Why I live (and stay) in the city

It’s a well-known fact that I love the city. And when I say “love,” I mean wholeheartedly adore. But the truth is, I’ve found that my love for the city has changed and deepened over the past few years.

I grew up outside of Sacramento, but I distinctly remember periodic visits to the city with my family. My folks always included some sort of “cultural experience” in our 24-48 hour family vacations.  And most of these experiences highlighted unique parts of an urban center—museums, symphony concerts, Broadway shows, independent movies, unique restaurants, or city parks. I understood the city to be a place of sophistication.

Periodically, we’d go to the city for service projects. Whether it was sorting clothes for the poor or making sandwiches for a soup kitchen, I was exposed to the rougher side of the city. I saw people who couldn’t afford the unique restaurants, but instead ate the sandwiches that I made. I remember seeing those weird stores that were for “adults only” and had women’s silhouettes on the windows and wondering why I didn’t feel good about that part of town. I’d hear stories of drugs and prostitution, and it seemed like a different world. I started to understand the city to be a place of brokenness.

By the end of high school, I started to recognize the complexity of the city, and I found it invigorating and challenging. I started making monthly trips to Sacramento for times of contemplation and reflection. I’d visit a cathedral to sit and be still, wander to a local coffee shop and sit in Cesar Chavez park. It was a fairly busy park but there were plenty of shady people hanging out. I distinctly remember a moment where I felt somewhat uncomfortable in the park, and I thought to myself, “This is what many women experience throughout the world.” It was a moment where my privileged and somewhat “sheltered” self realized a world and experience beyond my own. I began to see the city as place of exposure and challenge.

Toward the end of college, I moved to Chicago for an urban studies program. I interned at a social service organization on the Westside (a rough area, to say the least), enjoyed the local bars and restaurants, mastered public transportation, and experienced racial tensions and structural injustice. I wrestled with the tension of living in a place where sophistication, brokenness, and injustice could coexist—and one’s experience of these elements could almost be determined by the block on which you lived.

These tensions are what keep me in the city. I’ll be the first to admit that I have a privileged experience of the city. Usually I can choose whether or not to enter into the brokenness that persists. But the city does not let me forget these tensions. Simply walking through my neighborhood reminds me of that every day and beckons me to live out reconciliation and redemption in the midst of the complexity. And that’s one of the many reasons I want to have a family in the city. I want our children to learn from people’s diverse experiences and backgrounds, to grow up in complex environments, and to catch a vision for how they can live out the Kingdom. And so that’s why we stay.  

A New New DeLew

Well, we're pleased to announce that there's going to be a new New DeLew entering this world. Yep, there's a bun in the oven, we're expecting a stork to stop by soon, my egg-o is pregg-o, and the eagle has landed! We're amazed, excited, appropriately frightened, and eager to see what God does with this little baby that's in my belly.

Let's just answer a couple of typical questions:

-I'm 13 weeks, which puts us at an October ETA
-Yes, we'll find out the baby's sex (and we'll tell people)
-No, we don't have any names (but we won't tell you what it is anyway...)
-Sure, that's a kind of personal question, but it was somewhat of a surprise
-Yes, we both plan to go back to work after the babe gets here
-Oh yes, we are accepting ALL prayers

We're excited to welcome a new one into the New DeLew clan. It'll be a journey with a ton of learning, but it's an adventure that we believe God is bringing our way. Pretty cool.

And, while in utero, we're affectionately calling it Baby YOLO. Feel free to do the same.

The night we found out about Baby YOLO!

No, No, Yes?

There's a lot of NO's that come at you when you're pregnant for the first time. You want some sushi? No. How about that perfect over-easy egg? Nope. That four-shot latte you desperately need? No ma'am. This one's the worst: Wouldn't a neat Bulleit bourbon hit the spot? Don't even think about it.

Now of course, there are plenty of things you can do while pregnant, but at first, it just seems like you can't do anything-- especially when you're slightly surprised by the pregnancy. Once you learn of all these no's, you think back on your life before taking that pregnancy test and you feel like you lived in a dream world. Back then, I was drinking bourbon, popping fresh yellowtail and raw eggs into my mouth right and left, and downing buckets of caffeine-filled lattes, right? Because that's how life used to be.

But we're having a baby! Isn't that completely awesome? It's bizarre (and fairly silly) that I can view this incredible YES to new life as a NO to my old life. Although God is saying "yes" all over the place, I'm seeing the no's. To be honest, even though I'm not super proud of it, I will admit that it has been difficult to put on hold a fairly superfluous, but meaningful part of my life (like drinking a cocktail). But the truth is, transition is hard. Adjusting to a new normal takes time. Even if that new normal is full of good and incredible life, there's something real about recognizing what you're giving up. So I acknowledge the no's (and the silly pangs of sadness when I can't drink that craft beer), but I look to the yes that's in front of me, and I rejoice.  

