at a local McDonalds.  I actually went to the McDonalds, with my friends secretly nearby.  The man told me that he had a surprise for me in the trunk of his car. He then proceeded to walk with me out into the dark parking lot, open up the trunk of his car, and he showed me some ice fishing supplies.  He also said that he had some long-underwear for me to wear, and he wanted to take me on an ice fishing trip.  He thought I should get into the back seat of his car and try on the long underwear.  Well, at that point, I gave my freinds the signal and they pulled up in their car and I jumped in and drove away.  I had to change my phone number and lay low for awhile so the guy couldn't contact me again.  I quit my job at the store, too.

Well, I share this story with you because it's just a weird memory I've always had of my college days.  I was way too innocent and almost got in some big trouble because of it. 

Anyhow, everytime I see the bell ringers for the Salvation Army this time of year, I think back to that story and that creepy, Santa hat, ice-fisher guy!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I submit this week's blog.

I literally could write a gratitude list that does not end, so, I hope all my friends and family know how thankful I am for their presence in my life.  I am just listing a few, but this list is not all inclusive:>  (In other words, don't be offended if you're not listed, you are, I just ran out of space.)

I am thankful for:

• Brittany, for making popcorn for us when we watch TV, and then asking me to "help" her make it.
• Tyler, for going to see Harry Potter with me, even though it was obvious he was embarassed to be with his mom at the movie theater.
• Kayla, for living her life with clarity, joy and purpose, and for coming home on Thanksgiving and spending so much time with her family.
• Tom, for helping me move my mom into a new apartment on the day after Thanksgiving, and never complaining even once.
• my Mom, for giving me lots of stories to tell, and for teaching me forgiveness and how to laugh at the hard things in life.
• my Dad, for being one of the few people who I can really talk to, and for making sure to spend as much time as he can with the kids when we're together, teaching them card games, poker, and really being there with the kids.
• Jane, for making my dad so happy.
• Denny, for making me laugh every time I talk to him, and for not getting mad at me when I forget his birthday.
• Julie, for making me laugh every time I talk to her, and for having the best sister talks in the world.
• Barb, for whatever she did to raise her son to be such a great husband and father, and for being one of the best people in my life.
• Audra, for making my brother so happy, and bringing Ebben into this world.
• Todd, for making my sister so happy, and for bringing 3 more boys into our family.
• my work, for allowing me to do what I love, and to support my family while doing it.
• my students, for bringing me true joy in my work, and for inspiring me to work as hard as they do for their success.
• my church, for making me feel like I'm part of a greater family.
• my God, for grace. 

My cup overfloweth...

The Annual Giving of Thanks

I told Mom last week that I knew I was growing up because all I want is to be home for the holidays. Thanksgiving day we drove up to Wakefield to see the whole family and overeat, just like every year before. Sunday night before I came back to MN, we decorated the Christmas tree as a family while drinking hot chocolate, just like every year before. Thank God for traditions. Whether it be hanging ornaments on a lit tree or hearing Gramma Barb sing about the "big, fat turkey on Grandfather's farm" after overindulging in pumpkin pie and Grands, traditions keep your family's idiosynchracies alive and thriving even in the midst of change. (Enter college!) So, this is my preface to talking about the first holiday where I had to "come home," and how incredibly great it was. Enter blog:

First, don't travel by bus near the holidays. Every seat will be taken, you will have to sit on a broken seat by someone who will, of course, fall asleep and thus, will spill over onto your side during the trip that will take 90 minutes longer than expected. Though, seeing Dad waiting in the frigid cold outside at the bus stop the second we arrived made me instantly forget how crowded and uncomfortable I had felt for the past 5 hours, I was simply so happy to be home.

Thanksgiving Day, in addition to being filled with pinwheels, potatoes, turkey, a cranberry mold (yes Mom, the cranberry mold is worthy enough to be in the blog. It was delicious and looked cool), and me sharing my college stories (this means the stories of the famous Foam Party) with the aunts and cousins, it also left me thinking about everything I had to be thankful for. First, the opportunities I am offered every day attending college in a city, and the experiences I've had and will have that will create lasting memories. I know many people would love to be where I am, and really don't want to take being here for granted. And of course, even more importantly, I am so extremely thankful for the people in my life who I love. These past few months being on my own have really made me realize how truly blessed I am to have a life filled with people who love me, support me, inspire me, make me laugh (or cry in a good way), listen to my issues, offer advice, step in when needed, and have personalities and quirks that I can't imagine not being present in my life: Mom & Dad (you know how important you are to me, a blog can't even begin to describe it), Ty (still as smart-aleky as ever, but I know that your cry for help on the definition of the word "thoroughfare" was really code for "I love you Sis!"), Britty (even though my old wardrobe has found a new home in your closet and I kick your butt at ping-pong, we rock as being sisters, right? GloZell would agree), my beautiful best friends from home who I've missed to my heart's core (I love how nothing has changed, we still sit around, eat, do nothing, watch Titanic and laugh about EVERYTHING, even our dad's names), the incredible boyfriend (we just rock mi hombre, people are jealous of how fantastic we go together...and not to mention how fine we look together, too), and of course, a fabulous new addition to this list, my terrific new friends here at the U (we do things like a boss, brought back Britney, invented socioproductivity, well...just see the last 3 months of Facebook statuses.) Honestly, SO much to be thankful for.

Alright, snap back to reality. Literally, coming back from a 6-day break for like, 14 days of class, studying, and finals is just...mer. BUT, an exciting aspect to my return was moving in a new roomate! Hey Marina :) The first day we met, way back in September on the first day of Freshman Seminar, we realized we were scary similar. Like, if we were to make a Venn-Diagram of "Kayla and Marina," it would be an almond, only the middle part. We both are coffee-afficionados (holla!), weirdly in love with our professor's mind, from Wisco, are blonde, die-hard for the green&gold, are in honors yet ironically terrible procrastinators...the list goes on. So, we told Frontier Hall what was up, that we were meant to live together, and proceeded to totally deck the halls of our newly-reorganized room. We went all out-- Christmas lights, a mini tree, candy canes, paper snowflakes, Christmas smells (no! we do NOT have an illegal candle that is holiday scented!), and even a Poinsettia! (It's practice for the fish we want to get.)

