My 26 Before 27

It's time! I love lists and I love setting goals. Partly, of course, to break the rules and feel rebellious while I ignore them, but also to set a purpose for the next leg of the path. Yesterday I checked in on my goals from last year and I made some pretty cool progress! I'm starting out this new phase of 26-year-old-hood, and here is what I'm going to try to do during it:

1. Run in 2 events. Something about paying 30 bucks for a t-shirt and bib number makes me actually train and prepare for an event. I'd like to bring back at least two events into my schedule, as this year didn't have any.

2. Make someone a meal for a baby/life change/just because. I've watched my mom bless so many people throughout the course of my life through cooking meals. I honestly think she's packing up a meal for another family every time I call home. I remember my Grandma Gesch's letters in college always included an anecdote about how wonderful my mom is for cooking for them. It's not a bad thing to be known for feeding other people. Time for me to get on it.

3. Consider a permanent living sitch. Not that we can predict the future, but I know we would like to get into a house one day. This will be the year where research, saving, and planning takes on a more prominent and serious place in our daily discussion. I'm already addicted to RedFin, so oops. This would potentially be a HUGE step for us, and the idea of it already overwhelms me and makes me ridiculously giddy and exhausts me all at once.

4. Make risotto. Dang. We had risotto at the wedding last weekend and it was so good that it really went beyond description. Plus, being able to say that I can make risotto sounds super fancy, and you all know how #imsofancy

5. Stay updated on international news. One of the few great things about an extra long commute last year was the time spent listening to the radio. I was ridiculously up-to-date about all the things. I want to continue on in my news-junkie-dom.

6. Read all of the Psalms. When I think of times when the rubber hits the road, my heart is usually led to the Psalms. My dad sings the Psalms to old ladies in the nursing homes, and I dare you to find me an OCS graduate who can't recite Psalm 8 complete with the actions. I think it's a good place for this fickle-Bible-reader to start her 26th year.

7. Exercise in ways besides running. I screwed up my ankle big time this past spring in a pickup game of volleyball. When I was talking to my Physical Therapist and explained that I usually only run and don't do much else in terms of cross training or variety, she responded with a big DUH ANNA speech, saying that I needed to do other things too. So there you go. Personal trainer friends, I'm open to suggestions!

8. Have a sleepover. So I miss college and wanna watch movies with my friends, okay?

9. Take a class to learn a new skill. Calligraphy? Knitting? Ventriloquism? Time will tell.

10. Floss every day. I try, you guys. I really try. The latest trip to the dentist sent me off with a new resolve to make this happen. (I asked, "Is 3 times a week impressive?" And the lady was like "Mmmmm. Sorry honey.")

11. Make a math group project for my kids. Okay, this is a stupid teacher goal that non-teachers might not appreciate, but I hear and see all of these cool things that veteran teachers do with group projects. Meanwhile, I'm differentiating my little tail off so that every kid gets his or her individual needs met. That's all fine and good, but kids just really love the chance to create stuff together. I'm going to try to do this somehow in Math this year. Teacher friends, I'm open to suggestions!

12. Girls road trip. Brian will be gone for a week in January and a week in March for trips with his high school students. Therefore, I've resolved to get in the car and head out on the open road as well. This summer's trip with Karley and Liz only reinforced my desire to do this more often.

13. Get a library card. HAVING FUN ISN'T HARD...WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LIBRARY CARD! Plus I spend way too much on books. Oops. 

14. Read a new YA fiction series. Harry Potter really made my soul so happy this year, and I want to keep that YA joy flowing. I realize that nothing will ever measure up, but there's something about a series that's so addicting in the best possible way. Nerd friends, I'm open to suggestions!

15. Stay in bed until noon. SO. For the past two years, I've made it a goal to get up early to see the sunrise. And failed. Miserably. So I decided to take it in another direction. I haven't done the noon thing since college, and goodness knows that drifting in and out of sleep on a Saturday morning can be pretty freaking fantastic. It's like a goal to be lazy! I can't wait!

16. Watch every Seinfeld episode in order of its chronological release. All 180 epodes. Giddy-up.

17. Keep a plant alive under my supervision. Meanwhile, everyone I know is pregnant.

18. Try a cleaning schedule. Okay, before you write this one off as definitely not going to happen, I think if I chunk up the cleaning jobs, I won't let it build up because it's too much at once. Here's what I'm thinking: Monday is laundry day, Tuesday is floor day, Wednesday is kitchen day, Thursday is bathroom day, and Friday is for clutter. Saturday and Sunday will no longer be spent with shame and guilt-ridden hours of looking around at the mess and being too overwhelmed to chip away at any of it.

19. Visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. WHO'S WITH ME?!

20. Do something for this refugee crisis. You've all read Ann Voskamp's suggestions at how we can be a small help in this world full of brokenness, right? I want to stop reading headlines and start writing checks. Compared to most people on this planet, I am ridiculously wealthy. God is extravagantly generous with me - why can't I give a refugee kid a new backpack? There are so many little things we can do. Let's start doing them.

21. Attend a festival. Complete with a flower garland in my hairzzzz.

22. Watch the long Pride and Prejudice. Who would like to set aside a Saturday and do this with me? Oh hello, Colin Firth circa 1995. Hello there. 

23. Attend a theater or dance performance in Chicago. I am always so intrigued by the ballet ads I see downtown. And I have yet to meet a broadway show I didn't love. Time to get classy.

24. Paint a piece of furniture. True confession: I have two cans of aqua spray paint I'm not sure what to do with, so I figured I may as well make it a goal. That's just me being #Dutch and #cheap

25. Find a mission where I can volunteer or support or visit. Once again, see #20.

26. See live jazz music. This one is partly for Brian and partly for me. Before getting married, I really had no tolerance for jazz music. I get impatient and like my songs to run their full course within 2 minutes and 35 seconds. Brian, on the other hand, can throw in a little Wayne Shorter and be completely happy with a song over 7 minutes long. It's been growing on me and I'd love to experience some live jazz music together. Plus, we Chicagoans live in a cultural center of the genre! Excited to make this into a date night.

So there it is. 26 little things that help me make this life I lead my own. Got any ideas to add?

Checking In on my 25 before 26

Today is the day! My birthday! I had a birthday buddy in my classroom this year for the first time, which was super fun. I have my mind on a lot of things to accomplish this year, and that will come later this week, but today I want to reflect on my 25th year. I want to check in on how I've done with the list I set out to achieve by the time I turned 26. There were some big wins and of course some defeats. Here's how I did:

1. Refrain from purchasing clothes until January 1st, 2015. Success! Accomplished! I think Brian got a skewed sense of what our budget would be since the first 6 months of our marriage were completely mall-purchase-free, but he got over it when the new year came around :) It felt really good to accomplish this (pats self on back), but there is something wonderful about feeling great in a new outfit. I'm starting to veer into the quality-over-quantity territory, but it's hard to spend a lot on one item, trusting that I'll actually use it for years and years. One day I'll invest in those things, I swear. 

2. Go soft-drink-free for a year. IT HAPPENED! VICTORY! I consider this the biggest win of AGW's 25th year. I had my first Coke tonight after a full year without, accompanied by a fan-freaking-tastic Aurelio's pizza. Oh man. I think I got jittery immediately, but it was worth it. 

3. Sponsor a child. I did this one! Oforiwaa lives in Ghana and it's kind of pathetic how little effort it takes me to change a life in such a big way. Let's all do this, okay? 

4. Use money to bless people. Isn't there a thing about not bragging about tithing? I won't delve into the details, but once again, I saw this year how some people blessed me through their giving, and I think this world would be a better place if we took care of each other more often. 

5. Go wine tasting. Thanks to Brian, this one was accomplished. 

6. Use the broiler in my oven. Nope. Making food is hard, guys. 

7. Run for a good cause.  An unfortunate pick-up volleyball accident prevented me from running the actual event, but I can definitely say I coached for a good cause! I was a coach for Girls on the Run for the first time at Calvin and it was such an incredible experience. Absolutely a wonderful cause and loved the season with my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade girls. 

8. Wake up really early to see the sunrise. Nope. Maybe I should give up on this goal. I see the sunrise in the winter when I drive to work in the darkness. That counts, right? 

9. Have a housewarming party. I threw Jen a baby shower, and I considered that my housewarming party :) I felt like a real live hostess, a true accomplishment of my year! Plus it gave me an excuse to make bacon-wrapped dates. Win win. 

10. Own a houseplant without killing it.  This didn't happen. Not because I tried and failed, but because I didn't even try. I can only conquer so many fears in one year. 

11. Write more consistently. This is always a goal of mine, and always something I struggle with. How can I make time for the stuff that brings me to life in the midst of all of the obligations of life? Writing is one of those things, yet I always struggle with making it happen. I think it will have to be on next year's list again. 

