A Look Back

Most people claim it is impossible to go back in time. In first grade at VBS, our Kid's Church room held the world's first and only time machine. Sitting on the edge of my seat, I watched as volunteers walked into the time machine before walking back out as "babies." Embarrassing as it is, it took me a little longer than the average six-year-old to figure out the whole thing was a sham.

To some extent, however, I believe time travel is possible. This belief fuels my journaling habit, as I love nothing more than to look back over years gone by and marvel at how my life has changed. By taking photos, writing things down, and collecting tidbits of life as days come and go, I have the secret superpower of going back in time, even if its only possible through memories. God even charges us to take a look back every now and again, just to remind ourselves of His faithfulness. 

So without further ado, at this time last year....

 1. I was still a cheerleader. My hectic schedule included games and practice almost every night of the week. At this point, we were preparing for NCA Nationals in Daytona Beach, FL and I was equally terrified and excited. After 8 years as a cheerleader, I finally hung up my poms for good this fall. I felt God was leading me to bigger things, and after much prayer, I knew what I had to do. I treasured my years cheering on both the Warriors and the Wildcats and have no regrets!

 2. I had some brand new friends. God ushered these friendboys into our lives at the perfect time! Spring last year was filled with hilarious game nights, football on the roof, Lord of the Rings parties, "homework" nights in Teter, embarrassing 1-10's, and galavanting around Indianapolis in the unusually gorgeous weather. I looked forward every day to getting to spend time with these crazies every free second I had.

3. I was questioning my life calling and contemplating going into Forensic Science. Just kidding! While I enjoyed my Forensic Science lab last spring (that's a real human skull I'm holding, by the way), I was just beginning to grow my passion for public relations. Since this point, my love for the field has only progressed, and I am beyond excited for my future as a PR princess.

4. I was skilled in the art of the snarky note. Ok, so I guess not much has changed in that arena. But seriously, who wants to use a towel after knowing someone else used it right before?! Sick!

5. I barely knew the people who would become my best friends. Last year at this time, I was praying fervently that God would bring more friends into my life. Throughout my time in college, I always envied the friend groups who studied together, hung out on weekends together, ate every meal together. Thanks to the grace of God, I now have one of those groups. Joelle, Nicole, Bre, Sidney, Elese, Heidi, and Kristin, I'm so glad you are now a part of my life!

Kate the Accumulator's Top Spring Break Picks

Strutting through the airport last week, I think I had three different boarding passes stuffed into my wallet at one point. Something about the slick pieces of paper brandishing proof of my travels seemed too sacred to throw out. This was not an odd phenomenon, as I sometimes feel a little like a faulty vacuum cleaner: picking up random junk as I go through life trying not to trip over things. My incredible week in Florida for Spring Break with my main compadres was no different. Over the course of seven sunshine saturated days, I accumulated...

5 boarding passes
2 take-menus
2 church bulletins
1 free CD
3 seashells
1 piece of a coconut
....and that was just the stuff I found!

I have often heard it said to collect moments, not things. For Kate the Accumulator, however, this is much easier said than done. But on this past Spring Break trip, the memories in my heart way outnumber the objects in my pockets.

13 Best Moments from Spring Break 2013

13.  Celebrity status at church. Being the only attendees under the age of 65 at Jo's grandparent's church, we were asked to stand and introduce ourselves in front of the entire congregation! Our new elderly neighbors for the week seemed so happy to see us. The feeling was definitely reciprocated!

12. Making a friend on the beach. I met Zach the half frog half dog half human half fish when he hopped past my towel one afternoon. Poor little guy had no one to play with, so I struck up a conversation. Then he asked for my phone number. Then he asked if I could come over. He was sweet, don't get me wrong. I just wasn't feeling the 16 year age difference.

11. Old TV show reminiscing. We literally spent an hour laying on the guest bed trying to remember theme songs to old TV shows. Frustrating, but awesome.

10. Tuesday beach day. Iced coffee in hand, sun on skin, not a cloud in the sky, and Greek food for lunch. Perfection.

9. Fish tacos and live music. Nuff said.

8. Dinner conversations with Grandma and Grandpa Cobbs. I could have listened to the two of them all day! Their bits of wisdom sprinkled with hilarious comments kept us constantly entertained. They were the absolute sweetest, making us feel special all week long, especially when they laughed at our "stories." 

