So...One Time...

Lots and lots of things have been happening here in the Lou of late...First off, we had our very first St. Louis Thanksgiving. Now, I have been a little down (Peter might say inconsolable) about not being able to go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year. However, in the midst of my dismay, loving friends and family have come to the rescue. My parents came up and spent Thanksgiving with us, and, if I may say so myself, we cooked quite a feast in our little apartment. We spent our time laughing at Everybody Loves Raymond, debating about the movie Lincoln, and gorging ourselves on turkey and pie...it was a holiday well spent. And, in just a few weeks, some dear friends are coming up to spend Christmas week with us. Who knew one little guest room could bring so many gifts...we love it. Keep it comin'.

In other news, this past weekend Peter took me on a Christmas surprise trip to Chicago. We stayed at Moody, spent time with sweet friends, walked and walked around the city, and spent Saturday night listening to the Moody concert Choir present their Candlelight Carols service. It was an incredible Christmas present--not sure how he is going to top that one next year. During our time in Chicago, we also ran across the Santa Speedo Race for Diabetes (see what I did there--ran across), and in case you are asking yourself if this is "real or not real," here is a little photo evidence. Nothing says Merry Christmas like a...speedo...

So, I have been in my new job for two months now, and I can finally say that I am feeling pretty comfortable and confident. I am actually doing my job now, not just reading about it, which is helpful in the whole feeling comfortable and confident thing. Another help in this process is my friend Amber. Amber's husband is also in the MDIV program at Covenant, and we carpool to work everyday...and share lunches...and IM (remember IM'ing circa 2001) all day long. We have a bit of separation anxiety when we are away from one another too long. Amber is someone who I can be my wild and ridiculous self with--which is so great in the midst of transitioning into this new and mysterious place. A curious thing about making new friends is that all of your tried and true stories have a new life...and a new audience. I have found myself in conversation with Amber and suddenly saying, "So...one time..." and launching into whatever ridiculous story that has popped into this brain of mine. Amber, thankfully, finds my stories amusing--and we all know I love an audience...so, here are a few stories that have come up recently...

So...one time I passed out while playing the handbells. I was 9 or 10 and have always had a tendency to pass out within a week of having a high fever. We were in the middle of the Carol of the Bells when down I went. Thankfully, as my handbell choir director pointed out, I had the presence of mind to put down my bells before I plummeted to the floor.

So...one time, I, along with a little help from some other 7th grade rebels, convinced our middle school choir to sing "the police shot my dog" rather than "Feliz Navidad" in the Christmas concert. It was the only time I was ever sent to detention.

So...one time, I was dumped two years in a row on December 30th...two years in a row! Seriously! Two years later, I got engaged on December 30th--redemption.

until next time...Feliz Navidad,



J

Denim, Denim, Denim...

So…currently in my life I am doing something that I have never done before. I am working in a real office. Now, I know what you are saying to yourself, “But Self, didn’t Jess work in the Young Life office?” Why, yes I did. But the Young Life office has an entire section devoted to mullet wigs and platform shoes…doesn’t count as an Office-Office.

Aside: saying a word twice (as every teenage girl knows) makes the word mean something completely different. Example: “Do you like him? Or do you like- like him.” You get where I am going here.

So, I work in an Office-Office. Let me paint you a picture…cubicles as far as the eye can see, headsets like Janet (Ms. Jackson if your nasty) would wear atop every head, and coffee so bad it could be classified as a chemical weapon (Starbucks via is keeping me alive). However, in spite of the very “corporate” feel of my surroundings, the environment of the office is relatively…hmmmm…how should I say this? Festive…yep, these people love to party…and to decorate for parties/seasons. Literally every week since I have been working in this foreign environment, there has been some sort of party/extravaganza. Examples:

o   Cardinals Tailgate Party

o   Gift Basket Raffle Party

o   Charitable Giving Kick-Off Party

o   Rams Tailgate Party

o   Halloween Party (complete with costumes)

There is only one thing that this Office-Office loves more than pizza, nachos, and a large cake from Sam’s, and that’s an excuse to wear blue jeans. I have never had a job where a nice pair of jeans was not work appropriate, but the official dress code in the Office-Office is “business casual”. So, I made sure that I stocked up on “non-jeans” (a.k.a. slacks) for my new corporate life. However, in the 5 weeks I have been “officing”, I have had the opportunity to wear jeans all but 5 days. I start thinking to myself…”I wonder if I will need to pull out the fancy slacks for work tomorrow?” Then an email lands itself in my inbox stating things like, “you can wear blue jeans on Cardinals game days and the day after a Cardinals win; Our giving campaign has started. Feel free to wear jeans; or, Good job on the giving campaign…jeans all week!” What am I going to do with all these slacks? (insert witty pun about “slacking”).

