Not much is better than a Mainer. Except a family of Mainers!

Maine.

What do you think of when you hear "Maine"? I don't know I would have thought much before my BFF Charity moved there with her hubby Alan. I probably would have thought "it's close to Anne of Green Gables, right" (i.e., Prince Edward Island...). Maine? So maybe I hadn't thought much about it before, but now I'm in love! Gardens! Enviroconscious living! Chill! GREEN! Perhaps... I love it because it reminds me of Washington?? No. Close, but that's not it. I love it because I love the friends of mine who dwell there. Charity, Alan and babies, I miss you already!

I had the lovely opportunity to visit my BFF a few weeks ago and it was nothing short of delight. Charity just had her 4th baby (I've been living vicariously through her since her first) and it was pure joy to get to know baby Cami, play with the 3 other gorgeous kiddos and get quality time with Charity (the infamous BFF) and Alan (a.k.a. my Senior year Homecoming date--it's true!).

Here are some snapshots of my delightful days in Maine...

We had a great, relaxing day playing at a local lake and rocking the "big toys":





Charity, Cami and I were able to sneak away to Portland for a day (FUN city!!):



We got to kiss a moose (Charity had to use a booster to reach him...):


Kiddos, I miss you already!

New Digs

So far, we're loving the downsize! Going from a large 1 bedroom to a mid-sized studio came with plenty of challenges. We got rid of loads of furniture and accessories and significantly lessened our clothing collection, preparing for single-closet living (that single closet needed to house our vacuum/cleaning supplies, coats, linens and clothing!). There's still a significant amount of room for us to simplify, organize and DECORATE, but so far so good!

Living room (the french doors enclose the referenced "one closet"):


Living room toward the windows (the murphy bed is on the well to the left, barely cut off in the photo):


Dining area, adjacent to galley kitchen:


We have thoroughly enjoyed Berger Park, which lays just beneath our building. There is a small beach that was populated during yesterday's 90 degree weather, as well as a few areas for Molly to play, benches in gardens and a small patio restaurant (with great fries!). Here is a view down to the park, as well as a shot of the restaurant itself.




The building has a workout facility and rooftop deck on the top floor (just 2 floors above us). The workout room looks out over downtown, with this view:


Who wouldn't want to get up for a morning workout with this view?! Followed by abs on the rooftop deck, cooled by the Chicago wind.

We are very happy here. Hosting's a blast in our new space, so don't be shy!

Things I love...

...about our life!

+ Our murphy bed: we never have to make the bed, and nothing is more satisfying to me than modularity in the city. If I could design my own home, bookcases would pop up out of the floors, dining tables would fold out of the wall, and closets would collapse.

+ Our fluffy puppy: she wakes me up each morning with a tail wagging so fiercely it wiggles her whole body, and nothing is more grounding than her forcing a sunset walk out of me when I would otherwise be consumed with my work. This little one has SO much personality and I love her to pieces!


+ Public transporting every day: there's something about being part of the ebb & flow of city transit that makes me feel at the center of the city. Party of a larger body. We move North together, then back South together -- all stopping to run an errand or two along the way. PLUS... I get to walk by the best coffee in Chicago to and from the train. AND get a ton of non-academic reading in! Book suggestions??

+ Our breathtaking view: being the last building in a series of high rises, there's nothing to impede our view across the lake & out of the city. We might live in tight quarters, but our wall of windows increases our sense of space and keeps us entertained.


+ Weekly Shepherd's Nachos at our pub: just a few miles away we can get the most amazing CORN FREE GLUTEN FREE nachos on the planet. Seriously, the planet. These nachos are unique and DELICIOUS. Made with homemade potato chips and covered with sour cream, beef in gravy (I know, that sounds gross but it's GOOD), peas, chives & tomatoes. You can't beat Tommy Nevin's Shepherd's Nachos!


+ My new yoga studio: small classes, beautiful room, teachers who have become friends. And I can walk there from our place on the beach. Energizing.

Yes, we have much to be thankful for! This is a fun season of life and we're enjoying it thoroughly.

Slumber Party

We just came off of an absolutely joyful week, and let me tell you -- it was about TIME to have some joy around here (I'm sure you've picked up from the last few posts that things haven't necessarily been easy around here). Why was life so great, you ask?

