The End of an Era

"Leaving Minneapolis is like leaving a lover/You've got so much history you just don't want it to be over."

I've never left a lover and so my writing those lyrics might seem kind of ridiculous (even without the tackiness factor) but I do truly feel like Minneapolis is a dear, dear friend I'm parting ways with (even if it's just for a while).

I guess the truth is what I love most about Minneapolis is the friendships I've developed here.  The people, the community of communities itself, is what makes it hard to leave.

I'm rooted in this forest.  I can't even begin to list the things I'll miss, but I suppose I will:

1.  Our housemates Jane, Lydia and Mary...our little community house has had it's rough patches but I love everyone and have been blessed so much by being in this together.
2.  The beauty that surrounds the house we're in: it's proximity to the Mississippi river, the big park, the Greenway bike trail, the garden space, the ability to go out and just rest in the yard, etc.
3.  Our neighbors that we've gotten to know; the East African family next to us just invited us to dinner and we hung out with them last week, our neighbor Mel, other quirky friendly neighbors; particularly Richard who plants tomatoes and green beans in his front boulevard and encourages people to pick them.
4.  The Seward Co-op and being able to bike there.  All the hippies in Seward.  :o)

Jane, me and Chris at the Art Shanties after we did the bike ice race

5.  Jesus Kitchen hugely!  We will be trying to come back once a month (this we are committed to but realize we must be flexible as well).  Chris and I met there.  These last 9 months or so we've essentially led it and feel very vested in it.  We love the people we know through it and fully intend to continue those friendships.  We love sharing God's love and being challenged by what's really going on with people's hearts and heads.
6.  Hard Times (in a lot of ways Hard Times is somewhat synonymous with Jesus Kitchen to me because we most always hang out there after the Kitchen).  It's punk flavor that still seems to let so many others spill into it's doors and co-exist: college students, refugees and immigrants, people just looking for others to be with/contemplate with).  I will also miss it's super cheap and good food.
7. Our official church, Seward Church.  We've grown with it and kept on seeing people come and go.  Good times even in hard times (heh, seems like a pun from the previous listing).  I've come to see my need for Jesus in real ways through doing life with people there and hearing the Word.
8.  Salvage Yard Community: it seems this spans just Tuesday night service.  Hanging out at Greenhouse Potluck and doing Jesus Kitchen has probably helped us continue on in these connections.
9. Greenhouse Potluck:  bringing people together for food!  Playing silly games and feeling at home in a home away from home.
10.  The rich diversity of the neighborhoods in general:  I love the midtown area where so many cultures meet.  I love how Minnesota's Lutheran roots have created a social system where many immigrants feel safe and find their needs meet.  I pray that will happen more.

THERE ARE SO MANY FLIPPING REASONS I'M GOING TO MISS YOU, MINNEAPOLIS!

Every new beginning is part of some other beginning's end

Hmmm...so tonight I feel kind of angsty/emotional.  My doubts have doubts.  My anxieties are anxious.  My stubbornness feels stubborn.

Haha. :0)

Well, it is kind of the beginning of a new chapter as 3 lovely ladies (all good friends of my husband and me) moved downstairs in the duplex.  I have never lived in a community house and so far I am enjoying it but I'm also seeing how it can be stressful and a little iffy on boundaries.  We will have a meeting to talk about all such things but at this time they are still unpacking and we're busy people.  All in all, it's really a blessing and I'm looking forward to all the good times to come which I believe will proportionally increase by the number of friends living "together" (we are still separated but the stairwell is open between us and we share a yard, etc, not too mention we're just all friends!).

So as a new chapter opens, another closes; that being my time as a preschool teacher at a preschool which shall remain nameless (to protect myself as well as those I was working with/for).  Haha.  Yes, I never wrote about it here but trust me that I have stories.  I was tempted to blabber about some of the very terrible mishaps as well as just about the kids (who are always more charming than adults it seems).   One more recent episode I shall have to recount:  this lady who is quite possibly closing in on 80 and probably has a weak case of alzheimers (I am not joking) told me, after I was giving a suggestion on how to deal with a behavior problem, very loudly (yelling): "Mind your own bizwax!"   Yes, bizwax.  The children all thought this was the most hilarious word known to them from their birth to this point in their short lives and erupted into laughter.  I was so thankful for that laughter because it completely diffused the tension and the little old lady firecracker who had spat it out.  She walked away muttering, "What?  You've really never heard that before?"
The children repeated it over and over again for the next half hour.  It was actually quite comical.  So glad for children and laughter.

On a much more positive spin I had my last day this week working there regularly.  I may come back to substitute every now and then, we'll see how it goes.  I am thankful that they valued me as an employee anyway.  So, on my last day I gave the children all little white puzzles that they could draw on/color on and make into their own puzzle and a couple of darling stickers (one cartoonish owls and one realistic butterflies). I loved giving to them and they all seemed to love it too.

AND, I had favorites (those teachers who say they don't are complete and utter liars!). :0)

I will miss these children the most of all:
Anya:  Little Trinidadian American girl, 6 and a half.  She was tad on the chubby side but not too much.  She really stood out to me because of her spirit and spunk.  She was almost always one of the first ones to raise her hand to answer a question/volunteer.  Also, I don't think she ever forgot to say please.  That stands out.  She was a bit overpowering to others, really, but such a fun girl.  I know she will have to learn to control her loudness/temper (occasionally) but she will and then she will be so lovely (as she already is).  Just a fun girl.

Lily Belle:  A lot like Anya in some ways - very stubborn/assertive.  She was five (golden age).  She had light brown hair and blue eyes and was just a little beauty but in girl rugby player type way (I don't know if that makes sense, but, lol).  She was feisty and sweet at the same time.  I remember when she got dressed up to go with her grandma to see the play "Annie" -- at the time she just knew she was going somewhere special and it was some kind of party probably.  I helped her get dressed (supervising) and she picked out the flounciest ballerina type orange skirt. Then I got to put a little jeweled bobby pin in her hair.  Priceless.  When she came back she said she was in the play.  Silly girl.

Ashrith:  The cutest little Indian American boy.  Probably not more than three and a half.  He had an older sister who is four and a half.  The best thing about Ashrith is that a lot of days when I came in he would shout, "Kimberly!" in his adorable accent and then come give me a little hug half way on my leg.  Ha.  Once he got over his shyness, he was very eager to participate.  It was pretty cool to see the transformation that occurred while I was there in regard to him being around his sister.  His sister is much more reserved than he is but when I was first there he would follow his sister around like her shadow.  He would practically cry if she left his side.  We encouraged him to sit apart from his sister but it was very, very hard for him.  However, by the time that I left (a couple of months really) he was fine playing with other kids (mainly the older boys) and doing everything apart from his sister.  I was so glad for him!