Let me wrap up this all-over-the-place blog with a little wisdom from this professor that we both really enjoy...let's call him Pat. He is my favorite professor here so far, and his class feels the most "college-esque." He really makes me think and I always walk away from class feeling really inquisitive and scholarly. So, instead of class yesterday, we had individual meetings with him to discuss our final papers. I'm writing mine on why only 35% of students who go to four-year universities actually get their degree in four years. We got to talking about why our society set the 4-year standard of graduation in the first place and he said this, "You know, if you think about it, college is the only time in your life where society actually wants you to think and figure stuff out for yourself. You have your whole life to work, to follow society's rules, but here they are actually approving of you being in a setting where you have the ability to challenge anything you want!" Take from it what you will, but this statement really spoke to me for some reason, and kinda fits in my previous theme of giving thanks...for the right here and right now.

The Family Meeting

Well, Kayla, you just missed out on another fine "family meeting."  You can imagine how excited Tyler and Brittany were when I called the meeting.  Immediately Brittany looked confused and asked what she did wrong.  Tyler sat back with his arms folded over his chest and I could see his wheels spinning trying to come up with something to say to mock me for calling a "family meeting."  All he could come up with was, "Could I be Bobby Brady?  He was my favorite."  Not funny.

Anyhow, the purpose of today's meeting was to institute (once again) "quiet time."  This was met with moans and groans so loud you would have thought I was pulling out their teeth one by one.  For those readers who aren't familiar with quiet time, this is a one-hour period each night where there are no cell phones, no computers, and no TV.  It's supposed to be a one-hour time frame when the kids can focus on their homework and not get interrupted.  Tyler acted like he never heard of it, so I explained that there will be no electronics. So, he said, "Well, if there's no electronics, then we have to shut off all of the lights, too.  The lights run off electricity." 

I think after having the week he had, he better just accept quiet time and zip it!  I had a phone call from his band teacher saying that he has not gone to his trumpet lessons and we had an e-mail from his German teacher saying he's not "working up to potential."  When I asked him why he's not going to his trumpet lessons, he said, "It's because I can't play the trumpet."  He joined band thinking it would be an easy A.  Then when we asked him what's going on in German class, he said, "The teacher just doesn't like Manfred."  (His German name is Manfred.)

So, we are beginning the process of an attitute adjustment here in Minocqua.  Even with me.  I was not looking forward to the day when you graduated, but now, I am really looking forward to the next graduation from LUHS in 2014!  If we make it!

Lost in the city...yes, again.

You know how they say do something every day that scares you? Well, I'm taking that to heart every time I embark back to my middle school after the traumatic trip home this Monday. Allow me to explain:

Volunteering went fabulous, as always, but it happened to be the first time I did it after the daylight savings time change, meaning it gets darker way earlier. Now, I had thought I had figured out the bus system, but that was in the daylight of 5:30 pm when the sun was still out. This week however, the sun had disappeared by the time I started to embark back to campus from the school. So, all happy and whatnot with a few more Thank-You cards in my purse, I got off at the stop I had always been getting off at to get back to my dorm. Well, I thought it was my stop. As soon as the bus pulled away, a few expletives ran through my mind, and perhaps came out of my mouth along with my breath that I could vividly see because of the frigid Minneapolis temperature. I realized that I had absolutely no idea where I was, that because of the stupid darkness I mistook my bus stop for a totally different stop that I was not supposed to be near. Being the smart girl that I am, I started to walk. Why Kayla, why?! Why would I start to walk?! I think I thought that maybe I would eventually hit a landmark I knew. After a few steps I figured out, why would I know any landmarks?! I'M NOT FROM HERE! I instantly started to panic and called my friend from across the hall. The worst was when she asked me where I was and I told her, in a shaking voice in-between tears, the intersection I was at and her response was "Ohhhhhh noo Kayla." Want to know where this small-town-girl-thrust-into-the-metro was in relation to campus? Take a look. Point B is my dorm, my destination. Point A is where my frantic self was crying.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Minneapolis&1s=MN&1a=E+Hennepin+Ave+%26+12th+Ave+SE&1z=55414&1y=US&1l=44.99144&1g=-93.23458&1v=INTERSECTION&2c=Minneapolis&2s=MN&2a=701+Fulton+St+SE&2z=55455-0358&2y=US&2l=44.97027&2g=-93.228614&2v=ADDRESS

YEAH, I KNOW! Now that you can see where I was, hopefully now you can feel my pain and fright. It was 6:00. Dark. Cold. I was hungry and in a bad part of the city, so I am told. I don't even feel ashamed that I cried. I was totally entitled to bawl and call my dad from a random bench sobbing about how much I am not cut out for the city. I literally was just gonna give up. The thought actually crossed my mind, "I can't do it. I'm done. I'm just gonna sit here and cry." And then some sort of sense kicked in and I realized I wasn't in a video game and had to get back, obviously! After multiple confusing phone conversations with the girl I basically owe my life to trying to explain to me what buses to take and where to get on and off, 75 minutes and $7.25 later, I was back, and completely a wreck. I ate my baked potato in a blur and was completely a mess of emotions.

So all's well that ends well, I guess. I survived, barely didn't get mugged, and my friend even made me a beautiful yellow-construction paper map/direction sheet of how to and, more importantly, from the school. I'll be testing out that, along with my emotional endurance and night intelligence each time I volunteer from now on until May. I really can't let a terrible experience like that ruin something so great, so I'm not going to let it. Plus, Mom and Dad made me put campus security in my phone and made it clear that the next time I get off at the wrong spot, don't pretend to know where I'm going.

New college lesson: I suck at sense of direction. And still suck at the bus.

I know we've been talking about movies this week.  I told you to watch the movie, "Milk" and you did and liked it.  So, I have to tell you to watch another movie, probably my favorite movie ever; "Mask!"

You really have to see it!  Julie and I watched it so many times when we were teens, we communicated to each other by reciting lines in the movie.  We would say to each other, "You're so stupid!  Rube Walker!  You threw away Rube Walker, Ben!"  Or, "You!  You're going to take care of things from now on!"  I know it doesn't make much sense, but there weren't a lot of channels back in the 80's and the cable stations would show this movie over and over. 

The other thing we did from seeing this movie was recite Rocky Dennis' (the main character in the story) poem over and over, substituting in things from our day to day life.  His actual poem was this:

These things are good: ice cream and cake, a ride on a Harley, seeing monkeys in the trees, the rain on my tongue, and the sun shining on my face. These things are a drag: dust in my hair, holes in my shoes, no money in my pocket, and the sun shining on my face.

But we would say things like, "These things are good:  eating Pringles from a can, sitting on the couch, and the sun shining on my face.  These things are a drag:  holes in my pocket, Denny sitting on the couch, and the sun shining on my face."

I laugh when I think about the 3 of us (me, Denny and Julie) growing up together.  Watching you, Tyler and Brittany growing up there's a lot of similiarities.  Especially the inane inside jokes or petty fights between the three of you.  Remember when you kids would humiliate each other by simply calling someon an "oat?"  I would have to break up big fights between you guys and when I'd ask what started it, one of you would cry and say, "She called me an OAT!"  It doesn't make sense to anybody but you three. 