Because everyone wants to know how you found out that you were pregnant, right?

Thanks to typical New DeLew-style of over-sharing intentional openness, many have been aware of our contraceptive choices, mainly the fertility awareness method (aka the natural method). No gory details here, but essentially it means that I know my body like the back of my hand and that I'm quite aware of when I am and am not fertile. This system has worked quite well for us over the past three years.

The idea of having a baby has not been super far from our minds, thanks to my semi-pressuring siblings who have busted out seven nieces and nephews in the past five years. We were in the beginning stages of starting to pray about thinking about the possibility of considering the option of one day wanting to start a family. So, yeah. That was where we were at, but we were praying that God would loosen my tight grip on wanting to manage every aspect of my life. Because I have this strange tendency of feeling like I need to control everything.

The first part of February consisted of super long workdays, very little rest, and a number of high-pressure situations. I've got a pretty high threshold for busyness and stress, and yet for some reason, I was getting hit pretty hard by all of this. I couldn't bounce back. So I decided to take a four-day weekend in order to force some relaxation. Mark and I lazily woke up on Saturday and something was still "off" about me. I casually mentioned to Mark that "I'm not at all concerned, but I'm curious enough to take a pregnancy test." I wasn't concerned because I know my body.

I happened to have one pregnancy test at home (because every married couple has to have a scare at least once). And so I took the test. Then Mark heard from the other room, "Uh oh. That's not good." Positive.

The next few hours included hyperventilating, researching the probability of false positives, going for a three-mile run, lots of confused giggles and smiles, buying two more tests from Target, taking said tests resulting in two more positives, and a good amount of praying. This is real.

So here we are, on this little journey. It's exciting, shocking, mind-blowing, and sobering. This wasn't a mistake, it was absolutely where God is leading us now. Things aren't always exactly as we planned, and actually, that's the confusing beauty of it. We're on a new adventure, with plenty of twists, turns, valleys and peaks, I'm sure. But through it all, I hope to be as the righteous mentioned in Psalm 112:7, "She will have no fear of bad news; her heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." So, here we go!    

12 Things about 2012

Since the New DeLews were fairly silent on the blog over the past year, we might as well share 12 things about 2012-- just to give an overview of the year.  

1. Roommates- why have a second bedroom if it's empty? In the spring we had an incredible 6'9'' roommate who painted our walls (thanks, Tyler!), and this past fall, my dear friend (hi Melissa!) who frequently washes our dishes has been staying with us. Although the Medill is small, it's mighty. And we just love having it open for all to use.


2. Three-Year Anniversary- Yeah, we really love being married. It's pretty cool. 

3. Working. A Lot- With a ton of projects and firm deadlines on the horizon in 2012, we dedicated ourselves fully to work. Lots of late nights and weekends, but we felt like it was the right time for us to dive into our careers. We're seeking to have a more balanced approach now because that wasn't sustainable. But it was a learning experience.




4. Nicaragua- In the midst of all that work, somehow we found a way to pop over to Central America. Drinks on the beach, staying with a lovely Nicaraguan family, and eating tons of rice and beans, it was a perfect break. 



5. New Nephews and Nieces- We got to welcome two lovely babies into the George family. Woodrow Morton George and Eden Elizabeth Majorins. I had the honor of staying with Eden in the hospital the evening after she was born. One of the best nights of my life.

6. Becoming Bosses- I'd like to think this is somehow connect to point number two, but both of us entered into the world of management this year. Supervising employees has its challenges, but we're grateful for the opportunity to grow in this way.


7. Indstanbulia- We took a two-week trip to Northern India, which took us to the Himalayas, the Taj Mahal, the desert, and the capital. So many beautiful colors, intense smells, and delicious food. Enroute to India, we had a chance to stop by Istanbul for 30 hours. We found some baklava, whirling dervishes, and hookah while there.

8. Acquiring another AC unit- It was a hot summer. Really hot. Someone had pity on us and gave us a third AC unit. It brought a lot of joy and allowed Mark to keep his shirt on while working from home.

9. Week of Thai Food- In an effort to learn how to make authentic Thai food, we visited a Thai grocery store and bought enough ingredients to make unique dishes for an entire week. It was amazing. We discovered kao soi, which changed our lives.

10. Church Leadership- After attending our urban-focused, diverse church for the past four years, we've been given new opportunities to serve in leadership roles. We're really grateful. 



11. Thailand- Our dear friends (Hi Chuck and Vina!) decided to get married in Thailand, so we figured we should go out and support them. Thanks to our airline miles, we were able to get the flights for free. It was a lovely week of friends, love, and lots of amazing Thai food.

