Time Flies
Mood:  spacey
Now Playing: Listening to the sound of my fish tank because if I play music this early in the morning, my landlady would kill me
Hi everyone!

Wow! Another month has gone by. Time is definitely flying. I have to work Easter week, but I think I get Good Friday off, so I am soooo looking forward to the break. I wonder if Good Friday is a paid holiday.

I am now in search of a book called the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Does anyone have a copy that they wouldn't mind parting with? I think this book is similar to the Divine Office that many Religious communities pray and I just want to try it out and see if it's for me. If you have a copy that you can spare, e-mail me and let me know or better yet, reply to this post.

I ordered a book off EBay last night called "Marie Rose Julie of Picardy" and I am soooo looking forward to its arrival. It's a book that tells the story of Saint Julie Billiart. I don't think I could ever tire of hearing/reading/learning about her life. I love to tell her story to the kids that I work with (they're preschoolers). The book is paperback and has about 171 or so pages, so it's a longer read, but not as long as some other books that I've read. This is a good thing so that I don't breeze through the book too fast. I usually have any books that I order sent to my parents' house because the mail is kind of iffy down here where I live. At least I know that it won't get taken at my parents' place or it won't get delivered to the wrong address.

Whoops! Had to stop typing for a nosebleed. When the weather changes, I start getting nosebleeds. They're fairly common in my family. It happens to both my mother and father at the change of seasons as well.

I have a prayer request. I saw a friend at mass last night who is a Benedictine Sister, and she told me that they are having their elections the week after Easter. Pray for them.

Speaking of the Benedictines, I guess I am not that informed on their way of life (and why should I be?). I know that they take an additional vow, that of stability, but I am not quite sure of what that really entails. I thought it meant that the Sisters had to stay in one place, but I guess I've got that wrong. I am lucky that I know alot of the vocation directors of different communities. I guess I'd better direct any further questions about that way of life to that particular vocation director.

Today is Wednesday, so that means that I get to go to the Children's Home to see the kids there. I purposely picked hump day to spend time with them because it makes my week seem to go so much faster. I love those kids and maybe some day I will get to be a "Big Sister" to one of them. That would be neat.

Well, I'd better close for now. It's nearly time for me to go to work.

Peace out y'all!

Odds and Ends
Now Playing: We Are Family -- Sister Sledge
Almost time to go to Bible study! This week, we're looking at Martha and Mary in the Bible. I don't have much to say today, I've been kinda bored lately.

I got a new cabbage patch doll the other day (I collect them), and I named her after the two foundresses of the Religious Community that I am discerning with. Her name's Hilligonde Elisabeth.

I also started messing around with Yahoo! Answers. Here's my answers...though I claim not to be the expert on anything. You might enjoy reading what I've been answering.

Just Thinking
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Listening to the sound of my fish tank's buzzing because it's too early in the morning to play music
Hello everyone!

I get up in the morning bright and early each day so that I can be at work at 6:30 am. It defies all logic, but that's when I start work. Anyways, I didn't have any point to saying that, I just felt like doing so...tee hee.

I just got an e-mail from my sister that says I have to get measured for the bridesmaid dress that I am going to wear in her wedding. EEP! Guess what I'm going to be doing over the weekend... I hope at least that she picked a color that will look reletively ok on me. But that's not the point, I know. I'm supposed to wear whatever because it would make my sister happy on her day...ok, I can do that...even if the dress is like a hundred something bucks and I'm only going to wear it that one time. Now, anyone who knows me will know that that goes against anything I've ever thought of, but no one asked my opinion (I gave it anyways).

I guess since I'm not the one getting married, I'd better just hold my tongue. I had suggested that she rent her wedding gown and all of the other dresses that she'd need. But who am I to suggest? LOL. Oh well.

Wooohoooo! It's almost Friday! I get to go to Bible Study that day with my friend Rhonda, so I'm on cloud nine.

Well, gotta let you go. Take care!

Quickie
Mood:  rushed
Now Playing: I'm the Only One -- Melissa Etheridge
This is gonna be a quickie because I'm in a rush to get out of here so I can set up for mass at the Mercy Center.

My week's started out stressed, but I got a note today from a friend in snail mail and I am sooooo happy that she wrote me! She says that she's not good at snail mailing people, so I feel lucky to get a message from her. Thanks Sandy!

Also got a little note from the vocation director wishing me a week that is stress free. Maybe that will rub off on me and I will be able to relax for the rest of the week. We'll see.

