Fearless Kris Stockton: Building Houses & Finding Love

A-Maize-ing adventure with the Fearless Kris Stockton. As you can see in the photo below, we made it out to Maize Mexican Grill at the station. And for once our first choice was actually open for lunch. I had never been there before, but I've heard great things from others and Kris recommended it highly, so that was our Wednesday lunch choice.

Before we even get to the restaurant, Kris impressed me with her tour guide skills. She takes me by a piece of sidewalk that I have walked over a thousand times, but I had never noticed the Champaign Limestone Sidewalk plaque commemorating the historic sidewalk from 1890. This wouldn't be the first time that I would get a history lesson from Kris today, but more about that later.

We had lunch a little early today, 11:30, so we were not expecting a crowd when we got there, but there were already many others there enjoying their meals. Just goes to show how good this place is to have people getting there early to insure they get a seat.

I didn't know what to expect for food. I figured since it was a Mexican restaurant, it would be pretty much the same as most others. That assessment was both right and wrong. The menu had the standard tacos, burritos and such, so nothing new there, but it was the food that set it apart from other places. We started off with some nachos and Kris wanted me to try the guacamole. Not usually something I like, but since this series is about embracing the new, I went for it. Dipped one of their delicious chips into the freshly made guacamole and gave it a try. Kris says it is the best around, and I have to admit it was better than others that I have tried, but I guess I am just not a guacamole guy, because it didn't do a whole lot for me. I preferred the chips dipped in the delicious refried beans. Now that was good.

I followed Kris's lead and had a couple of chicken tacos. They were very good. Loved the way they melted the cheese onto the tortilla before covering it with chicken and cilantro. The cheese was so good that I would have been happy to have about three times as much, but that probably would have over powered everything else, so maybe just twice as much would be a good compromise.

While it is nice to try new restaurants, the best part about this adventure so far has been getting to know the people I am sharing a meal with. I have heard wonderful stories about the house that she built, but didn't realize that she set her intention to have a house when she was turning 45. I have mentioned to her a couple of times that I debating buying a house and maybe getting a new car, but I am pretty indecisive about it. She doesn't have that same indecision that I do. When she set her mind to it, she went out and made it happen. When I mention the big life purchase, she hands me the name of places to go and people to talk to about making it happen. No hesitation in her at all. That is why I labeled her Fearless to start off this story. She has the most can do attitude that I have seen. She goes straight from wanting something to making it happen and does what she can to help others do the same. What a great gift to give.

And now for the other history lesson. Kris' built her house in Carmargo, IL. (about 45 minutes South of Champaign). She was looking for a place that was far enough from the city to give herself a nice place to relax away from any of the worries of the city. Seems like a nice little town, but Kris shared a little bit of the history. Over a hundred years ago they used to hold the Patterson Springs Chautauqua. Apparently a big yearly event that even Booker T. Washington spoke at one year.

So a house was one thing, but she also talked about how she went about finding a new relationship. But let's step back a bit. This is something that I noted as soon as she said it. She talked about her life and her home and making dinner for family and what stuck with me is she said she had "so much to share" and she wanted to find someone to share her life with. Realizing that you are blessed and then wanting to share those blessings with others is one of the most Christian things I have ever seen. It wasn't just about what she wanted, but also about what she could offer to others. I am not a religious person, but I do believe there is something bigger than us out there (even if it is just the connection between us).

Seeing Kris realizing that she wanted a serious connection with another person and then making the step in faith to let God help her find someone right for her was inspiring. It is difficult putting that out there, but Kris being Kris, it wasn't just about waiting around for something good to happen, she went out and made it happen with actions. She joined Christian Mingle and found a guy she was interested in. He had looked at her profile, but hadn't made a move to talk to her, so she was a little worried that maybe he wasn't interested, but she had heard that sometimes guys are afraid of rejection, so instead of just leaving it be, she made the first move and waved to him on the app. After that he responded and they had a great time getting to know each other. Turns out they had a lot of the same values and really clicked. They have been together for quite a while and been married for over five years. All of that would not have happened if she had not taken the first step in faith and then followed it up with actions to make it happen.

Really got me thinking about my own life and what I want out of it. Have to remember to not just wait for it, but to reach out and make it happen. Thank you, Kris Stockton for sharing a meal and stories with me.