12. Friendships- We're deeply grateful for the friends that made this a full and beautiful year. We're challenged and encouraged by the community around us.

An awakening to Chinua Achebe

I recently finished a compilation of 3 of Chinua Achebe’s novels: Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, and Anthills of the Savannah. It was completely foreign to anything I had ever read before, as Achebe’s utilization of oral tradition, proverbs, Igbo language and non-linear storytelling overwhelmed my senses. Achebe’s distinctly (and refreshingly) non-Western writing style inserted me into a West African culture. It was reading by feeling: the truth of the proverbs, the weight of heritage, the glue of family and community, and the pain of the tragic events caused by the clash of modernity and tradition.

It is this first collision between European colonists and the Igbo tribe in Nigeria that Achebe explores in Things Fall Apart. The reader is introduced to Okwonkwo, a prominent man in the foremost Igbo village at the prime of his life. We see his pride, arrogance, compassion, and honor. Through his eyes we view the unwelcome intrusions of British justice and religion, and their devastating impact on his family, on his standing in the village, his village’s prominence within his tribe, and the Igbo culture as a whole.

I’ll admit that Achebe’s portrayal of the Christian missionaries felt as true as it was frustrating. Frustrating because I identify myself as a Christian, yet sympathized more with the traditionalist characters than the Christian ones. Because in all the I have spent in sub-Saharan African countries I had never once asked a national about their perception of colonization. Because I had never read about the colonization of Africa from an African’s perspective. Moreover, my meager exposure to African thought is still many times greater than that of most other Americans. It is a tragedy that the stereotypes of an impoverished, starving, diseased, corrupt, and violent Africa prevail throughout the Western mindset. More readings of Achebe and other African authors would be the beginning of a new awakening of the West to the diverse cultures and the rich histories that comprise Africa.

The second book in the volume, No Longer At Ease, translates these themes into a Nigeria that is on the brink of independence, yet is under a new kind of imperialism. This story follows the grandson of the main character from Things Fall Apart, and it illuminates the dark path into corruption that continues to ravage the political lives of so many African politicians. This grandson was supposed to usher in the bright future of an independent Nigeria, yet succumbed to the very temptations he vowed to fight. For the first time, I understood some of the pressures that are unique to the West African public official and how the imposition of a Western-style government fails to address the reality of communal bonds and familial obligations. I see in a new light see the impact of the clash of Western modernity and Igbo traditionalism, and I recognize that the vague label of “corruption” is insufficient in describing the challenges that face the Nigerian (and perhaps other African) societies in the 21^st century.

Anthills of the Savannah, the final installment of this volume, takes the themes present in the first two novels and develops them into their late-20^th century manifestations. The reader is thrust into a chaotic West African dictatorship struggling to maintain a pretense of democracy in the face of an increasingly restless population. Achebe gives a more intimate exploration of the characters’ thought lives, and the novel swells with poetic daydreams and inspiring speeches. The point-of-view transitions from character to character, which makes the first few chapters a bit disorienting when read immediately after the simple third-person narrative of the first two books. But after I was accustomed to this different style and the new characters, Anthills of the Savannah became my favorite of the three works. This book provides a more comprehensive view of a West African nation; the reader meets the president, members of his administration, academics, cab drivers, market-ware hawkers, and slum-occupants. As the regime unravels, Achebe slowly adjusts the focus of the story from the primary individuals onto the community that they become. The rediscovery of traditionalism and community within the urban modern context is the salvation of the people that find their lives upended by the political chaos. The main characters must draw back from their individualism into community which is protective and close-knit, yet open and hospitable story. Once these developments occur, the hope, dynamism, and beauty of these characters, and thus of the modern West African experience, finally shine through the tragedy that was wrought by colonialism and continued by the corrupt and abusive. This sunrise of hope—even amidst the suffering—is made even more precious by the despair witnessed in Achebe’s first two works.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinua_Achebe

http://www.amazon.com/Things-Fall-Apart-Chinua-Achebe/dp/0385474547/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323734896&sr=8-1

July and All Its Craziness

July has been one of those months where you go to sleep on the 1st and you wake up on the 31st. Time has flown and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to slow down. To recap, in this month alone, we have:

-celebrated my grandma’s 90^th birthday with my extended family in California
-met my youngest nephew for the first time
-enjoyed the infamous 48-hour George Family Vacation
-had a friend live with us for a month
-spent almost a week at the DeLew Family Reunion in Wisconsin
-played on a weekly beach volleyball team
-endured the Heat Wave from Hell (well, I hope we’ll endure)
-half-heartedly started half-marathon training
-whole-heartedly started making tons o’ breakfast smoothies

And there are still 10 days left in July! And in those 10 days alone, we will:

-host my lovely brother-in-law while he visits for a week
-go on a five-day business trip (me)
-help friends renovate their apartment (let’s be honest, Mark will)
-have a bachelor party at our place (Mark again, I guess)
-attend a wedding
-try to survive the rest of the Heat Wave from Hell

In no way do I assume that we are alone in this busyness. It’s summer, this is what happens. But I think it’s important when all you can do is go-go-go, to take a breath and remember what you have done and what you are doing. It’s too tempting for us to go from event to event, responsibility to responsibility and actually miss the significance of each moment. So here I am, listing out each major thing so that I might sit with and appreciate each one. It’s been a blast of a summer. With so much to do, we have so much to be thankful for.

