skiing!

Remember how much Josh and I loved to ski when we lived in Norway? We've been itching to ski for the past two winters and we finally got the chance! During Christmas break our friends Brad and Georgann gave Josh a pair of cross country skis they weren't using. When we got back to Wichita there was actually snow on the ground, so we took a little trip around our neighborhood.

There was a bit of wobbling and falling and the conditions weren't as perfect as Norway, but we still enjoyed skiing again. Since we only have one pair of skis, we took turns. The non-skier would run beside the skier. Again, not ideal, but certainly better than no skiing at all.

Happy Winter, friends! And happy birthday to Martin Luther King Jr! I am incredibly grateful for his efforts to bring peace and justice to our world.

around here.

Here's what's been going on around here this fall.

It's apple season and my housemates have gone apple crazy. Josh, Lauren, and Daniel have been making applesauce on and off for weeks. We have tubs on tubs of the stuff in our garage freezer and Lauren and Daniel are bringing back more apples from an orchard today! We hope to have enough applesauce to eat all winter, spring, and summer. It's wonderful!

Josh is a bread baker. Look at this loaf! The night Josh made this loaf we happened to do "highs and lows" (aka "pows and wows"). This beautiful and tasty loaf of bread was my high for the day.

We have a cat. Josh has been advocating for getting a pet cat for a while now. We tried to get a kitty last spring, but it didn’t really work out. When we told our woeful story to Josh’s cousin April over the summer she offered to give us one of her cats. Her two cats were not getting along, so towards the end of August she drove from Ohio to Kansas with one of her kitties. Now we have Amèlie! The transition was pretty tough. Amèlie hid under the couch for the first three weeks, but now she lounges all over the house and makes us laugh by playing with twisty ties. She has the softest fur! We love her.

I'm enjoying this tasty coffee roasted right down the street from where Layla goes to school.

Last weekend I was with my parents and sister in Chicagoland, walking along Lake Michigan and watching Trinity International University Sports. I sure do love my family.

I am getting ready for a craft fair next Saturday, hence the messy desk. There's lots to do and make, but it's lots of fun. I'll share more on this later.

What's new with you? Do any of you have a newfound skill or a new pet?

Happy Saturday!

final peachy press sale + exciting summer things!

Well, folks, I am closing down my Peachy Press etsy shop in order to focus my time on exciting new endeavors (a new business partnership and an awesome summer internship).  In order to clear out, I am having a final peachy press sale. Here are the details:

>All the profit from this closing sale will support me in my summer internship (read on for more details about this). This is a small fundraising effort, but you will see that the prices of my products are the same (except for some out of season and, therefore, reduced priced items). Shop here!

>My shop will be open and stocked with paper goodies until July 1, 2014. At that time, I will be “closing down” my shop, but really Peachy Press will probably just be sitting idle on Etsy. 

>If you contact me through Etsy or email me, assuming that I have the time, I would be glad to do custom orders! 

>Be on the lookout for my next small, handmade business venture. My dear friend Kelly and I have some exciting things in the works!

This is me with a neighborhood friend at the GardenWorks farm stand last August.

Now, onto my internship with Legacy Ministries. Well, let me back up a bit. Last time I wrote about Legacy, I shared my experiences with GardenWorks, Legacy Stars, and visiting the guys at Salvation Army. It was fun for me to re-read what I wrote in October, because my involvement with Legacy has grown so much and my investment in these people and this place has deepened. I want to tell you even more about what God is doing here in Wichita and, more specifically, what I’ve been up to this past semester, as well as what I will be doing this summer as part of the Art Corps. 

One of our high-schoolers showing off her work at Girl's Group.

In the winter we started a new activity at the Legacy House for high school aged girls. For lack of creativity we called it Girl’s Group; we met weekly to chat, to write and to create projects that gave us the opportunity to reflect on our life experiences and identities. We had four girls from a nearby high school and I was one of the four leaders. Coming straight from work to Girl’s Group I often felt frazzled and flustered, but the environment was always calm, welcoming and restful. Losing myself in a project made me feel at peace and resurfacing to share what I made and to see what others created always inspired and affirmed me. One of the girls in the group said, “this is my most relaxed event of the week.” Our time together was safe and living-giving. We are now on break for the summer, but I hope this part of Legacy continues next school year. 