OK, that's what I'm thinking about now and that's my blog for this week:>

$ick on this routine week

Being sick in college sucks. There's nobody here to wait on me hand-and-foot, run to Moto and get me lots of medicine, or run me up some diet Sprite with a straw. Instead, I endured classes the beginning of the week, and lucked out majorly today with having my class cancelled (thank you karma!) So, I walked my sickly little self over to the pharmacy today and bought some meds, and the next thing I know my darling friend from across the hall was waking me up at 5:30 pm to go to dinner. Turns out it wasn't worth it. It was "Spam-alot" dinner at the dining hall. Why? Please, does anybody enjoy the meat from a can? So we went and got some fun ice cream treats to watch the CMAs with instead. (I'm pulling for T.Swift and my main man Kenny.)

Anyway, not much new has happened over the past week, so being sick without Mom and Dad to take care of me has been my most recent "new experience" in college. Well BEFORE I got this nasty cold, I've discovered like, 3 new places to do homework on campus! (Who knew there was a library like 30 yards from my dorm?! And REALLY comfy chairs next to where the... Korean Dance Club... practices?! ) And it has been so extremely beautiful outside that me and my friends have taken quite a few walks by the Mississippi river. We've learned to love and take advantage of the free movies at the theater, this past week they played the incredibly cute "Despicable Me." (Unfortunately, we sat by the most descpicabally stinky person in the human world. It wasn't even funny. I had to breathe into my box of Milk Duds.)

Speaking of humans in this world, I'm sure you all know that one of my favorites is Ke$ha. In case you were wondering, I'll be seeing her gorgeous self at the House of Blues in Chicago in February. Yep, have I crossed into groupie territory? Just as well, I don't thinkg it's possible to be any more obsessed. It's called the "Get $leazy" tour. I'm so excited. You can't imagine the immensity...we'll be tearin' it apart. :)

OH. This week I've also learned to always check and re-check and double check that my headphones are actually plugged into my laptop BEFORE jamming to "Oops I Did it Again" in the library. At least it wasn't "My Humps" or something REALLY embarrassing...

Cliche Good Feelings

So, I just walked in (in my boots, mind you) from a gorgeous November day with a purse full of red and yellow construction paper cards decorated with markers, crayons, and cloth leaves. No, I didn't just get back from Trinity Preschool, circa 1996, I just got back from running mock interviews for the Spanish-speaking students at the middle school I've been volunteering at. All the kids at the school are participating in an event called "Biztown," which teaches them about finances and the professional world of careers and such, and today was the day they interviewed for the positions they want. Some wanted to be radio DJs, telling me about their experience in "mixing beats," and others wanted to be designers, CEOs, and IRS agents. They told me they want to give speeches like Barack Obama, their idol is their mom, they want a career where they can boss other people around, and that the hardest part about the job would be getting the job. Some kids were in it for the money and prestige, those were my "mayor" candidates and others wanted a job that was easy and allowed them to directly connect with their customers, like owning a gift store. It was so much fun, and I realized that everytime I work with these kids and translate and help them and learn from them, the more I love it and the more I can't wait to continue doing it in the future. Call me lame, but the letters like this from the kids inspire me:

"Dear Kayla,
Hi this is Rose. Thank you for interviewing me today, I really appreciate your time. You really make a difference.
Your Friend,
Rose"

or

"Dear Kayla,
Hi my name is Jasmine and I want to thank you for your time and helping me understand. I don't know if you are gonna give me the job of designer but thank you anyway. I also thank you for saying that I make a great designer.
From,
Jasmine

PS) Look at the cover see I really can design!"

or

"Dear Kayla,
Thank you for coming to NEMS today and volunteering your time. You are quite incredible. You really care about the youth. I believe my next interview will be much better because of you. Thank you,
Alondra"

Templates or not, these cards make me happy. So cliche, but maybe I really did make a difference.

Well what can I say? I'm quite incredible :)

On this beautiful, sunny fall day...

Today I went to a funeral for a lady in town.  She was well known, well loved, and had 4 children and many grandchildren.  At the start of the funeral, each grandchild got up to talk about their grandma.  The ages ranged from about 9 years old to adults in their late twenties.  Each grandchild spoke so eloquently, everyone was impressed and touched.  Some spoke about favorite memories, about waking up at grandma's house in the morning, playing games with her, her favorite sayings, her baking and her cooking.  Some talked about what they learned from her life and how they are the person they are because of her.  They made her sound like the most wonerful person in the world, and I've no doubt that to them and many others, she was.

I didn't know the lady who died, but, listening to the stories about her at her funeral, I learned a lot about her.  She was an ordinary lady who simply lived and loved taking care of her family.  She spent time being a wife and mother, and then spent her days being a grandmother.  She cooked big meals that helped to gather the family together, she baked special cookies to delight the grandkids, she planned vacations each summer to bring the family together, and through these simple, routine things, she built up traditions that shaped every member of her family. 

Wow, what a legacy.  Sometimes I think, "Am I doing enough?  Am I doing anything that really matters?"  And after today, just listening to those grandkids talk about how their grandmother made them better people by simply being involved in their lives, I think I might be doing OK.  So, I might not make it to be a missionary oversees (who knows for sure, though) or I might not make my big mark on this world, but I do know that I've raised a good family.  And I do know that I'm looking forward to being the kind of grandma this lady was.  And now I think, if that is all I have done when my time is over, that will be enough. 

At the end of the funeral, on this beautiful, sunny fall day, each grandchild released a balloon in honor of their grandmother.  The balloons floated up into the sun and I watched them until they were out of sight.  And I felt peace, and I know that I am exactly where I should be right now in my life.

Seasons

This week has been fairly routine.  Denny and Audra came over with the new baby, Ebben.  He is really adorable!  I wish you could have been home to see him.  We are hoping that they will be able to come and visit sometime over Christmas, as long as the weather isn't too bad for traveling.

I'm getting used to having only two kids left in the house, but both of them are so busy sometimes it's almost as if nobody lives here anymore.  I don't know if you know this or not, but, Brittany has pretty much taken over your room.  I think she likes the bigger bed, and having her own bathroom!  Did you know she started playing the piano again?  We bought her a Justin Bieber songbook, and she's been practicing much more now than she was before.

Tyler's been his usual self, I don't know who he takes after.  This morning we were without power because of the big wind storm, and when I told him to get out of bed, he said, "I can't get out of bed until I can take a shower.  I need to be fresh."  He is driving me crazy, yet he likes to tell me, "you're driving me to drink!" 

