The bachelorette pad...

Just so you know, you cannot earn a bachelorette degree at IU. I'm serious. Someone called the Undergrad Programs Office (that is the office I am the graduate assistant for) one day last week and asked if she could get her bachelorette degree from SPEA. Jessica (who works at the front desk) explained to her that she could get her "bachelors," but the lady continued to call it her "bachelorette." Jessica was cracking up.

Anyway, this new update has absolutely nothing to do with your bachelors degree or even about bachelorettes. I really just wanted to add pictures of my new place for your viewing enjoyment. Let me know what you think!

First....the living room....






...the kitchen....







.....bathroom.....



.....and my room....






This is a reallly awkward picture of my desk, but it was difficult to find a good angle. Grandma, please note how well my house plant is doing!







And this is a picture of the flowers Mike bought for me at the local farmer's market last weekend. I have been to the farmer's market 3 times now and it is amazing how popular it is in Bloomington to buy local produce. It is also a lot of fun. There is usually live music, and barbeque and this weekend there was even a salsa dance show and street perfomers acting like statues. There is also this guy who plays guitar and harmonica and little kids all gather around him to shake the mini maracas he has in a basket for them. It's really precious.



That is all for now. I hope to update again soon!
Thanks for stopping by!

Now that I'm a SPEON...

In this new phase of my journey, I thought it might be nice to keep a record of where I am going...and where I have been. If you are interested, check here for updates on my life here in Bloomington, IN. Post messages and let me know if there are things you want to know more/less about.

Quick synopsis: I am currently a first year student at SPEA ( the School of Public and Environmental Affairs) at Indiana University. They call us Speons. Apparently this is also a particular genus of frog, but that is neither here nor there. As a Speon, I am pursuing my masters in Public Affairs with concentrations in Nonprofit Management and Policy Analysis. The program will last two years.

For more info about SPEA, check out: http://www.iub.edu/~speaweb/.

Everyone always asks, "So, what are you going to be (when you grow up)?" The question is legitimate since all the above titles can seem like just a lot of words. The answer is simple: I am training to be a super hero. Since I was born with no natural super powers, I have resorted to obtaining certain skill sets at SPEA that I believe will make me nearly as marketable as a female equivalent of Batman or Superman. The only exception is my adamant opposition to all things spandex. Thus, my super-suit will be a deviation from the typical Marvel apparel. :)

No, really, what am I going to do with my life?

The plan is to work for a nonprofit. My passions right now are diverse. I would love to work with issues of: intercountry adoption, child welfare, or immigration. The plan, however, is flexible. My experience has taught me that God should lead and I should follow. When I try to lead, I mess everything up terribly. The plan today may not be the plan tomorrow, but I know the Lord will complete his purposes for me, both now and always. I am learning to trust that His ways are not my ways because He is omnipotent and I, well, I am still trying to catch on.

On a personal note, for those of you who don't know, Mike got into IU Law and is also here in Bloomington! It is exciting to finally live in the same city! He is working hard and reading ALL the time (a slight change from his engineering undergrad experience). Fortunately, he has also been finding time here and there to come visit me and drink all the sweet tea in my apartment. (I also convinced him to watch Project Runway with me last night. Haha. If that ain't love....)

Again, if you have any recommendations of info you would like to know, do tell. I am excited to be able to use this blog as a way to communicate with the people I know, near and far. I hope you will keep me posted on your lives as well!

Dios te bendiga!