coffee

Happy National Coffee Day =)

with love,

Liz

(& Hailey!)

like mom

The last week or so I have been following in my mother's footsteps and living in the radio studio. Tuesday night radio show and practice for my broadcast class recording have kept me quite busy.

It's fun but o so challenging and intimidating. It's almost worth it just for artsy photos like that one ;)

with love,

Liz

recently

A cool breeze sweeps across campus, darkened leaves scatter the ground, hoodies and scarves are brought out from the depths of the closets in which they were hiding, and apple cider is back on the menu at the campus coffee shop; fall is in the air.

Life has been going well lately. My trip back home was so refreshing! No place in the world can replace the love I have for my city.

Anyway, I've been trying to write a fictional story for my creative writing class and my friend Joe told me it was sounding more like a philosophy paper. GAH. Failure is a skill I have mastered. DERP.

I just want to be home baking cookies, watching the Sunday Brown's game with my die-hard fans of relatives, and hit up my favorite coffee shop daily. Alas, one must suffer before he can enter the city of joy ;)

Ramble ramble.

have a wonderful day!
with love,
Liz

swirly skirt

I felt like dressing like a girl today.

 Herp durp.

 *twirl twirl*

 I ordered myself an awesome new ring from Etsy :)

 "and in the dust an dirt, o here/the lilies of his love appear."

That couplet has been stuck in my head today & just needed to share.

Have a wonderful day!

with love, 

Liz

Ingenuity Festival Cleveland

This weekend it was back to the homeland! O Cleveland, my Cleveland, how I had missed thee. It just so happened that this weekend was the Ingenuity festival and this became my first year to go willingly. My dad used to always drag me as a child to show me all of the awesome artsy things going on by locals -- especially Case staff.
I got home and received a text from a friend telling me that he was going and I should check it out too. So I went. As I drove, however, the rain began to fall harder and harder. Once I got over to Chester (a 35 mile per hour road) all of the cars were creeping between 25-30 and I was the peppy little red car out in front. It was going well, the rain made it pretty hard to see but I had driven this road thousands of times before. 
The the gas light came on. Ugh. I passed one gas station and missed it. Panic panic panic. The thought of being stranded in downtown in the pouring rain was not extremely pleasant to say the least. Luckily I came upon a BP, pulled in, darted through the pouring rain, paid 10 bucks on pump 5, darted back, and sat in the car soaking wet as the gas pumped. Whoo. 
So eventually I got the the Ingenuity festival which was held this year in the old warehouses by the lake. Numbers 30 and 32 to be exact. Artsyness at it's finest. The warehouses were filled with music from the bands playing, art hanging the walls, booths with cool technology things and crafts for sale, and my all time favorite coffee shop even had a booth set up. Heaven. As soon as I got in and we met up, I was immediately drawn to an exhibit set up with pews, stain glass windows and photographs of old churches. He said "Haha of course you go to this one first." #catholic nerd. We wandered for awhile and then -- once the rain had subsided -- went outside to buy a funnel cake and eat it next to the lake. It was so nice. 
O Cleveland, my Cleveland...always shall I love thee.

fro-yo

Simple, caring, human interactions -- what a joy to witness. A man from the fro-yo place down the street came into the coffee shop where I sat drinking and writing. He came with a big bowl of fro-yo decked out with all the toppings. 
"A customer wasn't paying attention and made something they didn't want. So we thought we'd bring it to you guys."
"Oh, man, thanks!"
"No problem. If you guys ever want anything, just give us a call and we'll bring it down."
"Thank you, man! I appreciate it."
This was followed by the barista digging into the creamy treat "This is just what I needed."

I love sitting here and observing customers interact with the men behind the counter -- joking, sharing, and having a brief second of human connection before picking up their drink and walking out into the brisk, autumn air. It's the little things. It really is. 

little & big

"There are only two things worth doing in this life: to know the truth and to be in love."

:)

It really is the little things: a nice outfit, lovely weather, good company...

... and the huge things like forgiveness & love.

He loves. He pursues and He fights for me. Lover of lovers, Champion, Conquerer, Sacred Heart of my Beloved Crucified, have mercy on me, a fool.