In all seriousness, I am enjoying my job much more than I had anticipated. The people I work with are kind, encouraging, and hilariously mid-western (Examples: loving pro-sports, bowling leagues, and hard boiled eggs for breakfast). They think I am ridiculously Southern, and always ask me to repeat the phrases that I say. Who knew the phrase “fixin’ to” could be so amusing? The work itself is challenging and strangely relational. I think the Lord knew what he was doing placing me in a job that would both provide me a way to support Peter and I, so he could focus on school, and allow me to use the relational gifts He has given me…entering into a person’s tough situation and giving them the tools to recover…maybe this job isn’t so different after all.

Next week I am going on my first business trip that doesn’t involve a camp…details to follow.

 

Sper…out.

 

               

               

Right Now Recovery

Phew! I have been quite the Neglectful Nelly on this here blog...let me catch you fine folks up on all the Speropulos happenings here in STL...

• Peter is simultaneously killing it in Seminary while also being killed by Greek...I think Fall Break is coming at just the right time. 
• My last day at Starbucks was the day before my 4th wedding anniversary (Sept.27...woot)!
• I am now working it white collar...and (surprisingly) I am finding it pretty interesting. I'm so corporate now. 
• We are meeting people and making friends--even going apple picking over in Illinois (yeah...we live near Illinois now...so weird).
• We have loved having sweet time with Tennessee visitors...keep it comin'!

While I was working at Starbucks, I discovered that there was this interesting little button on the cash register called the "Right Now Recovery" button. "Right Now Recovery?" you may ask...let me explain. Let's say the good and faithful Baristas at Starbucks are in the middle of a rush and the Komodo  ( a.k.a. delicious dark roast ) runs out. They will immediately start brewing a new batch for you and, perhaps, your coffee will be covered. How? Your wonderful, hardworking, and talented Barista (tip em, people!) pushes that lovely little "Right Now Recovery" button. It's like a magical "Redo" button. Need another example? Ok...here goes...

My second week at Starbucks, when it was 1,000 degrees in St. Louis, a slightly sweaty and highly frazzled man came into the store. He had been shopping at Macy's with his wife and apparently began to aimlessly wander about. Shortly thereafter, he found himself lost in the underbelly of Macy's...somewhere in the basement, where they hide the mannequins and the duct work. After realizing that no one knew where he was, and that his cell phone had no reception, he scrambled around and found an exit that literally spat him out in front of our Starbucks. After listening to his harrowing tale, I made that man a green tea lemonade and pushed that "Right Now Recovery" button. That man clearly needed a beverage and a "Redo."  

If only I had a life RNR button...oh the moments I would have redone...or at least had a Zach Morris moment (pause the scene, discuss the situation, come up with a plan, grab a soda, and push play). For example, "I'm game if you are, Sparky..." The RNR button would have definitely come in handy there. Or perhaps when the chair broke in a kitchen full of girls I just met In STL...RNR button for sure! I think Peter would have used the RNR button when I announced that, "we had a lot of baggage...haha" when introducing ourselves in class. Yeah...where's that recovery when you need it?

until next time...STinSTL, out.

64 West

So...we have almost been in St. Louis for a whole month. I think it is finally starting to sink in that we are not on vacation...we are not on assignment...we actually live (and will live) here in St. Louis for the next 4-ish years of our lives. I will start my 30's in St. Louis. We might start our family in St. Louis. Our life is here in the 7th largest city in the U.S. of A. It's not a troublesome realization at all--just a strange one. Peter and Jess Speropulos--St. Lousians (confirmed Lousians). So, I thought, since I really live here in St. Louis now, I should share some of the things I have learned since the move to the Mid-West:

• People here are very proud of STL and likewise proud of their particular township (Creve Coeur, Tower Grove, University City...etc).
• This city loves to abbreviate (yay)! U-City (our township), Wash U, SLEW (St. Louis U), MoBap (Missouri Baptist Hospital), SLAM (St. Louis Art Museum)...I love it!
• I apparently pronounce all street names in STL incorrectly. Gravois Ave is not pronounced, as one would assume with it's French origins-- Grav-Wah. Instead, it is pronounced Grav-OY!...Oy indeed!
• There is a city wide conspiracy to randomly open and close the entrance ramps onto 64 West (the interstate that takes me home from work) to consistently keep me lost and angry whilst trying to get home after a long day of "Barista-ing".
• Only Italians work at the Fed in STL--and they all order Doppio Espressos several times a day at my Starbucks.
• You can spot a frappacino drinker a mile away. Likewise, you can always spot a "dry" cappuccino drinker as well.
• Ted Drewe's frozen custard really is better than all of those other impostor custards out there. Seriously, it's delish!
• Free stuff is not always chintzy! The free attractions in Forest Park (The Zoo, The Muny, The History Museum, The World's Fair Pavilion...etc) are all fantastic!
• Hipsters are alive and well on The Loop.
• Trader Joe's is going to save us from starvation.
• Although there is no beauty like the beauty of the mountains, there is something quite nice--even pretty about the prairie.
• I will always be a Highlander at heart, but I think we are really going to like it here.