12. Go to a yoga class. Success! This was a great part of my year, just learning how to breathe and think in a mindful way. I'm so so so not an expert and I'm not even close to even being good. I'm kind of a perpetual beginner, but I went to 7 sessions this winter and really loved it. 

13. Always have a book going.  Yep! This was one of the best things on the list to accomplish. ESPECIALLY ALL THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS OH MY GOODNESS JUST CALL ME HERMOINE.

14. Make dinner and have people over to eat it. Done! Did this for Karyn and Shane as well as Jen and Andrew. Nobody died. It's not that scarring of an experience! Maybe I'll do it again this year! I can do hard things! 

15. Keep fresh flowers in the house.  I definitely accomplished this, especially with all my trips to Trader Joe's (hello supercheap bouquets!), which also fed my orange chicken addiction. 

16. Go on a road trip with Brian.  Done! We hit up Milwaukee this year, and also managed to do a friend road trip with Danny and Reese to Tennessee. It was wonderful. There was a cabin and Harry Potter reading and bacon cooking and puzzle assembling and cocoa drinking. 

17. Spend more time intentionally technology-free. All that reading helped with this a bit. Always a good thing to keep in mind. 

18. Be tidier. Yikes. This was not accomplished. I'm blaming my hour-long commute from this year. So there. 

19. Accessorize more. I did it! I bought a few statement necklaces, and Brian even got me one too! He bought the gold one that I wore to a family friend's wedding last weekend. Here's a picture of that and of the one I wore to meet my new kids and their parents. So sophisticated #exceptitsfromtarget #targetisfancy #hatersgonnahate #noshameselfie

20. Visit the Art Institute of Chicago for a new exhibition.  Oops. 

21. Paint a watercolor picture. Nope. 

22. Wash off my makeup every night. I did this! I'm an adult!

23. Try 10 recipes I have never tried before. I did. And now I know 12 recipes. #domesticgoddess

24. Get my planning for school done before the weekend for a full month. This helped my weekends big time. I did this the whole month of March and it just really made me less depressed on Sunday night. 

25. Listen to the Lord. One of the hardest things about my year was following this rule. I had to decide where I was going to teach for the 2015 - 2016 school year, and discerning what God was saying was a hard thing. I ended up leaving Calvin Christian, a place I absolutely LOVE, for Timothy Christian, a place that was at the time an unknown. I don't think that God "wanted" me to leave or stay, but I do think God wanted me to serve him. So, no, a sign didn't come down from heaven. And no, I didn't hear His voice. But I do believe that I was listening to the Lord's leading when I had to face that tough choice. I'm learning the hard way that God works in wonderful and beautiful ways, blessing my life in the day-to-day. I feel God's presence right here at Timothy Christian School, and I'm loving the idea that I get to teach God's kids every day. Listening to God doesn't take away the doubts that I have; rather, it makes me at peace in the tension between certainty and confusion, where I tend to usually dwell. Listening to God makes me know that it's okay to live in that tension too. 

It's been a good year :) 

My 25 Before 26

You guys. I turned 25. Karley of course was a ridiculously good friend along with Mel and Liz and they planned me a surprise party that made me feel so freaking warm and fuzzy inside. I got a lot of comments about how this year makes me a quarter of a century. My dad said, "Hey Anna, only three more quarters to go!" I said, "Until I die? That's morbid Dad!" And he goes, "No...just three more quarters to go...until you turn...100." It's weird to have the first half of my twenties behind me, but I also love that those years have been lived. I really became myself in these past five years, made some dumb choices, made some good ones, but mostly just made my way in this world. As I did last year, I want to look at this year ahead as a year of opportunity; a way to accomplish things and never forget that this world is never finished in amazing me with new things, big and small, to try and discover and experience. Here we go, friends. My 25 goals before I turn 26!

1. Refrain from purchasing clothes until January 1st, 2015. I know it seems somewhat negative to have a "don't" as the first thing on my list, but it's the one I'm most determined to accomplish. I wanted to see what it felt like to go without buying clothes for six straight months. I've been on this thing since July 1, 2014, and plan to make it to New Year's Day. The (self-imposed) contest goes like this: I don't buy clothes (pants, jeans, tops, shirts, sweaters, shoes, etc...underwear and other accessories like tights are allowed in moderation so that I can be work appropriate haha) for six full months. If I make it to the end of the six months good on my promise, I'm going to reward myself with a small shopping day splurge. This is not meant to show solidarity with people less fortunate, as I am fully aware that my lack of spending does absolutely nothing to impact the lives of others and there are much, much better ways to support those who lack materially. This challenge came up when I was moving all of my clothes to our new place and realized that I don't always appreciate what I have. I love my clothes and want to put them to use; make them earn their keep. I love shopping almost as much, but there are better ways to spend my time and resources. So sorry, Anthro magazines, you'll just have to be eye candy for now. Whew. That was a long explanation for my first goal. The others are much shorter, I promise.

