Last weekend was my 32nd birthday, and it was great. Thus it was that I came to write this blog.
I couldn't figure out why Michael wanted to know exactly what time I would be home from work on Friday, until I walked in the door. I was greeted by the birthday perros, in their shiny birthday hats. The dogs' chagrined greeting was followed by a home-cooked dinner prepared by manspouse. Using Internet magic, he taught himself how to fry chicken in olive oil without it smoking, and made this delicious whole wheat-based fried chicken, encrusted with a bit of brown sugar and pecans. Also on the menu was steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato cubes that had been tossed in a mild spice. And for dessert--underbaked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. A-mazing. He had also decorated the house in streamers, balloons, and birthday signs, after having gone grocery shopping and cleaned the house, might I add. It made me feel shiny. Thanks, Michael!
The next day my parents came up, and we had a fantastic lunch at Andre's, which is located a few blocks from the Plaza on Main (near the library and Glace, which is also great). I might have to do another post sometime that's just about Andre's, but for now I'll just tell you that it's a Swiss restaurant that has been in KC for over 50 years, and I believe it's owned by the same Swiss family who opened it originally. It is a delightful eating experience, and though it seems to be a bit more exciting to those of the female persuasion, I'd highly recommend it to anyone. I have Libby Tedder to thank for taking Diane and I to eat there earlier this summer for the first time. Speaking of Libby, Michael and I took a break that day to help her move, since it was her last day in KC before she headed for Montana. Bittersweet, but good. Afterward my mom took me shopping at my favorite consignment store in Overland Park, Clothes Mentor, where I got a few new-to-me items to wear to work. This was good, because the last time I really went shopping for work stuff was during my first year of teaching in 2003. Some of the shoes that I got then and am still wearing are literally crumbling off my feet, ha! Time for an update, methinks. Thanks Mom (and Dad)! For dinner the four of us went to Kokoro Maki House in Waldo for tasty Korean/Japanese foods. I love that place. Finally, we concluded our evening with a delicious piece of the hummingbird cake my mom made, which concluded our calorie barrage for the day. SO delicious.
On Sunday (my actual birthday) we went to Christ Church, then met Michael's parents for lunch at Houlihan's. Thanks, Brockhauses! It was a really beautiful day, so we ate out on the patio and enjoyed the comic antics of our server. When we got back to KCMO we went with my parents and the dogs to take a walk in Loose Park, which is really beautiful right now. It was a really great weekend.
The week that followed was a bit of a blur, since it was the first week of the 2011-2012 academic year, and the seminary was abuzz with people and events. I was in charge of planning and orchestrating the Opening Convocation chapel service, which is kind of a big deal, but I had lots of help and people seemed to enjoy it. I was also asked to be a small group leader for the Intro to Ministry course, which is like a very small part-time job for an hour each week during the fall semester. Technically, my position is called "Teaching Assistant", but I'm doing more facilitating than teaching. I'm definitely looking forward to working with the group of ministerial students I've been assigned. Other things that are different from last year are that I'm now chairing a committee and supervising four spiritual formation/worship interns, a choir director, and an accompanist. These things are in addition to planning/coordinating two full chapel worship services a week, with various preachers, Communion, music, readings, etc. Needless to say, it's quite busy--but I love it. I love being a pastor to, for, and with, pastors. I love planning worship in creative and diverse ways. I love discovering people's gifts and finding ways for them to be expressed in the community. I love being in a place where my being a woman in ministry doesn't threaten people or elicit remarks about how only men can be pastors, or the head of the house, etc. In fact, it's the opposite--I'm encouraged and supported in being the person God has called me to be, instead of the person others think I should be because of their own perceptions.
Quite a birthday gift.
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