Aug. 10

My #IceBucketChallenge #IndyAdventure

Well, I had given up on blogging until today. The obnoxious thing about having a blog is that you feel like you should be using it more than once every four weeks (oops!) but the good thing about it is this: it's a great place to voice your opinions and get people's attention. So here I go. I'm gonna count this as a true #IndyAdventure, because I am doing something, and I am in Indy.

As an avid social media user, I (like I'm sure most of you) have been bombarded with videos of people completing the #IceBucketChallenge to stomp out ALS. Personally, I thought the videos were cool! I enjoyed seeing who would be nominated next, and watching people willingly dump freezing water on themselves is hilarious. What I also began to see circulating on Facebook and Twitter were negative reactions to the "challenge," and honestly, I think those reactions were warranted. Many people who posted the videos failed to mention ALS at all, didn't offer any background as to why they were doing the challenge, and you have to wonder how many people posting even know what the disease is. But here's the thing: good or bad, those videos prompted me to type "ALS" into my search bar. This was the first link I came across, titled "What is ALS?" I thought that was a good start. Read this: http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html At the bottom of the page, I came across the link for the Walk to Defeat ALS, and I clicked. One zip code search later, I found a walk scheduled in Detroit for September. And now, here I am, starting a team. The #IceBucketChallenge might not have struck a chord with everybody, but for some reason it prompted me to take action, and now I'm ready to do my part to strike out ALS. My birthday is this week, and people keep asking me what I want. Here's what I want. Join my team and walk with me on Sept. 27th. If you can't do that, donate, or look for a walk in your own area to register for. You can do that here: http://web.alsa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=WLK_landing#.U-faTI1dU4s If you can't do that, spread the word and do what you can to bring hope to people with this awful disease. One click makes a difference. So does one search, and one dollar. My goal is to have a team that raises $1,750 in a little over a month, so any help you can give is greatly appreciated. If you're interested in walking with me, let me know! Let's do what we can, big and small, to give people with ALS hope and support! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Click here to visit my personal page

Monday, June 30

Monday, June 30th

Monday: Ahh, what a day. The first day of the week actually isn't too bad at USAF. I have lots of meetings, which I honestly don't mind at all, and they make the day go much faster. We had a pretty major meeting early in the morning about reorganizing some tasks and responsibilities within our team, and that's where I found out I am going to be a getting to work with social media publishing and optimization this month, which is really exciting. Learning the email marketing is great, but what I've become really passionate about in the past two years is using social platforms to engage with fans and increase following, and I couldn't be more excited to get a chance to do more of that. I also feel really good about my standing in the team, because I am being given more responsibility every week. I think they see my desire to learn and appreciate my work ethic, which feels really good. I'm now doing more work with the communications team, and I have creative control over what content we'll be posting each day. I have to have good reason for why I'm posting certain stories and videos at certain times, so all of the things I've been doing with Google Analytics will come in handy. A lot about this job really excites me, which kind of makes me feel like a dork, but I read this quote once about how you should never apologize for your enthusiasm about things so... I'm not sorry! Last story of this day: the window washers came today and freaked me out. Nothing like someone hanging outside, banging on the glass and watching you while they cheat death hanging 60 feet above cement. I swear, my heart was beating fast for them! But, it did make for some pretty funny photos. Thanks for reading! Enjoy the picture below of this perfect stranger's legs.

#IndyAdventures2014
-SBL

The BIG Weekend

June 28th & 29th:

All you're gonna get (and need) to understand what I did this weekend is in these two photos. Mrs. L and I are pretty damn proud. Oh, and we ate well! 

#IndyAdventures2014

-SBL 

Last Week in June

June 24-27
Tuesday: Tuesday was my first day back at work, and it was so nice to finally get in the groove at the office! Everyone was so nice, asking how I was doing and about the overall experience, but I was just glad to be given some more responsibility, considering I'd spent about a week in bed! After sitting in on my first content meeting in a few weeks, I got back into ExactTarget and started plugging through a list of email responsibilities Greg had lined up for me (which I was quite thankful for). I also did a little work with the Membership department, which was cool. I learned how to do some work with a program called 24Watch, which they usually have to do for the Marketing department. It felt good to learn something new and be given more responsibility, after being out for so long. Overall, it was a really great first day back, but I was more than exhausted when I got home! Needless to say, I didn't do much between getting home and going to bed... but hey? That's what a good day of work looks like, right? 

