New Specs!

Today was an exciting day!

After two and a half years with my favorite red specs, I headed to Lens Crafters to purchase a new pair. While I do love the red ones, they were getting pretty worn out and the coating was starting to wear off, leaving me with some blurry spots.

While I could have kept the same pair and just purchased new lenses, I decided it was time for a change. After trying on a few different pairs, I settled on a cute pair of tortoiseshell frames. Check them out!

The tortoiseshell isn't too bold, and the frames are super lightweight and fit my face well. They are also significantly cleaner than my current pair, so I can actually see. Love em!

Looking Back...

Last March, I was fortunate to have the experience of going on a week-long mission trip with 33 of the students with whom I work, and a co-worker. We spent their Spring Break together doing home repairs in Appalachia, one of the poorest areas of the country. The poverty there is not due to a natural disaster, it's present all the time. It's a place that seems to be forgotten by the rest of the United States, yet one that's filled with love.

When we returned from the trip, I marked my calendar for today to send all of the students the letters that they wrote while on the trip. They've been in my desk drawer for the last four months, waiting to be sent at a time when the students will be both physically and mentally preparing to come back to school. Our goal was that they'd get there letters and return to campus with a renewed energy about our trip, ready to encourage others to share in the experience this year. It felt really good putting the envelopes in the mail.

I then opened my own letter, written on bright orange paper. It was interesting to read and reflect on the experience and where my mind was at while serving there. One of the main things that I wrote about was wanting to live my life more simply - focusing on the things that really matter. I am glad to say that it wasn't just a thought that came up while serving and then was left behind in Appalachia. Ive really made an effort to focus on simplifying my life. Some of this has been due to my goal to eliminate my debts, but it has also been with an attempt to focus on my relationships and my family. I am inspired to keep working towards this.

I can't wait to head back to ASP again this spring!

Meet Me at the Muny...The Muny in Forest Park!

The hills are alive...

That's right, you know it..."With the Sound of Music!"

I finally got over to The Muny this week to see The Sound of Music. It was fabulous! I haven't seen the movie in forever, but the musical totally brought me back to all of the fantastic songs. Plus, we sat in the free seats, so it was a totally budget-friendly outing. We may have been too far back to make out anyone's face, but we could certainly hear - which is really the important part.

As we were waiting in line to go in, we happened to be standing next to the little girl playing Gretl, and her crowd of adoring fans. She was super cute when she explained to her posse that "When I'm on stage I really just want to smile all the time, but it's really hard because in the beginning I'm supposed to be all grumpy and have a frownie-face." Life is so hard when you're a little child star, right?!

We also met a lovely 91 year old who sat near us. She told us all about her 11 year old cat and her 90th birthday party. She also shared her binoculars with us. So sweet. If only I could remember her name.

Perhaps my favorite part of the show, outside of the actual show itself, was the little boy sitting in front of us. He was probably six or seven, and was there with two women and a handful of other kids. While the friend/brother/cousin next to him sat and read Where's Waldo the whole time (probably pretty challenging in the dark), this little boy was on the edge of his seat the whole time. When Rolf sang "You are 16 going on 17," he leaned over and told his friend/brother/cousin, he leaned over and said "he's 17," in just the most precious way. Love it!

Overall, the show was amazing. Maria was outstanding at her part, as was the nun who sang "Climb Every Mountain." I had chills. If you have the chance to see it, definitely do!