Grandpa.

8 Mar
I love my Grandpa Sid for so many reasons.  I remember Grandpa putting my cousin and I in a metal bushel basket at the top of the corn shed hill, spinning and pushing us down the ice-covered gravel road.  [Dangerous?  Heck yes.  Fun?  Heck yes.]  I remember him getting just as anxiously excited as my dad during tobacco harvest.  He lives just down the hill from the farm and sends me awesome vintage [not the word he would use but they’re super cute and old] valentines and birthday postcards.
When I was home a few weekends ago, I wanted to stop down to say hello and tell him about my assignment to region three, but he wasn’t home.  I called and left him a message, letting him know I had stopped and that I would call when I had further assignment news.  In response to that message, I received a letter in the mail yesterday, in his awesome tight script.  

He told me about his wishes for my further assignment, told me what he’d been up to, and then told me where to get the best lutefisk.  Now I’m telling you – Iola, WI.  To quote Grandpa, “If you like lutefisk, that’s the place to go.”
You take care.

ridiculous.

7 Mar
I can laugh at myself.  Here is the perfect example.  You can laugh too.  It’s ridiculous.
It was a balmy 25 degrees on Saturday when I – along with Kim, Krissy, and Lynn [meet them in the previous video post] – boarded a shuttle bus that took us to Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.  Then I jumped into the frozen lake with gal pal, Rachel Green Sara, and her mom, Jenny.  We were team ‘Just Add Water,’ wearing aprons with ugly frill, oven mitts, and carrying kitchen utensils [a whisk for me].  There were also swim caps.  I’m not sure anyone looks good in such a weird stretchy thing, but I certainly looked horrid.  I will, however, thank the swim cap for keeping my head dry.  I am certain that not having a head of wet hair helped a lot when enduring the cold water and air.
But really, besides looking ridiculous [which was the goal to begin with], it wasn’t bad.  It was actually a lot of fun.  After the count of “1 … 2 … 3 … PLUNGE!” we jumped and then got ourselves out of the water as quickly as we could to run to the hot tubs.  Honestly, I’d do it again.  It was fun.  And just enjoyable to watch people’s reactions when I told them what I did this weekend.
In total, there were 2900 plungers at this specific plunge, raising over $600,000 for Special Olympics!
Thanks to those who pledged for my plunge! 
 

video post.

6 Mar

All your questions will be answered by clicking play.

[Further posts regarding my weekend of visitors and pictures of the polar plunge will follow.  For now, this is all you get.  Make as much sense of it as you can …]

I got the call –

4 Mar
And it Southeastern Minnesota for me!
The call actually came later last night, around 9pm, when I was heading through the door to go out with friends.  The bishop from this synod – which surrounds Rochester, Albert Lea, Red Wing and beautiful countryside of the like – welcomed me to the synod, gave me a few dates to put on my calendar to meet up within the synod, and told me that he was a fellow Luther College grad.  (Always a good thing.)  It was a short phone call but I was excited to get the news.
And I’m pretty stoked about where I’ll be.  Southwestern and southeastern Minnesota synods were my preferences and I think I’m quite content that it is SE.  Being in SE, I’m as close to home as I could be while in region three.  Chances are I’ll actually be closer to home than I am here while in seminary.  This makes events I have lined up in the fall [weddings and a Luther College homecoming] much more possible.  I’ve heard glorious things about the synod from classmates who went through candidacy in SE and know of one other person who is assigned in that direction – and it’s a friend [who I accept and enjoy despite an odd overall – the clothing item – fascination], which will be great to have as the process continues.
Speaking of friends, I have some great ones.  I feel so incredibly supported by those friendly people in my life throughout this whole process.  Last night, I met up with a group of friends and we laughed like I  haven’t laughed in a long time.  Lots of people have been wondering, asking, waiting with me as I wanted my phone to ring last night.  I felt the facebook embrace as people responded when I posted where I was headed [My sister’s comment?  “Proud of you!”], and I know that there were faithful blog readers waiting too.  [Sorry for holding out until this morning to post!  Maybe I’ve ended up teaching you patience, Sharon? :)]  Moral of the story: Thanks, friends.
Lindsay

‎: Hello to the Southeastern MN synod!

12 hours ago ·  · Like · 

  • Anne, Adam, Laura and 26 others like this.

    • Frank: yea! now can we go celebrate? 🙂

      12 hours ago · Like

    • Denise: Where??? What town???

      12 hours ago · Like

    • Lindsay: All I know now is the synod – all other specifics will follow as I interview/am called to a church!

      12 hours ago · Like

    • Jeanette: Super “like”!!!!

      12 hours ago · Like

    • Aaron: That is great Lindsay! That is my home synod. You will do great! Congrats!

      12 hours ago · Like

    • Gregory: Beautiful country! You’ll love it.

      12 hours ago · Like

    • Cindy: Congratulations Linds! Awesome country! Let us know all…when you know! 😉

      12 hours ago · Like

    • Trudy: Can’t wait to hear the details 🙂

      11 hours ago · Like

    • Carolyn: Hey Lady! That’s great news, I hope you’re happy with this situation and good fortune continues in your way!

      11 hours ago · Like

    • Emma: Yay! You won’t be too far away.
      Proud of you!

      11 hours ago · Like

    • Michelle: Congratulations Lindsay!!! How exciting for you!

      10 hours ago · Like

    • Sarah: So exciting!!!

      10 hours ago · Like

    • Clint: That’s awesome, Lindsay! A wonderful part of God’s world!

      10 hours ago · Like

    • Mary: Congratulations, Lindsay! SE MN is a great place!!!!!

      10 hours ago · Like

    • Heidi: Great news Lindsay!! I’m sooooo proud of you!

      3 hours ago · Like

    • Adam: Yea Lindsay!!!!!!!!!!