1. We were able to host our first guest in our new place, and you know how we love guests.
2. Because our new place is a studio, hosting meant a 4-night slumber party (and who doesn't like a slumber party?).
3. Saving the best for last... this guest was TROY FROM TAJIKISTAN! Fresh off the plane (though without the furry beard we'd hoped for).

It was such an honor to have Troy in our home during his first few days back Stateside since moving abroad. From running errands to hosting dinner parties, he joined us in our daily lives and we savored every second of it.

Walking around Loyola University (just a block North of our new place) with the Molls:


The only downside to Troy's visit? We're now left missing Jenny & Miles even more!

Thank You Besties!!

My Besties are literally the BEST! Who else can you dress up with to enjoy an afternoon tea?

I came home after a long day to a lovely package, full of belated birthday goodies and a striking photo of Bobble Teenie (left) and Magda (right).


Chocolate, jewelry (handmade, just how I like it!), Justin Timberlake (reminiscent of my last Portland visit), chocolate, nuts and more chocolate. Yum.

These stickies will keep me smiling at work:


Thanks, ladies!

Moving On

BIG DAY! TODAY! YIPPEE!!

Here's to wishing I hadn't just cleaned out iPhoto... apparently I deleted all decent photos of our (soon to be former) building! Regardless, today's the day and we can't wait.

We are speechlessly thankful for all of the friends who have come over here to help us prep for the move. Doing this alone would have been no fun at all!

See you on the other side.

Onwards & Upwards

Although it's been a quiet blog this year, it certainly has been anything but a quiet year. It's amazing how peaceful our lives can be, even amidst big decisions, unfortunate loss and plenty of change. Friends? Wonderful. School? Good. Writing? Excellent. Pets? Couldn't be snugglier.

More transition is headed our way, and we are looking forward to every last bit of it. Mid-April will mark our first move within Chicago. Our condo should be sold, and all the physical components of our lives picked up and moved further East. Our new place is literally on the beach, with views all the way up to Evanston and beyond. The best part? Peace and quiet, as there will be no overhead stomping. Believe it or not, this was the selling point and Drew is counting down the days!

Things we're learning this year? How to foster peace, how to keep our focus and how to cherish our life together. Whoever said that the best parts of life are free had it right. Money comes and money goes, as do troubles. We want to continue to be people who invest in people. Who love and who receive love. Who give what we have, rather than working to accumulate more. Today? We're feeling thankful and are looking forward to all the things this year has left to offer!

This Too Shall Pass

I know, there have been few posts. And these few posts have been rare. Life has been full of unexpected difficulties in many arenas (just a lot of very bad fortune or fate or whatever it is) ... and I feel like it's time for somethin' GOOD to come my way... dag nab it!

Tonight I feel thankful for OK Go, and for my dear sister friend who forwarded the video to me--what JOY! Heck, I may just watch it a few MORE TIMES as dinner simmers on the stove. (insert cheesy e-smiley here)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


Oh, and in case you didn't pick up on it... the name of the video is, indeed, "This Too Shall Pass." (insert a few more smileys...)

BioMARK is on YouTube

We've been working hard at the lab to increase our internet presence. We now have a twitter account (@brainvolts--add us!), a facebook group and... ta dah!... a YouTube video demoing BioMARK (a program useful for auditory research as well as for clinicians).

I know, you're thrilled. Humor me.


Now let's all gang up on the FDA to get this baby approved for sale in the U.S.!! India's gung ho for it... but, as usual, our country's few steps behind.

Orla Kiely Bedding Discount

Drooling over my computer... decor8 has negotiated a 15% for anyone using the decor8 discount code at checkout when buying Orla Kiely bedding at dotmaison ... GO! BUY!

Love it.

Mennonite Nat'l Convention

Drew spent a week in Columbus a few months back with our Pastor (who has since retired) and her husband to attend the Mennonite National Convention as a delegate from our church. We just received some photos from them that I thought I would post, while taking the opportunity to express how much we admire Sally and Orwin and miss seeing them on a regular basis!