Wednesday: Hump day was a BIG email day. We have these big Protection Tour events coming up in a few different cities, and Greg and I have been working together to craft the email template for a few weeks. We had a lot of design tweaks that needed to be done, and though they're not that difficult, the ExactTarget system requires some tedious work. It's constantly logging itself out, ignoring my coding changes, overriding certain instructions I add and honestly doing whatever it can to make me work for longer (not to mention piss me off...)! But, the feeling of accomplishment when I'm able to finish and send out an email is totally worth all the frustration. Believe it or not, those emails took up the majority of my work day - though, our room of interns did get distracted by Pinterest boards by the last half hour of the work day... what can I say? We're a small room of 4 girls... when one starts talking, we have a hard time focusing again.

Thursday: Thursday was also prepped to be an email day, but hey, sometimes it turns out to be a little more fun than expected! We did work in the morning, but Thursday was, if you recall, the USMNT game, and it happened to be at noon (thanks FIFA). A bunch of people from the office went down a few blocks to the Tin Roof, which is this music bar that's pretty popular downtown. It was full of people in their skirts and suits, getting away from work to support their country. Patriotism is a beautiful thing. The food was really good, though I am biased... It was the most flavorful thing I'd eaten since I'd had surgery, but even so, I'll probably head back there for another sandwich this summer. The game was pretty exciting, and even though we lost, it was a fun bonding experience with coworkers. Sentences like that make me feel really old. Anyway, after a nice two hour lunch break, we came back to a surprise at the office. The server had completely shut down. No phones, no internet - we couldn't even log into our computers. After a half hour of chatting and waiting for the word from the IT guys, we got out early! I call that a pretty nice day, though I knew I'd pay for those hours on Friday.

Friday: The last day of this week was brutal. I definitely paid for those hours on Thursday. Greg was out, but I had three big email projects to work on that all had deadlines. I'm happy to say I got everything out to subscribers by 5pm, but I was exhausted by that time. I had to wait for Mrs. L for a little bit, so I sat backed and watched some Hulu at work after everyone left. It was a good way to unwind. The week was great, and I was so happy to be back, but man was I excited for a break! 

Thanks for reading! You guys are super cool if you made it this far (especially since there aren't any pictures!). 

#IndyAdventures2014
-SBL 

Day ????

So, I haven't written on this blog in two weeks... shows how good I am at all this! I am not going to go day by day, because who wants to read that?! Two weeks ago, I spent the entire week at work creating emails and getting VERY acquainted with Google Analytics. That's pretty much all there was to the week that I can remember, so forgive me! 

So, now I'll get to the story that most of you at least know about - the appendicitis fiasco.  

Last Sunday, I was having a lot of stomach pain that eventually became centralized on the lower right side of my abdomen. Mrs L and I decided around 9pm that it might be a great idea to get checked out, so we went searching for 24 hour urgent care places in Indianapolis. Well, there weren't any... just our luck. We found one about 30 minutes away that was open until 11pm, and figured it might make more sense to wait until the next morning to get checked out, but then decided we'd both be too worried to sleep. So we got on the road. 

Well, just our luck, the urgent care place we found had closed early on that Sunday night (and failed to post about it), but it was in a big hospital complex, so we figured the next best bet was the ER.

I have to say, that visit to the ER was the most efficient one I've ever had. Everyone was friendly, it was quiet, testing was quick, results came back fast, and I had some really great nurses. One was wearing 'Grey's Anatomy' scrubs... I got a kick out of that. Well, around 3am, the doc came back with CAT Scan results, and it was appendicitis! Woohoo!  Here I am, in a new city with no family, being told I need to have emergency surgery. Usually I'm not very good in high-pressure situations, but I felt really at ease (like I said, great nurses). I spent some time trying to get a hold of my family, and since I had eaten a few hours beforehand, the doctor wanted to wait to do the surgery until the morning.

So, at this point it's about 3:30. Mrs. L and I moved up to my overnight hospital room, which was private and might as well been a hotel room! It was super nice, which made us both feel better. After we got settled, and my vitals had been tested, she left to head home and sleep a little, and I talked to some other nurses before I fell asleep around 4:30. About one hour later, a different nurse came running in saying it was time to go down for surgery. I immediately freaked out because I wanted Mrs. L to be back before I went in (I mean, I was a little nervous!) and called her right away. That poor woman barely got an hour of sleep before she had to truck back to the hospital - she's a saint. She made it before I went under, which was great, and I knew my mom and sister were on the way to Indy, which made it easier too! 

