dear roommate

Dear Roommate,

I'm glad to know that 545 days (this is my approximate calculation) without you didn't change the fact that you make me smile. Seeing you this weekend was a gift. I treasure you.

Love, April

kite festival

This weekend I enjoyed my first Milwaukee Festival!
The 19th annual Family Kite Festival



Look closely at all the little dots in the sky. Stunt kites, home-made
kites, big kites, little kites...they filled up the like freckles.







I don't think I have anything to say about this picture:)

PRAY FOR THEM!!!

JACOB A. BRITZMAN

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

I honor you this weekend

I love you

I miss you

May God give you strength, safety, creativity, peace,

and a constant reminder that you are loved

someone paid

Nothing is ever free, though to you it seems to be.
Somehow, somewhere, someone paid.

don't waste your fruit

Good intentions are like rotten fruit. They start off healthy and desirable, but only result in waste.
Sometimes dreams can end up alot like rotten fruit.
Sometimes my attitude can seem like rotten fruit.

I'm having one of those weeks where I'm afraid to own anything that comes out of my mouth. My head maintains a hint of truth, but my emotional outcry coupled with insecurity tells me that I'm tired of caring. Sometimes I feel like I just want to pretend, I want to be like a big bowl of plastic fruit-the realistic kind that you want to touch and smell. That kind of fruit that looks perfectly perfect.

I KNOW the way I ought to act. I KNOW how to love. Doesn't that count for anything? I was talking to God last night about my attitude. I said, "God, I'm not "all-bad"...I'm just in a bad mood." I suppose I'm sort of acting like a big beautiful fruit tree that never gets picked. Good intentions huh? What good is the fruit if it's never enjoyed, never shared? It just exists like these bananas on my counter. I had every intention of enjoying them. Now they are wasting away...untouched.

I can't be too hard on myself. I'm human, I think I'm allowed a bad day (or two....or bad weeks). But today I'm trying to salvage the good fruit that is still hanging on my branches. This morning I'm trying to be more "fruitful". There's some brighter colors mixed up inside of me and I know there's room to adjust my condition. Maybe there's still time to turn my "good intentions" into devotion and committment.

Today I'm reminding myself that patience, gentleness and courage go along way. Please remind yourself of this too. Be reminded that all people deserve special "fruitful" attention and care. Remember that good intentions don't extend as far as active compassion.

useful fruit

quote of the day

"Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words."
-Calvin and Hobbes

tribute to vanessa and kevin

This is a tribute to my first guests here in Milwaukee. What a gift it was to share my new Wisconsin life with such beautiful friends. (above) Relaxing on the beach 2 weeks ago. (below) Together at L'abri 1 year ago.

Moments..moments always worth sharing and saving and loving. My first Sigur Ros concert, picnic lunches outside my office building, coming home to a candlelight dinner, doing flips by the park bench at night, laughing...laughing...laughing. You're friendship is beyond worth! I love you both.

a virtual vacation

Today I'm sitting behind my big brown desk and I'm dreaming of elsewhere. I'm dreaming of Italian villages, Swiss mountains, Alaskan hills, and all of the other breath-taking places I have been in the past year. Let's reflect for a moment, let's go on a virtual vacation!

i am drawn

I really like this interpretation of me.
Thank you Casey!
Dreamer. Plain. Soft. Spunky. Imperfect.
What am I leaving out?
I often gaze at this girl, and into myself.
I see a girl who is content, but not complacent.
Her eyes reach too deep to be complacent.
I see a girl who breathes color.
I see a simple masterpiece.
I really like it.