(re)Purpose.

And the lines have all been drawn, and I know where I belong, where I belong. And I think I like how the day sounds through this new song.

Greg Laswell has been singing the words in my spirit as of late. Along with "Comes and Goes", my playlist includes any/all Mumford and Sons, Adele, and Bon Iver. Who am I kidding-that's been my playlist for this entire summer. Amidst all of the shifting and changing that's been going on lately, several songs have been on repeat; you can also add Mumford's "After the Storm" to that list. You can say these past few days have been tough on the ol' ticker. As the days pass, there are constant reminders to what I used to have, and there's a certain emptiness I feel because my life is no longer interwoven with someone else's. It's very odd. There are times when I'll be driving, and a song will come on the radio that hits me at just the right moment, and all of a sudden I'm vulnerable, my wound is exposed, and I'm crying. Sometimes it's not a song, but simply the beauty of a fall evening (which I haven't seen for at least 4 years), and the way the setting suns sparkles in the trees while simultaneously whipping my hair back and forth just makes me think, "This would surely be nice to share with someone." I'm sure that these aren't the only moments I'll have in the coming days, weeks, months.

But through all of the pain, sadness, and letting go, one thing has remained perfectly clear:

I am exactly where I'm supposed to be.

Yep. That is QUITE clear. Since I got home from my whirlwind North Carolina/Mississippi/Louisiana adventure, it's been non-stop blessings. Firstly, my job at Baires' has been amazing. I feel like I make new friends everyday, and I love having a small part in making someone's day, whether that be by serving them yummy food, or just giving them a smile. There's a lot of older couples that frequent the restaurant, and I feel like I've gained several sets of grandparents, two of my favorite being "Gregorio" (Gregory) and Janice. These two are just TOO precious. Every time they walk in, they get a boisterous greeting from Marcela, which includes (but is not limited to) a "GREGORIOOOOOOO" and hugs and kisses all around. I love watching the exchange, and I love talking to them about everything from theatre to cats and the gentle way that Gregorio takes care of Janice is beautiful to watch. I want a Gregorio. 


Secondly, after beginning the application process for Teach for America at the end of August/early September, and waiting and waiting and oh yes, waiting, I am SO happy to be blessed with the chance to have an in person interview on the 19th of this month! Yahoo! To get to this point, I had to fill out a very extensive application, then wait to hear if I was granted an over-the-phone interview, and then after that interview, I had to wait a bit more to see if I was granted an in-person interview. Now I'm in the midst of filling out more extensive forms online before the 19th, and praying that my transcript gets here before the 14th, which is when all of my forms are due. I'm not even in college anymore and my life is STILL full of deadlines-will it ever end?? (Silly question, Danielle). I also have to prepare a 5 minute lesson to present to my fellow interviees and the interviewers, and right now I'm at a bit of a loss. Hopefully God will bring something fun, awesome, and highly educational to my mind in these next few days...


And then there's the YMCA. On the same day I found out about my TFA interview, I got a call from the Y saying that I am in fact hired part time to work in the Wellness Center-another YAHOO! This was also 2 weeks of waiting and wondering what I did wrong in my interview and re-evaluating everything in my head, which was silly and all for naught. I think I need to learn on trusting God more.


These are just a few of the amazing things God has been doing up here in Central Ohio. Did I ever think this is the path I would be placed on-to be living with my parents, working two jobs, while applying to be a teacher in Oklahoma? And where does theatre fit into all of this??


No. And I don't know.


But is this where I am called to be?

YES. 100 and 10 times YES.

More exciting things to come...I can just feel it. 

:)

The Home Life.

Even though this is bad quality, this is me at the end of my first 5K!

Since I got home from my trip to Mississippi, it's literally been a "hit the ground running" type of situation. I came home in time to be present for the Marion Popcorn Festival, a local "treat" that's put our small town on the map. (Food Network came and filmed a little feature on it several years ago...holllllah). I can't say I like to frequent this event, as sugar coated and cute that the Food Network made it sound. When I was a child, I had to ride on the float for my dance studio every year since the early 90s, while strange men and children whooped and hollered from the sidelines and called out "Let's see ya do a little dance!" Nor when I actually went to the festival can I say I came away with good memories. This may sound like an exaggeration, but one night I remember walking around, and seeing a young goth couple. The girl had a leash, which was chained to her boyfriend's (?) spiked collar, while carrying a baby doll that looked like a cross between the doll that Syd from "Toy Story" reinvented and Chucky. YIKES. The fair food, amount of sketchy people, and the occasional fight between youngsters are also factors that make me want to stay in the comfort and safety of my home.