In other news, we have found a church that we really like. It's called Memorial Presbyterian ( http://www.memorialpca.org/ ), and it is right on Forest Park beside Washington University's campus. The music director stood up on Sunday morning and said, "I am about to ask for something that I have never had to ask in my 30 years of working with this church...We need Sopranos!" Well, I took that as my cue, and we are going back for our second visit this Sunday. 

Peter's classes begin August 28th, and I have never seen him so excited. He has been longing for this opportunity since he finished his undergrad, and I am so thankful that his dream is finally being realized. We are heading to our first event with the seminary tonight--a picnic. Let's all hope we can keep our awkwardness at bay. We haven't met a lot of people yet, so we tend to be a little...well...enthusiastic...when we do meet folks. Here's hoping for normalcy--unlikely as that may be. 

5 Days In...Real or Not Real?

Have you ever read the Hunger Games? Well...I have...more times than I really want to fess up to, and I tend to think in "scenes"...so here goes. At the beginning of the third book, the main character wakes up confused. Her whole world has changed, and she is trying hard to get her bearings. So, she decides that she will just remind herself of things she is certain of: 

"My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. The Capitol hates me........”  (Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins)

I feel a little bit ridiculous saying this, but I sorta feel like I get a bit of what old Katniss is feeling. Clearly I am not channeling the whole fight to the death, incite a revolution thing, but the waking up to a whole new world thing--I totally get that. For the past 5 mornings, I have woken up in this new apartment thinking to myself...

"My name is Jess. I am 28 years old. I used to live in Johnson City, Tennessee. I now live in St. Louis, Missouri. My husband was a teacher. Now he is starting seminary. I worked for Young Life. Now, I work at Starbucks. Real or not Real?" (yep "Real or not Real" another HG reference...confirmed...I am a colossal nerd).

We had been talking about moving, preparing to move, and grieving that move for so long that the actual move has felt...surreal ("Surreal but nice?" Anyone? Notting Hill--anyone?) . It honestly feels like Peter and I are just on a trip with all of our stuff. I am driving around this fantastic city and having to remind myself that I live here. I miss Tennessee. I miss my friends and family. I miss our crazy, slightly shady street. I miss my front porch swing and Firehouse BBQ. I miss our church, and I miss my Young Life team and girls.

However, in the midst of all the missing...St. Louis is actually pretty great. The folks that I work with at the downtown Starbucks are really fun--and very patient. For all of my coffee bravado, learning all of the SBux recipes is pretty wild. You can see The Arch from our store and Busch Stadium (where the Cardinals play) is right around the corner. While on a walk with HoneyBear (our dog) through Forest Park, we stumbled upon a free outdoor musical theater called The Muny. I seriously think a light shone down from heaven upon it when we realized what it was. There is an old, artsy theater called The Tivoli that shows both Independent and old classic movies in an area called The Loop just a few miles away. And, of course, there is the STL Zoo...Peter's favorite because of the penguins. Best of all, we have discovered that good ol' southern hospitality is not lost on our St. Loueyans (St. Lousians? mystery). People are SO nice here! No "metro face" needed in STL...make eye contact and smile. 

Our apartment is starting to look like an actual home, and I think we are really going to like living in this little Seminary Community. Although, I am still grieving the loss of my big, beautiful kitchen. We have met a few of our neighbors, and although friendships take time to build, we are feeling confident the Lord will take care of us there. 

P.S. To all of our dear, sweet friends and family who helped with all the packing, moving, trasporting, and comforting. We could not have done it without you. Love! 

Apricots and Honey,

Jess

Les Miserables...The Dream Lives this Christmas!

Confession...I have watched this trailer six times already...not ashamed!

I Hope They Serve Sweet Tea in St. Louis...

For the past 3 and a half years, my husband Peter and I (Jess) have been living the life in an 80 something year old house in a little East Tennessee town called Johnson City. I have been "Young Life-ing" it for the past 9 years, and Peter has been teaching Bible and Philosophy in a classical high school. We have loved living in the mountains, we have  loved walking through life our sweet and completely ridiculous friends...but now it's time for a new adventure...


We have an official moving date, we have renters for our beloved house here in JC, and I think we are really going to love St. Louis--I mean what's not to love? There's a free zoo, frozen custard, Dewey's pizza, the Arch, the Cardinals, and both Les Miserables and Wicked are coming to the Fox Theater this Fall (yay)! But the question that keeps rolling around in this brain of mine is: What is St. Louis going to do with me? I mean...I am a unique lil soul. I'm allergic to everything--well, peanuts and corn (but seriously, who's allergic to corn?); I am so, so accident prone (see my Adventures in Sojo blog for full details there); I can't hear a song, or even a vague reference to a song, without feeling compelled to sing the rest; I have a strange obsession with cop shows (i.e. Law and Order...any or all of them)...I'm kind of a bird...although I'm sort of scared of birds...See what I mean. 


So, here we go...Midwest bound. 44 days till the move...St. Louie...here I come! Hope you know what you're in for.