Mr. & Mrs. Stevens

Let's see if I can remember how to do this...



We had an awesome celebration! We're so thankful for everyone who made it... here's a photo for those of you who couldn't, we missed you!

Madison to Chicago no bust!

We all made it! As planned, 12 of us (my father, mother, brother, uncle, uncle's girlfriend, her father and brother, myself and another 4 new friends) ran from Madison, Wisconsin to Chicago, Illinois on Friday and Saturday. We ran continuously for thirty-two hours, through two states and 35 cities and towns. We also ran through the night (my second leg of three finished at exactly midnight on Friday), and through wind, rain, and sun. We used three and a half "support vehicles", over 60 bottles of water, 12 pounds of bananas and about fifty bagles. We got cool T-shirts, coaster-sized medals, and a collection of black toenails. For something so tough, physically, it really was a fun challenge! One of the best parts was running across the finish line in Chicago as a team... check out all those grins! (You can't even tell that inside we're all grimacing with stiff, overused muscles or that Mike, the guy in the red is finishing a 9 mile third leg).

June Bugs

There is a heck of a lot going on around here! First of all, let me provide the link to our wedding website. The Knot, the wedding website that hosts it, just changed the address... after I'd already sent it out to a zillion people, so I'm quite happy about that (sarcasm, sarcasm).

Everything else: I'm now running the Detroit Marathon instead of Chicago, so I can attend Danielle's wedding (in Vegas, baby!). There is plenty to look forward to in Detroit, and Chicago isn't going anywhere... so I think it will work out just fine.

I started a new job last night- at Starbucks. I'm not sure how I feel about it- it is hard for me to give up blocks of time I could be using on homework or wedding planning or running on serving Frappuc*nos for minimum wage. Really hard. But the people I met last night were really friendly and I got to do my first ever coffee tasting. That of course made it really hard to go to bed which then made it really hard to get up in time for my 8:00 am world history mid-term this morning, though.

No fears, I don't need to decide anything right this minute (as both my mom and Tom have been kind enough to remind me). This is the week of the Great Midwest Relay, so we're leaving Thursday after my class and returning Sunday- after running from Madison to Chicago, of course. This, plus Starbucks the three nights I'm home, leave me with NO free time this week what-so-ever. If anything, this will be a good practice in wise time usage- I just started and completed my history paper that's due on Monday. Getting something done (even started) anytime earlier than the night before is a very rare thing in my life, but probably a good change.

Anyway, I'm plugging away over here in Indy. Still having fun, just raising the bar a little. Hope everyone is enjoying the lovely weather (hope its lovely where you are too!).

Mission Marathon

"Congratulations! You are entered to run in The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 22, 2006. The Marathon will take place at 8 a.m. in Grant Park, Chicago. For additional Race details visit chicagomarathon.com."

Thunder in the Midwest

I have missed thunderstorms so much. I spent the last three summers craving their magestic, impressive relief from opressive, muggy heat. We certainly had the muggy heat part of it, but- for the most part, Japan doesn't really seem to do thunderstorms like the Midwest. This morning we've had some real whoppers roll through Indy; perfect ones that you can see for miles away- complete with purple skies and periodic hail (not good for that nice, shiny car of mine, but this time I will let it go). As I left church this morning (met with their wedding coordinator) I made a mental note to just start carrying my camera with me everyday. I'm not sure if it's a culture shock thing or what, but I'm finding myself really impressed with the beauty of daily life back here.

