week fourteen

Its the last week...the last real week. I'm so close, I can feel it. Pretty much every moment of my week has been planned out, down to the hour. It's ok though, because when it's done, I'm done.

Sunset from my bedroom window tonight.

home today

This morning I woke up around 10:45, which pretty much set the mood for the rest of my day.

I sat in my parents armchair by the fire curled up in my quilt most of the day. I am reading Bonhoeffer's book on community, it's wonderful. I devour his words. Sometime in the afternoon I looked out our big living room windows to see big white flakes falling from the sky. The clouds had set in and I could only see the first few feet of pine trees through the snow. It was a peaceful quiet afternoon.

Around 4:00 I decided to shower and brush my hair (highly overrated if you ask me). We, my family and I, ventured back over to my Grandma's house for round two of Thanksgiving dinner. My favorite part of the holiday really.

Over the last month or two of school I have been feeling myself becoming more tired each day, and sleep at night never seems to recover me. But this weekend has been restful, and definitely what I needed to get myself through this next two weeks.

Things I still need to do this semester:

Write my last Latin American lit paper.
Finish Bonhoeffer, write a paper.
Integrative paper for Bill's class.
Retreat for Bill's class.
One more Spanish test.
One more Empirical World test.
Finish editing last articles for Yearbook.

The end is near.

correspondence

just have to remember this

This evening I went to the Robeck's for dinner. It was typical chaos night, drinks were spilled, kids cried, dinner was awesome, and there was a lot of goofiness. Those are just a few reasons why I love their house.

Anyway, I was leaving and had said goodbye, passed out hugs and got into my car. I put it in drive and then out of the corner of my eye I see a little pajama wearing, barefoot boy running down the path from the house. I put my car quickly back in park and open the door as he is running around the front of my car, "Caleb what are you doing?" I ask as he jumps into my arms. He kisses me on the cheek and gives me a big hug and says in a this-is-obvious-I'm-not-sure-why-you're-asking sort of tone,

"You forgot to give me a kiss."

Then he ran his little barefoot self back up the path and went inside.

in which i find a cozy place...

So my previous boss and friend, Amanda, moved from one position to another at Vanguard recently. Really good move for her, we're all excited. Anyway, I went to have a one on one with her (see below) today and she was a few minutes late. In the front of her office is a brand new really cozy couch. So, me being me, I plopped myself down into it, got comfy among the six pillows on it and opened up my book. About 15 minutes later we left, and I had found myself a new spot to sit and read on campus. It's probably the most wonderful couch between Newport Blvd, Fairview and Vanguard Way.

While no one was looking I snuck a picture.

wisdom

"I wonder how many doors that we walk by, that if we opened, we would walk into and discover wonder."

-Bill Dogterom

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sharon,

I have so much to tell you.
Tea sometime soon?

Ash

one on ones

There is a tradition at Vanguard that I have not seen in any other place. They are called, specifically, "one on ones". As a freshman I went into my first one with the premonition that said staff member would ask me questions all about myself and dissect me and tell me what I needed to work on. Like a sort of therapist. I was partially correct. 

What I have found however is that after one, maybe two of these relationship starts to happen and wisdom starts coming from so many places. This week, wait let me look at my calendar, I have 6 different coffee/lunch/breakfast dates with individual people whom I love. That is not counting the meals I will share with friends. 

This afternoon I am getting coffee with a beloved professor. I had a meeting with my SFO director already this afternoon and on Friday I am having lunch with a previous RD and friend. I feel like I am packed with people this week. It makes for a difficult time getting all my schoolwork done, however I'm sure most of my learning is supposed to happen outside of class anyway right? 

ashee's here!!

Favorite moment from yesterday:

Sitting in a fort made of a huge blanket stretched over the couch, chairs and the coffee table. We had blankets and pillows on the floor and games and books inside. Rebekah asked me to read to her, so while JM and Caleb went to get Coke, RRR and I read in our fort. Heaven for Ashley? Yes.

for you

Gram,

Right now I am sitting in my kitchen after a kinda long, but partly relaxing day, (I took a nap about halfway through it). I am about to register for classes next semester and keep reading for my literature class on Friday. I am writing this to you because I am having a cup of "Constant Comment" tea, and every time I do I think about you. I am really excited for Thanksgiving, and to see you so soon! I love you so much, tell Opa I love him too.

Love,

Ash