25 things

1. i live at the summer camp i went to as a kid and worked at in college.

2. when i was a counselor, i taught lacrosse and hockey nearly every day. in our staff video, i appear to be a fierce coach, which misled jim to believing that he was marrying someone athletic and outdoorsy.

3. i do love being outside when the weather is nice. on a camping trip in WV, we did a crazy mountain scramble/rock climb called the Via Ferrata. it was scary and beautiful, and i loved it.

4. if i were an american gladiator, my name would be Bonesaw.

5. rhode island is my favorite place to vacation. my perfect day would involve biking out and spending the day beneath the cliffs at the beach on block island.

6. though biking in pittsburgh initially scared me, i learned to like it. i judge you if you don't wear a helmet.

7. i was a youth pastor at a church in pittsburgh. i love hanging out with teenagers and talking to them about Jesus.

8. my religion degree actually came in handy, as i wrote most of our bible studies and curriculum.

9. i also majored in history. i especially love US history in the gilded age and progressive era. i'm a school nerd.

10. Jesus said he came to preach good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and to release the oppressed (Luke 4:18). it kills me when people try to "spiritualize" away the social implications of the gospel in passages like this.

11. i spent my senior year in college studying poverty and community in washington DC. when the plane went down at the pentagon on 9/11, i was waiting for the metro.

12. i came back a lot more politically-engaged than i was when i left.

13. i've been married six years and have a baby girl who is 14 months.

14. her name is a nod to bob dylan.

15. dylan amazes me every day with her excitement, curiosity, and vocabulary.

16. childbirth and breastfeeding have transformed the way i see myself and body, in a positive way.

17. i'm still trying to figure out what this "stay-at-home mom" thing looks like.

18. i won't do it forever, and i do miss the challenges of a professional life, but i am satisfied in this season of being present for dylan's needs, joys, and firsts.

19. i love cookbooks, cooking shows, comfort food, dessert for breakfast, breakfast for dinner, diners, fine dining, international fare, venison, vegetarian, grocery shopping, the farmers' market, the food section, baking, bbq, and breaking bread with friends.

20. watching TMZ is a true guilty pleasure.

21. i remember the lyrics to nearly every song i've ever heard--pop songs, jingles, tv themes, songs from kids' choir or health class videos--but i couldn't tell you my own cell phone number or the birthday of almost anyone i didn't grow up with.

22. i'm learning to practice the discipline of meditation/centering prayer.

23. we use cloth diapers with dylan and are making efforts to reduce our consumption and waste and to repurpose and repair what we already have.

24. when my sisters, brother, parents and i are all together, it's pretty much my favorite thing. no one makes me laugh like my siblings, and it's hard living so far away from family.

25. i love city living, honesty, meaningful conversation, singing in the car, strange movies, general weirdness, writing, my family, and my God.