too much fun

it has been a long while since i last wrote! a lot has happened and i have barely had enough time to sit down and write a new post. but my friend nikki, whom i am currently staying with in minnesota, told me i needed to sit down and write a new post since i haven't in a long while. and so, as we are watching person of interest, i will update everyone on what i have done since texas. brace yourselves!

first of all, i must say this is one of the best ideas i've ever had. every city i go to has a certain charm. and my relationships are the most important part of my life and in this way i am cultivating the connection i have with many people i have known in the past. so overall i have been soaking in every minute with every person i have been blessed to spend my time with.

arkansas:
when i got to conway, it was all very green and i felt alive just seeing trees and grass and lush nature all around me. we made a mini trip to memphis and i stood in front of the outside wall of my holy land: graceland. we also stopped by sun studios but unfortunately couldn't go on the tour. i'll have to do that the next memphis trip. the next day i drove around the conway, ar area a little. coming from suburban living all my life, small towns hold a unique charm for me. i loved driving around and seeing nothing but farm land. no concrete jungles, just open land where a person feels free. it's nice to have a taste of more than one way of life and knowing that the way i live isn't the only way.

in front of graceland!!

crystal-lee and me--friends for 10 years!

tupelo, mississipi:
i am a huge elvis fan. most of you already know that. so on my way to florida, i realized i was driving incredibly close to tupelo, which is where elvis was born and raised for the first 13 years of his life. how could i not stop?! his first home he was born in is now a museum. it's a 2 room shack his father built and it was quite an experience. i've read books about it but to actually experience it and imagine how the presleys must have lived was quite another. i didn't go to the church across the way where he used to attend because i'm giving myself a reason to go back! it was absolutely wonderful.

the house elvis was born in--i'm sitting on the porch swing!

florida:
i had so much fun here. i spent time with my cousin jeany and her family. i did some serious shopping while i was there, got my nails done by jeany (who owns her own salon and did an AMAZING job! http://www.unitynailboutique.com), met some of jeany's wonderful friends, spent time with my cousin joey and my aunt and uncle, saw my uncle's salon for the first time, reconnected with a childhood friend of mine whom i hadn't seen since we were 13, and built so many new memories with my family. my favorite moment of my trip happened here too. while at jeany's salon, we were updating each other on our lives and our conversation kept going to deeper and deeper levels. it was good and enriching and it was connecting us more and more. we ended up crying and hugging each other (a sign of some good quality girl conversation) and were bonded on a whole new level. it was an organic moment and i will hold that moment close to my heart.

my beautiful cousin jeany and me

virginia:
what a special trip! i met up with my half sister, larissa, whom i had only seen 3 times previously. fun fact: each time we have visited each other, it has been in a different place. we have spent time together in chicago, montreal, california, and now virginia. never the same place twice! it was great getting to see her life in richmond and the places she loves going to. i was able to spend time with her friends as well and loved getting to know them. larissa made me eat a bite of tuna (i don't eat seafood) and on another night made me eat gator (which was actually pretty yummy) and then another night i tried duck liver because of her (very salty). so i am stretching myself and getting out of my comfort zone! it's very empowering! larissa showed me the sights of richmond and was a fabulous tour guide. she took me to an amazing french restaurant where we had perfectly paired wines with our desserts, courtesy of the owner of the restaurant (amour bistro http://www.amourwinebistro.com) who really knows what he is doing. i was also able to meet her parents, which is a huge step in connecting each other to our families and making up for so much lost time we weren't able to spend together growing up. i was also able to meet up with a friend of mine, whom i knew in california when i worked with her. she ended up moving and i was so sad. but she recently moved to virginia beach and we picked right back up where we left off! we got cartilage piercings and i had such a great time with her, just being able to talk and catch up. she is such a special person.

sisters!

getting my cartilage pierced

new jersey:
my friend hilary is a ball of energy and i loved the time i spent with her. she makes me laugh constantly. the night i got there, we went out to dinner with 2 of her wonderful friends. the next day we went to the amish store and got some of the most delicious warm pretzels there. i also bought jam and apple butter. later that day we walked around princeton, which is gorgeous, and spontaneously decided to see the taming of the shrew at their theater there after seeing a sign posted about it. it was adventurous and so fun! the next day we decided to head to new york. we say the broadway show "once" and walked around times square as well as central park. we had slices of pie (it's not called pizza there) for lunch and for dinner we went to little italy. all in all, i would say a perfect trip to new york city.

in front of princeton

outside the theater on broadway for "once"

ohio:
the shalawylos are a family of 6 adorable children and i love them to pieces. i loved the energy of being around them, and of course with a big family, there is always something going on. 2 of the kids were in the play "les miserables" at one of the high schools in town so we went both nights to see them perform. i was able to take abby and izzy to downtown columbus one of the days i was there and we walked around the little shops they have there. again, i loved getting to cultivate my relationships there and spend time with people like no time had passed between us. that's when you know you have good, solid friendships.

beautiful girls

the talented gavroche and cosette in "les miserables"

chicago:
oh the city of wind! i had an absolute blast here. it is where my roots are and the place i feel like i am not done with. or maybe it isn't done with me. i have family and friends there from when i was young and i love picking up our relationships every time i go back from where we left off. i spent the first few days in the suburbs where i had grown up, and then stayed in downtown chicago the remainder of my time. the weather could not have been more perfect. i even was able to take a 2 hour run/walk along lake michigan and even walked navy pier for a bit. it was refreshing and revitalizing. i ate at one of my favorite restaurants--a chicago classic--portillo's and i also had deep dish pizza, because you just have to. i visited millenium park, chinatown, had lunch in wrigleyville, and of course did some more shopping. my only wish is that i could have stayed longer and spent more time with my friends and family there.

delicious dinner with fabulous people at gyu-kaku

my cousin and i in front of the bean in millenium park

they don't call it the windy city for no reason!

so this has been my trip thus far. i have been listening for god's voice and talking to people and gaining more insight and wisdom. i have some ideas but i'm going to continue to pray for clarity and discernment because i want to glorify god in my decision making and in whatever i choose to do in the future. i want his best and i won't settle. i hope you are encouraged by my adventures. i think we all need a little adventure in our lives(: hopefully it won't be too long before i can write again!