Being wheeled into that room for surgery was pretty scary. You know what it will look like from TV shows and stuff, but it's much creepier when it's actually you. Luckily, I was out in about 4 seconds. I don't even remember my eyes closing, though I guess that means the anesthesia worked well... the next thing I remember is waking up in my room, and then quickly falling back to sleep. Those pain meds are exhausting! 

A few hours after I got out of surgery, my mom and Molly arrived, which was wonderful. Having them there just made me feel at ease. After a few tests, walking around a bit, and finishing my antibiotics, they got me discharged! Laparoscopic surgery is pretty crazy - they got me out of the hospital just hours after I was on the operating table. I got to ride back with mom, and got the best surprise when I got in the car - she had brought my mattress to Indy, so that I could sleep as comfortably as possible. My mother is also a saint, and I'm so thankful she was able to come down and spend a few days with me. 

The rest of the week kind of blurred together, since I was sleeping a lot and pretty much staying put. Mom, Mrs. L and Molly waited on me hand and foot, and I didn't have to worry about a thing. I felt pretty good, and was starting to act like myself again. Mom and Molly went back to Michigan on Thursday, and though I was sad to see them go, I was happy that I was finally able to take care of myself a bit! 

Everyone I know was so understanding and caring - my coworkers, my friends and my family. If you're reading this, thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, cards, gifts, and messages! It really lifted my spirits and helped me heal quickly! 

Saturday was awesome - I got out of the house for a few hours for Symphony on the Prairie and so enjoyed it. The music was fabulous, and the environment was great... Nothing is better than outdoor concerts! But who knew that sitting at a table for a few hours would be so exhausting? I had apparently underestimated the amount of time it would take me to feel 100% better, and I paid for it on Sunday. I developed some mouth ulcers (which are a side effect of my pain meds) and I was pretty miserable throughout the day. Mrs. L helped me find some home remedies, which helped a little, but I was hoping to see the doctor to get some real relief. 

It's Monday night now. I had a doctor's appointment at 3pm, which Mrs. L's mom was nice enough to take me to, and I got great news! Looks like I've done very well and won't have to come back. My incisions should heal up soon, I got some medication for my sores (which has already made a HUGE difference) and I was able to start eating normally again. I'm cleaned up and ready to go back to work tomorrow. I'm so excited to get back in a routine and be more normal again. 

Again, I can't thank you all enough for your thoughts and prayers! I will do my best to be more consistent with my blog posts! I think this may have been the biggest #IndyAdventure yet :) 

- SBL 

Day 13 & 14: 

Sunday: I did much of nothing on Sunday morning and afternoon, which was great, and went back to St. Joan of Arc for church. It was a beautiful night to walk through the neighborhoods, and I really enjoyed the service again. I like the 5:30 Mass - it's just a nice way to end one week and a great way to start the next. Mrs. L got back from her trip with the girls, and we decided to watch the Tony Awards together. It was awesome! We both have a major appreciation for the theatre and music, and we really enjoyed the show. I reminisced about my music days, and even told her about my "I'm gonna be on Broadway phase" when I took voice lessons and convinced my mom to let me get professional head shots. Things have definitely changed since then, but I will always be drawn by the artistry and rawness of theatre. And it reminded me of yet another reason I'd like to eventually move to NYC - Broadway whenever I want! 



Monday: Today was a good start to my week. The morning was pretty standard - creating emails, transferring lists to Excel, looking over Google Analytics numbers - trust me, it's pretty much as exciting as I just made it sound. But, I am really getting to know the interns and other people in the office, and it's nice to take a break every once and a while and just chat. A bunch of us ate lunch together, and watched/complained about SportsCenter's overwhelming and unnecessary obsession with LeBron James. I only wish I was exaggerating. Monday's are always kind of fun because my bosses and I have a meeting at 2PM with a firm that handles some of our data analysis, and then we debrief for an hour or so. The debrief is always cool because it turns into a discussion of goals, ideas, campaigns, etc. The organization really has a lot it plans to accomplish, and I think it's a really exciting time to be a part of the company. I also work with some very smart, creative and talented people, and I know it sounds cheesy, but I am just learning so much so quickly. I couldn't be happier. 
After our debrief, I actually had the chance to sit in on a phone interview for a possible new member of our department, and that was really eye-opening for me. I got to hear what people in this industry are looking for in possible employees, and understand more about what makes a good interview. After work, I had a nice relaxing night, watching more Parks and Rec with Mrs. L (I'm using her not seeing the show as an excuse, but I could watch these episodes on repeat all day... I may have a slight addiction). I'm really looking forward to the rest of the week! Thanks for reading!