But this year was a little different. I found out Grace Potter and the Nocturnals was going to be there, and since I missed their free concert in Steamboat this past summer, I felt like their presence in my life a second time was a sign I needed to go. And once again, it was free, so how could I turn that down? My lovely friend Lindsay went with me, and let me tell you what, it.was.AMAZING. I am now a Grace Potter fan. She is a completely fierce being, and totally channels the vibes of the female rockers of the 60s and 70s, a la Janis Joplin. I managed to get some pretty cool pictures, though a lot of them were blurry because she was literally jumping, dancing and head banging the entire time. Here's a favorite of mine.

Blurry, but undeniably fierce.

The next morning, I went back downtown to run my first 5K, and I LOVED it. I think I'm going to keep training and running in races all around Ohio. The tough part is, most of them are $20+, and although I'm all about supporting a good cause, I know my budget won't allow for too many races in a month. One race in particular that I'm interested in is part of the Wellness In The Woods series. All of the races in that series take place at various metro parks around Columbus, and the money goes to benefit the upkeep of those parks. I'm not going to lie, part of the draw for running is getting an organic cotton eco-friendly t-shirt. Who wouldn't want one of those?? The goal for my next race is to run it in exactly 30 minutes, but I know I'm going to have to be more consistent with running in order to achieve that goal. I started off this week pretty great, but a few physical issues and busy days have stalled my progress. Oh, and making up excuses has also slowed me down a bit. Note to self: MUST work on standing up to myself next week.

The Homestead at Christmastide.

So here's the burning question on everyone's mind: What is life REALLY like at home? Well, honestly it's kinda weird. Not weird in a bad way...it's just different. I'm no longer a high school student, or any kind of student at all, so there's no pressure of school or wearing uniforms or any of the silliness that goes along with high school. A lot of people who first found out I was moving back in with good ol' Mike and Jen laughed a little, and made some sort of comment like "Uh-oh, how's THAT going to work out?" So far, it really hasn't been that bad at all-it's actually been a really positive and fun experience. Although I have enjoyed living in other states the past several years, there's something about being home and being in your own room with familiar surroundings that just can't be replaced, no matter how far you roam. (Commence writing sappy Country song NOW). There's also something about not living out of a suitcase that's really priceless too. I don't see my time at home as one big sigh, or a step in the wrong direction, but instead this will be a time to reconnect with my parents, try to give back to them in some small way, grow in my faith, and saving money. Lots of money. Another exciting thing is that I actually get to experience this year is FALL -yippee skippee! It's quite easily my favorite season. I've missed it very much.

One way that I've really enjoyed "giving back" is through cooking and baking. I have missed our 1930s gas stove like you wouldn't believe. It's like an old friend; I know its quirks and oddities, it's slightly dangerous, yet I love it all the same. It feels wonderful to don an apron and bake new and lovely smelling things. With fall right around the corner (and a bushel of apples I picked just waiting for me in my basement), breads, desserts and my first batch of applesauce are calling out to me to make them. I LOVE to substitute healthy things for unhealthy things in recipes, so I hope to be putting some of the items I've baked on here soon. If you were to join me in my kitchen tonight, you'd find this Chunky Vegan Sweet Potato Bread with Rosemary being baked, a bevy of apples being dried in order to make Apple Chips, and my own version of Glazed Apple Cookies just a bakin' in my oven. (Yes, it will smell very good and much like fall). Some mixture of Mumford and Sons, Adele, and Bon Iver will be playing and possibly tea will be brewing. Join me.

All of that to say, life is good. Beautiful even. Today's temperatures are a sign of cooler days to come, and a drive in the country early this morning really put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. I know moving home isn't for everyone, and some people might think I'm lying when I say I'm really enjoying it and that I love waitressing at a local restaurant. I've promised to write blog posts about life lessons that I'm learning, but in an effort to stop this novel I've started writing, I'll make my first lesson brief and sorry guys, it's targeted towards the ladies.

It is this: No matter how many language barriers stand between you and your boss (mine happens to be a fiery Argentinian woman), feminine issues are always understood with very few words being used. And for that, I am extremely grateful.

Hips wide, organs spread out.

