my best moment

after a year and a half of working at Apple my best moment came today. Maranda and I helped this woman and her autistic son with her iPad because it was unexpectedly broken. She was so heartbroken because her son has made so much progress in such a short amount of time. Long story short we took care of it and she actually burst into tears. She thanked us... hugged us... blessed us... all while her son is standing next to her unable to control is actions. It just broke my heart. It took everything within me NOT to cry.

That one interaction was a breath of fresh air into my entire working career. Apple is intense. We strive for excellence and excellence is not obtained by being lazy, lackadaisical or passive. Excellence is TIRING haha. The summer is especially EXTRA crazy just for the sheer fact that there is no school. It can be... taxing. This woman reminded me what Apple IS and WHY Apple is. I mean what happened today ended up transcending even Apple itself. Yeah, we're the company that makes the device that helped this little boy be a better version of himself but... the little thing that we did touched her whole LIFE! and that's CRAZY.

At the end of the day I thanked God for putting me and Mandy in the right place at the right time so we could help her. I'm thankful that I was at the right company in the right place at the right time. It's crazy... and makes me tear up every time I think about it. Her gratitude was so genuine and moving.

I know I'm gonna get bogged down again by people asking me exactly WHAT the iPhone 5gS will do and what we're gonna do when the iPad 3 is on 4G and that's okay. I won't ever forget that woman, because she impacted me more than she'll ever know.

I wrote an email explaining exactly what happened and I know I can't put the whole thing on here but I think I can put the last portion up:

"The thing that got to me (and still makes me teary) is she told us that

because of that iPad - a barebones, 16 gig, 1st gen iPad - she had seen a child

that she never knew was inside her son. It was like seeing a different

kid. His cognitive skills were so much more advanced than ever before. He

is starting to write and recognize words. Her son couldn't control some of

his actions but she said he can spend hours on the iPad just tracing

letters or recognizing shapes.

I can't lie... I've been in a work slump. Back to school season wears me

out and I feel like I can't ever get a break, but this was a ringing

reminder of why I'm here and why Apple is the best company to work for. We

cover issues all the time... but this time it made a woman's day and kept

the ball rolling for her son's development and future.

I'm thankful I'm here.

Abby."

know what the frustrating thing about God is? I can't walk to Him tap Him on the shoulder and say, "hey! i need to talk to you. i got some beef. here's whats going down." i can't break down in tears and find solace in a hug. I can't hear ANYTHING. and it is FRUSTRATING. i feel like that's horrible that i'm frustrated with God... but on the other side of the spectrum i do THANK God sending people like James Miller and his family and Maggie into my life...

i need to sleep. 

how i work

via weheartit.tumblr.com

This is a little sneak peak into a small part of my character... if you care to read. It's really interesting for all introverts out there who feel slightly misunderstood or don't get how introverts work. (thanks Casey for the link! that girl reads the best blogs... haha)

"I know I can be timid at times, but I also have a very powerful and strong willed side.  I don't like pointless chit chat, but that doesn't mean I don't like to talk.  I love one on one conversations where both people are able to speak deeply and freely about what they are passionate about.  I appreciate honesty, I just don't like banter about nothing in particular.  I need quiet and peace to relax and recharge, but that doesn't mean I like being completely alone all the time.  I love spending one on one time with good friends.  I don't like being in high energy places for long periods of time, but I do love going out to bars or going dancing, and just because I am an introvert doesn't mean that I can't get loud and silly and excited."

i'm still here

from Pinterest via Tumblr

i made it alive through 9 straight days of Apple. sleeping for a full day. : )

did you miss me? haha prooobs noooot

a couple things

It is FRIDAY! and I've never been excited about Friday because I usually work weekends but... I have tomorrow AND Sunday off. Now before you break out the secret hidden confetti guns these two days off are just a preface to my nine. day. work week. guys... that's a little more than eight days! (if tyler hawx read this blog he would get pun - he is too cool for my blog... and too busy living a... perfectlifeyaknowwhat that is a post for another time called never. but i digress)


and and aaaand I get to see two of my favorite people tomorrow! Sarah (impeccable hippie style, impending wedding, fellow curvy girl) and Katherine (founder of Gathered Heart, whose wedding i still measure all other weddings by, wearer of many cardigans)! We originally planned on ya know being generally awesome and creative but really all our trip boils down to tomorrow is food. El Burrito Loco - i'm getting a GIANT horchata, Jaenicke's - you can't find it any other place than Bourbonnais and it'll make you slap yo momma, Main Dynasty - one word? rangoons. OH and Starbucks. I mean naturally. What's better that? Well if we all lived next to each other... there's that. 

when we get together things like this happen... perfection.

on another note I went out to get a pedicure with my mom tonight and got slightly sidetracked. We went to Culver's (we kind of love that place.) and then the South Suburban Humane Society was holding pet adoptions at GoodSpeed bikes. Well... hmmm puppies + bikes = us immediately pulling over. The bikes had nothing to do with the puppies but it was in their parking lot. And I love GoodSpeed - bunch of tattooed hipster guys who happen to love bikes. uh I think we call that a win.