Holding Loosely

During pre-marital counseling (about 2 ½ years ago, crazy!), we began the never-ending discussion of what finances would look like in the lives of the New DeLews. We talked about our view of money and how we are to use it. Everything was pretty theoretical at that point, as we were a one-income family, so our financial decisions were somewhat limited (do you want pasta or rice for dinner tonight, honey?) But even in our limitedness, we still had the power of choice in little things. And as Mark and I would review the palette of choices in front of us, we discovered that we share the elusive value called generosity.

Generosity is a really broad term with about a billion perspectives of what ‘being generous’ looks like. A hypothetical example: Mark offers me a bite of his Kobe beef burger. This is an incredibly generous act for him. But if I don’t realize the abnormally high value he places in this dead animal-turned food, then I won’t understand his act of generosity. In fact, I may feel like he is stingy by only giving me one bite. Marital issues emerge, cultural miscommunications explode, and suddenly an act of generosity morphs into an argument about who is more selfish, ungrateful, or you name it. Sweet. Sounds like fun.

So over the past two years, we have been exploring two primary questions—what is generosity? And how should generosity take shape in our lives? I’ll focus on the first question in this post. First, I think that we should broaden the ways in which we express generosity—through our time, skills, sharing resources, etc. Our goal is not to simply give money away so that we feel good about ourselves. But I believe that inviting people into our lives, giving to others, and being open to receiving generosity are all components of it. Everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or situation, is called to be generous. That’s one of the things that connect us to each other—we all have something to give, and we all are in some kind of need.

Through all of our conversations, I’ve come to understand being generous as the state and act of holding loosely your possessions, time, control, and status, so that you may share with others. Being generous is more than writing a big check to a community center or buying dinner for your friends. The generous action must be accompanied by an openness to let people into your life and to relinquish your sense of control. And actually, when I frame it this way, I start to realize that naturally I’m not so generous after all! It’s something I have to intentionally work on and practice. If I start to feel like I’m tightening my grip on something, it’s a sign that I need to open my hands and share it with others.

This is an important habit because as humans in a community, we are designed to share with each other. I think living generously is moving closer toward who we were meant to be. We were meant to give ourselves to each other in response to the generosity we’ve experienced—from God, friends, or whomever. It’s tough to hold loosely the things I value. And yet, when I realize that I have been the recipient of generous love and grace, I am encouraged and empowered to share that with my community.

How I'd survive the Apocalypse

The other day, we had an unnerving realization. Now usually, the Other DeLew and I talk about a lot of important things, (like world events, wine, living in community, insert cool/socially conscientious buzz word here.) But this revelation came from a mundane conversation about our car. Recently we’ve noticed a clanking sound from beneath our car. Like something is loose. The last time I was at the auto shop, the mechanic removed a rusty bar from the bottom of our car and told me that it’s just an unnecessary scrap of metal that holds the muffler in place. But I’m sure that ‘lack of rusty bar’ isn’t causing the clanking… Right?

I asked Mark if he had any ideas about what might be clanking. Mark replied, “of course I have no idea what it might be.” We both laughed at how little we know about cars, home improvement (one of the main reasons we’re not itching to buy a home), gardening, or really anything that involves hard labor. At this point, Mark said, “You know, if the apocalypse happened, we’d be the first to get kicked out of the surviving community. We don’t have any hard skills!”

(At this point the conversation turned into a debate about zombies. I, personally, don’t like them and think they’re stupid. As a result, Mark was defending the zombies. Maturity reigns over here.

Back to the matter at hand: in high school I went on mission trips to Mexico where my team built houses for Mexican families. Mind you, I wasn’t the most adept at using a hammer or nail gun, and neither were most of my teammates. Few of had ever seen a, well, I don’t even know any tool names to use as an example. A henchsaw? Let’s go with that. We were really eager to serve, but I’m not sure if serving with a hammer was the best use of our skills. In fact, I’m pretty sure there were a couple of locals who knew a thing or two about construction who may be willing to work … I better explore this topic in another post.