I think this weekend we'll finish cleaning out the basement.  We started this project last week and I felt kind of sad doing it.  I know you wanted to have the basement cleaned out for you and your friends.  Remember when you drew up plans and had furniture, TV, and rugs all drawn into your outline of the basement?  Well, we probably won't do anything like that even now.  We're just getting rid of all the things we should have gotten rid of years ago.  We've been able to play ping-pong down there now, so, we have a pretty good start on it.

See, life is pretty much routine this way.  Just getting ready for the snow to fly and for another long winter.  I do like living here where we have the change of seasons.  The change from fall to winter, then from winter to spring, really help me appreciate the days in between.  In a way, families also have seasons.  We had the season of being newlyweds with just the two of us, then we had "baby season," that changed to the long season of "kids", and now we're in "teen season."  I just hope it's a long way off before "granparent season!"  Ha-Ha!  Have a great week, Kayla!  I love you!

Slowly learning more about this Metropolis...

So many interesting stories and events transpired over the last 7 days here in the Twin Cities. Where do I start? Hm, well first, why didn't I go to school in Florida? I HATE Minneapolis weather and wind. As I walked to class last night at 3:45 pm AND this morning at 7:40 am, the sleet/rain/hail/snow pelted me from all angles and I thought, "How could this get worse?" Then, as if God was punishing me for those Facebook pictures Mom enjoyed looking at, a fierce and never-ending gust of wind blew my umbrella inside out, then back again multiple times, each time spraying me with the water that it was supposed to be protecting me from. I couldn't help but start to laugh, was this a joke? Needless to say, I looked like a insane homeless girl, hair whipping around fiercely in the wind, pretending to go to school with a broken umbrella. Sad. Screw you Minnesota weather. Screw you.

Saturday was spent waiting in line from 10 am to 3 pm to see someone very important speak. Yes, as the chalk that colored many of the sidewalks stated, "The President is Back." We saw Obama! We were in the presence of the President of the United States! I still don't think the reality of how rare this is for so many people has hit me. It's kinda cliche, but when he was delivering his speech I felt so uplifted and enlightened, another one of those "college revelation" moments. All I could think about was how lucky I was, that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I never would've experienced it if I wasn't here.

Sunday night. From Wisconsin, in Minnesota. Packers vs. Vikings, 7:20 pm. Me and 5 friends naively think, "Oh! No one else in the world will want to watch this huge rivalry game at a Buffalo Wild Wings! Let's go!" A 45 minute bus ride and a near-death street crossing later, we arrive at B-Dubs only to hear the host, dressed in nasty purple and yellow, tell us "There's no tables until after the game." Great. We trek AT LEAST 3 miles over hills and valleys, parking lots and road medians to arrive at an Applebees. (Not that there's an Applebees 10 yards from our dorm or anything...) We get the worst waitress who brings our appetizers AFTER our dinner. First half of game is a back-and-forth battle, lots of excitement. We want to try to make it home during halftime, but lo and behold, buses STOPPED RUNNING to the city we were in. We decide to suck up the fee to pay a cab, and call the service, who says they'll be there in 10 minutes. We pay our bill and go wait outside, keeping an eye on the game through the windows of Applebees. We watched the game in this manner for an hour. The cab never came. In the meantime, a group of pirates walk out of the restaurant next to us. "Are we in Saw?" "Do you wanna play a game?" (The picture sums up our waiting experience.) Finally, a friend comes to get us, and his car is running a half-an-inch below empty. 3 gas stations we stopped at were closed. Can't catch a break. We make it back to the dorm just in time to see the pass by Favre into the endzone, scream in horror, then (because you all know how the game turned out) cheer like maniacs. A series of unfortunate events, resulting in the most intense laughter any of us had experienced in a while.

OH! OH! Guess who made it back to campus from volunteering on Monday without hyperventilating in the middle of Minneapolis OR having a 19 minute phone convo with Dad at his office desk as he explains how to make it back to the dorm? BOOM! ME! Yes, that's right. I WILL get the hang of this, little by little. Next week my goal is to NOT utilize the city bus map I got, I looked like an idiot standing on the corner with this enormous map in front of me that covers more of my body than my Halloween costume.

What an eventful week, and this weekend I'm heading over to Madtown for this little holiday coming up. It'll probably be boring and I'll have nothing to report :)

The Perils of Facebook

OK, Kayla.  I hate to tell you this, especially since you and I have been getting along so great lately.  I mean, since you've been gone, we've actually talked MORE than when you lived here.  But I digress....

Anyhow, what I'm beating around the bush saying is this:  Please block me from your Facebook status and pictures if they are in regards to your college partying!  I mean, I really do not like to see you doing some awful imitation of a disco dance, I do not like to see your friends holding jello shots, and I do not like to see you with a bottle of Jim Beam balanced on your head!  Call me old-fashioned, but...

I hope this blog message doesn't make you angry, but, just think of it this way...would you like to see my college pictures?  Would you like to see me dancing around with guys that aren't your dad?  Would you like to see me with a bottle of Jim Beam balanced on my head?  I think not.

Well, good.  Now we both agree.  Let's take this whole "growing up thing" a little bit slower.  One step at a time.  You just turned 18, and just moved away from home.  Let me know about the volunteer work you do, about the church group you might join, and about the new job at Noodles you may get.  I can handle that.  Or, as I used to say when I was 18, "Chill, pansy, I can handle!"  (Although, that was in regards to other "substances," but, I digress...)

Minoc again... and send me your loose change.

I would like to let you all know that I am so dedicated to this blog that I am typing only with my right hand because my left thumb is submerged in ice water. Why? Well you see, upon wanting to make another pot of coffee (my love) this morning, I pulled out the machine to add more water and I forgot the hot plate was still on. After a second, a searing pain shot up from my thumb. I said a word I won't repeat here and a very attractive white blister appeared on my poor thumb. It really hurts. Soooo, that was fun.