2. Go soft-drink-free for a year. No soda. No coke. No sugary-caffeiney-teeth-rotting nectar to complement my delicious bacon cheeseburger at DMK. Wish me luck.

3. Sponsor a child. 

4. Use money to bless people. I have been blown away by how God takes care of me, takes care of Brian and I together, and how generous our friends and family (and sometimes people out of the blue) are when it comes to money. Too often I'm counting and counting over and over what we've saved so far, only to forget that we could not have done it without the generosity of others. I want to be smart enough with my money so that it can be available to support other people.

5. Go wine tasting.

6. Use the broiler in my oven.I don't even know what that really means, but I see a lot of steak recipes in this great cook book I have that calls for me to use it, and yet I'm still scared. It's uncharted territory in the Gesch Whartnaby household, and I plan to chart that territory in the next year.

7. Run for a good cause. 

8. Wake up really early to see the sunrise. This is a repeat of last year, but I want to do it again. So there.

9. Have a housewarming party. I suppose my surprise party kind of christened our apartment as the first time we had people over, but I still want to host some sort of event. I love it here and want to share it!

10. Own a houseplant without killing it. 

11. Write more consistently. That means on this blog and in my journal. One of the things that makes me feel like "me" is writing things down. It's so basic of a thing, but it's important to me, and I should do it more often. I guess quantitatively that means something like 8x per month as a minimum on this blog and about 5x per week in my journal.

12. Go to a yoga class. I still haven't done it! How am I 25 years old without this being accomplished?! Up until now I've only ventured to the youtube yoga videos in the comfort of my own home, but this is the year where I will get out there and try a class or two.

13. Always have a book going. Last year I was good about reading during the breaks from school, but my reading life dropped off during the weeks and months of teaching. I want to always, always be in the middle of a book, no matter what time of year it is. I've never actually read Harry Potter, and I'm thinking it's the series I want to tackle this year.

14. Make dinner and have people over to eat it. This terrifies me, but I think is important to do before I turn the ripe old age of 26. C'mon Anna, woman up!

15. Keep fresh flowers in the house. 

16. Go on a road trip with Brian. 

17. Spend more time intentionally technology-free. I want to purposely leave my phone in the other room for an entire evening and be okay with it, on a consistent basis.

18. Be tidier. If you've ever met my dear cousin Liz, you would understand why she is the inspiration for this challenge. Stay tuned for how I figure out some strategies that work for me to keep up a clean apartment, for it shall need some creative thinking.

19. Accessorize more. The only jewelry I ever wear is my wedding/engagement ring combo. As lovely as they are (and they are) I want to amp this one up.

20. Visit the Art Institute of Chicago for a new exhibition.

21. Paint a watercolor picture.

22. Wash off my makeup every night. Pathetic that this one needs to be a goal, but yet, I am so, so lazy in this regard.

23. Try 10 recipes I have never tried before. Let me know if you have suggestions please!

24. Get my planning for school done before the weekend for a full month. Usually my Saturdays and Sundays are plagued with this slight feeling of dread that I have to get my work done. I want to pick a whole month to show myself that I can budget my time wisely and have the payoff be a very chilled out weekend.

25. Listen to the Lord. The tradition of Christianity in which I grew up was a strong, true, and wonderful one, but it didn't necessarily stress actually listening for the voice of the Lord. I want to spend more time acting out Psalm 46:10, really being still, and asking the Lord what he wants from me and for me. I want to investigate this part of my faith this year.

Join in if you'd like - what do you want to do in this year of your life?

Checking In: My 24 Before 25

Last year, around my birthday, I came up with a list of 24 goals I wanted to accomplish before I turned 25. I will surely make a list again this year for my next set of ideas, but before I go forward, I thought it would be fun to hold myself accountable to the ideas I had. Some of them definitely have been accomplished, some have definitely not. Like not even close. But I'm happy for the little victories and fun areas of personal growth. I like being an adult a lot for this reason, I feel really like I'm growing into myself more and more. So let's see how I did...

