KIGATSUKU

Monday, August 20, 2007

Summer Fun!

SURF RIDER & BRICKHOUSE BOARDS EVENT
Some of you know that I was in charge of this big Surfing Event at my job. It was incredible. The organization Surf Rider (shout out to Ben who is a member) , Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mass. Bay, and Brickhouse Boards combined for the 3rd year to put on this great event. Littles get to learn about protecting their Ocean, they get to have fun on the beach, meet other matches, and of course--learn to surf! We almost got blown away by the 20 mile an hour winds but we survived and had a great time!

Here we all are learning about keepin the Ocean safe. Did you know it takes 2 million years for a glass bottle to decompose! Seriously. Orkina, the Coast Gaurd specialist had a lot of fascinating facts to teach us all.

Little learning how to surf.

NICKLE CREEK & FIONA APPLE

This is the best picture I could get. I was so excited to go hear Nickle Creek play here in Boston. So I braved it to the Bank of America Pavillion all by my lonesome (that's a first for me) to hear them perform. Now that's a loyal fan! I'm not a huge fan of Fiona Apple...but Chris Thile, Sean Watkins, and Sara Watkins were amazing! It was well worth. At one point in the show this little old ladie (ticket checker) told me that she wouldn't look if I moved closer to the stage so I didn't feel so lonely. Bless her heart! I took her advice and had an amazing seat! Yippee!

AFC REUNION

(L-R) Justin, Kylee, Karlee, & Charlie. These are my coworkers from last year. Funny what 1 year can do. Now none of us work there. Justin (founder and CEO of AFC Mentoring) is now going to Grad School, I'm at BBBSMB, Karlee is going to Grad School in England, and Charlie works in finance. It was great to spend some time with them and reminace about old times.

LPL KIDS DAY at FENWAY
This is the 11th year that LPL Financial has sponsered a Kids day at Fenway. They buy out the Avalon-where we have lunch and a huge pre-game party. Then they buy 300+ tickets and give them to our Bigs & Littles so they can go to a Red Sox Game. This was a smashing success. Now if only the Sox had won...

Here I am at the Red Sox Game for work--it doesn't get much better than that!

Here are a bunch of the incredible Match Advocates that I work with everyday.

This is a match I've worked with since I started at Big Brothers Big Sisters back in February. I love this match! They had a great time at the game--I got to sit with them!

I work with these two fantastic women!

GOOD BYE TANIA!

I love these ladies! Marcy, Kylee, Abby, & Trisha

David & Kylee

Tania & Jared

Jared & Kylee

Tania you are love and will be missed!

Kylee saying goodbye to Tania...off to be with her true love!

DINNER TIME

Kylee & Shannon (oh, and Jeff in the background)

Kylene & Abigail (almost cousins)

Kylee & Natalie ( I think she's really excited to eat!)

Abby & Joey

PALMYRA

This was a great whirlwind adventure! A bunch of us loaded into a few cars, drove to Palmyra, stayed in a sweet camp ground, saw the upstate NY sights, watched the Hill Cumorah Pagent, and then drove home. This is the trips that memories are made of!

Ben & I in the Sacred Grove

Gotta love the girls in their glasses Carly, Lora, and Kylee

The entire gang outside Joseph Smith's Birthplace

What a great group!

BIRTHDAY TIME!

I love this picture! Nat with her famous open mouth smile, Wylie just being himself and who knows what happen to the rest of my body?

Happy Birthday Marianne--what is your wish?

Here we are for Marianne's big 19th Birthday!
(Marianne, Kylee & Natalie = summer roommates)

LIFE is GOOD at FENWAY

Brendan was excited to sign our names on the huge Baseball!

Brendan & I soaking in the sun!

Sleepy Time

I know that I need to update my blog. I have lots of summer pictures and adventures to share. They are forthcoming....

After one such adventure this weekend (a big surfing event I planned for work) I was exhausted. I came home around 5:00 pm and not feeling well (the wind had given me an allergy attack) I figured I'd lay down for a few hours before going to a music night. Well I laid down at 6:00 pm on Saturday night and didn't wake up at all until 10:00 am Sunday morning. That's 16 hours people! That is insane. I got up at 10:00 realized I wasn't going to be going to church got some food and went back to sleep from noon until 5:00 pm. (anther 5 hours).

You would think by this time there would be no room for sleepage--not so. I went to bed Sunday night around 12:00 am and awoke nice and awake at 8:45 am this morning. Yes people I am rested!

So I am glad that my body seems to go into this immune deficency shut down at points to rest and repair my immune system. This is much better than the awful allergy attack I was suffering Saturday night (almost busted out the Epipen--but alas-no).

So if you haven't heard from me--blame it on the sicki-sleepiheadness that was me this weekend!

Monday, August 13, 2007

this blog is for you

Because I said too much and didn't listen enough. Because I spoke before I really thought through some things. Because listening to you made my heart hurt and instead of telling you that -I filled up the space with useless scenarios and blah advice. Because instead of taking the time to resonate my feelings with what you were saying I got frustrated. Because I talk too loud.

Because all I really wanted to say was that I'm here for you and what can I do to help?

Friday, August 03, 2007

Veruka Syndrome

I was teaching an Institute class a few days ago and we were talking about the signs of the second coming. One sign is that "iniquity will abound and love will wax cold." The class was sharing examples of this and I said something like, "Somewhere along the way our society and generation got Veruka Syndrome!"

For those of you who don't understand what I mean by Veruka Syndrome it is the name of the girl (Veruka Salt) in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" who wanted everything and got it or she would have a fit-- and then she would get it. Thus her famous line: "I want the whole world, give it to me now!"

It is just amazing to me the things people not only want but expect to have or be given. Things that to many would be privileges or unattainable extras seem to be the going rate or the norm these days. It's hard to compete in a world like this. There's always something bigger, better, newer, fancier, and so forth.

I am very grateful for what I do have and hope to be able to stave off the Veruka Syndrome in my life!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Grant Marcus Shields

Today was the anniversary of my brother's death. A day I don't love to remember but I love to remember him. My sister Chelsea (see her blog) wrote a beautiful blog about some of the great memories that surrounded his death. I look at my family now and I'm amazed at how well we are doing-we are surviving and are stronger because of it.My life-our lives were irrevocable changed that day.

Sometimes out here in Boston I feel isolated surrounded by a mob of people who love me. The thing is they never new Grant, they never loved him, and therefore they can't share his loss or love of life with me. This is hard, but at the same time this is what healing feels like.

So to my family, struggling with their individual life strains, I love you and I'm thinking of you today.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

I miss you

I got a letter in the mail today. It was addressed to me in a little kid's handwriting with my little sister's name up in the left hand corner (just her first name), Camryn. I opened the letter and it was folded in half with my name written really big with a cute pink polka dot sticker seal. I opened it up and there was a picture in blue of an angel with long hair and a arrow pointing to her that said YOU. This is is what the letter said:

Dear Kylee,

I love you so much I miss you!

Love, Camryn

I cried.

Maybe because I can't believe the timing. Maybe because it's things like this that remind me that my sometimes my sucky life isn't really that bad at all. Maybe because it was a reminder to me of all the things I'm missing about my baby sister whilst I'm out here trying to figure out what it means to be an adult. Maybe it's because I can't believe how incredibly blessed I am to have such a wonderful family!

Or

Maybe it's just because I Love you and miss you so much too Camryn!

Love, Kylee