I returned to the 715 this past weekend to see some dearly missed friends. It also happened to be Lakeland's homecoming, so that was a good excuse for a few of us to return home , see family, watch the football game, and catch up with each other. I loved seeing that never-emotional brother of mine crack a smile in the back of a truck during the halftime parade, having the sweetest of all senior girls sit on my lap during the dance team performance (there's your shout-out Mel!), and getting compliments on my boots :). I loved every single Homecoming week so much (the pic is before last year's game), and being back in the atmosphere was very nostalgic. But even though we've only been out 5 months, it was easy to tell that we were ready for the college life, that high school is now behind us. Though that fact didn't stop one of the best friends and me from parking her car in a lot and using the headlights to illuminate her instruction of the "Payne Train Handlebars" dance. We will still always be ridiculous. It was a fantastic weekend to say the least, and some aspects were more perfect than I could've imagined :)

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this Monday I made it to volunteering without any bus troubles!! Be proud. Though, on the way home I refused to pay another $2.25 for another bus ticket and ended up lost...again. Thank God for 19 minute phone conversations with Dad who goes on Mapquest hundreds of miles away to direct me back to campus. "I feel like I should see a little red dot walking down these streets, then at corners it would stop and blink to show you were waiting to cross." I need to invest in a map. Or like Dad says, "Just fork over the extra $2.25." No. That is a luxury I can't afford. I can use my legs and walk. Miles and miles...no wonder all my jeans fit better.

Always look for the silver lining right?

Futures, Being Poor, and The Bus.

3 realizations this past week: 1) Teaching is definitely something I need and want to do in my future. 2) College is not the time to satisfy my shopping addiction. 3) It will be a miracle if I make it through the year without dying on the MetroTransit bus system.

I started volunteering this Monday at a local middle school for an after school program designed for students who don't speak English as a first language. It is for a few hours every Monday afternoon, and there are about twenty 6th-8th graders (most speak Spanish, a few speak Russian, and a few Somali) who get together with the school Spanish teacher, the Spanish interpreter, a Somali interpreter, and now me! to work on homework and speaking English in a comfortable environment. I spent the afternoon revisiting the Pythagorean (?) theorem and reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with a 6th grade boy who speaks very limited English. (It was actually quite surprising how little English some of these kids spoke, especially for living in a big American city.) We read for a while, then talked for a little bit in Spanish. I had only ever spoken it with my teachers or other classmates, so it was extremely cool to actually be having a conversation with a native speaker, especially a 12 year old boy. This experience I'm sure will only continue to motivate me more and more to become a Spanish teacher, it's like bridging a gap between languages! So cool...

Mall of America last week. Didn't NEED the boots, but now that I have them, I'm meant to own them. Of course I couldn't buy these amazing black heel boots without getting an outfit to perfectly coordinate, so 3 different shirts and a black skirt were also added to my wardrobe. (Oh-and a rockin' pair of earrings.) Even the bookstore. Did I NEED a baseball hat with an "M" on the front? No. But there was a sale and I don't have any hats that look good on me (I have a bad "hat head") and this one looked cute! The grocery store. Really Kayla, do you need Werther's Original Hard Candies? Yes...along with cheese in a can (it was on sale and it's fun to draw designs on the Ritz before you eat them) and chips & salsa, and Apple Jacks. (The Honey Bunches of Oats were too expensive...I was even being frugal.) I should start tapping on the streets for money.

I hate the bus. I don't think I will ever enjoy it nor understand it. I especially hate it when the crabby bus drivers are too preoccupied with themselves and getting done with their shift to help out a confused, panicked, blonde college student find the right bus stop. Is kindness that hard to show? Didn't think so. Long story short, en route to the middle school I kinda got lost in the middle of uptown Minneapolis and had a mini panic attack. I mean, I guess all's ell that ends well (meaning I didn't get kidnapped or mugged or murdered), but I'm not looking forward to trying to figure this out every Monday. I miss the Tahoe :(

This is the day...

Today is an amazing day!  The rescue is finally occurring for the 33 trapped Chilean miners.  I'm watching CNN as each miner is slowly pulled through the ground to the surface.  So far, 13 miners have been rescued. 

What has this to do with Kayla at college?  Not much, but, it's what I'm thinking about today as I write this.  I think it's interesting how to hear how, even though today is the 13th, the Chileans view today as a lucky day, because it's 10-13-10, and those numbers add up to 33. 

I love watching the families reunite, and hearing the miners talk about their faith and how they never lost hope.  Watching them drop to their knees when they reach the top and offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God makes me want to do the same.  What a wonderful day!

The most interesting interview was when one miner said, "I was with God, and I was with the devil, but God won." 

Anyhow, Kayla, even though you're in college and immersed in that life, just take a moment to think about this day and these people and the amazing things God can do.  Today is simply a good day to rejoice and thank God!

A Whole New World

When I was driving home from work this week, the theme song from Aladdin, "A Whole New World" came on the radio.  Suddenly I was smiling thinking of when Kayla was little and we'd sing this song together.  I always had to sing the "boy" verses and she got to sing the "girl" verses that Princess Jasmine sang.  We would be in the car together, singing this song from memory because we watched the movie so often.  She was very particular in us getting the song right, so, we'd sing it over and over again until we each got out parts right.  It's so funny to picture us doing that! 

We would be sitting in the car on a long ride to see Gramma and Grampa, and Kayla would be bored so she'd want to start some sort of car game to pass the time.  She'd say, "Let's play Aladdin.  You be the Prince and I'll be the Princess."  (Of course.)  So, I'd just start singing, "I can show you the world, shining shimmering, splendid. Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide."  And then from the back car seat, I'd hear that little sweet voice trying her best to sing, "Unbelievable sights.  Indescribable feelings.  Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky."  And we'd both sing together, "A whole new world.  A new fantastic point of view.  No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming."

These were such fun times!  I miss having that little princess that loved to dress up, went everywhere in a dress, tights, and crown.  She was always singing, always dreaming, and, she really hasn't changed that much!  I didn't realize until now, how that song really does describe her growing up, and our relationship.  Now that she's in college, I just want her to see and do everything she can.  I want her to use this time of freedom to explore and become the person she was meant to be.  I hope she is seeing unbelievable sights, having indescribable feelings.  I am sure she is soaring, tumbling freewheeling...

I'm glad she's in the Twin Cities, it is a place totally different than little old Minocqua.  It is a "whole new world." 

The end of the song, we'd sing together in harmony...here's the verse:

"A whole new world.  That's where we'll be.  A thrilling chase, a wondrous place, for you and me."

College is School, Believe it or Not!

Too often do people forget that a rather important aspect of college life are these things called "classes." (Or is that just me?) Yes yes, between hittin' up the rec center, being all Maroon&Gold at the football games (please win one), basking in this fantastic October sun, figuring out the city bus system, adding to my friends' and my "quote sheet," and doing those usual "college-weekend" activities, I spend random parts of my weekdays walking to and from and attending 4 classes. So, I figured I'd give you an insight to each of them.