Here is Drew with Sally, strolling along the Columbus waterfront:
One part of their trip that Drew loved was experiencing Orwin's constant curiosity. As an engineer, Orwin has great interest in construction sites, bridges and other structures that we might pass without second thought. (Chicagoans: he was on the team that designed Wacker Bridge!) Here they stopped to pose in front of one of those curious construction sites:

Drew is now one of the interim church leaders while we take this next year to perform a pastoral search. It's an interesting process, as we are reflecting on who we are as a church and what sort of qualities we need in a leader. That many cultures and ethnicities are represented in our community adds complexity to the decision making process, as do the different perspectives of individuals within the community.

being thankful

We enjoyed our second Thanksgiving with the Peebles family--dear friends of ours and fellow LWCC-ers. Before the meal our little family went on a hike around a nearby forest preserve (we returned with a very muddy but very thankful pup) and made the famous Strait family ice cream pie to bring along. The Peebles' table was so very full of culture and conversation--a family from Iraq, a man from India (whose oft-mentioned wife & baby boy remain in India), and two sweet friends--one of whom is from our dear Seattle & the other who has traveled the world this past year and has many stories still to share. This was our crew in addition to the Peebles fam and ourselves.

We spoke of the conflict in Iraq, war & peace, peace-making versus passive-ism, relationships and dreams... and got in plenty of laughs! I learned so much from my table mates and I believe we all said goodbye with full hearts.

My arms are still sore from drumming for the post-meal Rock Band. I was best at drums. Not so great at vocals. Although the poor vocals performance could be because I was sharing the mic with an adorable 8 year old English-learner. Just saying.

The meal was vegetarian but we went ahead & cooked a turkey the following day. Although... for the record, you can eat SO much more without the meat taking up space!!

love our city

We've felt very in love with Chicago this fall. Drew and I have turned to one another numerous times now with shy smiles and shared: "Are you loving Chicago as much as I am?" My mother once counseled me that it takes ~5 years to feel at home in a new city. We're going on year 4 here in Chicago and I think I believe her.

And because Chicago's so awesome, we've shaved 1 1/2 years off the 5.

Recently we were once again gifted with tickets to the Lyric. Amazing tickets, mind you. Not quite spitting distance from the stage, but close. (Maybe if Dad is spitting.) Tickets many would break a bone for. Wine, coffee, crab & cookies later we finished the show and skipped off to enjoy the rest of the night--amidst the twinkles of Christmas decor and alongside two very special friends.

The show? Janacek's Katya Kabanova.


The entire evening was a true and refreshing blessing. Now back to work.

goin' for a holy swim

Mercedes is a dear friend of ours who moved to the States from Cuba a year and a half ago with her youngest son and husband. We've spent many evenings together gorging on Cuban eats (all three of them can cook, that's for sure!) and laughing Caribbean style. They've had very intense struggles both physically and financially since moving here and we still aren't seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Still, the joy they have in community and their laughter from the heart persists. Drew and I often feel like we're back in the DR when we're all together, sitting in plastic chairs on someone's porch and sipping a Presidente.

Mercedes came with us to church the week after meeting us and has been coming ever since. She's asked about baptism many times and made it clear that she would like to move forward with it as well as to become a full member of the church. It was an honor to meet with Mercedes and one of our pastors, Kristin, and discuss "what is baptism" and how that relates to Mercedes' story. I was pleased be asked to baptize Mercedes alongside Kristen.

We started off that Sunday service by reading Mercedes the membership questions (in Spanish), as she confirmed them.

The church was invited forward to gather around Mercedes and pray for her.

The weather was by no means warm but thanks to the mild fall Chicago graced us with the water wasn't all that bad! Mercedes took her first communion immediately following the baptism and then in turn served each of us the meal.


This woman works a physically demanding job and is exhausted come Sunday, but you'll be sure to see her at church--early, mind you--ready with a warm hug and smile! I'm so thankful for her friendship.

Is this what you do all day?

A friend recently emailed me this link, asking me that very question. I didn't take it to mean "do you jump around to help people sing the pentatonic scale," but rather "do you research music and the brain to help people understand why and how music impacts us?"

My answer was yes.

And here is the video.


I encourage any and all of you to watch more videos from the World Science Festival. SO GOOD.