7. Operation Scare Lauren. Lauren walks into bathroom. Nicole, Jo, and I squeeze into closet. Lauren searches house. Lauren walks back in. Closet door opens. Mission accomplished.

6. Tornado trek to McDonald's. We braved four lanes of traffic, winds that could flatten a small town, a toxic swamp, and a woman with a lazy eye to get our McFlurry fix one afternoon. So worth it.

5. Card night. 7's and euchre for hours with some ice cream on the side. The four of us were feeling hyper and mischievous...you know, that mood where EVERYTHING is funny? Even black suits and crow mating calls?

4. Beach tumbling. I still got it. ;)

3. Deep conversations till almost 3 in the morning. Nothing beats a great talk with your best friends after a good movie. 

2. Falling asleep every night exhausted and happy, knowing the next day would be even better than the one before.

1. Marveling at how God brought two sets of roommates together who barely knew each other at this point last year. I would have never guessed that the girls living right across the hall from me in which I only exchanged casual hello's would end up being some of my best friends. 

Favorite Things Friday: The Best of Thanksgiving Break

I feel a typical list of favorite Thanksgiving things would include photos of extravagant dinner tables, relatives snoozing in front of the football game, and smiling yet freezing friends standing in line at the mall at 3 am.

But not this list! This "Favorite Things Friday" is dedicated to some of the best and most random moments that occurred on my Thanksgiving Break back in Ohio.

1. SANTAAAA! I know him! Just kidding, that's my sister. I have always told her to quit using my phone to take beauty shots of herself that I up deleting later anyway, so I'm finally getting a little payback. However, Marissa and I had a blast the night before Thanksgiving watching funny YouTube videos of Glozell and Bad Lip Reading for 2 hours straight.

2. Bethany. My favorite evening I spent with this little buddy consisted of playing One Direction trivia before baking cookies and ballroom dancing to Christmas music in the kitchen. The kid is talented in all three areas.

3. Dewey's Pizza. It is tradition in the Burkhardt household to dine at Dewey's in Dayton on the night of my homecoming. "Going hard" is an understatement when it comes to us five consuming Dewey's, as we (nearly) devoured 1 large cheese pizza, 1 small buffalo chicken pizza, and 1 small veggie pizza. We had to practice for Thanksgiving dinner somehow!

4. Tree Decorating Boot Camp. On the day after Thanksgiving every year, the Christmas tree rises from the depths of the basement, and every year we smile and reminisce as we pull out ornaments from years past. THIS year, however, my sisters needed a little help in proper ornament hanging technique. I will not disclose the number of ornaments hung backwards, or ugly ornaments placed front and center, or fights over whose "special ornaments" would be placed where. It was hilarious.

5. Target shopping. And Justin Bieber of course. I visited Target three times over break; once actually on Black Friday.....at noon. :)

6. Post-Turkey Just Dance. Forget the food coma following copious amounts of stuffing and pie, the Burkhardt Babes got down playing our favorite Wii game of all time, under the usernames of Moonhead, Coconut Man, and Pea. Just Dance is something all three of us agree on despite our age differences, and I always look forward to laughing and dancing with the two of them to our favorite songs.

Happy Friday!

Curiophany

I felt it for the very first time strolling down a swarming sidewalk. The chilly air nipped at my cheeks; a reminder that this was real. Taxi tail lights danced down the streets like guests at a ball. Echoing car horns and the click-clacking of millions of feet created a symphony of city sound. The smell of winter and fresh soft pretzels collided as bundled street vendors called out to the crowds. Items in store windows smiled and winked from inside their glass cages. My eyes desperately tried to savor every color and shred of light offered by massive billboards, like a frantic child during an Easter egg hunt. Gaze shifting upward, thousands of glistening windows decorating mile high buildings framed the velvety night sky.

I was sixteen when New York City swept me off my feet. 

The feelings I had towards Manhattan I couldn't describe. The mixture of wonder, excitement, curiosity and longing was left unnamed, because it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. And I never experienced this kind of affinity for a city again.

Until I visited Chicago.

During a weekend in the Windy City with my family, the strange concoction of feelings returned. The culmination of emotions left me planning my future in Chicago; picking out an apartment, nailing down the closest Starbucks, and watching my 25-year-old self walking to work in heels and a classy peacoat. 

And then I found myself in Los Angeles...

Shortly before I wound up in San Francisco. 