Spanish. Ah, my love. (It should show that I'm quite dedicated to pursuing this as a major due to the fact this class is 5 days a week, for 50 minutes, starting at 8 AM. Meaning I must leave my dorm room no later than 7:35 AM. Granted, this is my ONLY class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays...but still.) For those of you familiar with Gloria from "Modern Family," this is my professor. Seriously. She's super stylin', from Colombia, and pronounces my name "Kigh-la." I enjoy this class, though that's not a surprise considering I've always enjoyed Spanish! So, it's a good start to my día :)

Paranormal Psychology. Be interested in this. We talk about telepathy, ESP, alien abductions, ghosts, and other weird phenomena. I'm a bit of a skeptic on this stuff so it's really intriguing to learn about. Our homework isn't difficult at all, just reading about cool claims of "seeing the light," bending spoons, x-ray vision and such. Last week we had a local psychic/clairvoyant/medium come in and talk to us, and needless to say, I'm still a skeptic.

Latinos in the US. Well...they say everyone in college runs into a class they hate. I refuse to elaborate more on this for fear that this blog falls into the wrong hands. I best stop now.

What is College Writing Seminar. My professor for this is such an interesting guy. From the first day when he walked in wearing a tye-dye t-shirt underneath a plaid flannel button-up I was like "Yes." In here we are discussing how the role of the University has changed over the years, and I find it extremely easy to keep interest in this subject! The downfall: it's a 2 1/2 hour class right in the middle of dinnertime and about 53 minutes into it, all I can think about is food. The upside: it's only on Tuesdays, so I deal.

And there you have it. My first semester of college, freshman year. Just when I think I will have this routine down, I will be taking math and science (excuse me while I gag) next semester. Darn general ed's....

These Rose Colored Glasses...

Maybe it's birth order, I don't know, but the two remaining kids are not anything like the one that left.  Let's start with Tyler....First of all, he broke his phone last week, and now that he has money, he doesn't want to spend it on a new phone.  So, he gets a used phone for free from his girlfriend and pays the activation fee.  Less than 1 week with his "new" phone, it gets stolen.  He had it in his locker during football practice, and he said his locker was locked.  I asked him how someone could steal a phone if the locker was locked, and he said that the lock sometimes falls open.  I think it's user error.  Anyhow, this morning he leaves for school, I drop him off, drive home, and he texts me saying that it's picture retake day today and he wants retakes and could I drive back to school to bring him his grey tee-shirt.  "How do you know your first pictures turned out bad?"  I ask.  "Because I'm looking at them and I'm all bruised from the football game the day before."  Why he has his pictures and I've never seen them, and how picture retakes are scheduled for today with no advance notice, I don't know.  At least this wasn't as bad as last week, when I returned from work and the store and got home at 7pm and he said, "Oh, I need a German dessert for my class by tomorrow morning."  and "It has to be home-made."  (I still haven't gotten the pan back from my "home-made" boxed German chocolate cake...)  Is all this "middle child syndrome?"

Then, there's the third child, who I am no longer allowed to call "the baby."  I am actually fearful of calling her anything because of her quickness to anger toward me.  Last weekend, for example, she told me that she and her friends dressed up as cows and walked in the Beef-A-Rama parade.  "Oh, that's cute," I innocently said.  "Thanks for ruining it for me.  I wish I never would have told you," was her reply to me.  Okaaayyy....

And, don't even get me started on how hard it is to get either kid to do the dishes.  I think they'd rather live in a pig-sty and eat off the dirty floor then spend 20 minutes cleaning the kitchen.  Plus, each of them keeps telling me they "did it last week."  Wow, they are so overworked it's ridiculous!

Anyhow, they say you never remember the bad things, only the good.  Maybe that's why I'm looking back at Kayla's years living here and finding it hard to remember her doing those same things.  Although, if I really think hard enough, I know we had those same battles and trials (and probably worse), and we still have the hole in the basement wall to prove it:>

A Realization

So, talk about spontaneity. Saturday night a couple friends and I were like, "We miss our old friends in La Crosse! Coincidentally, Oktoberfest (ie: the biggest party in the Midwest right now) is happening in La Crosse tonight! Let's go!" After an exhausting afternoon spent dialing every contact in our phones who may possibly own a car, calling car rental places, and thus, realizing nobody will rent a car to three 18-year olds with no established credit, we got lucky and found a few people who had a vehicle and were down to go to LAX anyway! Meeting up with one of my best friends (that's us in the pic) right away when we got there was such an amazing feeling, and I realized that even though we hadn't seen each other in a month, nothing has changed, especially our strong and crazy friendship. She still runs like a goon. :)

You know what was a little strange though? I didn't have to approve this trip with the parents. I didn't have to go through the interview questions of "Who's driving?" "What time will you be back?" "What are you going to do there?" "Where are you sleeping?" I simply texted Mom when we were passing through Winona and said, "En route to LAX!" Of course, being all mother-ly and whatnot, she responded with "Be careful. But have fun!" And that was that! Of course I fill in my parents on what's been going on in my life at college, but it was just a strange realization, that I can really almost do whatever I want whenever I want now! Thankfully, they raised me well enough to know not to elope with some random guy I've known for like a week or to just stop caring and skip class all the time, I want to make them proud and be successful! So yes, college is spontaneous and independent, but the values and goals from back home will always keep me on track.

(By the way, my friend in La Crosse gave me a few of the most recent issues of our local newspaper. I just read them and I see that this columnist said "Wa-la" instead of "Voila." Again. Come on people, really?

Maybe I should be an editor...)

The Path

Ahh, it was so nice to have Kayla home for the weekend.  I am still caught by surprise by the lovely young woman Kayla has become.  It still is a bit strange to me that she is no longer a kid or a teenager that needs routine parental supervision.  She's taking care of herself, doing what she needs to do, and she's on the path to making a successful life for herself. 

She has always had a clear goal of wanting to be a teacher, and she has not waivered in that goal.  Now, she's in college to be a Spanish teacher, and after being there for just a couple of weeks, she is looking at this goal very clearly, and making sure she is on the right path to achieve it.  Right now, big questions loom, "is this the right college for this degree...would it be better for me to be at a different college and finish in 4 years and then work on my Masters while teaching?"  All good questions, and amazing that someone so young is so focused and clear in her vision. 

I'm glad she's thinking of these things and moving in the right direction.  But, I don't want her to worry too much about the future.  Like I told her, if she takes care of doing what she needs to do each day, the future will take care of itself.  Looking at the big picture is sometimes too overwhelming.  Just take it day by day, step by step, Kayla, and you will end up exactly where you are meant to be.