 1. Have a regular fitness routine. Meh. Didn't really accomplish this one because I'm just as on-again-and-off-again with running and working out as I was at this time last year.

2. Write a book. Swing, and a miss. I started a project (actually a really cool one!) but then employment, finding a job, and working my little butt off to be the best teacher I could be got in the way. And I still feel like I have miles to go in becoming a better teacher. But the book idea will have to simmer for now.

3. Read 5 books, just for the sake of reading them. We have a winner! Definitely accomplished this one. I read all 3 of Shauna Niequist's books this past year, along with a great collection of nonfiction stories from Annie Dillard, Soul Pancake, Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls, Sacred Marriage, The Meaning of Marriage, two books on teacher professional development, The Fault in Our Stars, and my favorite book that I read this past year, hands down, goes to The Book Thief. I was weeping, people; it was that good. The #1 biggest disappointment of the year in the literary department goes to Allegiant, Veronica Roth's third installment to her YA fiction series. It was bad. So I'd say Marcus Zusak gets my bid for Best Book of Anna Gesch Whartnaby's year.

4. Ged rid of clothes I don't wear. Also a success! I donated a total of 8 brown paper Trader Joe's bags to Goodwill. This doesn't mean, however, that my closet has any empty space at all. It just means I can mostly see all of the clothes that I own now. And that's a good thing.

5. Learn a new song in sign language. Nope. Forgot to do it completely.

6. Learn about wine. Again, nope. Unless "learning about wine" means "drinking more wine," I didn't get to that one this year. It will be in some form on the list to come.

7. Wake up really early to go to the beach to see the sunrise. A modified victory. I woke up really early one weekend to see the sunrise, but it wasn't at the beach. It was on my deck at my little apartment in Pilsen and it was very lovely. I then went to the coffee shop on the corner and I considered this halfway accomplished.

8. Take picture of murals in Pilsen. I got to take some great Pilsen pictures with Brian this year at Second Fridays for an open art gallery night. I'd love to go back and take more.

9. Paint a piece of furniture in a fun color. Nope. Just assembled furniture from IKEA and World Market instead. Getting married definitely changes your ideas of what you want to do when it comes to furniture.

10. Host people at my apartment for a fun event. Yipee! I had girls over for a Christmas party last December and it was both fun and delicious, as the treats that people brought to share were the best part.

11. Find a mentor. This has been one of the biggest parts of the last year in my life. I have been meeting with a mentor from my church since this past February, and it has had such a great impact on my spiritual life. I love her, look up to her, and wish that someday I'll have as much poise, confidence, and wisdom as she does.

12. Bake a cake or cupcakes from scratch. Check! Thanks 100% to the lovely Reese Eschmann Pyne, this one was accomplished.

13. Learn to use a grill. Halfway, as I've been more intentional about watching my mother-in-law craft delicious food on the grill for us to eat, but don't actually own a grill of my own to practice on. This will have to be a work in progress.

14. Create something crafty to hang up on the walls of my apartment. Done! I found cool map layouts of Chicago and Philadelphia and paired them with some frames I found to surprise Brian for our first apartment together.

15. Eat sushi. Yep. I liked it, but am still wondering how people eat that as their entire meals.

16. Pay off grad school and be debt free. Ahhhhh. This one feels the best. I feel the most grownup about accomplishing this one.

17. Spend less per week on groceries. Check! I found that I was throwing away a ton of food because I couldn't eat it in time before it went bad. I started making lists before going to the store and really stuck to them, which helped me a lot. Since I spent $40 on myself per week, I figured I could keep it to 80 or 90 per week on Brian and I together. So far that's worked out well!

18. Get a no-chip manicure. My sneaky sister-in-law Stephanie, who knew about my engagement before I did, offered to go with me to cross this one off the list just a few days before Brian popped the question.

19. Give more money away to church and charities. While this is always an area we can do more and more of,  I would consider this past year a success! I got better with giving consistently to my church and got to sponsor a Campus Crusade member at Northwestern in Evanston for her year of service,

20. Go to a yoga class. Still haven't done it. I'm too nervous to look stupid as a newbie!

21. Start to figure out where I will live/work/be for age 25 and beyond. This one DEFINITELY was accomplished this year. I know that I will live, work, and be alongside of Brian Edward Whartnaby for as long as we both shall live. That was the best accomplishment of my 24th year.