Those are the (paraphrased) wise words of my mother, said in response to the brief time in my life where I wanted to be a truck driver. After putting in nearly 50 hours in the car these past few weeks, I can easily see how this can happen. My lower half feels pretty flabby, to say the least. And I feel like I'm going to develop some pretty serious varicose veins at any second. Cute, huh? Yeah. Needless to say, I'm VERY glad to be back on solid ground once again, and don't have any long road trips planned for the near future.

To try and sum up these past few weeks might take me awhile. I feel like I haven't stopped moving since I landed in Columbus on August 7th, after spending 2 months away at camp. I got home on a Sunday (technically Monday morning at 2am), and went right to work at Baires Deli, a local Argentinian restaurant at 11am that same day. (I hope to start blogging about my experiences there...it's been a pretty great place so far and I already have stories to share). I spent that next week learning how to be a waitress, with a lot of help from my boss, Marcela, Jeff, another cook, and Kelly, who does a variety of things around the restaurant. Thankfully I didn't have too many slip ups, and all of the customers were very patient with me. I then left for a 5 day vacation to North Carolina with my mom, and had a great time bummin' around the mountains with her. We haven't gotten to do a "girls only" trip for a few years, and it was nice to watch movies, talk about life, and generally just relax. I was only home for 3 days before I left for a 2 week trip down South, which I like to call the " 'Sip Trip." After almost 4 months of not seeing Daniel, you could say we were both REALLY ready to spend time with one another again. I also loved spending time with my former roombug, Marie. It's SO good to be with a kindred spirit and laugh and talk like I never even left. (Pictures to come regarding the special house warming gift I made for her new apartment).

I went on many adventures during my 2 weeks, and at ate a few places that I'd never been to before, such as Basil's and Cherokee Inn. YUM. You would think that after 4 years of living in the chunkiest state in the union that I'd appreciate some good ol' fashioned fried food, but I just really don't, so Cherokee Inn just wasn't my style. But I really appreciated the small town feel the restaurant had and how the owner takes orders and mingles with the guests. I think my brother would REALLY enjoy such a place.

When it was all said and done, I stayed at 6 different houses during my stay, and even slept on a couch one night. This morning I left Louisville at the early hour of 5:30am, after spending the night with a lovely friend, and FINALLY completed my journey, getting home a little after 10am. I can't tell you how good it felt to turn into my driveway. You know what else is going to feel good? Sleeping in my OWN bed tonight. Not that I didn't appreciate the kindness of my loved ones in MS for putting up with me for several days on end, but there's just something about your own sheets, the smell of your room, and your own lamp on your night stand. I can't explain it properly, but I think you know what I mean.

Now that I'm home and have access to the internet more consistently, I vow to update this blog as much as possible with my creative endeavors, in both the cooking and crafting arenas, "Things That Waitressing Is Teaching Me", what returning home after 4 years away feels like, thoughts on my future (as God brings them before me), and a variety of other fun things. One of which may be a video of me singing an original song, inspired by all of the songs about clubbin' that seem to be floating around these days (i.e. Katy Perry's "Friday Night" and pretty much anything written by Ke$sha). There are similar themes throughout these tunes, and I had TONS of time to think about lyrics and song ideas on my drive home. Stay tuned. :)

In closing, here are just a few of my small "goals" that I hope to accomplish during this season of my life, as I try to find peace and joy living with my parents and returning to a town that I often make fun of. Goals are as follows (and will probably change frequently):

-Remember to take my reusable shopping bags with me to the store. I ALWAYS forget, which led to a very awkward and frustrating experience at Save A Lot the other day.

- Store leftovers in glass containers instead of tupperware. We've had ours before the "BPA free" days, so I'm sure they're teeming with germs and other unhealthy things.

-Finish my MANY crafty projects. This will be done. I'm already speaking it.

-Repurpose/build my own craft table for my room. This will de-clutter my tiny space GREATLY, plus give me an area to learn to sew.

-Clean our attic. With our without my parents' permission...we've got a buttload of junk of there. They'll thank me later.

-Try a new recipe a week. My mom will learn to appreciate my style of healthy cooking someday...

-Blog. Duh. Hopefully make my posts more focused and interesting and not just write 50 posts about the same thing.

And maybe the most urgent...

-Finish applying for Teach for America. It's been quite the process thus far, and from what I hear, this is only the tip of the iceberg. It's quite scary to trust that God will put me in the right place for the next 2 years, but I'm learning. He's working on my heart daily.

This is all for now. With how long my posts are, another one of my goals should be to finish writing a play I've started. We'll see. For now, have a lovely evening, and I hope you return to read more soon.

Rosie, my travel companion.