#IndyAdventures
- SBL

Days 11 & 12: 

Friday: Dude, last day of the work week was quick. I won't go into detail about work, because it was pretty techy, but it was a very successful, very productive day. After work, Mrs. L and I conquered the Post Office together, and I really appreciated her help. For those of you who don't know, I have a weird phobia associated with the USPS. I guess technically (according to Google), there isn't a name for that fear, but it is a real thing. TRUST ME. Anyway, we sent what we needed to send. Mission accomplished. I spent the night shopping in Castleton with the girls, and it was quite an ordeal. Alley in particular knows how to get it done. It was like watching a chef going into the supermarket and pick all the ingredients he/she needed - quick, precise and thought out. I wish I had those skills. After a few hours in the mall, We finished the night with some delicious Thai food, and I was worn out by the time we got home (which seems to be a recurring theme), so I passed out...

Saturday: and slept until 11am... oh, the joys of the weekend. I was planning to spend the day reading and sunbathing and doing nothing else, but I was presently surprised to get an invitation to go on the Meridian-Kessler Home Tour with Mrs. L's family (her mom, two sisters, and niece). The girls left for Detroit this weekend, so I've got the place to myself for a few days. The quiet is nice, but it was good to get out of the house and explore today! We saw some very historic houses in town, and some that have recently been renovated. I think we saw seven or eight houses in total, and we literally put on little medical booties and walked through every inch of these people's homes. It's a big tradition around here, so it was really cool to participate. Afterwards, we went to Aristocrats Pub for a few appetizers, and then I went home to spend a quiet evening on my own. I started reading a new book about Ernest Hemingway, enjoyed the beautiful weather, and listened to some of my favorite music. As much as I love being surrounded by people, it's always nice to take some time with myself every once and a while. Looking forward to the coming week! Thanks for reading!

 http://www.mkhometour.com/

#IndyAdventures2014
- SBL

Days 8, 9, 10, 11:

Wow, I am SO SO far behind on my "day-to-day" posting... guess that's what happens when you get busy. But I am determined to keep up with this blog, so if you're still reading, I ask that you bear with me :) This week has been crazy! It's kind of taking me back to middle school.. you know the time when you have just finished up the summer, and you have one week to do/get/learn everything before you start the 7th grade. Better catch up on that Math packet you only did two pages of, spend way too many hours shopping for new mechanical pencils at Staples, and all the while try to enjoy the last week of freedom you have. Yeah, this week has been that crazy.

Monday: The first day of this week was great! I finished up a round of email briefs, which was pretty satisfying! Then I sat in on my first meeting with Radius, a group we work with at USA Football that monitors, tracks and analyzes our engagement online and through social. After the meeting, I got a chance to sit down with my boss and our social media coordinator to find out more about the city. We chatted about my interests and what kind of things I could find in downtown that I would really enjoy: rooftop restaurants, jazz bars, and Symphony on the Prairie were some of the highlights.

Then, I went to lunch with some other department heads and two new interns, Eric and Hope. We went to the City Market, which is this big building with all kinds of food booths - I went Greek, which was a great plan. The place was delicious, so I'll definitely be headed back there soon. The people I work with are all just super friendly and supportive, which is a great thing when you're in a new city. On Monday night, I joined Mrs. L and the girls for Grandpa L's birthday celebration, and had a chance to meet the extended family, which was awesome. Cannot stress enough how much they've made me feel at home. I am so blessed and thankful for them.

Tuesday: Let's just say that after Tuesday, my brain was fried. I spent the reading a 10 chapters of a beginner's guide to SEO. For non-techies (and I put myself in that category, thought I have a feeling this job is going to change that), that's Search Engine Optimization - fancy stuff. After a quick lunch, I had my first introduction to Google Analytics, which is an awesome tool that I'd recommend for almost anyone with a website. I was pretty impressed, and honestly a little overwhelmed at the mere capability of the Internet... I spent the afternoon inputting data from the Analytics feed to Excel documents (thank goodness for Tom George and Research Methods, which I would've been lost without). Needless to say, it was quite a day of learning, and I was exhausted. So, the perfect thing to go home and do was watch four episodes of Parks and Rec with Mrs. L. I got her hooked on Sunday night, and
it's been a great way to wind down after work. She's hoping to get through the series this summer, which will inevitably mean that I will watch the entire series twice in the course of 4 months. I have no shame.