All this to say, I started thinking about what value I could bring to a post-apocalyptic world in which we were fighting off zombies. I could manage a project, facilitate clear communication processes, write a pretty convincing letter to the Zombie King requesting that he be generous with us and let us live. All of this sounds pretty lame when you’re fighting for survival with swords and bayonets (this is my picture of post-apocalyptic living). But I actually think those things would be important! I think it would help the community survive and perhaps thrive!

Sometimes it’s hard to see how our specific gifts can be of use. But I’m convinced that we have all been given gifts for the good of the community. We all have our unique skills and passions, and it’s through identifying and nurturing them that we might be able to make our community stronger. And together, we may in fact survive the Apocalypse.

Highs and Lows

It's been a couple months since I've posted, but instead of lamenting about how busy I've been, I'm going to share the highs and lows of the past few months. That's probably a bit more interesting.

Highs

Viva Costa Rica. For the fun of it, and because the New DeLews hadn't been out of the country since 2008, we decided to take a trip to Central America. Incredible coffee, deserted beaches, bike rides to local bars, practicando mi espanol, sunburn, losing a wallet in a taxi. We learned something that we've always thought- we're awesome travel partners.

(F)Easter. To celebrate

resurrection, we hosted a Feast the day before Easter. Seventeen people came together for stuffed lamb, chicken, stuffed mushrooms, sourdough stuffing, and wine was a'flowing. It was a sweet time of celebration and community.

Two Years. The New DeLews may not be so 'new' anymore. In May we celebrated our two-year anniversary. We took a staycation downtown and reflected on how thankful we are to be with each other. I feel like we've grown a lot as a couple and as individuals in the past year especially.

Summer weather. There is nothing like Chicago in the summer. A couple weeks ago, like a lightswitch, it became summer. Grilling out, late-night bike rides, free concerts

downtown, beach volleyball. This is the reason we are able to survive the 8-month winter tundra.

Lows

Missing out. Living in Chicago has its incredible perks, but one of the hardest things about living here is that I miss out on George Family events. My nephew, Manny, was born in the spring and I have yet to meet him! Pictures and skype aren't able to capture what it's like to be at 3 year old birthday parties, orchestra concerts, or summerfest. That's definitely a low.

"Spring" weather. Yet again, Chicago has been confused about what spring is. Torrential rain, spring snow, 40 degree weather. Just, bah! come on, Chicago. Pull it together.

Friends leaving. This is a transitional time for a lot of our friends. A couple of our close friends are moving away and so we've had to say goodbye. It's a little bizarre for us to be some of the stable ones in our community. I'm thankful that we are more settled in our careers and community here in Chicago, but it means that we see people leave for exciting new things, while we remain here.

Lack of running. Have I mentioned the weather yet? My goodness, after I ran the marathon, I promised that I would never get out of shape again. I was all geared up and ready to start running outside in March, but it was cold, snowy, and windy, my body just couldn't handle it. So now it's the end of June and I'm re-learning to run in 85 degree weather. Oh Chicago.

Through the highs and lows of every season, I think it's really important to take a deep breath and reflect on where we have been and where we are going. Before we get caught up in summer vacations with family and really busy times at work, I want to be a woman who remembers the little things that shape our lives-- whether that's awful weather, good friendships, or bike rides. So I'm thankful for the highs and the lows. And looking forward to oh so many more.

7-Layer Season

Seasons of life. I'm realizing more than ever that we are always in a season of life. Often I stray away from this 'season' language because I can't ever figure out a really cool title for my season. The truth is, our seasons are multi-layered, like Taco Bell's 7-layer burrito. Well I think The New DeLews are in a 7-layer season.

Career-focus. We have the freedom and desire to focus on our careers, for which we are deeply thankful. I've gotten used to my new schedule and long commute- thanks to multiple public transportation catastrophes including missing my train after getting stuck behind a bulldozer (in the city?!), wandering around sketchyville while waiting for a ride, sitting on a delayed train for 3 hours, just to mention a few. But honestly, it's not that bad.

Extreme winter. I'm just going to say this once- I'm over it. Completely over it. Cold, snow, cold, thundersnow, ice, all of it. I'm done. I'm tired of not being able to run outside because there's ice everywhere, and thus, I'm tired of my jeans being a bit tighter than usual. Confession- the button of my jeans popped off the other day. I cursed Chicago-winter at that moment.

Maturing marriage. As we approach our 2-year anniversary, I feel like Mark and I are learning how to care for each other in deeper ways. Because our schedules have changed so much, we are having to be more intentional in our communication and teamwork. And in all of this, we are becoming more and more connected at the core. It's super cool.

Budget cuts. Can I blame this one on winter? As a Californian-at-heart, I don't think I understood the effect that Chicago-winter has on my psyche. The primary/only activity available, besides being cooped up in your house, is to go out to eat. All that to say, we have to scale back on our eating out, big time. I ate broccoli for dinner because that's all we had at home and I'm trying to save money. Makes me sound hard core and healthy, but man I'm hungry right now...