A Visit to Home

First visit back to my pretty little village this weekend! I know, I know, 18 days doesn't SEEM like a long time to be away but it is when you're used to being there every single day! I enjoyed some good old-fashioned Northwoods fish fry with the parents, a relaxing evening of watching "Sophie's Choice" with Mom (which by the way...is not a happy movie! Prepare to be traumatized by her "choice!"), grocery shopping at Trig's, baking a homemade apple pie, walking along the Bearskin Trail while the leaves are starting to turn, tons of delicious food prepared by the world's best cook (yes that's you Mom), cheering on the fabulous Pack for another victory for a 2-0 record thus far, and of course, sleeping in my wonderful bed that I do not have to climb up to :). Oh yeah, I saw those siblings who I dearly missed as well, but not much has changed (meaning the words "Tyler! Stop!" were still present in the house.) I drove a car instead of walking to where I needed to go, took a shower in a tub, not a stall, and kicked back on our big comfy couch, not a little futon.

And what a nice weekend it was, but I realized a few things. Home is comforting, familiar, relaxing, and gives you the sense that life will eventually work itself out from the unsurity and "overwhelmingness" that is college. College, on the other hand, is independent, exciting, inquisitive, and new. I love my family more than anything but they can't come to college with me! That would be some sad plot to a movie where the kid is too homesick and makes her parents live in the dorm with her...come on. Minocqua is my home, and who knows, eventually maybe it will be my kids' someday as well! But right now, I'm here, in one of the biggest metro areas in the nation, home to the country's largest Mall, (and worst football team...sorry Minnesotans!), and I am having an experience I will remember forever. And you know what else? I really don't miss unloading the dishwasher :)

These things I miss...

These things I miss:

• reading the local paper and enjoying spotting the errors (for instance, an article this week attempted to write "voila" at the end of a recipe, but instead the author wrote "walla")
• extra friends coming over at dinner time
• helping to curl hair (because a girl from the 80's knows how to work a curling iron better than anyone!)
• coming home to a clean kitchen because Kayla, like me, cannot stand a messy kitchen
• waking up to coffee on the mornings Kayla woke up before me
• saying "good night, I love you" every night
• proofreading the writing assignments for various school courses
• being asked, "What's for supper?"

These things I don't miss:

• starting the car to find the gas tank empty
• washing loads of jeans
• trying to figure out which socks are hers and which are mine
• helping with calculus problems I could no longer solve
• having my closet rummaged through to find clothes for a play set in the 1920's
• seeing clothes I just wore to work worn as costumes in a play set in the 1920's
• being asked "What's for supper?"

College...Week 1!

Here I am cuddled up on my purple futon watching the VMAs with a couple of my new friends. (Go Ke$ha, Go Ke$ha!) I have completed my first week of classes, and am at the tail end of my first college weekend (the last one doesn't count thanks to all of the orientation madness--see last week's post.) How do I even begin to write about all that's been happening? All the adjustments? All the innate "college-ness" I've already experienced in my first 13 days here at the U? The beginning I guess!

Thanks to that glorious holiday called Labor Day that nobody really understands the meaning of, I started my academic career at the U on Tuesday. At 8 am. Now, this means I need to leave my dorm room at 7:35 to make the long haul across campus to Spanish class. Monday through Friday. Thank God that 3 days a week this is my ONLY class (so yes...naps at 9:30 am are starting to have a special place in my heart.) I actually really like all of my classes so far, at least they seem pretty interesting! And I'm very proud of myself...I'm doing really good at "reading critically" and taking notes in the meanwhile. Hopefully this diligence lasts :S

Yay...now I can talk about the weekend! The "Big 10 Atmosphere" is so awesome on Saturday afternoons, just as you would expect. Every single person on this campus is donning their maroon and gold Gopher gear (I even made sure my earrings were these colors!) This weekend we took on the USD Coyotes which, unfortunately, didn't end in our favor. Yeah yeah...I KNOW Minnesota isn't that good of a football team but it was still so much fun! It was a pretty high scoring game so at least I got the excitement of cheering after touchdowns and getting into the groove of all the Minnesota traditions (like the "key jingling" at kickoff, the counting of Goldy's push-ups after each point scored, and the first-down cheerings and chants.) And of course, Saturday nights are, to say the least, "bumpin'." Huge houses. Legit DJ, (indoors and out). Strobe lights. Enough said.

I decided Sundays are the universal "sleep in too late, chill in pj's, do a little homework, watch the Packer game (that's right-Go Pack Go!), chill more, eat, sleep" kind of day. Its weird how I can walk around in sweats and barely any make-up on and I'm not the only one! Today I went out and layed in the grass in the middle of the lawn by my dorm and did a bunch of reading, I felt so college! I also feel this way when I have to walk up a floor to print one sheet of paper (annoying), when I text Mom asking her what setting to dry my clothes on (I'll get the hang of it eventually), and when I receive care packages from the best mom ever complete with a coffee mug, Packer jersey, and bucket of Minocqua's famous chocolate & caramel and cheese popcorn (I am so loved!)

I still miss home alot. It's getting better each day, which I knew it would, but I mostly miss the comfort of being with my family, and the familiarity of all my friends who are now spread across the Midwest. It helps to know that I'm not the only one who feels like this though, that every freshman in every college across the nation is adjusting to a new life. I'm blessed to know the people who have already walked into my life as new friends, this fact alone lets me know that I'm bound to love college. People always tell me that their best friends are from college, and I see that proof with adults I know, my parents included! I just need to be patient, let things fall into place, and enjoy each new day at this new place with SO much to offer.

Oh! PS) My "tight" jeans now just fit normally. Maybe this enormous campus with all the mundane walking it requires will do me some good. :)

The Drop Off

Wednesday morning, we woke very early to finish packing the car, and then to drive Kayla to the dorm.  The trip was pleasant, just Tom, Kayla and myself.  Tyler and Brittany both had their first day of 9th and 8th grade, and neither wanted to miss the first day of school.  Not that there would have been room in the car, anyhow.  So, I made the kids a pot of coffee, wrote them a nice note with a reminder to take their own "first day of school" pictures, and off we went.

When we arrived, the parking spaces around the dorm were busy with parents and kids unloading the "stuff" that freshmen bring to their dorm.  We borrowed a big laundry cart, transferred the "stuff" into it, and off we went into her room.  The dorm room was tiny, much like a jail cell.  Both beds were lofted with a desk under each.  Kayla seemed surprisingly overwhelmed at the thought of finding room for all of the "stuff" she brought, so, we stayed and helped her until each item had a new home.  I was happy and excited up until this point, when that thought hit me, "This is not just the 'stuff's' new home, it is Kayla's new home." 

We walked outside to say our goodbyes, and that's when the tears began to flow.  Kayla said, "Thank you for raising me."  I just hugged her.  I felt foolish walking back to my car with my eyes watering so much.  It felt like I was the only one crying, everybody else seemed to be fine. 