Each time I visit a new city, the pull returns. I picture myself doing life there, jogging through Central Park, shopping on Michigan Avenue, or grabbing lunch at Pier 39. I construct a future against the backdrop of the skyline while wondering about adventures to be had. 

This phenomenon, I decided, is known as curiophany. 

Maybe the only person on earth to have experienced curiophany. Or maybe there are others who find time spent in new cities more inspiring than any tangible item. One thing I'm sure of, however, is that I plan to let curiophany fuel the pursuit of my dreams. I will live somewhere incredible someday, and wake up every morning falling more in love with a beautiful city. 

Autumn Weekend Adventures

Hometowns intrigue me. Like Mary Poppins' magic suitcase, a hometown is a bottomless dot on the map from which hundreds of memories and meaningfulness can be pulled. I love the opportunity to jump into someone else's "dot" and explore, experiencing for the first time the articles of their life that can only be found there.

I spent this past weekend in the overflowing dot of Westfield, Indiana, hometown of one of my roommates, Joelle. The entire week leading up to our departure, we schemed and planned about the places we would go and the things we would do. An autumnal adventure was in the making!

Friday afternoon we hit the road with windows down and Starbucks in hand. The hour drive felt like five minutes as I sipped the first Java Chip frappuccino I'd had since high school and sang along to mix CDs.

The first adventure awaiting us was unexpected, but exciting nonetheless. We paid a visit to Westfield's main rice and fortune cookie supplier for take-out before driving down a hilly country road. Our destination was a beautiful grey house with an orange door, matching the leaves on the tree out front. The house belonged to a couple whose adorable blonde toddlers needed to be sat for a couple hours. We popped in Toy Story 3 for the kiddos before burning our mouths on hot Chinese food, too delicious to let cool completely. The dusky glow of the descending sun kissing the hardwood floors gave the old house comforting feeling, like it was wrapping you up in a blanket that smelled of fallen leaves and bonfire, welcoming you home.

After falling asleep Friday night watching "What Not to Expect When You're Expecting," Jo and I leapt from our slumber Saturday morning to get our day started off right.

The grande Pumpkin Spice Latte with two pumps of caramel I ordered on Starbucks run #2 of the weekend was perfection in liquid form. Coffee in hand, we took off for the Barn Sale, an event being thrown the mom of the kids we watched the night before. Watching the clear blue sky and red and orange leaves waving like streamers weaved through the treetops created a kaleidoscope of light and color as the car bobbed up and down the the hilly road. The day was perfect. Fall had officially made it's grand entrance in Westfield.

I could have left my heart at the Barn Sale. Table after table of shabby chic antiques and crafts lined the walls of the huge barn, spilling onto the lawn outside as well. Beautiful and unique collections of objects were proudly displayed, tempting me to pick up and admire everything I saw. I ended up leaving with a necklace, but only because I knew we were destined for each other the second I laid eyes on it.

Isn't it cute?

Lunch came from Big Hoffa's Barbeque, arguably some of the best BBQ I've ever had (and I've had some GOOD barbeque in my day). I knew I had to try a house specialty, so Jo and I each ordered the "Hoffinator." Can you guess what ingredients are included in this masterpiece and epic portion?

Give up? The Hoffinator is ranch and barbeque sauce on pulled pork on mac and cheese on baked beans on fries: six layers of comfort food heaven.

After lunch, Jo and I picked up our date for the afternoon, her next door neighbor/pastor's two year old son Titus and headed for the the pumpkin patch! 

We got to ride in some hay before engaging in the difficult pumpkin selection process. 

Once we had found three perfect pumpkins, it was time to butcher them! 

Jo and I gutted our pumpkins for the seeds, which we toasted later. So worth getting pumpkin guts under our nails and on our clothes. After the pumpkin execution, we whipped up a batch of pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese icing from scratch. Feel free to let your mouth water. 

Once the cupcakes had cooled and the icing set, I had the privilege of sampling Jo's dad's famous chili for dinner with her family. Every college student knows a homecooked meal eaten in an actual home (even if it's not your own) is something to be savored. After scarfing down two bowls, we took the second trip to Starbucks of the day and tossed back undertows (espresso on milk on vanilla flavoring) before I bleached Jo's hair and her dog and finished off the day with the "Bridesmaids."

