"Here I am, the Handmaid of the Lord": October 2012

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

A Rainy Day Daybook

Another day as a student at Franciscan University...

Around campus...

Cold and rainy. Last night was very windy and very rainy resulting in no desire to come out from under a cozy blanket.

I am thankful for...

Big thick sweaters, tasty peppermint mocha creamer and echinacea tea (NOT used in combination, and warm stick to the bone dinners.

I am thinking about...

How I can be the best version of myself. Matthew Kelly anyone?

My goals for the week....

Relax and make memories.

At school....

Fall break officially begins for everyone tommorow however mine began today. I am staying on campus along with most of my friends so I am super excited to just relax and spend quality time with my friends.

From the kitchen...

In this last week I have made applesauce.

Cabbage and Noodles.

Baked apple creation (topped with walnut vanilla ice cream)

And currently I have a stew in the crock pot. No particular recipe and mostly things we had on hand. I bought beef for stew and greens beans and then emptied out the produce drawers adding carrots, squash, onion, and potatoes.

I am working on...

Reading, an OB mini care plan, and random odds and ends tasks.

Clicking around...

Looking Pittsburgh tourist attractions that we can do during Fall Break. So far I think we will for sure go to this restaurant featured on the Food Network and this chapel that is famous for the amount of relics they have, second only to the Vatican. Other possibilities are this and this. Any other ideas from those that live in the area or visit frequently.

I am praying...

For those recovering from Sandy. For my patients past, present and future. For my household sisters that any and all graces received while on retreat are sealed in their hearts.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

Sleeping in, good food, movies, and quality time.

I am hoping...

for an increase in devotion to the sacraments, life after death, sinners turned into saints because that is what us Christians do, hope in doubt and preserve in persecution.

I am pondering these words....

"Recent decades have seen the advance of a spiritual “desertification”. In the Council’s time it was already possible from a few tragic pages of history to know what a life or a world without God looked like, but now we see it every day around us. This void has spread. But it is in starting from the experience of this desert, from this void, that we can again discover the joy of believing, its vital importance for us, men and women. In the desert we rediscover the value of what is essential for living; thus in today’s world there are innumerable signs, often expressed implicitly or negatively, of the thirst for God, for the ultimate meaning of life. And in the desert people of faith are needed who, with their own lives, point out the way to the Promised Land and keep hope alive. Living faith opens the heart to the grace of God which frees us from pessimism. Today, more than ever, evangelizing means witnessing to the new life, transformed by God, and thus showing the path."

Pope Benedict XVI's Homily Opening the Year of Faith

Live joy.

Year of Faith

So as most Sunday Church-goers who are listening know the Year of Faith has just begun. So I have to admit, I really didn't do anything to prepare for the year to start and haven't really done anything since. I pray this year will will be a one filled with renewal. If you have read my previous post you know that I believe strongly that we need to pray for radical conversion in our nation. I don't think this only applies to non-believers but also begging Our Lady to intercede for lukewarm wayward "Catholics" to be brought into the fullness of the Truth. Thus I realize how necessary it is for me to embrace the Year of Faith, open up my Catechism, and pray the Apostles Creed so that I may come to know, love and serve Christ and His Church more fully and in turn hopefully live a life joyfully that draws others to Christ. Join me as we continue to dive into a year of faith.

Live joy.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Sandy.

Jumping on the bandwagon and giving my two cents about this crazy weather going on in the eastern half of the United States.

Currently the wind is a blowing and the rain is a falling. It makes me never want to leave my house but just stay curled up forever. However, I know that this isn't as bad as it could be. I am praying for those on the east coast who are being hit really hard. I have many close friends from the coast and praying that Mary's Mantel remains wrapped around them and their family keeping them safe from the winds that may blow.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Indian Summer Daybook

Sorry, no pictures for this post.

Around campus...

Sun, sun, sun. Apparently we are having an Indian summer so the sun is shining, the temps are rising, and the flips are floping. And what happens when the temps rise on the campus of Franciscan, the frisbees and skirts multiply.

I am thankful for...

That it is a requirement for me to spend 7 hours a week in a newborn nursery. I know tough life I live. :)

I am thinking about...

My OB test tomorrow, eeek!

My goals for the week....

Get a 90 or higher on my OB test.

At school....

After I take this test tomorrow morning I have a little bit of a breather just in time for household retreat and fall break. I can't wait!

From the kitchen...

I have got some cabbage so planning some cabbage and noodles and lazy man's stuffed cabbage.

I am creating....

Study tools, study tools, and more study tools.

I am working on...

Well once this test is done, mini care plans.

Clicking around...

I think Christmas shopping is about to begin :)

I am praying...

Prayers of thanksgiving. There is a mom of 9 at our parish who was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer during the 9th pregnancy. They stalled on treating it until the little baby boy could be born this past May. Once born, they began to aggressively treat the cancer with the prognosis of "she needs a miracle" and abundant prayers accordingly prayed. Well, with tears in his eyes this past Sunday, our pastor announced that she went in for scans this week and they were clear. Well our God is no doubt a God of miracles!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...

