Congratulations are in order!

Okay, I will be the first to admit that Suz's Musings has been a pretty boring place for the last month or so. The blogging hiatus has been unintentional, not due to a conscious decision to take a break or lack of blogging fodder but more a lack of time and discipline and the fact that I finally joined Facebook and have been a little mesmerized by all the activity there. However, I've decided it's time to break the silence and get writing again, so for those of you who still stop by every once in a while (all 7 of you) thanks for sticking with me. I hope to get the thoughts and commentaries and reports on life flowing again soon. To make up for the absence, here's some stuff I might have blogged about had I been in the blogging mood:

• a wonderful Saturday in Chicago that included the Art Institute and Celtic Fest
• the young adult ministry at my church receiving a face-lift this fall in the form of a new name and LOTS of other changes
• thoughts on leadership and fresh starts
  
• celebratory all-you-can-eat sushi at Mulan in Chinatown (see occasion below)
• a lovely Sunday afternoon with the girls at the Long Grove Apple Fest (and the 4 1/2 cider donuts I ate)
• what I think of the new restaurants that have opened up around my office
  

For now, a few announcements and some congratulations are in order. First, this blog has born witness to my attendance and participation in many weddings over the past several years (who can forget the pink dress?!). The coming 12 months will be no exception. Congratulations to Allison and Alex, who got engaged back on Sept 28th. I am thrilled and honored to have played a role in the proposal (that of question-asker #2) and to fill the role of maid of honor in the months to come and the wedding next summer. Additional congratulations are due to Allison in particular, who this past Monday finally decided to be brave and get her ears pierced. Way to go!

Next up, many congrats to Chris & Jenn, who popped and answered the big question, respectively, two weeks later on Oct 12th. And finally (for now at least, thought I suspect I will have more friends' engagements to celebrate soon), congrats to Abby & Allen, who are engaged as of Tuesday. (Abby was my roommate and small group co-leader on the Romania trip this past summer.)