22. Write more thank-you notes. Yep. Weddings will do that to you. I've also managed to write a few more just for kicks, and I recommend it as a cheap and easy way to make people feel really special.

23. Read the Bible more. In conjunction with #11, I would say this area has become more real in my life. Not just because it is happening more often, but because, little by little, it starts to feel less like an obligation and more like a place of rest. Still working on it too.

24. Go on a road trip to a place I've never driven before. Success! I drove myself to the Twin Cities for my dear friend Jen's wedding this summer. It is such a great area and now realize that Minnesota has excellent qualities, in spite of its football team.

Whew! It's been a good ride! The final count is 17/24, and I'd say that's not too shabby. I accomplished lot of big things this year and ignored lots of little ones. Stay tuned for what's on my radar as I embark on this next quarter century.

Quarter Century

Brian turned 25! That seems really old and really young at the same time. For some reason, I've never pictured myself reaching that age, one day somehow forever mentally freezing myself at 17 and leaving it there. It feels SO OLD. On the other hand, it feels incredibly young - we are getting married this year - and that heavy and important commitment seems to me to be reserved for distinguished adults. I guess that to be 25 means to be in the middle. I suppose when you're in the middle there is only one thing to do: eat cheesecake.

We did precisely that, only after a delicious meal of Italian goodness at Antico Posto, a restaurant out by Brian's apartment. I made us reservations a week or so in advance, and while I like to pretend I did it out of a selfless consideration for Brian's affinity for their food, I think I secretly brought him there so I could eat the ravioli. I dream of that ravioli. And any restaurant that starts a meal with fresh bread and olive oil knows what it's doing.

We ended the night with cheesecake and The Princess Bride. Brian had never seen this masterpiece, so I figured his birthday was a perfect opportunity to be introduced to the literary classic and an understanding of what R.O.U.S. means. Fred Savage doesn't disappoint, people. Kind of exciting to spend this birthday with Brian - it's the first one I've been able to celebrate with him - as I think about all the birthdays and other little milestones to come. I have to say that life in the middle, and my life on the way to 25, is pretty good.

Your Best Shot

Last weekend in Wisconsin we introduced Brian to all that Sheboygan County has to offer. This, of course, means a trip to the shooting range. He did really well, considering his girlfriend's dad was eyeing up his every move. We met the "gun-range-crowd" there as well, of which I'll let you envision your own stereotype. After a successful round of target practice, what else was there to do but stop by the local meat market for some steak and beer? Ahhhh, home.

 

My 24 Before 25

Last weekend, Brian took me home to Wisconsin for my birthday weekend. My work life is in a crazy phase, so it was awesome for us to sit around a fire with my parents and stare at the stars in the crystal clear sky. We shot guns (more on that later), sat and talked with my grandpa and great aunt, and ate more calories than I would like to think about with my aunt and uncle.

But, as it was my birthday, I am now 24 years old. Whaaa? Why is it that I feel like I'm perpetually 16 in this adult world? Yet the number goes up each year. I do think I'm more mature now than I was a year ago, but somehow it still feels weird. I suppose that if I felt more accomplished I might feel more mature each year at my birthday. So I've decided to do just that. I've decided to accomplish things.  Here is a list of things, large and small, that I want to accomplish before I turn 25. Next year around my birthday I'll check in to see if I actually did any of this stuff!

My 24 Before 25

1. Have a regular fitness routine. I'm on and off this year, from intense running for a half marathon to slacking for the whole entire beginning of the school year. At a time where running is necessary to relieve stress and clear up my mind, I don't make time for it. I want to get better at this for next year.

2. Write a book.

3. Read 5 books, just for the sake of reading them. 

4. Get rid of clothes that I don't wear. Jen, my roommate, is really great at being a minimalist. She's constantly throwing stuff out. I feel like she lives lighter because of that. Pack-rat-dom brings me down. I think my rule will be that if I haven't worn it in a year, it's got to go.

5. Learn a new song in sign language.

6. Learn about wine. I don't understand wine. But I like it. So I want to learn about it.

7. Wake up really early and go to the beach to see the sun rise.

8. Take pictures of some of the murals in Pilsen with my nice camera. This neighborhood is a special place

9. Paint a piece of furniture in a fun color. 

10. Host people over at my apartment for a fun event. 

11. Find a mentor. Whether that age difference is one year or fifty, getting advice from someone older is important.

12. Bake a cake or cupcakes from scratch. 

13. Learn to use a grill. 

14. Create something crafty to hang up on the wall or put in my apartment. 

15. Eat sushi. I've only tried one piece of sushi once in my life. I've never "gone out for sushi" like most hip girls my age have done. I feel like this needs to happen.