Wednesday: The morning was another rough one. I watched a 2 hour and 15 minute lecture on SalesForce which my boss called, and I quote, "like pulling teeth." He was right. And that's all I really have to say about that.

Wednesday afternoon was pretty slow, and every hour or so all the interns in our shared office would look around and ask if the day had ended yet. Hump day is truly a real thing. But I did start getting acquainted with ExactTarget, the email marketing system our company uses, which was good preparation for Thursday. I spent Wednesday night working on a non-USAF related top-secret project. Once again, that's really all I have to say about that.

 

Thursday: I spent yesterday getting some real use out of my new HTML "skills," though I use that word loosely because I very apparently still have a lot to learn. I got a chance to create some of my first email templates, and it was more than frustrating. I tip my hat to anybody who is HTML-fluent, because it's not an easy thing to learn. I will say this though - after spending 4 hours to try and finish one template, the feeling of accomplishment when it was complete was pretty damn good. I spent some more time chatting some interns like Rachel, who is the super nice new video intern in our office. She's worked for ESPN - so cool. I finished two email templates by the day's end and felt pretty accomplished. I was exhausted by the time I got home, but had a nice and long overdue chat with Joe before bed. It's been a great week of learning at work, but I am thrilled for a relaxing weekend. Thanks for reading!

#IndyAdventures
-SBL

Weekend 1 (Days 5, 6, & 7):
An overview of my first weekend in Indy

Friday: I was surprised at how ready I was to finish my work on Friday. Apparently, the prospect of having a work-free weekend was more exciting than I had expected. I spent the day at the office formulating email briefs for our Digital team - it was another task I'd never really had to complete before, but once I got the hang of it, I was able to get creative and I had a lot of fun! My boss is a really nice guy, and he's been so focused on making sure I feel comfortable with my responsibilities, while also making sure I feel challenged.  I feel really lucky to be with an organization that already values my work and input, and I am so looking forward to Monday! 

After work, I came home ready to work out! Mr. L had been planning to get me out on my bike and show me all the cool paths in Indy, including the Monan Trail. It used to be a rail path that ran from Chicago to Indy, but it was abandoned back in the 1980s. In the early 2000s, the city converted it to a pedestrian pathway between Indianapolis and Westfield, IN. It's beautiful and serves at a great way to get around! Well, Mr. L tuckered me out! We biked for 9 miles, through Butler University and up to Broad Ripple, a very popular hangout a few miles outside of downtown. I thought I was exhausted after Friday, but I had no idea what I was in for... 

Saturday: 2 hours. 20 miles. For a person who hadn't sat on a bike seat in over 3 weeks, and had never done it for more than 6 or 7 miles, 20 was a lot. We had decided to do a ride to downtown, which if 5 miles down the Monon and 5 miles back. I thought I could handle that. But once we got to downtown, we decided to explore. We went down Mass Ave, through Monument Circle, down to the Canal, through IUPUI campus, back up along the river, through Butler again, and back home. My legs had no idea where they were by the time we got home. Mr. L was even exhausted, which made me feel better about my beat-red face and sore calfs. Besides the soreness, it was awesome, and it feels great to be getting back into a solid workout routine. Next step: Join a gym! 

I spent the day hanging out with the family, sitting in the backyard and enjoying the weather. It's been great here so far, not too hot and humid just yet! Then, I got ready to head out to dinner with my good friend Lizzie, who was in town for the night. We ventured into downtown to try Bru Burger Bar, this cute little place on the corner of Mass Ave with outdoor seating and killer appetizers. If you ever make it there, order the goat cheese and red peppers. Unbelievably good - and trust me, I was eating with a culinary master. We had about an hour wait before dinner, so I brought her to see my building and the center of downtown, and then after dinner we did a little more walking by the government buildings and Lucas Oil Stadium. It was a great night, and so nice to catch up for an extended period of time :) I got home and went right to sleep. It was a wonderful day, but I was so tired! 

Sunday: Well, here we are. I'm enjoying a relaxing day, catching up on some SafeSittings work, doing a little reading, and getting ready for the coming week. I'll be heading to St. Joan of Arc for church tonight, and I'm looking forward to getting involved in a church in Indy. Thanks for keeping up with my adventures! 

#IndyAdventuresWeekend1
-SBL

Day 4:
Tonight's blog is a little shorter for two reasons: 1) I'm pooped and 2) I pretty much did one thing today. So I had my "orientation" meeting at work today, which was great, and got a chance to talk to my boss about what I would really like to get involved with this summer! It was so nice to share ideas and I feel like I'm really starting to integrate myself in the office. I even sat in the break room during my lunch break, which was a good call. I have a lot of friendly coworkers who are in different departments, and its a young office, so I think I am going to have a lot of fun this summer! 