OB test, chiropractor, Peds clinical, shopping for food for retreat, retreat...

I am hoping...

I can stay focused and rock this test!

I am pondering these words....

"Be Not Afraid."

I figured appropriate on JP2's feast day.

Live joy.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

It Doesn't Need to Be Thursday to be Thankful

I am home this weekend so just wanted to do a quick list of things I am thankful for :)

-I am thankful for priests who make fools out of themselves for youth groups.

-I am thankful for a baby girl coming soon.

-I am thankful for dogs who don't hide their love.

-I am thankful for my delicious dinner last night. Brown rice pasta, imitation chicken, and homemade pasta sauce.

-I am thankful for dad's who say the darnest things.

(Sorry about the bad quality wrongly turned pictures but that is what you get with a phone camera and blogger app.)

Live joy.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Franciscan love.

We are too blessed. Yes part of why the sunset is so brilliant is because of the pollution and smog that reflect the light but this picture is a visual representation of the deep beauty that this campus contains.

This past Friday was the vocation fair, or formally, "Voacation Awareness Fair" meaning many different religious orders came to campus to promote their order. It can also be lovingly called Free Pen day, not that I use the day to get all my pens for the whole year :)

So at noon Mass there were about 25 priests who co-celebrated Mass for an array of religious brothers and sisters who were in attendance along with the typical student, faculty, staff, family, and visitor crowd. As I kneeled there praying, it hit me, as it does so often, just how blessed our school is.

We give hope to the older Church that their still are young people who love the Lord and live out a sacramental life in union with the Church. This school is beacon of hope in our world, a lighthouse to guide wayward souls back to the Truth. A school that is full of sinners who want to be saints. A campus full of men and women who are called to change the world.

How blessed we are to call this place home. How blessed we are that their are so many holy religious men and women who want to travel to Steubenville, just a small little town in the Valley, full of hope, promise, and faith.

Live joy.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Another daybook....

Around campus...

Another beautiful fall day. The sun is shining, the leaves are crunching, and a crisp breeze is blowing through.

I am thankful for...
Roomie piercing adventures. Last night my roommate and I went to get her doubles done and my cartilage. Ahh I can't believe I finally worked up the courage to get it done.

My goals....

To study for my tests at the end of this week and the beginning of the next. I.can.do.this.

At school....

Midterms are making everyone crazy.

From the kitchen...

Mel is at the moment making us skinny pancakes. Mmmm how good they will taste with some homemade applesauce spread on them.

I am wearing....
A jersey navy maxi dress borrowed from a friend with a green cardigan also borrowed from a friend.

I am working on...
blogs, duh.

Clicking around...

Uploading lots and lots of pictures to facebook.

I am reading...

Nothing but the textbook and notes.

I am praying for...

A dear friend's sister who is on the fence for needing inpatient treatment for an eating disorder and for a beloved priest who is on his way to Lourdes with the North American Lourdes Volunteers.

I am thinking about...

My own blessed 24 hours spent in Lourdes.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

My clinicals have switched. OB Monday morning and Peds Wednesday evening. And alos, going home next weekend, maybe.

I am hoping...

I can stay focused this week, make Mass a priority throughout the week, and continue to soak up the many great things about autumn.

I am pondering these words....

From a homily on Thursday...

On the Miraculous Medal rays shoot out from Mary's hands, which Our Lady told Catherine, "... symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them." However the rays that don't touch the earth signify the graces that Our Lady has for us that we don't ask for. So each day ask Our Lady to give you all the graces she desires for us that day.

Live joy.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Pinterest Challange Week 5

So this one isn't a Autumn themed pin but more of a "its Friday night and we want cookies" pin. I found the recipe here. They are just a variation on the typical cocoa peanut butter oatmeal no bake cookies.

Making the coating mixture.

The cookies before they went into the fridge.

I just thought they were ok but alot of other people loved them so if you want some super easy cookies to make here is your recipe.

Live Joy.

Friday, October 12, 2012

7 Quick Takes (Vol. #3)

--- 1 ---

I had my first clinical yesterday on the L&D unit. I got to see one C-section early in the morning and unfortunately no one else delivered. I had some some hope in the morning because we have had other primip inductions deliver by the afternoon but when noon rolled around and everyone was 4cm or below I knew chances were fading quick. Next time...

--- 2 ---

I got to do my first catheter. It wasn't very smooth but you have to have a first time in order to have a better second time. So far, first shot-check, first cath-check.

--- 3 ---

Another lesson learned. If a nurse says in order to help a mom to the bathroom just unhook them the monitor that does not mean unstrap the leads it means just unhook them from the monitor. It wasn't a bad thing just took a little more work for them to find the heartbeat again. They ended up doing an internal anyway so it didn't really matter.

--- 4 ---

Midterm care plans down, now onto Peds test next Friday and OB test the following Tuesday.

