How exactly do you define a commune?

So. I've been having all these thoughts for awhile now, but I've been too scared and hesitant to put them down on paper. I took the internship with Greaterworks last year because of them and have been praying and thinking and searching for the last few months because, try as I might, I can't get rid of them...
I feel like I can't do this whole living alone thing anymore... I really wish I could sometimes- I kind of love it. I clean when I want to, make as much noise as I want to, never have to worry about anyone else's mess, really, never have to worry about anyone else. Its fantastic... in the very selfish only thinking of me kind of way...
You see, there's something in my heart that says- this isn't it- this isn't enough- you've never settled for easy so why are you doing it now? I've whined at times about how hard it is to really invest in my community while I do the job that I'm doing- I travel a lot and I know that for at least 3 months out of the year (AKA the summer) I won't be living in Chicago and yet I can't help but feel like that's all just a cop-out.
I have this... well, for lack of a better term, vision, of a place... of a house, where I live with a handful of other people, on purpose. We live in the neighborhood I currently live in, and we live with open hands. We live with open doors. We live realizing nothing that we have here is ours. We live trying to better other's lives, realizing that in so doing, they will better ours. We take time to tutor kids after school and hang out with teens on the weekends, we teach ESL classes (and by we, I mean the other people who live in my dream world who speak spanish) and maybe we even teach spanish classes for those wanting to reach out better, we host small groups, bible studies, movie nights, hilarious 80's themed parties. We pray for one another, we pray for our neighborhood, we pray for our city, we pray for our country, we pray for the world. We take time to prepare people for ministry- we dont' worry about costs and money- we trust that our needs will be provided, we don't believe in equality, we believe in equity. We work hard at the jobs that we have and come home to a refuge- a place of love, beauty and honesty...
I know, maybe it sounds too farfetched, idealic... but that's my vision. I pray I would find ways and people and places to make it a reality.
Anyone up for it? :)

so blessed.

So... Monday was my birthday. Big old 24... which by my calculations means I'm pretty much a grown-up (or not at all... whichever you choose to believe). But, the beautiful thing about my version of being a grown-up is that in the midst of it- I have the best family ever. My mom, dad, sister and niece all came to Chicago this past weekend to spend time with me for my birthday. They all stayed at my apartment with me (which, for those of you who have seen it, is a tight squeeze) and we just had an amazing time. We got dinner together and then did some little things around the city. On Sunday they walked to church with me and then in a hilarious turn of events, we walked home from church in a downpour. We all just laughed and enjoyed it. As they left I was so sad to see them go- but so glad to have a family that loves me enough to give me my independence and yet still come and be with me when I need them.
I am so blessed.