Category Archives: friends

eleven years and counting

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Allison, Cami, Erin, Debbie, me (should I chop my hair off again?), Alicia

These are the girls of 310–our apartment number in the first apartment where we all met and lived together. Other than my sister and me, none of us knew each other before we moved in. I can’t even explain how lucky I feel to have moved into that apartment a little over 11 years ago.

Over the past 11 years, we have seen each other through a number of life’s experiences; undergrad, grad school, relationships, missions, marriages, and babies. While we have spent time together individually over the last few years, the last time we were all together (if I’m not mistaken) was at my sister’s wedding–almost 6 years ago–and really, weddings are kind of chaotic for reconnecting when one of you is the bride and another is the sister-of-the-bride.

This weekend we are all heading to Vegas. I am so excited, I can’t even stand it! I love, love, love these girls and cannot wait to spend two whole days just enjoying their company.

P.S. Thanks, Allison, for posting this pic on FB!

13 years ago today…

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my mom died (wasn’t she so a babe?). I realize that’s kind of a depressing way to start a blog post, and truthfully, it is depressing, but this post is not.

Today was different than the last twelve 25ths of January have been because I did something fantastic. I threw a huge dinner party (with the help of two lovely friends). I had dinner for a little over 25 people. It was probably the biggest dinner party I’ve thrown that wasn’t a potluck. Julie and I made four big pasta dishes, Rebecca helped with appetizers (yes…appetizers), and a few others brought salads, bread, drinks, and desserts. I joined my two worlds (school and church) and was able to introduce the masses. It was a smashing success! Absolutely brilliant!

And do you know what? My mom would have loved to have been there. I was raised by a mother who was raised to entertain…and she taught us how to do it. In fact, I called my grandma yesterday for a recipe and I could hear the pride in her voice. I still took a moment to be a little depressed about not having a mom (at least that’s here with me physically…I know I still have a mom and I’m positive that sometimes she’s hanging out with me)…but then it was time to be the hostess…so the depression wasn’t allowed to stick around for very long. It was a fabulous way to spend the anniversary of my mom’s death.

And in case you want the recipe to the delicious lasagna I made (sure to please almost anyone), you can find it here. Yes, I should have taken a picture, but it completely slipped my mind.

I’ll post the appetizer recipes, too…but now I have to finish writing a paper. All play and no work makes Chloe the girl who her team hates and who gets bad grades.

a bbq

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l-r Allison, Michelle, Mathew, Oliver, and me

Here is my committee from the Opening Social. This is why I was able to look so on top of things; a team of incredibly reliable individuals. I trusted them. They delivered. How nice is that?

The Opening Social went off without a hitch. We were left with a few too many buns (better than not enough), but only three hamburgers and maybe 10 hot dogs. I consider that pretty good planning. I have no idea how many people were there, but they ate just under 500 hamburgers and hot dogs. We had six grills going. It was crazy and fantastic.

And best of all, we came in under budget thanks to the help of Mathew’s fabulous wife, Monica, who did the price checking and purchasing at Sam’s Club, after I did the price checking at Costco. Yes, it took a little extra time, but by purchasing things at both locations, we managed to save around $50. On a tight budget, that’s a big deal.

oh how i love my friends

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This is from my freshmen year roommate (and one of my very best friends in the whole world). I’ll try and find the pictures that go along with this…and the songs.

“I was looking for a Hallmark ecard to send you good luck and best wishes as you start this semester, but apparently I need to update my flash player or some other such blah blah blah. So pretend this email has a jaunty little message with some humor and then a tear-jerk ending–because that’s the kind of quality ecard I go for. I love you and know you will be great. Don’t let it kick your trash–you are stronger than anything that school can throw at you.

I love you. Good luck. Have fun. Go bowling. Perhaps listen to the Dangerous Minds soundtrack. Dance in duck boxers. Make new friends (but keep the old.) Learn millions of new things and don’t ever let any make you feel like you aren’t going to be the best. We are thinking of you and sending you all our love.

Jennifer (and Sungti)”

my new peeps

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Over the course of the last two+ weeks I’ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of new people. I mean a lot. And it has been quite an awesome (in the literal sense of the word) experience. I’ve been on a rafting trip, traveling for hours in van, riding the rapids, putting out a fire, and playing multiple rounds of mafia with my new classmates, faculty, recruiters, and “seniors” (i.e. second years). I’ve been through orientation, which included a leadership reaction course, a paper airplane competition, mock interviews, and a resume workshop. And now, I’ve been to Moab on a Hummer “safari” and a float down the Colorado.

It has been absolutely crazy; hours in vans, on the water, in lectures and workshops. But it has also been absolutely incredible. I have learned, once again, about how incorrect first impressions can be. I have learned, once again, that there is always more than meets the eye. And I have learned, once again, about my capacity to love people.

I know sometimes I come across a bit of a, well, I’m trying not swear. Let’s see. Another word? A bit of a brat. But really, I’m not. I really do love people. And yes, sometimes I have been a bit judgmental and, thankfully, I’ve kept those thoughts to myself, knowing that first impressions are often wrong, especially in high stress situations. And I hope that others are doing the same for me.

I’ve also loved really focusing outward. I decided that this experience with these new people was not going to be like my undergrad, where I constantly worried about how people were judging me and what they were thinking about me. Instead, I have really, really tried (unsuccessfully at times) to focus on making this experience good for everyone around me, rather than worrying about me. And other than the fact that I am constantly overwhelmed by just how incredible these people are, I know I am so much happier than had I been worried about my own happiness. Counterintuitive, but totally true.

It is quite remarkable how people become something entirely different when you are genuinely interested in them and are willing to take the time to get to know them and you aren’t worried about what they think of you.

I have loved watching my new classmates change, in my eyes, over the past two weeks. I just can’t believe that I get to associate with these people for the next two years. It’s so incredible…and intimidating. It’s going to be an incredible experience. I can already tell I’m going to be sad when it ends, so I am going to everything I can go make sure that I have no regrets.

And just in case anyone is wondering, I still love my old peeps…even though they left me for the wrong east coast, including Chicago, even though it’s really in the mid-west.