Church on Sunday morning was refreshing. Jo's next door neighbor/pastor delivered an awesome sermon, and I saw many people I had met the over the weekend one last time. I was amazed at the community within the little church family. The love and willingness to serve each other was so obvious, and I decided I want this kind of selfless love to flow from my heart into my family in Christ as well. 

After exchanging our Sunday best for Sunday sweats, the remaining hours of the weekend were spent shopping, drinking Starbucks, and baking batch number two of pumpkin cupcakes. 

My two and a half days in Westfield were packed with excitement and newness. I absorbed the smells, the sights, and the tastes bursting from the bottomless map dot like a sponge, my senses scrambling to contain every experience. Though it wasn't my own hometown, the welcoming comfort offered by the perfect blend of country and suburb was a prime place to spend a few fall days. 

Total Starbucks trips: 4. 

Forever Young

School starting has stirred a certain nostalgia in me, thinking about autumn days gone by and the thrill of youth. I think most of us can agree that the elementary school years were glorious. Most days my only homework was studying spelling words, and my biggest worry was tracking playground dust in the house. Ah to be a kid again. 

Things I Miss About Being a Kid

1.  Tire Swings. A playground sport. 

2.  McDonald's Happy Meals. Pure joy in a convenient, oddly shaped cardboard box.

3.  Fads. Beanie Babies, Tamagotchis, Pokemon cards, yo-yos, gel pens, and ANYTHING that came from the vending machines at Skateworld.

4.  Jump ropes. A recess favorite. 

5.  Packed lunches. My mom was the bomb at making PB&J's!

6.  Cool backpacks. A kid in my fourth grade class had an N*Sync backpack. Amazing.

7.  After-School TV. 3 pm was Primetime back in the day. Favorite show: Arthur. 

8.  Picture books. How awesome was it to open a book and see more shapes and colors than words?!

9.  Frozen Go-Gurts. Do they even make Go-Gurt anymore!?

10. Seeing the world through the lens of possibility. Imagination is so under-rated.

The Soundtrack of My Summer

The familiar feeling of nostalgia has descended upon me once again as the days grow shorter and the nights cooler. Yes, summer is quickly drawing to a close, leaving incredible memories trailing behind it. Many of these memories are attached to the songs that served as background music for my life the months of May through August: the soundtrack of my summer (Thanks for that line, Boys like Girls).

1. Charlie Brown – Coldplay

 One of my first summer song obsessions! I listened to it on repeat for weeks.

2. Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Try to not smile while listening to this song. It is impossible. I smiled and listened while enthusiastically starting creative projects at the beginning of summer that I have yet to finish.

3. Banana Pancakes – Jack Johnson

An oldie but goodie. I learned this summer that Jack Johnson lives in Hawaii and loves to surf ALONG WITH making beautiful music. What a life. I sang along with “Banana Pancakes” while baking cupcakes one afternoon in May.

4. Danza Kuduro – Don Omar, Lucenzo

Can’t help but dance when “Danza Kuduro” starts playing! It also has a way of making the listener want chips and salsa. Which is why I blasted it while making mango salsa that one time.

5. Stare Into the Sun – Graffiti6

Heard it on the radio on a sunny day and was instantly smitten. Listened to it 482 times a day. The End.

6. Country Girl – Luke Bryan

I spent a good amount of time down south in June, where Luke Bryan is regarded as royalty. I danced to “Country Girl” before the start of the first cheerleading camp I worked.

7. Let’s Go – Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo

This song legitimately gets me pumped. Listened to it right before running a 5k on the 4^th of July and right after I put it at the top of my workout playlist.

8. Me Without You – TobyMac

My little sisters and I love it. Volume was always cranked in the car when it came on the radio! I also adore the lyrics, so much truth to them.

9. Thought of You – Justin Bieber

      “Thought of You” is my personal favorite on The Bieb’s new CD. The release of that album was an event in and of itself.

10. Wide Awake – Katy Perry

Saw the Katy Perry movie with my best friends on opening night, which made me want to be her best friend. Still can’t get enough of this song.

11. Runaway – Mat Kearney

My trip to California was narrated by Mat Kearney’s voice. It perfectly accompanied watching the sparkling Pacific Ocean roll by on our drive up the coast.

12. Stole My Heart – One Direction

My ten-year-old sister is obsessed with “1D,” and after being forced to watch their concert DVD, I decided the cute little Brits aren’t so bad. ESPECIALLY if you listen to the songs on their album the radio doesn’t play.

It has been a good summer indeed.