During my meeting with my boss, I talked about my interest in learning HTML/CSS (coding). Professors are always raving about what a great skill it is to have, so I figured I'm here, why not learn? Well, we decided to tackle that project right away. I did a 7-hour beginner's course all day at work, and I feel like I could make my own (albeit basic) website right now! I still have a lot to learn, and it was pretty exhausting, but it felt good to get all of it done and really feel like I have already taken a big step to gaining a new skill. Jobs are kind of cool, I guess :) 

Ended the night cooking some delicious burgers for dinner, talking to some old friends, and listening to one of my favorite albums, Ella & Louis for Lovers. If you have an appreciating for some real throwback music, give it a listen. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and if you're looking to learn HTML, I highly recommend www.codecademy.com. Free, simple and fun! 

I'm looking forward to the next few days! I'm planning to go on my first big bike ride here on Saturday, exploring the city, and hopefully joining a gym. Time to get back in a routine!

Thanks for reading!
#Day4IndyAdventures
- SBL

Days 2 & 3:
I'm already behind on the blogging... there's a shocker! Welp, it's day 2 on the job and day 3 in Indy, so it works. I'm currently enjoying my lunch break from the seventh floor of our building, AND freezing my butt off. Note to self: always bring a jacket to work. 

Yesterday was my first day at the USA Football office, and it was interesting! When I start a job, I always have this expectation that the first day is going to be really exciting, and I'm going to be thrown into a bunch of different projects right off the bat. Surprisingly, my first day here was quite relaxing. Everyone was busy catching up after the holiday weekend, and I didn't really get any assignments. So, I got to explore, do some research on the organization, and just get acclimated to my new office! The people here are super nice and laid back, and I'm just looking forward to getting to know everyone a little more in the coming weeks.

Last night was good too! I think I am going to have a hard time understanding the concept of having a work computer, that I leave at work. Homework has become so second nature, but I have to say, it will probably be a nice break, and give me more time to explore this city! 

I'm having a great time with my host family! Mrs. L and I are so similar and goofy together, the kids are super energetic and fun, and I already feel like I fit right in. My family has been blessed with some wonderful friends, and I am so happy to have the chance to really get to know them. 

Work today has been great! I chatted with a few of the interns this morning, got assigned my first research project, and had the chance to sit in on my first content meeting. A bunch of USA Football gear came into the office right before lunch, so I also stocked up on lots of gear (I've never been one to say no to free t-shirts). The research I'm doing today is focused around popular Mom bloggers, especially if they write about kids and sports a lot. If you follow any, let me know! I had no idea how many blogging moms there are out there!! Kudos to anybody who can run a blog and a household... this part is hard enough! I'll share my favorite I've found below :) 

Thanks for reading today! 


#Day2&3IndyAdventures
http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com/

Day 1: 
Today was my first official day as a "resident" of Indianapolis, and was it busy! I spent the morning with Mom and Molly, exploring Butler University after  a nice breakfast at Panera. We wanted to cram in a little more sight-seeing before they had to head back to Michigan, and we had heard that the grounds of Butler were beautiful (the rumors were true). 

We had a great time exploring the beautiful gardens and fountains, and it reminded me of the Arb back in Michigan, though I can't say I miss Ann Arbor all that much just yet... this city is so historic and beautiful, and I can't wait to really immerse myself in all it has to offer.  

After a few hours of hiking and nature selfies (my family can't control the urge to take them), we headed to my new home for the summer. It was awesome to have the time to explore with Molly and Mom before they had to leave and I was sad to see them go, but excited about getting settled and ready for my first day of work. 

After saying our goodbyes, I got settled in my new room. It has more space than my last three bedrooms at Michigan combined, and I am feeling spoiled as ever! I finished the last bits of paperwork I needed for USA, and then headed out to dinner with my host family. We went to Yats, a cajun restaurant that's pretty famous in Indy. The food was amazing (if you ever go, I recommend the Chili Cheese Etouffee and the Maque Choux Etouffee - incredible stuff), as was my company. I am so grateful to have such a fun and outgoing family to spend my summer with, and I couldn't be more excited to start my new job tomorrow! If you read all of this, you're pretty cool. I'm looking forward to sharing all my experiences with you! 

#Day1IndyAdventures
http://www.yatscajuncreole.com/