two subway musicians

His stool and dingy Santa doll sat beside a pillar as he waited for passengers to make the transfer from the green line to the blue. His harmonica wailed a short tune to new arrivals. Then silence. No shuffling feet, no rolling luggage, no jingling coins. More passengers arrived, and he began his tune again, with more emphasis on each note. Still nothing. He played the song again, louder still. "Come on. Help me out!" He leaned back against the pillar, glaring at everyone whose pockets burned with the money he earned. Footsteps clicked down the stairs, but only the first few harmonica notes sounded before the clatter of the train drowned them out, leaving the man and Santa alone on the platform.

Her dark hair and short stature were in stark contrast to the shiny acoustic guitar. A John Denver song strummed through a small black amplifier that ensured the waves of passengers could hear every note. The periodic clack of another green line train served as a metronome. Her accent, distinctly un-country, stamped her signature on "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Although her notes were sometimes off key she sang with abandon, making you believe the train tracks would take her to those West Virginia mountains. Bills piled up in her little box, each green flutter prompting a smile with crinkled eyes in the giver's direction before her focus returned to the music stand in front of her. Songs trailed after the train cars like lingering perfume.

when things don't go as planned...

I apologize to my faithful blog readers, who number in the upwards of 10. I'm learning how to balance my new job with everything else. It's an adjustment, which hasn't been helped by our extra-busy schedule as of late. Right now I'm experimenting with lunch hour blogging!

I started work on February 8, and Ian took my first-day-of-work photo to match his.

I had a morning of orientation with HR and training with the tech people before they turned me over to Van and Patti, two wonderful ladies who are my studio assistant mentors. The first week was a little slow, but things picked up once they redistributed people to the assistants and I had my own list of people to support. Kaitlyn, who's great, is also a new hire and together we take care of the urban studio.

The following weekend kicked off a string of holidays — Valentines Day, Presidents Day, Fat Tuesday, and Ash Wednesday, along with a more vigorous social schedule.

Saturday we wandered around Boston. We planned to go to the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Museum of Science, but the timed tickets were pricey and not available until after 5 p.m. Plan B was the Museum of Bad Art, whose web site resulted in the following photo of Ian laughing. Critiques using phrases like "an astonishing emphasis on facial bone structure" had him laughing so hard he cried.

We set off for the museum, meandering to the T and enjoying the river along the way.

We arrived at the MOBA, in the basement of a theater, only to find out you had to purchase a movie ticket to get in, and the movies we wanted to see weren't at times that would work with our evening plans. So we wandered around Harvard instead, and found a cupcake shop that was divine.

We also stopped at Fox's favorite coffee shop for some Mexican hot chocolate and enjoyed the music of a Russian accordion player. I love how diverse Boston is!

We headed home in time for me to attempt Marta's mint brownies with pink frosting.

That night, we brought the brownies to a chocolate and party game extravaganza with some new and newer Reunion friends. For the first time ever, I was a member of the mafia in the card game Mafia. It's so much more fun when you aren't just one of the townspeople who gets killed. We also played La Familia (new to me) and taught Celebrities. Ian created a memorable moment when he used the clue "I'm" to get his team to guess "Batman." It worked because he said it in a Batman voice — think Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory, if you're a fan.

Sunday after church we celebrated Valentines with brunch at The Regal Beagle. Weekend brunch is a big thing here in Boston, we've discovered. The food was delicious and the restaurant was amazing.

After lunch, we relaxed and enjoyed a lovely non-commercialized Valentines Day. Like every other holiday, it can be great if you focus on the reason for celebrating, and not the glitz and pressure to spend money.

Presidents Day was a Sasaki holiday, so Fox joined Ian and I at the Institute of Contemporary Art. I don't "get" some modern art, but they had some great exhibits (along with a few really weird ones). My favorite was "Hanging Fire — Suspected Arson" by Cornelia Parker. Charcoal from a house fire is suspended in a three-dimensional rectangle. The pieces are reanimated, moving faintly with the passing of viewers, and evoke a roaring bonfire.

Photography is prohibited in the galleries, but we got some great photos of the building and the nearby waterfront.

We also wandered around Boston and Ian and Fox had fun critiquing park landscapes done by a competing firm.

The day off provided a short work week, made shorter by our trip back for Grandma Marilyn's 80th birthday party where our travel arrangements didn't go as planned. Stay tuned!

You can see more photos here and here, including some fun ones of children's art in the T: Ian loves the cat.

of baptism and basketball

These past two weeks have been pretty relaxing. I'm free to take care of things at home without the worry of finding a job. We've been keeping busy — it's nice to feel like we're getting settled and making lives here.

Last week, we had the privilege of attending Reunion's baptism service, and Ian was honored to baptize Fox. It was a great celebration.

We spent Saturday with K-State basketball. We went to Fox's apartment to catch College GameDay on ESPN, which was at the Octagon of Doom (ESPN has picked up on the nickname).

That night we went to a restaurant for a joint watch party with both K-State and KU alumni. The game was fantastic, with the lead going back and forth and an overtime finish. We lost, but it feels more like a real rivalry now. We also were impressed at how much respect both teams had after the game was over — a tribute to both coaches in instilling values and not just skills in their players.