Take care!

This Sister Skates!
Mood:  party time!
Now Playing: listening to the sound that the fish tank at my friend Renee's dorm makes
I'm writing this entry from my friend Renee's dorm room at Thomas More College in Kentucky. I'm staying the night with Renee and we're going to go roller skating in a little while. I have my skates on and have been rolling around the room in anticipation. Renee tells me that I'm going to skate circles around her. I don't think so.

Earlier we went to Blessed Sacrament church near the school and attended the 4:00 pm mass there. It was nice. The church building is HUGE. I wonder if it was ever a cathedral. I noticed that the cross on the first station of the cross is a little crooked though...it doesn't matter. There was so much to look at there. I love big churches that have lots of things to look at. They even had a Pieta statue (Mother of Sorrows). I love Our Lady of Sorrows, she's the Mother I can relate to the most.

The vocation director had given me some homework to do. I'll eventually get around to it, it involves alot of reading and some writing. I'm in no big rush to get it over though. My middle name is Procrastinate.

Well, I'll sign off now. I sooooo can't wait to skate! Will tell you all about it later!

Puppy Blues
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Listening in to the conversation between my dad and my sister's fiance
My sister, her fiance, and my puppy niece are in town. My sister and her fiance went out to plan things for their wedding last night so my dad and I were home watching Daphne, my sister's Shih Tzu puppy. We watched the dog through the night and into the morning.

This little puppy is the cutest thing, but it makes messes alot. Especially when there are new people around. Whenever there's someone new, the puppy empties its bladder in excitement. Anyways, I'm trying to catch the dog and put her in her cage while this nurse came over to give my dad a shot (my dad has Multiple Sclerosis and gets daily shots). Well, too late. She peed on my shirt, pants, and shoes since I happened to be holding her at the time she saw the nurse.

Today Daphne missed the paper when she went to the bathroom and I had to clean up after that too. Guess it all comes with having a pet. I'm glad I have a fish.

I'm usually super excited to see Daphne (and my sister)...not necessarily in that order. Daphne is really fun to play with, she likes to play tug of war with her little rope toys.

I am looking forward to Bible study on Friday. We'll be reading about Tabitha of Joppa, a woman that Saint Peter raised from the dead. (It's in Acts of the Apostles). I have yet to read the passage in the book. I'll probably do that later today or sometime this week. I've got several books that I am reading, or need to read. My grandma sent me a book belatedly for my birthday (which was in Feb). It's about Mother Angelica (the nun who founded Eternal Word Television Network--EWTN). It's a really interesting book so far, I'm about half way through it. I didn't know that her life had so many trials...but then again, we all have trials.

I also have the book that the vocation director gave me to read and discuss with her chapter by chapter. It's a book about prayer. I left it at the apartment because I didn't feel like getting into it right away. She told me that she'd like to teach me how to pray Liturgy of the Hours...or the Divine Office...now, are those the same thing? I guess I can Google it to find the answer. I've observed the Benedictine Sisters praying this and have tried to do it along with them, but the way that the Benedictines did it didn't appeal to me. Several Sisters in different communities said that they do it differently...we'll have to see. I'm eager to learn how differently this community does it.

Sister also said that she'd like to pray the rosary with me every now and then. This is something that I'm looking forward to. I pray the rosary every now and then, but I don't know all of the prayers and definitely don't know all of the mysteries.

My Heart
Mood:  on fire
Now Playing: Hit 'Em Up Style -- Blue Cantrell
I just got back not too long ago from my meeting with the vocation director, and I think it went amazingly well. I was still nervous, but that melted away. It's going to take a little time for me to process this, so thank God I have a month to do it! The vocation director gave me a book on prayer to read (chapter by chapter) and discuss with her. I'll read the book. I just hope the writing style is not dry so that I can read it with a little more attention.

She also gave me the first page of the "Grant me a Discerning Heart" process to reflect on. This is what this particular community uses for its formal discernment process. I did this same thing with the former community that I thought I wanted to join (which ended on a sour note to say the least and remain positive with what I say). I was kind of nervous when I first saw this in her hand, but I figure that I'm in a different space now then I was when I completed this a couple of years ago. We'll just see how it goes--this is in God's hands.

