Finding Perfection in the Perfectly Simple

Last night, my plane touched down at the Minneapolis/Saint Paul airport. I was, in fact, returning from four of the most WONDERFUL days I have ever spent at home. What made them so great? The fact that they were ordinary, simple, average days with my simple and ordinary friends and family. (You guys are extraordinary to me, don't worry:) )

This is my perfectly average Jack-O-Lantern. Usually I try to get all creative and make different designs, but this time, reverting back to simplicity definitely fit the occasion. The entire time I was with my family carving pumpkins, my face hurt from smiling! I LOVE this pumpkin because it simple and very, very happy. And I was VERY happy with the fact that I got to spend a weekend with my family. I love them so much!

Ahh Johnny. And his super attractive pumpkin. They bear a strange resemblance, yes? :) Just kidding Johnny, ya know I love ya! Thanks for coming and picking me up at the airport even though I walked right past you!

 Something that was SO, SO awesome was people's reactions to seeing me. I felt like I was the number one person in the world for this weekend! I snuck up on my aunt Karrie and gave her a hug and she burst into tears! I surprised my friend Brianna and she screamed and hugged me so tight, I thought I was going to pass out. My sister tackled me, I got a huge (sweaty) hug from the entire BEHS volleyball team, and as soon as I walked through the doors and saw my parents I began to cry. So did my mom. The thing about coming home is that everyone and everything is SO special to you! And, you are so special to everyone!

I went to lunch with my mom and my grandma the first day being home. It was so fun! The restaurant when we first walked in was decorated for Halloween. This is me trying to achieve the same pose and seriousness and the nice fellow in the portrait behind me. Think I succeeded?

Cierra! I missed her SO DANG MUCH! We have a super awesome handshake.. Just sayin.

Aw mommy.. I love her so much!:)

Here are the pumpkins from my family. Cierra carved Santa, mine is the top left, under it is Kaysen's, then Dad's, and Mom's is hanging out over there by its lonesome. Pumpkin carving is one of those family activities that you take for granted until you are far away from your family! I am so thankful that I got to be here for that!:)

The second day I was here, I went to lunch with my other grandma, my aunt Karrie, Mom, Dad, and Johnny. We had such a good time! I was slightly mortified when the family decided to ask our (very attractive, but still!) waiter to go on a date with me to Lagoon! I almost died of embarrassment.. He said he was very flattered and wished he could go, but had to work the following day. (Phew, but that actually could've been a fun adventure..)

I could not have asked for a more perfect weekend. My family will never be perfect, but they will always be here and I will ALWAYS love coming home and spending time with them. It's amazing how 3 days at home left me ready to conquer the world. I am back at Macalester and LOVING LIFE. And hey, the next time I come home, I get 5 whole weeks with my family! Plus Christmas! I am so, so looking forward to it. Because it will be simple. And it will be perfect.

People Who Make A Difference

One of the things I have really realized since becoming a college student is just how many people I have back at home who love and care about me. I have always been surrounded by people who are slow to judge and quick to lend a shoulder to cry on or to lean on, and a laugh to share. No matter the situation, I always know that I have a support group in my friends and family. So I decided to maybe hightlight a few of those every once in a while!:)


My mom. I have been blessed to have the most amazing mom a girl could possibly ask for (yes, I am very biased). :)





For as long as I can remember, she has been my best friend. I don't know that I laugh harder with anybody else than I do with her! In this picture, we were sitting in an airport and trying to take a picture of ourselves but couldn't because we were laughing so hard. A nice man next to us finally took pity on us and offered to take the picture for us. We have had countless memories like this, where we laugh until we are useless, until we cry, until we run out of breath. I love it. :)


She always believes in me even when I don't believe in myself. She always pushes me to realize my potential. She helps me keep to my standards and always gives me a gently nudge in the right direction when I am reluctant to keep moving.




She is with me through good times and bad, when the road gets so rough that I don't know how I will ever make it. She is always there when I am too afraid to take another step. I know that she would live all my pain and hardships for me if she could, but she just sits with me and holds me when i need her. Anybody can make you laugh, anybody can make you cry, but it takes a truly special person to make you laugh with tears in your eyes. This is my mom.


It's an amazing thing to have a mom that excels at being a an amazing mom and an amazing friend. I love and miss laying on her bed, talking to her for hours about life, boys, and 'Pig Newtons' :) She always knows exactly what to say, even if it is not exactly what you want to hear in the moment!





There have been so many times when I just want to quit, to give up, to turn back. My mom never lets me. I am so grateful for the laughter and the tears that we have shared. I didn't know this was possible, but the months leading up to this school year, we became closer than ever. Somehow she sees through my crazy teenage-ness to my true light within, And she has dedicated the last eighteen years of her life trying to help me see that within myself. I am so grateful for my mom and everything that she has ever done for me! I know she makes sacrifices all the time for her kids. I hope that one day I will be able to be as good a mom as she is. :) Love you Mom!