Well, we went to have a nice relaxing lunch at Olive Garden, and I had time to figure out why I was crying.  I am not sad that she is at college, I am happy about that.  I am crying more because this is a milestone event in our lives, marking the time between "being a kid and living at home" and "being an adult who has moved away from home."  Things just feel different now.  And, the way I am, I cry when I'm happy. 

Welcome to the U of M!

Well, I've officially been living in Frontier Hall on the b-e-a-utiful University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus for 4 days now. A loooooong 4 days of orientation and Welcome Week activities jammed one after the other in attempt to keep these new freshman from partying I guess. (That's at least my theory...haha.) My feelings are back and forth on this, at some points I'm overly excited, just so anxious to actually start classes and "settle" in, it still kinda feels like I'm at a camp for a week. Other times I'm having a blast with new friends (we had way too much fun on the "Fairly Odd Coaster" at the Mall of America last night), starting new inside jokes with my roomie and hall-mates ("Know the code," and mocking my retainer lisp), and rolling our eyes at the utter cluelessness of our orientation leader. Throughout these 4 days, I've successfully taken 3 showers, (having tried each of the 3 shower stalls in my hall's bathroom in attempt to find the one with the perfect amount of water pressure to suit my taste), eaten a few meals at the dorm restaurant (I am starting to realize I can't eat at The Grill, The Exhibition Station, The Dessert Station, and The Salad Bar for every meal, I have to start "choosing"--I know, sad), and walked enough to feel like I'm at Disney World every day--Welcome to College, right?!

Oh, and another one of my "feelings" that has graced me with its presence over these past 96 hours. Homesickness. I've realized, the worst of all sicknesses. But its only when I'm alone and not doing anything that I think about it! Which is not too often so hopefully I will keep myself busy and meet more people to stave off this deathly-illness as much as possible :S

Here are 2 "highlights" of Welcome Week (meaning some of the activities that I didn't skip and/or daydream out of boredom in): 1) Convocation. Sooooo awesome. The entire class of 2014 gathered in the hockey arena (which I now know the name of...Mariucci Arena..yes, be proud!) and we were adressed by the University's president and given our 2014 Graduation tassels as motivation. The marching band came out and played a few songs and I got chills everywhere, I almost wanted to cry! The fact that I am now a part of this amazing, reknowned University is so surreal, so humbling, so amazing, so life-changing. 2) Pride and Spirit. Again, the whole class was in the TCF Bank Stadium, the home of the Golden Gophers, and the band, cheerleaders, football coach, and Goldy led us in learning some of Minnesota's football spirit traditions. (I think I still will run over to YouTube to learn the Rouser and March before next Saturday's first home game! By the way, as of now, we are 1-0 :) .) This was also when we made the big Minnesota "M" in the field as a class...that pic above is us "in the process."

So, I am now a Golden Gopher. I am in the place where even Mother Nature lets the trees turn Maroon & Gold. I am in the place where I can rightfully say "We are...Minnesota!"

I've come to a conclusion. Going to college and leaving home for college are two totally separate things. The big question people are asking me these days is "So are you excited?!" Excited for...a new city with thousands upon thousands of new people to meet? Yes! To not be able to yell good-night down the stairs before bed anymore? No. Excited for the amazing school spirit and atmosphere of a Big 10 school? Who wouldn't be?! To not cram into the undersized student section of bleachers at Lakeland High to cheer our T-Birds to victory on a Friday night? Its one of the things I'll miss the most. I can't wait to decorate my dorm, let my roomie and hall-mates know what they got themselves into by having me in such close quarters (I tend to dance obnoxiously, sing loud, scare and scream easy, snore, and do an annoying throat-clearing noise when I get allergies), and tackle the not-so-lovely task of studying. Not just studying for my classes, actually figuring out how to study. (Yes, that might just be an early SOS.) But I can't bear not being able to just "meet at the high school" on a Saturday night to "find something to do" and eventually end up driving the famous "Minocqua 500" a dozen times, listening to music, and crashing at the nearest friend's house after stuffing our faces with pretzels and Nutella. I hope homesickness doesn't hit me hard but...dumb parents, they made way too great a life for me here in Minocqua, I don't want to leave them! (At least I'm not leaving for Ohio Buckeye territory...my naive sophomore mind was even worse at geography and distances than it is now. A week ago I thought Duluth and Minneapolis were 7 hours apart. So yeah, even now I'm real good at that.) So back to the question: Am I excited? For college life? Oh my gosh you have no idea! To leave the only town I've ever known and not be a maximum-10-minute-drive from all the people I've grown up with? Absolutely not. Luckily, the leaving part is quick, I mean, you can really only "leave for school" once, right? Well that's a relief, because I hear this whole "college" thing is really quite a blast.

2 weeks before drop off....

Ok, so we are about 2 weeks out before having to move Kayla to her dorm room.  We were supposed to move her in on Tuesday, August 31, but, because of my work schedule, we are moving her in the next day.  I know it's a little disappointing to her because her roommate will be moving in on Tuesday.  But, I am glad to have Kayla home for one more day.

So, it's funny when I think back to when I went to college in 1986.  First off, I chose my college based on my need to be "in-state" yet to move as far away from home as possible.  Luckily for me, I lived in the Upper Peninsula (the U.P.) of Michigan and I chose to go to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; an 11-hour drive from my home.  I couldn't wait to move out.  In fact, I didn't even have my parents move me to college.  My high school boyfriend drove, and we brought a couple of friends along for the 11 hour trip in a pick-up truck with me and my friend Julie actually riding in the bed of the truck.  I don't know if it was legal then, but, nobody questioned it, or cared.  I don't think my parents even noticed that we weren't in an actual seat, and that we just hopped in the back of the pick-up truck and drove away.  I have no memory of being sad.

I loved my parents, family, home, etc.  It wasn't that I wanted to move out because of a terrible situation, it was more that I was anxious to begin my own life.  I was so secure in myself and self-confident that I wasn't sad to leave, I was excited to leave.

Anyhow, now I've come full circle and then some.  I am now the parent that wants to drive her daughter to college, wants to help her buy stuff, unpack, set-up the dorm, meet her roommate and BE THERE!  But one thing remains, I am not sad.  I am excited!  I can't wait to hear about her new friends, new experiences, and new life.  I am not sad....at least not today, 2 weeks out...

General Info:

Note:  Kayla and I will each write a blog separately, with no prior review or input from each other.  We will post our individual blogs on Sundays.  The first post will appear this Sunday, August. 22, 2010.  We will continue to independently post each Sunday throughout Kayla's college career.  We believe this will be a unique blog and the only one of its kind.