2010 with 2 men...

I'm back.  I can't believe how two consecutive holidays have the ability to completely mess up my mental schedule which included, "blog for Skirt!"  

Here's my story: I moved to Winston-Salem almost 5 months ago with 5 other friends.  We quit our jobs in August and made the trek down South.  I came from Michigan (the beautiful part) and they came from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.  I guess you could say, the Spirit led and we followed.  Through a few bizarre circumstances we found a house that would fit 4 single people (two boys and two girls) and the married couple (the brave ones). It's like Friends meets the Real World meets Big Brother.  Just recently we added a seventh "roomie."  For Christmas we draped the 6 stockings over our fireplace with a 7th added in the middle reading, "Charley makes 7."

We call this living Community living.  It's not for financial reasons.  However, that helps.  It's not for drama.  Although that happens with 7 people sharing space.  We simply decided that we wanted to share life together, again.  We graduated college 5 years ago, parted ways and did the grown up thing.  While it was great we imagined that life could be greater together.  And we were right.  Harder, but greater. 

On New Years we landed at 6th & Vine and it was oh, so fine :)  A year ago my New Years was spent alone in my beautiful loft apartment on a stormy night.  My company was baby Alessandra and the nagging thought that my man had indeed chosen another woman that night.  Heartbreak.  So, baby Alessandra and I rang in the New Year together.  Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine ringing in the new year with not one man...but two (both roomies) this year in North Carolina! 

Helen Keller says, "Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all."  I suppose with all of the New Years resolutions we want to imagine ourselves richer & thinner.  I can tell you that this year I'm not richer.  I'm definitely not thinner.  I am however experiencing this thing called living.  I'm taking a risk to write a new story for myself. A story where I make room for God to show up.  A story where I love 6 other people with intentionality.  A story that says, "She lived." 

My charge for you, forget about getting skinny.  Ditch the rich idea.  Take the risk to make better stories this year. If you need inspiration read, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. A New Year must read for all of those vowing to read more in 2010. 

Much Hope