After the appropriate amount of puppy petting and 'aww'ing we ended up going inside GoodSpeed just to browse the bikes. I'm a fan of bikes and I've had my eye on an Electra Townie for a long time. Recently I've changed my love to an Electra Ticino because I want to eventually use my bike for adventures of the city kind. I showed my mom the Townie and she was kind of nonplussed... then pointed out another bike that was bright turquoise and cream by Trek and... I fell in love! I did! I mean I know it's a bike and the dude working there totally made fun of me but... um... things I don't care about! so... i am kinda half broke but I put money down on this little beauty! (We never did get pedicures.)

Ingrid seems like a perfect name for her. Also, if you didn't know by now I like to name thing. Mostly important purchases (car: Libby iMac: Immi) and/or things I'm extremely fond of (a plush puppy named Blanca from childhood). I can imagine all sorts of fun to be had with Ingrid... city sunshine, night time air, introducing her to the pavement of Chicago, the lakeside and the treelined streets of my tiny town. Eep! She will be mine all mine in a month's time. *sigh* feel free to ogle her goodies. I am.

I have also listened to the entire discography of Ingrid Michaelson in the time I wrote this post (I tend to wander to other pages while I'm writing) and it inspired me to do some new type designs. We'll see how they work out. Should be interesting though! Yay portfolio building!

Have a good weekend, wherever you are - work, home, biking, sleeping, tanning (WHY?!) or eating copious amounts of cake batter ice cream from Coldstone.

p.s. - never underestimate the persuasive powers of Coldstone's cake batter ice cream. It'll seduce you... love you and leave you without a second thought, but you keep going back for MORE.

myKea

first a retraction. i can't take a break from blogging. there's so much stuff that makes me go "eee!" that i  just have to tell SOMEONE about it.

having said that... i really can't deny that i'm sad. i'm trying to work on it but... i think i hit something deeper that i've not dealt with so...

let's move on...

i kept saying my ikea finds so much that it merged into mykea haha. it works right?! rieeeeght?!

for a place that carries general home furnishings they do it with a good amount of design, style and grace to be honest. they have... like the secret to success. i will totally go back to ikea time and time again. and put together countless things because i know it's good stuff! and it's inexpensive! BRILLIANT!

i think getting a group of friends together and trekking up there in a giant truck (to SCHAUMBURG) would be suuuper fun. thoughts?

current state of affairs

do you really want the truth? all bubbly, giggles aside? 

Iiii'm really sad. really really sad.

that being said... I think I'm gonna take a blogging hiatus for a little bit. 

have a good summer

oak street beach, chicago

can dreams come true?

when a randomizer is involved it takes a lot of prayer and an act of God.

one of my five fave bloggers, Jordan Ferney, is giving away a trip to Paris. oh yeah. no big deal just a trip to Paris, all expenses paid, she'll show you around her favorite Parisian haunts and put you up in a swank hotel. Like i said! not even a big deal. no sweat even broken.

I know that a billion other people need this trip more than i do... worn out mothers, just lost their job, haven't had a vacation with their husband since the kids were born... I'm just a young 25 year old worn out from her job and the rest of her life ahead of her but... i want to win. i WANT this trip. I could elaborate but I won't... it would just be a ton of redundancies about, again, how much i want this trip.

But! I think you should enter, too. Because you, like me, need this trip. What if you win?! What if I win?!? What if we collaborate and i end up in your suitcase?!?!?! What if you can just bring me back 100 macarons from Laudureé? I think that works ok.

But to enter you should totally go here... and then tell me about it so we can just plan imaginary trips to Europe in general. We'll have tea while we chat... be all civilized and whatnot : )

Actually regardless of if any of you win can we just have tea anyway? That sound okay?

*this post is a requirement of entering... but really guys. i want some tea with you. just know that. 

Starfoxxx

Please help me in welcoming Sofia De La Rosa otherwise known as Sofie Starfoxxx (so dubbed by yours truly! I'm super good at nicknames - that's going on the resumé)

how beautiful is this baby? also her momma is equally gorgeous for naturally birthing this little muffin

I've also been calling her my baby bff. seriously. designated baby-sitter anyone? me. talking about myself. also i can't wait to have my own kiddies. but for now i'm content on showering this one with knitted things and cupcakes for her mom to indulge haha

Brief story! this is the first friend I've ever had that I've been like super excited about the birth. My sister gave birth twice but I was 10 and 12 and not really allll the way THERE maturity-wise. Last night I hardly slept. I texted Kate's husband about every two hours for updates. Kate, who texted DURING her labor (which is epic) was texting me updates and I'm telling her pushing techniques and telling her to breathe. I also realized I could totally be an ob/gyn if I didn't have to go through 100 more years of school. 

*sigh* awesome. 

NEWS!

Kate from diapers+skinnyjeans is in LABOR!!! 

her tiny daughter is 18 days early and we are all quickly realizing that she has a mind of her own... just like her mom. 

i've already decided i'm not sleeping. 

I'M JUST TOO EXCITED! 

i'll update you all tomorrow! probably teary eyed and awestruck. 

did i tell you i love kids? woah geez... that post will be so long!

laters!