I think I've got to be pretty happy with myself and all I've gotten done in the last few weeks. I still feel fairly "behind" on the wedding scene, but as of yesterday we officially have 3 key ingredients that were still very much up in the air when I left Tokyo:
1) a date (November 25, 2006
2) a ceremony (Saint Elizab*th Ann S*ton in Carm*l, Indiana
3) a reception (Woodl*nd Country Club, also in Carm*l)

(*note: the asterisks are a privacy issue- I don't want people to find this info and website on accident by randomly "google-ing" these terms)

Also... (drumroll please), I have The Dress! Unbelievable, really. Mom and I spent the weekend in Milwaukee with my grandparents for Mother's Day. I had suggested that we take Grandma to go dress shopping for fun... totally no expectations but I had no idea where to start and Grandma lives almost on top of one of the local branches of the biggest national chain for formal wear... as I told my dad, "the McDonald's of wedding dresses". I had absolutely NO plan other than to try on some different styles. Yeah right. We liked the first dress a lot. The second dress was also quite lovely. The third.... DINGDINGDING... WE HAVE A WINNER! I did actually try on about 10 total, but all three of us loved Dress #3. I wasn't ready to buy... "on my first day out...?" but then the saleswoman plunked a tiara on my head ("oh! there's a tiara on my head! wow!"), then added a veil. (".....WOW....exhale"). Sold. Just like that. I've haven't enjoyed being turned into a princess since I was about 8 years old (the year I ditched the princess costume for the Punky Brewster one).

So now I have a dress (grin). And I really, really feel like I'm getting married. Yippee!

Just so you know, I am trying to get some "save the date" cards in the mail... but that's a little more involved than I'd imagined. So... save the date already, will you? Oh yeah... school's great too! (except for the 2 hour world history lectures at 8am an forty-minute drive away from home). But yeah, good thing I skipped that whole "re-entry" thing... I've been running from the minute my feet left the plane.

PS: About the decision on the reception for those who are curious: Col*mbia Club is in the middle-est smack dab center of Indy- and there's a (holiday) tree lighting going on the Friday between Thanksgiving and our wedding. And it was too over the top fancy and also really, really pricey. Out. Prairie View was out from the begining, too. The museum was one of my favorites, but it was too small. Plum Creek would've been all right, but it was the most expensive (even more than the C.C. with room rates) for a very, very plain room and no extras. That left me with Bridg*water, O*kHill, and Woodl*nd. My favorite was B.W., but the staff left a lot to be desired from the begining and then we found out we needed a sponsor. I was really torn between O.H. and W.L... and it basically came down to me wanting somewhere comfortable (O.H. felt to fancy and girly for me) and the fact that the chefs at W.L. will work with us on just about any kind of food (bring on the sushi!, right?). Oh, and there's no room rental feel at all there. None. So... there you have it. On a whole, I didn't really like any of them as far as fitting my image of what I wanted. That image is going to have to change a bit to fit in Indy, apparently... but by doing it where we're doing it we're going to be able to have a lot of fun with all the other pieces (live band, fabulous food, and tons of flowers). We're cool.

I Did it!

I will try to post more tomorrow... just wanted to let everyone know (a bit belatedly), that I survived (and enjoyed) the mini-marathon this weekend. Click this link to see my race photos. There's a photo of me with my medal after the finish line. I think I'm doing a pretty good job of pretending not to be in pain, aren't I? Then you can scroll through the million and three photos they took of me crossing the finish line. I feel like a celebrity! All that in about .3 seconds, I'm telling you.

Oh, and in other news... I started school today! It was a lot of fun and I'd love to write more, but my other class starts at 8am tomorrow, which means I need to be OUT THE DOOR at 6:30 AM. yay.

13.1

So what's going on this weekend? Oh yeah... that's right. I'm running a half marathon. Wow. I haven't trained for this at all, so tomorrow should be very, very interesting. More than likely it will also be painful. I have almost completely and utterly not prepared to do this and when my alarm clock goes off at 5am tomorrow I'm likely to be fairly confused. But- I promised my mom last year that I would run the Indy Mini-Marathon with her this year... so I will. Or run a little and walk a little. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully my legs remember how to do this.

