Robert the Graduate

Robert. What can I really say about Robert? He is such an inspiration. He is the type of guy who can recover from a terrible marriage and go back to college to complete his Bachelor's degree. He is also the type of guy who wants to pursue a Master's degree.

It inspires me that he possesses such strength of character. Robert has always had a lot of energy and optimism, but is just enough of a realist to maintain a firm grasp on life. I don't regret for a minute driving 8 hours to see him walk across that stage on May 18th, 2007. Nope. I was so proud of his accomplishments it made the journey worth it.

Lovely Vacation

Brent and I went to Virginia to spend a week with my parents and had a great time. We were fed like kings and there was spoiling all around. It was nice to see my parents a great deal of the week and still manage to visit with my close friends. I was grateful that Brent was not afraid or uneasy around my lively family- he actually blended in with his quiet, charming ways. Here are some pictures:

There is something to be said for a messy bed...

Leaving a bed unmade is like making a statement. It says you haven't quite finished your dream that lasted all night and you want to return to that place of imagination. Perhaps you felt completely comfortable with the sheets hitting your legs just so. You enjoyed it so immensely you struggle starting your day because the pillows and comfort draw you back. The sheets call you by name with their crisp coolness.

When a bed is made, you have to be committed to pulling back the blankets and climbing in. An unmade bed almost begs you to rejoin it.

Mondays Tragedy at VT

I stayed three summers on Virginia Tech's campus and my parents still live only 30 minutes away from the college, so when I heard there had been a shooting, my skin crawled. I knew exactly where the shootings took place and was concerned for the well-being of everyone on that campus, and for the families whose lives would be forever changed. There is no way to turn back the past and help a troubled young man to see the error of his ways, but we can learn from this experience as a nation.

Cho Seung-Hui displayed many signs of being disturbed, and dangerous, and yet was still allowed to reside in the dormitories. Several teachers had referred him to counseling to no avail. Someone, anyone, should have cried wolf but people are too afraid to intervene in one another's lives. If we can learn anything from this, it may be to stop being so politically correct and just tell someone they are nuts and need to be committed.

And don't smile while saying it.

It's hard to write regarding what happened on Monday. There are so many emotions involved: sadness, anger, disbelief, blame... but we have to face evil in this world head on and start calling the kettle black.

Celtic Woman: A New Journey

Last night I attended a wonderful concert for Celtic Woman in the Orpheum Theatre here in Minneapolis. I felt my eyes fill with tears as their voices soared in harmony. I went with Brent's mom and we both absolutely loved every moment. Between the percussion, lights, voices, and strings... it was magical. I got home and was hyper, I skipped around the living room telling Brent all about the concert, humming as I flitted about. I told him how the fiddler ran across the stage in silver pumps and was by far the most fun to watch. All of the women are highly talented and I cannot express enough what a truly impressive show it was. They have three albums (to my knowledge) and I have all of them. Go get one and hear for yourself.