Tighter jeans. I'll blame this on winter too. My jeans are tighter than they were post-marathon. I'm not real pleased about this. Remember the button of my jeans popping off incident? Yeah...

The Medill Inn. Our apartment has become an inn, or I'd like to say a hotel. Within one month, we are having nine different people spend the night at our place. And honestly, we love it! It's time that we break down and buy a second pair of bedsheets, so that we're not constantly doing laundry.

Renewal. Mark and I are sensing a strong movement deep within us. We're asking ourselves difficult questions about our purpose in our particular neighborhood, our passion for living alongside and serving the marginalized, and what that practically means in our daily lives. We're asking the Lord to renew our desire to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him. It's not clear exactly what that might look like, but we're eager to follow His lead.

Whatever season we're in, whether it's multi-layer or elusive, I hope that we will be thankful and intentional, open to change and welcome to all.

Changes Come

As the seasons change, the New DeLews have found themselves in a time of transition. This Autumn has zoomed by us, especially after the marathon (which was one of the best/funnest experiences of my life). And although no one would call the New DeLews particularly handy in the home project arena, we've spent the past month trying to make our lovely rented apartment feel like a home (pictures to come... eventually). We've been having a grand ol' time nuzzling into our lives here, making ourselves pretty comfortable and pretty settled- essentially preparing to hibernate for winter.

Occasionally I have looked at other jobs. Usually this didn’t mean anything because we have this nasty thing called the economic downturn. So really I was browsing what might be out there if this dream called ‘a good job market’ ever comes true. So one month ago, I applied to a couple of jobs. Within a week, (to my complete surprise) I had 2 interviews scheduled and I was thinking through those awful ‘what are your strengths and weaknesses’ questions. After a couple more interviews, I accepted a position at my college alma mater as the Associate Director of Reunion Class Giving.

The words from the Over the Rhine song have been playing in my head- "Changes Come, turn my world around..." And I feel like that’s what is happening. Our worlds are being turned around and we are feeling stretched and excited. A couple of rites of passages are occurring right now (not in order of importance):

1. buying my first business suit (Mark is SO happy)

2. deciding to leave my current position for the unknown of a different job.

3. writing and submitting my first letter of resignation

4. initiating the first major lifestyle change for the New DeLews

I think that number four has been the scariest. Both Mark and I have an abnormal love of city living. Because we both currently work downtown, we love commuting together, having a 25 minute commute, getting home at 5pm sharp and having the entire evening to run together, make dinner, entertain. And yet, with this new position, I will be doing the reverse commute via train- to the suburbs- probably taking an average of 1 hour each way. Although the idea of drastically changing our lifestyle like this is particularly daunting, we are confident that this is the beginning of a new season in our lives. Yes, we will both put more of ourselves into our jobs and we’ll have to be more intentional about our time together and with others, but changes come. And we believe God is in these changes, and so we are thankful.

As the song says- “Changes Come, Leave my burden down." So as the changes in front of us are SO exciting and a little daunting, we rest in the reality that this is where God is leading us now. We have learned over and over again, He is faithful and He will sustain us. So we’re excited for the journey ahead.

10/10/10

After spending a long week in DC not for vacation, the New DeLews are back in Chicago and eagerly preparing for the much anticipated event of the fall- The Chicago Marathon!! This Sunday, 10/10/10 I will be running my first ever marathon (26.2 looooong miles) alongside 45,000 runners and over 1 million cheering fans. Needless to say, this is super exciting. There’s a lot of mental psyching up and planning that goes into this event, so I’m going to run over my little checklist:

The Last Supper (Saturday PM): Carbload! Homemade lasagna, bread, salad, and most importantly- NO WINE.

The Last Breakfast (Sunday AM): 2 scrambled eggs with a bit o’ cheese in a whole wheat pita. And most importantly- Coffee. Got to get things moving- in every possible way.

Music Playlist: Start off with all three volumes of the Glee Soundtrack (should last me about 2 hours), then depending on my mood, either go Gospel music or angry white boy music

Outfit: a bright blue running shirt with my name on it, black shorts, running shoes, red anti-sweat headband

Gear: running belt with tons o’ nutritional goos, cell phone, ipod shuffle, and plenty o’ anti-chafing lube (I’m not going to say any more about that one. But did you ever expect to see the word ‘lube’ on the New DeLews’ blog?)

Pacing: I’m running the marathon with my partner in crime, Ashley. Our goal pace is 9:30 minutes per mile, which would allow us to finish the race in a mere 4 hours and 9 minutes. Although the race officially starts at 7:30am, we most likely won’t cross the start line for quite a while. But if we cross the start line at 7:50am, we will be finished by 12:00pm sharp!! Here’s to hoping!