      39 minutes ago · Like

    • Doug: Woohoo!!!

      5 minutes ago · Like

no news.

3 Mar
Today is the day that the bishops of region three gather to divide the graduating seminarians between synods.  Rumor has it they meet and then phone calls begin to those they have acquired.  Bishops call at different points throughout the day [if not the next day] so we were told to be patient.  I’m trying …
Morning:  anxious.
1:30pm: class begins.
2pm: first classmates begin receiving phone calls from bishops.
[class continues.  lindsay is not focused.]
4:30pm : walk to the post office.  no news.
5pm: chat with fellow classmates over their region three assignments.  no news.
6pm: quilt a few rows.  Alias.  dinner.  no news.
7pm: stalk classmates on facebook to learn of their synods.  no news.
7:23pm: still waiting.
7:31pm: to be continued.  as I continue waiting.

and then I –

2 Mar
Baked cookies.  Which was only halfway on the giant to-do list.  [Halfway?  Yes.  Halfway.  It’s a secret.  Shh.]  [And giant to-do list?  Yes.  Keep reading to the post that follows in blog order but preceded chronologically.]  
I had the dough already in the freezer.  The marshmallow fondant was already made.  [Why do I have marshmallow fondant just hanging around?  It was for – you know what?  That’s not important.]  THEN, when I came across this blog last night, it was meant to be.
I’ve had these message cookie cutters for a while now – I made a pretty big deal out of them while I was on internship.  They are lovely but my struggle comes with decorating.  Enter fondant.

All in all, it was only an hour detour from my to-do list, since the dough was already mixed, fondant already prepared, and I’m choosing to make the dishes wait.  Now back to it.

Blog post number two?  Check.

giant to-do list day.

2 Mar
That is today’s official title.

The to-do list is giant in length and – quite literally – in size.

Wednesdays are my no-class days.  My catch up and work ahead days.  My sleep in a bit, tidy up, and rewind days.  And specifically today – the giant to-do list day.
I’m a list junkie.  I make lists for everything.  I love crossing off completed tasks.  And if the list doesn’t look quite right or gets to messy, I’ll totally rewrite it with my favorite pen and on pretty paper.  I usually make lists on quarter sheets of scrap paper.  But not today.
I made the giant to-do list last night before going to bed last night [note the title] and I must say that I’ve done a stand-up job of checking off items already this morning.  I’m on my second mug of coffee, working hard, and it’s only 11am!
Update blog?  Check.

I fell in love.

2 Mar
With straight line quilting.
I’ve loved the look of it for many months, seeing straight-lined quilted items on blogs many-a-time.
I’d always wanted to try it but call me chicken.  The actual quilting of quilts is the part that still trips me up. Ask me and I can easily point out the errors I’ve made while quilting my previous quilts.  I’m not quite sure how my machine works in this step or how to really go about it.  
I’m in the process of putting together two simple flannel kid-sized blankets to send to my friends, Jenni and Joe.  Jenni is a high school bestie of mine; Joe her flannel-wearing husband.  A very exciting thing happened for Jenni and Joe a few weeks ago.  After months of waiting and paperwork, they welcomed their first foster child – nay – foster children into their home.  Imagine going from zero children to an instant two children, ages one and two.  I can only guess that sleep is at a minimum but hope that blessings are overflowing.  You can read more about Jenni and Joe’s story here, on Jenni’s blog.
I wanted to make a little something to send their way and am of firm belief that one can never have too many blankets.  They are solid panels of flannel with a little more flannel in between for warmth, but I wanted to quilt and bind them to give them that look and feel.  
So there I was tonight, straight line quilting.  
It’s going super well so far (fingers crossed), except that I chose my own death as I spaced the lines so close together.  Lots of lines.  Lots of thread.  It’s a learning experience (as all my quilts are) and I know better how to do this next time around.  (But I still maintain this one will look awesome!)  I found myself tonight saying, “I’ll sew one more line and then do my homework.”  “Just one more and then I’ll do the dishes.”  “Just one more …”  I finally sewed just one more and now I’m here, not doing homework or dishes, but updating ‘da blog.  (And after this, pretty sure I’m going to bed!)  I can’t wait to finish them, put the blankets (along with a few other goodies) in a box, and send them off to Jenni, Joe, and their two little munchkins.  I hope they get used and dirty, washed and loved on lots by the children.

If only links.

28 Feb
If only I knew how to crochet.
If only I had an excuse to make fondue.
If only I had a reason to create this.  Saved for when I move and establish a home.
If only I had all of these ingredients right now.  I’m hungry and this looks delicious.
If only I was throwing a party that required hats.
If only I could bake this and not feel guilty for eating it.  It’s the best.
If only you would take a minute to read this by one of my professors!

new towels.

28 Feb
As I mentioned before, I went home this past weekend.  Much of my weekend was spent visiting with relatives, telling them about my assignment to region three and explaining what exactly that means.  I pulled up a map of the regions, the divisions of synods, and hoped to shed some light on what more will happen as I approach first call.  Along with this, I talked about new towels.
I’m excited for first call.  I’m so excited I could – I’m not sure.
(Sidenote: I saw Despicable Me for the first time with my sister and cousin Molly.  I love it when the little girl sees the stuffed unicorn at the theme park and she yells, “It’s so fluffy I could die!”)
I’m excited to be a pastor.
And to buy new towels.  I’m absolutely thrilled to think about having a house or apartment to decorate and, based on my bathroom color scheme, to buy new towels.  Along with that?  A craft room with a large working table, a design board of sorts, and organized storage for my craft collections. I figure I have moved once – if not twice – every year for the last nine years.  It’s time to stop being so nomadic.  Not moving every year will be glorious.
Oh yes.
So excited.
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