The tip-top of the Legacy House.

Since October I have also been going to the Salvation Army facility each Sunday night to spend time with the guys living there. Along with a few other volunteers from our church I’ve been visiting Unit 1, which is the older high school aged guys. We usually play games, bake something or make plastic bracelets while catching up on the past week. These guys are facing serious struggles and it breaks my heart to hear their prayer requests. On the other hand, it’s amazing to see their growth over the past year. I’ve seen some guys really come out of their shell. Many guys who are new at the Salvation Army are not excited to talk to us on Sunday nights or try our art projects, but the more we come the more they warm up to us. I’ve seen a guy be transformed from a bitter and somewhat violent boy into a sweet and friendly person when cuddling with the Legacy House’s pet bunny Gizmo. I can’t say it’s all fun and uplifting. Last Sunday I got to the Salvation Army to find out that one of our guys was sent back to jail. I don’t know why he’s back there, but I can only rest in knowing that God is with him. These guys are part of the reason why I am so excited to be a part of Legacy Ministries. Legacy’s vision is to see Christ transform lives through creativity and community. Giving these guys the opportunity to discover their own creative skills can be healing and empowering for all involved.

Some art I made with Elise Cranston and Tyler Merrill for an Art Corps project.

Actually, this is what I hope to do this summer through Legacy Camps. I am working on the Art Corps, which is the team of interns that will prepare for and work at the summer camps for at-risk and underprivileged youth in Wichita. These camps will serve boys from the Salvation Army, kids from the Legacy House neighborhood, and kids from our church community. All the campers will get to take classes geared toward creative expression (art, music, drama, film, baking, etc.) throughout the summer. We will have a big week long camp where kids will come from 9am-4pm everyday; they’ll take classes, participate in small groups and get the chance to listen to various speakers share the Word of God. Then we will have six weeks of Legacy Academy, which will give kids the chance to come to camp twice a week and take two classes on subjects that interest them during those six weeks. At past Legacy Camps, which are normally just a week long, kids have begged to have more than just a week at Legacy Camp, so this is our creative solution that allows the learning and relationships that happen in the camps to go deeper. I am excited to build relationships with our campers and to see what God has in store for the Legacy community this summer. 

Anyways, I just wanted to let you all know how I am spending my summer and remind you that if you’re interested in buying something I’ve made, your purchase will help me buy food and pay the bills this summer as I work with Legacy. If you are curious to know more about Legacy, please leave a comment or email me! I’d love to talk with you about my ministry to the inner city youth of Wichita. Hopefully, amidst the craziness of Leagcy Camps, I will get a chance to update you about the goings-on here in Wichita!

my parents came to visit!

Several weeks ago my parents made the drive from Greenville to Wichita to hang out with Josh and me for the weekend. We had such a good time together. Our weekend was packed with conversation and delicious food and filled to the brim with love. (Is that too cheesy? Oh well, it's true.) Amidst all the activity, though, I also felt a peacefulness and restfulness in just being together.

My parental units got in kind of late on Friday evening, so we feed them enchiladas and chatted for a while before "hitting the hay," as we say in our family. My mom is amazing and training for a half marathon, so first thing on Saturday she went for a 6 mile run. I joined her for the first two miles. Meanwhile Josh and my dad watched soccer and made waffles. After breakfast there was a plant sale conveniently located across the street; my mom bought tomato plants and basil plants. Luckily the weather was warm and just slightly breezy so we walked around the various gardens. We showed my parents our very own garden (more on this soon) and the Legacy GardenWorks gardens and greenhouse. Not a lot had been planted at that point, but there were onions, beets, and peas coming up, and there were many plant starts waiting to go into the ground.

For lunch we met up with our friend Joey, from Greenville College. Joey was one of my dad's students and he worked at the summer I went to as a junior higher. Joey has this clear memory of me all alone, crying on a swing at camp. I don't remember this at all, but it does sound like something I'd do. Anyways, Josh and I actually ran into Joey at a show here in Wichita about a month ago. It was a total surprise; I hadn't talked to him in a few years and didn't know he was living here. Reconnecting with old friends is really fun. Plus, we ate at the most delicious Salvadorean restaurant, Usuluteco. I could eat their fried plantains with frijoles and crema everyday. If you are in Wichita you really must eat there.