Meeting up: The Other DeLew will be trekking around the city with my lovely Mama George, finding strategic places to cheer! The Main DeLews will join in the cheering, along with a couple other friends. Every time I think about seeing friends and family on the sideline, I get a little choked up. I’ve been so blessed by people’s support over the past few months.

Post-Marathon Crash: Stumble back to the Medill and order out tons o’ food. And celebrate with fam and friends. Perhaps with wine.

Shout-out: And I must thank the lovely Other DeLew. Mark has been amazing- waking up early to run before work, biking alongside me on the long runs, caring for me when I got heat exhaustion, and constantly encouraging me to train hard and well. I could not have done this without him.

We’ll see how this Sunday goes. 10/10/10- bring it on!

An Urban Pizza Incident

It’s a beautiful weather day here in Chicago. As everyone knows, we get about two of those days per year, so I had to make the most of it. One of the things that contributes to the New DeLews' ‘uber-urban persona’ is the fact that we both work downtown, and we love that! Unfortunately our offices are on opposite sides of downtown, so we can’t meet up for lunch very easily. But in the past we’ve tried creative ways to meet up. One time I walked to his office (poor decision, as it was about a 30 minute walk), I’ve taken the bus to his office, he's taken a taxi to mine, we've both taken buses to meet up in the middle, etc… All that to say, when there’s a will, there’s a way, but it’s always a little rushed and stressful.

Well today I decided to try yet another creative method to see the Other DeLew. The Chicago Water Taxi! The mucky green Chicago River flows through downtown, and there’s a water taxi with a couple of strategic stops for $2! I took a perfect 5 minute walk to the river, hopped onto the boat, and 10 minutes later I was at Mark’s office! It was so refreshing.

Mark enjoyed some Chicago-style deep dish pizza for lunch today (for a work function), and he graciously offered to give me his leftovers. I’ll be eating dinner solo tonight because Mark is a big business man and has a big business dinner. I had asked him to bring me the pizza when I met up with him today. “Mark, please put the pizza in a bag so I can bring it home after work.” I believe those were my exact words on the phone. And dear Mark came downstairs with the bag of pizza in his hand. We took a walk, got some coffee and relished every moment together. And then I gave Mark a quick kiss and hopped on a bus back to work, bag of pizza in hand.

As I sat down on the bus, I casually looked into the bag of pizza for the first time. And here is what I discovered….

Ahh, the Other DeLew. He did exactly what I requested. Exactly. Love it. Love him. I cherish these moments. Hilarious and just plain wonderful.

That Naive Girl

This New DeLew has never been known as a fashion guru. Back in the olden days, pre-marriage, when I was a 'Young George', I was morally against 'cliche fashion' (as I would call it), because I strongly believed it communicated materialism and consumerism. At the end of freshman year of college, I donated over half my wardrobe because I decided to take a stand against materialism's hold on my life. And although that decision resulted in wearing the same black long-sleeve shirt every day of my college career, I truly believed that this was one of the ways I can be subversive in society. That is, until I needed to dress up for some event and I realized that I didn't have anything fancy. And let's be real here- my definition of fancy was (and kind of still is) 'anything that isn't cotton'. And in the end, I would bow to the god of materialism by raiding my roommate's closets. But anyway, I reflect on that time of my life with a sense of endearment. Part of me says 'what a naive girl', but the other part of me says 'where has that girl gone?'

This past weekend we were in Madison, Wisconsin for a wedding, and we had the chance to spend some time putt-putting around the little city. On Sunday morning we were sitting in an independent coffeeshop surrounded by college students who were working on papers amidst their facebook stalkings. The student next to me was wearing a 'Free Palestine' t-shirt while his girlfriend was using political theory to bash one of Sarah Palin's speeches. And for whatever reason, it brought me back. I was reminded of the numerous thought-provoking discussions that I had in coffeeshops that totally rocked my entire understanding of reality. I remembered that feeling of challenge and uncertainty that I experienced when I was discovering a new way to perceive the world, this society, and my life in the midst of it all. I remember those late nights that we would spend dreaming of ways to be subversive against mainstream society, to fight the system of injustice, and to be communities of peace. These are the visions that make my heart beat. They are conversations that feel raw, that make me feel more alive.

And I asked myself, when was the last time my understanding of reality was rocked? How often do I question the powers that be and seek ways to be subversive? Not just for the sake of being subversive, but because I believe in an alternative vision for this world- a world where people choose love over hate, community over self, and humility over pride. Have I just become another cog in the machine of society?