After the game, we walked past Fenway Park. It was my first time up close with the Green Monster. We're excited to go to a game or two in the spring!

This past week, I went to my first ever book club meeting! It may seem surprising that as an English major and avid reader, I've never been part of a book club. Kristin, a new friend from Reunion, invited me to join, so I read Vanity Fair and showed up. It's a great group of ladies and I'm really excited for next month and the chance to get to know the others better.

Boston is starting to feel like home — we're building relationships, getting out, and getting involved. When I start work on Monday, I think it will be even better. I'm so excited to meet everyone at work, and put my skills to use. God is so faithful, and it's so wonderful to see how He's taking care everything for us!

Anna has a job!

I haven't been posting updates on my job search because it's been a challenge. It was hard not to worry about it — how long should I hold out for a job I want before settling for something else so we wouldn't have to resort to ramen for every meal? I knew God would put me in the right place, but there's often a difference between knowing and getting your emotions to function on that knowledge.

I'd get my hopes up, only to see God close the door — I was thankful he made it obvious where I wasn't supposed to be, but more confused at where I should look next. I applied at a local bookstore and after a few visits and e-mails with no response, I gave up. I met one of Fox's friends who works at Google and she suggested I look there (I love Google!). I saw a listing for a job I'd enjoy, only to find out the position had just been filled. I started combing newspapers, government job listings, nearby colleges... but I wasn't finding anything for which I was qualified and/or interested.

A couple weeks ago, Ian got an e-mail Sasaki sent out to all employees asking for references to fill in for the receptionist during her maternity leave. Ian sent in my name, and I interviewed last Wednesday. During the interview, I learned an administrative assistant is retiring soon. So instead of getting the temporary receptionist job, Sasaki offered me a 6-8 week temporary job as an administrative assistant in training. If everything goes well (i.e. I like the job and I'm good at it) I'll become a permanent employee taking the place of the admin who is retiring.

Looking back, it's amazing how God closed the other doors in order to get me to this one, which I think is a job I'll love and will be able to do well. I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited. I start February 8... stay tuned!

football stew & buttermilk biscuits

This recipe is a favorite of my mom's because it's so easy and tasty. It's one of my favorite meals as well, especially when the weather is dark and rainy, like today. I'm adding a few modifications to the recipe, because my slow cooker is smaller than my mom's. I didn't take that into account and the broth overflowed a bit. I have a 4-quart slow cooker. I'm listing amounts for my size (the lower amount) as well as the exact recipe from my mom (the higher amount). If your slow cooker is even smaller, adjust accordingly.

football stew
makes 10-12 servings (great as leftovers!)

2 lbs. beef, cubed (any sort of roast/hunk of beef will work in the slow cooker!)
4-5 medium potatoes, chunk
5-6 celery stalks, thick sliced
5-6 carrots, thick sliced
2-3 onions, chunk
approximately 20 oz. of tomato juice (2 inches deep in slow cooker)
3 tbsp. minute tapioca (to thicken)
3 tsp. salt
3-4 tbsp. sugar (go higher if you use more tomato juice)

Mix the meat and vegetables together in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the top. Pour enough tomato juice to fill the slow cooker at least 2 inches deep. (Mom uses a full 20 oz. can which is more than 2 inches in her slow cooker. I couldn't find so I used a larger can and guessed the amount. When I make it again, I'll probably use a little less so it doesn't overflow in my smaller slow cooker.)

Cook on low for 8 hours.

UPDATES: If you can't find tomato juice, substitute a 6 oz can of tomato paste and chicken/beef stock. We've also tried swapping a couple carrots out for turnips and it turned out great (3 carrots + 4 turnips instead of 5-6 carrots). And if you have a too-small slow cooker like us and don't want to shrink the recipe, you can bake this in a dutch oven at 250 degrees for 6-8 hours, but do add extra liquids.

Football stew goes great with my mom's super easy buttermilk biscuits!

buttermilk biscuits
makes a dozen

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) margarine
3/4 c. buttermilk

In a bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Cut in margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk all at once. Stir the dough with a fork until it clings together.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough gently for 10 to 12 strokes — DON'T OVER KNEAD or your biscuits will be tough! Roll or pat the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter (or anything that will work similarly), dipping the cutter into flour between cuts to prevent sticking.

Transfer biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 400F degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Some notes...

• If you don't have buttermilk, measure 2 1/4 tsp. white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 3/4 c. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. The biscuits won't turn out any different than if you used buttermilk!
• For sour cream biscuits, replace the buttermilk with 1/2 c. sour cream and 1/4 c. milk.
• For plain biscuits, replace buttermilk with 2/3 c. milk.

This is the first of four soup recipes I'm attempting as part of my concrete aspirations for this year. I originally planned to start with French Onion but decided that would be an invite-friends-over sort of meal. Because who wants to spend hours making a meal and then not share it? (Apparently it's time consuming but not too difficult). So I'm waiting until we can do just that.