16. Pay off grad school and be debt free. 

17. Spend less per week on groceries. 

18. Get a no-chip manicure. 

19. Give more money away to church and charities. (This goes hand in hand with 16 and 17.)

20. Go to a yoga class. Namaste.

21. Start to figure out where I will live/work/be for age 25 and beyond. And when I say "start to figure out" I mean just that. In no way do I intend to know my life path/calling/future a year from today. Something tells me that life is more about changing lanes along the way than reaching a destination.

22. Write more Thank-You notes. 

23. Read the Bible more. Right now, this is embarrassing to admit, but I'm averaging about 3, maybe 4 times a week. I need to do it every day to feel like my life is good and happy and right and on-track.

24. Go on a road trip to a place I've never driven before. 

It's Always A Good Time

First of all, yes, I am obsessed with this song. Well, and this one too for that matter. I listen to them each at least one time on my way to school EVERY day. And I may or may not sometimes do sign language to the words as I go. And this may or may not attract weird looks from passersby in traffic.

I know this weekend just happened, but I want to recognize last weekend for a moment. It was awesome. Now, in my college years, it wouldn't have been classified as all that special. I got together with friends, had a good time, and had fun instead of focusing on my daily responsibilities. These days, however, that is a huge deal. Seeing my Trinity friends is a privilege now and we all get so excited when we can get together. We made a drink we found on Pinterest, played fishbowl (maybe I'll post instructions to that game on here! You all would love it), and hung out at our friends' house. Not to mention that, but I also got to reunite with some of my Teach For America friends on the night of my birthday. We cooked out, caught up on the latest of the CPS teacher's strike (hmm...maybe I'll post some of my thoughts on that later) and then went out in Lincoln Park. We finished the night in my favorite kind of way: getting food at a 24/7 diner. I had the most delish french toast I think I've ever tasted at that fine establishment.

I'm just loving that even as I live this post-grad life, I am A) still SO excited to see my college friends and have equally as much fun when I'm with them and B) still meeting new people with which to have good times. It's kind of amazing how you can connect so quickly with all kinds of people: some who are just like you and some who are NOTHING like you. Maybe I'll do another post on that whole idea too. Okay I have a lot of posts to do because I just keep thinking about all these topics I want to write on. These people made my weekend so special. Not just because it was my birthday, but because it was just simply a time when we were all together. And it is always fun when we're together.

Basically, this is what I want to express to you: Friends are good.

Chipotle after church. My kind of Sunday. 

Fishbowl in action.  

Cheers!

TFA friends. These people inspire me on the reg. 

Bros...brothers...brethren?

Yes, you Amanda Bynes fans...that was a quote from She's the Man! It's been too long since I've seen that movie. That is going back on the list.

Well today I learned a lot, particularly more appreciation for those two older brothers of mine. Today was QUITE THE DAY. I slept over at Rudi's house (Chicago area) and had planned to be back home before lunch so I could spend the day studying. Great plans right? Right! High five Anna! Well, then this happened.

I was all packed up after breakfast, off crusin' along in Remy the WonderBug, basking in the superior German engineering that accompanies the VW brand, and all of a sudden something was weird. The usual smooth driving felt a little floppy. And then I turned a corner, only to hear the FLAPFLAPFLAP of a flat tire hitting the pavement. I yelled "OH CRAP" to nobody in particular and threw on the hazards. Yep. This is the sight that met me. So my original plans for today went awry (cue the quote of plans and mice and men) and I had to move forward and deal with this. And by deal with this I mean stand watch while others deal with it. And by others I mean my brother.

After going 2 miles per hour to retrace my path back to Rudi and Steph's house, Stephanie and I called Rudi to come save us damsels in distress. Big brothers can come in handy. He changed that tire like a boss and I drove back to Wisconsin, 2 hours later than expected. I then drove to a shop near my house and they took care of the replacement. Finally, by 4:00, I was home in time to run, shower, eat, and head to a very special event. This is where the day took a drastic turn for the AWESOMER.

The whole family headed over to my Grandpa's house for his birthday party. The guy is awesome. He turned 89 today. This milestone, paired with family togetherness (always new babies of my cousins to oogle at), and cake made my day into a huge plus. 