I refuse to believe that these thought-processes are only for certain stages of life. Yes college students may have the luxury of time to theorize about life and society, but now ideally, I may have the resources and ability to put some of those theories into practice. It may take a different form now, as I can't wear a black long sleeve shirt to work everyday. But that doesn't mean I should just fall into the routine of materialism and consume everything I can. It just might require a bit more nuance now. And however counter-intuitive it might seem, we must continue to live in the midst of complexity and be comfortable with challenge. Now is our time, whatever stage of life we are in, to challenge what we consider 'normal' and be open to alternative visions for how we ought to live in this world- however subversive they might be. It's not naive, it just might be the way we were meant to live.

Did someone say berries?

Let's play a word association game, shall we? When I say Scarecrow, you think Harvest. When I say Glass of Wine, you say Heaven. When I say Midwest, you say The No-Man's Land between California and New York City.... juuuuuuust kidding......... and lastly, when I say Fall is Around the Corner, you say Berry Pie. Right?
Although I'd like to think that I made a berry pie because my psyche is so attuned to the changing of seasons, in actuality I was sitting on the couch and realized that frozen berries could be used for something besides smoothies. And let me say, this epiphany has changed the New DeLews' lives forever. My sister (who is an incredible composer, gourmet cook, and mother of two with another on the way) has a 'healthy' recipe for an Amazing Berry Pie. Now to my dismay, I probably wouldn't consider this pie as healthy as, let's say, kale. But hands-down, I agree that it is Amazing. Ah-maze-ing. If you happen to be anywhere near The No-Man's Land between Calfornia and New York City within the next four months, you will most likely smell this berry pie as it bakes in my oven. We can't get enough of it.

Amazing Berry Pie
A couple notes: I tweaked the recipe a bit, because I don't do the top crust. I don't have the patience or a big enough food processor. So instead I make a sugary, cinnamony, oat-y topping that is amazing. Makes it more like a pie-cobbler fusion.

Preheat oven to 350

Crust:
1.5 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c butter (chilled)
1/4 c water

Process ingredients in a food processor until it becomes a big blob. Either roll out or pat out in the pie pan. (I don't own a rolling pin)

Filling/Topping:
5-6 c fresh or frozen berries (I used rasps and boysens, but definitely toss in blacks and huckles!)
1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbs butter
1/2 c oats (any kind)

Combine sugar and cinnamon, then cut the butter into the mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 of mixture on the pie crust in the pan. Combine flour and berries. Pour berries into the pie pan. Add the oats into the remaining sugar, cinnamon, butter mixture. Pour on top of berries so that it's well-covered. Bake pie until brown and bubbly, (took my pie about 1 hour and 15 minutes). Let sit for 1-2 hours before serving. Enjoy!!

A Collage of Summer

The New DeLews are not a picture-taking couple. We like the idea of it, and sometimes we even bring our camera, but all too frequently the camera gets swallowed up by the deep mysterious creature known as my purse. (Why must my purse be so big?) But every once in awhile we (actually, the Other DeLew) manages to take a couple of pictures. In order to make up for all the lame posts that have been pictureless, I've decided to share a couple of our summer events through the medium of rather amateur photos. As summer is sadly coming to a close, here's a brief overview of some (not all, by any means!) of our summer happenings in Chicago.


Let's talk about my brief, yet passionate obsession with kale. Oh yes, my grand idea of making 'kale chips' was supposedly going to solve any desire to eat normal potato chips. These are the types of things I do when Mark is on business trips. Although he tried to feign excitement for the kale after returning from the airport, when he really just wanted a piece of meat, let's just say, I haven't made the kale chips since.


Family visits! We had a wonderful time when my parents visited from California, my sister's family (including 2 babies!), and multiple visits from out-of-towners and overnight guests. The Medill has acted like an inn, and we love it! As Mark and I continue to learn how to be hospitable, we have realized that often we work better as a couple when we are hosting people in our home. So people, when you come over for dinner, you're helping the New DeLews be the couple we're meant to be! Thank you for sharing your lives with us!



Mark has continued to improve on his dishwashing business at the Medill. When we moved, we made the switch from having the dish rack on the counter, to placing it in the sink. And this has really developed Mark's incredible jenga-like stacking skills. It's an art.



Grilling and Lemon Drops. Because of the horror known as Chicago humidity and a lack of central AC, we have increased our use of the outdoor grill, and also perfected our recipe for lemon drop martinis. Sitting outside with friends, grilled burgers or grilled pizza and lemon drops? Now that's what I call summer! We have had wonderful conversations with our landlord and friends, sitting over citronella candles and good food.


Time together. Although it has been a busy summer for the New DeLews, we have enjoyed the bike rides, el rides, frozen yogurt, lake outings, and so many wonderful evenings wandering the city streets. We are deeply thankful to live in the city of Chicago, (particularly during the summer months), and we are thankful for the people in our lives. It's the people that bring beauty into our daily lives. So summer, you have done well this year.