I went to yet another golf club today, the Bridgewater Club. The pictures are at the top of the file that I posted yestereday, so for those of you who've already looked at them all, you don't have to see all of them again. I liked this place far better than almost all the other places (oops... there goes my honest opinion sneaking out). We weren't able to track down the coordinator though, so I have no idea how much rental/catering cost. I'm trying not to get my hopes up but this place is as close to what I'm looking for that I've gotten (coherent sentence, or not?).

Opinions (Help!!) Please

I've been pretty quiet this week, not because I've become a couch potato upon re-entering the world of American TV and re-claiming my right to be an obese American, but because I'm completing a solid week's worth of wedding reception site shopping. Oh, and my computer decided it didn't understand the concept of "wireless internet" (no, I won't get into that vent, but let's just state the fact that I am on my THIRD laptop in 4 days... YUCK).

Shopping has been... a bit overwhelming and a lot exhausting. Since I'm feeling a little undersupported without my fiance (starting to warm up to the new vocabulary) in town to help me, I've decided to post all the photos I took for second (and third, fourth, etc.) opinions.

Now guys. You NEVER comment. I really, really, really need some help and critical feedback here. If I can get some constructive comments I might consider posting other decision making photos too... and you'll all get a sneak peak at the party before the day! Sound like a deal? If you can't figure out how to post comments, just e-mail me. Okay, here's the link, with a lot of trust that SOMEONE out there will chime in. P.S. I'm sure you'll notice that I haven't shared my opinion. I promise I will... I've given Tom an earful every night this week... I just want to avoid pre-biasing my focus group before you see what I'm looking at. P.P.S. Please forgive the photos, they are not my best work.

cheers!

On the move

I'm still working off the momentum that started rolling the minute I got home. We spent part 1 of our weekend with Brook in Blacksburg, VA and part 2 back here at a first communion party where I got to see piles of family friends who I've not seen for 4 years. One of the other highlights was the fact that my dad flew us to Blacksburg. Literally. Dad's managed to get his pilot license in the less-than-a-year since he's retired. So the three of us piled in a tiny Cessna and before anyone even had to say "go" (or "flight attendants prepare for take-off"), we were in the air. It was really, really cool (and so is my dad). Once Mom and I get over the need to announce into the headsets the need for "everyone" to "store their tray tables", etc., it may start to feel more normal to be in such a small plane.

A Plea: My crazy family (see above), has decided to run the Great Midwest Relay, a 12-person relay starting in Madison, WI one day and ending in Chicago, IL the next. Our problem (besides the fact that we're obviously off our collective rockers): we are one crazy person short. Our team of brother, aunt, friend, aunt's father.... is only 11. We need one more runner! So, if there is anyone out there that fancies a little jog through the midwest in June... please, please let me know (this week!). Hoping, hoping to hear from someone...

Back in the U.S. of A.

I am sitting here, at my father's computer, utterly exhausted from jet lag and the effort it took me to get through my first full day back on Americn soil. In the twenty four hours since I landed in Indianapolis, I have purchased a car (a really zippy 2003 Ford Focus in orange-y red), car insurance, a cellphone, and a wedding planner (book not the person). I also talked to the priest at my parents' church regarding a wedding, tentatively set a date (they penciled us in for November 25, 2006), and I applied for a part time position at the Border's bookstore down the street.

I haven't unpacked yet, of course.

It feels really good to be home, despite the minor detail of Tom's continued residency in Tokyo. The weather was beautiful here in Indy and Dad and I spent the entire day in the Camaro with the top off. Everyone was friendly and spoke to me in English!

and we had Papa John's for dinner... yum.

So for now, you can find me here. For those of you who foolishly didn't go to St. Olaf for college, "um ya ya" is a St. Olaf "thing". I think it sounds more fun with the additional "y" on the end. And I spent three days trying to think up a clever new blog title and website... time which should have been spent doing a million other more important things... so this is what it will be for now. Bear with me, and if you have any better ideas, by all means send them this way!

See you all soon, I hope (except for those of you in Japan, sorry...but you had your chance!)