Before we left I got a photo op with the birthday boy himself. (I love his napoleonic hand gesture.) We got home and I settled in my spot on the couch to catch up on reality television with my parents, and just when I thought the day couldn't end on a better note, I was reminded yet again how big brothers can come in handy. Lookie here, Alex went ahead and made frozen margaritas! My fave! Sugar on the rim, of course. Just add chips and salsa from Chili's, and you have my favorite meal. Yes, chips and margaritas create a complete meal. 

So while today veered drastically from my original plans, it was full of brothers, birthdays, and learning the definition of lug nut. I'll drink to that. Cheers! 

The Wonder Child Turns Three

I have this little niece named Sawyer. I am pretty lucky to see her all the time due to the close distance between her house and my school. But thanks to crazy scheduling issues, when it comes to Sawyer's birthdays, I am somehow a deadbeat aunt. I've successfully been out of the state every January 16th for the past 3 years.

On the day she was born in 2009, I received a $30.00 phone call from my brother telling me the happy news. I was in Jamaica. In 2010, I had to drop her present off early...I would miss her first birthday party because I was in Costa Rica on a soccer missions trip. Last year for her 2nd birthday I thought I had a chance - I left for Spain on the 18th. Alas, I was in Iowa on choir tour on her big day. Shoot. But this year, I will see Sawyer in all of her newly-minted-three-year-old glory. She is one of the best people on this planet. And if you spend 5 minutes with her, you will agree with me. 

Happy 3rd Birthday Soyjoy! You're my favorite.

Love, Auntie Anna

My Blog's Birthday Bash

You're invited to a party. Kinda. You can consider this post the entertainment, go grab some chips for the refreshments and crank up some James Taylor for the musical ambience. Voila. You are now attending my blog's first birthday party.

Friends, a year ago today I started my blog with this post. Not anything too profound, just a "Welcome everyone, here is my blog," statement, but it still was a big day in my life.

This started originally under the title of A Broad Abroad (thanks to my creative brother Rudi) and was meant to document my semester in Sevilla, España for four months. Well, it did just that. And I have had a fabulous time looking back on those posts, pictures, videos, and memories of the best four months of my life. My favorite posts from that semester include how I was growing up, reminders of my Señora's cooking, figuring out the cultural differences, pictures of my friends, and my all-time favorite, my walk to school (this is the one I visit when I'm especially missing Spanish life). So many good things came out of that semester, but one of the least expected things was this blog. I figured, when I came back home, there was no need to write on it anymore. But I was wrong.

I found that, during the summer, I missed blogging immensely. I loved the feeling of writing my thoughts out in words, putting it out there to the universe, and somehow that helped people personally connect to situations, feelings, or life stages that I was experiencing at the same time. I love connecting to people in ways that I don't expect, and I love the courage it requires of me to "put it all out there." When I started up again with the beginning of the school year, I was so happy to be writing again.

Having said that, there can be some pitfalls with blogging. It is my personal life to some extent, so there is the danger of putting stuff out there that people don't like or don't want to read. Furthermore, since it is ME writing about MYSELF, blogging is by nature a self-centered activity. I think the best way to avoid getting caught up in that complex is to focus on how a blog can be used to get your point of view across in a way that is true to who you are, but not overbearing. This is better than serving up a hefty dose of ME to whoever will listen. Also, reading other people's blogs has helped me hone in my own voice.

While I absolutely love getting feedback, response, and connections through my blog, the number one reason I continue to write on this thing is this: I love it. Even if zero people read it, I would still write it. But I truly do love to do this, and I thank you for stopping by, offering your own thoughts, and considering mine.

As I start off year #2, I am so excited to see what happens, where I end up, and what I write. Let's make it a good one!

The Xan Man Turns ONE.

I can't believe we've reached this milestone. Xander Christian, my favorite nephew in the world, just celebrated his first birthday. (For any of you fans of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia it's really fun to insert "Xan Man" into the lyrics for Charlie's song called "Day Man." Xander really is a master of karate and friendship.)

We celebrated by getting together, eating cake, and watching Sawyer, his older sister, open and play with his presents. Maybe next year he can muscle her out of the way. For now, he was content with a face full of blue frosting and a house full of friends and family. What a cute little dude.

Starting to walk like a champ

Sawyer opening Xander's presents.
Everybody wins when your brother has a birthday! 

Building block cake crafted by my sister-in-law

Cake mania

And in the spirit of being bittersweet about watching my favorite kids grow up too fast, I could not resist but attach this video that my brother made. It's the past year in four minutes. Get ready for goosebumps and a few tears of joy.