On another note, I am finding myself in a relationship that I have to draw to a close. The only thing that sucks is that I still have something of his that he let me borrow that I have to return to him. So I can't just quietly shut the door, I have to slam it. I'll have to see him again to give it back to him. Maybe I should just offer to buy that dang digital camera. I wonder how much it's worth. It's old...it takes a floppy disk.

I'd better close for now. Hope you all are blessed!

Here Comes the Sun
Mood:  down
Now Playing: Down in the River to Pray--Allison Krauss
Why is it that when it's raining all week, I'm aching to get outside and skate, and when it finally does clear up a little, I'm not really feeling up to it? Is that Murphy's Law?

I'm a bit moody today. It must be nearing my time of the month. I've got all kinds of feelings swimming about inside me.

I've got that excited-nervous feeling about meeting with that vocation director tomorrow. I'm trying not to think about that, but it seems the more I try not to think about it, the more nervous I become. Eep! What do I have to be so nervous about?

I've also got this kinda sad feeling because I know that I am not being the best person that I can be. I feel that I've let myself down and others down. That's the feeling that I've been examining lately and what I'll be taking to prayer. My therapist cancelled my appointment today and re-scheduled it for another day but I really wish she could talk today. I'll have to see if I can work through this feeling myself. Please keep me in your prayers.

We (the lead teacher and I) were able to take the kids outside today which was a blessing! They were therefore less hyped up and more easy to work with. We're getting a few new kids in the class.

Our preschool classroom has a guinea pig named Frodo. Little does Frodo know that we have it in for him. Frodo makes a mess of his cage where it has to be cleaned out at least twice a week. I'd rather have a fish--less mess. I'm the one stuck having to clean out the cage most of the time. Not my idea of a nice pet to have. We need a fish. Anyone have a fish supplies to donate? Ha Ha! I have a fish at home named Liza after Liza Minnelli, I hope that the kids would enjoy having a fish around.

My body is all achy from yesterday. I'm not one to take pain pills, but I'm wondering if I should just do so in order to make it easier for me to sit down. It's a struggle just to lower myself into one of the preschooler-sized chairs in the classroom or onto the floor. I'll hope that maybe I can sleep off the aching in a couple of days or so.

Shaking my sillies out
Mood:  silly
Now Playing: Tennessee Homesick Blues -- Dolly Parton
Hi peeps!

Today the kids at work had the biggest case of the wiggles. It was a combination of several things, mainly the weather (it's rained for a week straight so far), the lead teacher had returned after a weeklong absence, and the fact that it's Monday (teachers can relate). So, I put on as many of the moving songs as I could think of and danced along with the children. We shook our sillies out while listening to Raffi, did the Bunny Hop, the Chicken Dance (a favorite of the kids), and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. To say the least, I was exhausted afterwards. I don't know who has more energy--me or my class full of preschoolers! After the fifth time doing some of the songs, the kids seemed pooped, but I kept going ;-)

Yesterday when it cleared up a little, I skated in my driveway. Much to my horror, I found that I'd become the neighbor kids' entertainment...when I looked up, I saw two of them watching me. They were rather young and were probably waiting for me to fall on my bum. I kept skating nevertheless. I didn't fall on my bum, though I came pretty close a couple of times--whew!

I've only got a couple more days until my meeting with the vocation director. I'm super excited, but also super nervous. Ever had that mix of feelings? I don't know whether to celebrate or to hide. I'm sure that the days will go pretty quickly and Wednesday will be here before I know it.

My friend who is a novice in that community sent me some pictures from California where she lives. She's such a great friend! I like the small peeks that she affords me into her experience of community life.

Well, I'll close with a quote from the song that I am listening to (Tennessee Homesick Blues by Dolly Parton)

"Good Lord have mercy on a country girl trying to make a living in a rhinestone world. It's hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world."

First thing I heard today
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: Miss New Booty--Bubba Sparks
Today I woke up at 7:30 am so that I can go to mass at the Heightswith the Sisters. I've only been one other time, so I look forward to the time that I can spend in prayer with the Sisters.

Anyways, as the alarm went off (it's tuned to radio), I heard the people talking about a place called One Way Farm. At first glance, it seems similar to the Diocesan Catholic Children's Home (DCCH)where I volunteer.
Both places are looking for volunteers. One Way Farm is in Ohio and DCCH is in Kentucky. Both care for children who were removed from home for some reason or another.

I'm probably preaching to the choir, but if you don't volunteer already, PLEASE DO! God needs each and every last one of you to be His or Her BODY in the world.