I couldn't stand being inside for too long when the sun was shining so warmly, so we called up Dan (Josh's cousin) and met up for nine holes of disc golf. I'm not sure that I've ever enjoyed disc golf more than I did this day. I often get tired of walking and throwing, so nine holes was perfect. Dan and Josh are actually good at disc golf because they play regularly, but my parents and I had fun learning, talking and walking. After disc golf we zipped home to cook a feast: beat soup, homemade bread, baked sweet potatoes and sweet apple, kale & walnut salad. Grandparents Kline, Dan, and our housemates Lauren and Daniel joined us making our table a bit squished, but happy. Josh's grandparents ended up sharing stories from their lives of learning to follow God; my parents and I felt so inspired and encouraged. After dinner some of us hung around playing Nerts and Up the River Down the River and eating chocolate covered almonds until bedtime. It was my worst game of UTRDTR ever, but life goes on. I love playing games with my parents; some of their dearest quirks come out during an intense round of Nerts.

On Sunday we enjoyed breakfast and good conversation at Riverside Cafe, then went to church at Church of the Savior. My parents had to get back to Greenville for the work week, so we walked along the river, said our goodbyes and they drove off. It was a quick weekend, but full of quality time together. It was much needed on my end! This is only the second year of my life that I haven't lived in the same town as my parents, so the whole long distance thing is unusual. It's easy to get caught up in daily tasks and activities, but when I think about it I really miss them. And some days the missing is stronger than others. My parents are some of the people I am closest to in this world and being apart from them on a daily basis can be hard. 

  Mom and Dad, thanks for coming! I miss you and love you and I am so grateful for our time together.

more photos of our home.

Our Upstairs Bedroom & Bathroom:

Downstairs Chapel:

Kitchen & Living Room:

Our home has come a long way since I last shared an update. We have carpet in our sink/closet area. We have a much needed new door in our room. Our oven actually works! Up until a few weeks ago we had been using our toaster oven for all necessary baking. That oven is small, so I'm thankful for a full sized working oven. Our house plants are thriving, too! Josh enjoys house projects a lot; he has put in a new window and fan in our bathroom, installed a new door to our room, and he's put together some temporary shelves for our bathroom.

We're pretty happy living here; our home if functional and cozy and we have great housemates!  

our thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving highlights just in time for Christmas! I'm a little behind on the blogging, but I thought it's never too late to share gratitude. 

Last Thanksgiving Josh and I cooked all day to have a Thanksgiving meal with some of our European friends. We had fun preparing the meal and hosting friends, but my favorite part was going around the table to share what we were each thankful for in the past year. Our friend (and Josh’s advisor) Martin said he hadn’t shared his gratitude like that in two years. I found it really special for a diverse mix of people (a Swed, some Germans, a Ugandan, and two Americans) to gather around the table and express our thankfulness. This year I found myself thinking a lot about Norway. When I reflected back on what I'm thankful for in the past year I couldn't stop thinking about the people who became our close friends and for the challenges that brought Joshua and me closer together. Thank you friends and Norway for a good year!

This Thanksgiving we were surrounded by our family in Wichita, Elise (who came from Greenville), and some new friends. It was wonderful and restful, but also quite active; somehow I felt sleep-deprived by the end. I made rolls for the Thanksgiving meal; we all gathered at the Overholt's house. The JRLD household, plus Elise, did a Turkey Trot run. (Let me explain JRLD. It stands for Joshua, Rachel, Lauren and Daniel and it's pronounced "Gerald." It's a whole lot easier to give our house a name than to say Lauren and Daniel's house, where Josh and Rachel live.) On Thanksgiving day we enjoyed delicious food and copious amounts of pie, played games like "Dictionary" and "Off the Wall,"took an afternoon walk, and played with sparklers. Throughout the weekend we spent a lot of time with family, I did a little Christmas shopping (NOT on Black Friday- I refuse), we ate dinner/watched movies with friends, played disc golf, and skyped/phone-talked with our parents. There's a lot to be thankful for this year like a good job, a cozy place to live, great housemates, new friendships, old friendships, family, and God's love. I'm feeling very blessed.

And thanks to you for reading what I write here!