--- 5 ---

Vice-president debate. I know I should care but I just can't get into it. However, I don't think snickering and interrupting is every appropriate, especially when your conversation is televised.

--- 6 ---

Speaking of elections-are you voting? I sure hope so. Every vote matters. Use yours to fight for freedom and life.

--- 7 ---

A look inside a clinical bag. It was exploding with random things and time to be emptied. Things found included two pen lights (because I guess one isn't enough), OB med cards, lots of gloves and alcohol swaps, med surge assessment cheat sheets, ID bands, hospital badges, and medical tape (because if you have tape you save the day).

(Sorry for the bad phone quality picture.)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Hula man, Our Lady and Greenhouses.

This is what the TV in our apartment looks like...

The reason why I like this image so much is because I think it says alot about the life of a Franciscan student. Many people think we live in a bubble and that we basically spend our whole day praying. This really isn't true and this image sums it up well.

A hula man and an image of Our Lady of Schoenstatt.

It is undeniable, faith and prayer is an integral part of our lives and is woven into our days. But we also have alot of honest to goodness fun and are normal people too. We have hula man moments and we have Mary moments but most of time they are a little bit of both.

You might wonder why the title of my blog is based on Our Lady of Annunciation but I don't only talk about faith. It is because being a woman of the Anuunciation doesn't mean you can only talk about that, it means it is integrated into every action and thought of your life. Believe it or not I attempt to make my faith woven into my baking, my classes, my thrifting, and everything I do in my life.

And about that bubble. A beloved friar once explained how it really is more like a greenhouse. Yes Franciscan is a little different than the rest of the world but it is a place to grow. Plants don't stay in green houses forever but they stay there for a time and then are taken outside. We spend a time at this university, growing in our relationship with Christ and growing in our faith. But then the day comes when we were a cap and gown and are sent out to the world. As a well spoken boss says to his employees "If you don't believe are students are going to change the world than you don't belong here."

Live Joy.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Pinterest Challange Week 4

Another week, another gem discovered. You can find the inspiration for this here.

Now of course I didn't follow it exactly-no sweet potatoes (one of the few foods I really don't like), tomatoes, or garlic cloves. Instead I did use garlic powder and fresh basil. I also cut up the baby carrots so that everything was uniform in size. And I forgot to dust with parmesan but did add some walnuts for taste and good fat.

Not only was this a great way to use up alot of the vegtables my parents had brought me down from the garden, but also a great way to eat a large variety of veggies in one sitting.

It ended up tasting even better than I thought and I have already made it again. Defiantly another recipe winner.

Live joy.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Daybook...

Around campus...

This weekend is homecoming/parents weekend/St. Francis festival. Being a hardcore Franciscan school we do St. Francis' feast day big. I have actually never celebrated it on main campus (I was at Xavier freshman year, in Austria sophomore year and went home for a wedding last year). In Austria it was celebrated with a pig roast and kegs. Here they have a household life Mass on Friday and a festival and FOP on Saturday. Super excited for the festivities.

I am thankful for...

College students who make it a priority to coordinate a surprise Star Wars birthday party for a special 12 year old boy. A boy who only wanted to have his dad visit for his birthday but instead has a dad who flakes out. Thankful that I can call these people who coordinated it my sisters.

I am thinking about...

My future. Being on OB clinical confirms how much I want to work in some form of maternity health.

My goals....

Getting my diet back to where I want it to be. I have been slipping into bad eating habits and not following my ideal "fruit and vegetable strong" diet.

At school....

GI and genitourinary alterations in pediatrics and birth for OB. Careplans are due next week so that has taken priority on the "To do" list.

From the kitchen...

Lazy man stuffed cabbage. I would link the recipe but it is more an on the fly creation.

I am creating....
Memories. YOLO.

I am working on...
Making prayer, especially Rosary and Adoration, a purposeful priority in my routine.

Clicking around...

I am in one of my best friend's wedding next summer. The bride recently decided she wants all of us to wear different coral colored dresses. I now see it as my mission to find an awesome dress for myself. I will know it when I see it.

I am reading...

Textbook, textbook, textbook. Also trying to find moments to continue listening to the audio of Kisses from Katie.

I am praying for...

It looks like leading a mission trip to Haiti during spring break is a go. Therefore I am praying partially because I am freaking out but mainly that the people who are meant to go will come together. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

St. Francis Festival, FOP, possible apple picking on Sunday, careplans, visiting with roommate's family,

I am going...

To costco to get water and candy with some household sisters so that we can sell them at the festival as a fundraiser

I am hoping...

That it doesn't rain all weekend. That will just be a huge bummer.

I am pondering these words....

Pope John Paul II. These words never get old.

“It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, makng the world more human and more fraternal.”

Live joy.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Confession and Surgery

I know I have said confession is like weeding but I also think confession is alot like surgery.

(A confessional in Poland)

You get all nervous getting ready to go in even though you know in the end you will feel better and it is good for you. Then the actually "procedure" only takes a few minutes. Afterward you are left catching your breath feeling like a brand new person.

I mustered up the courage to go to confession last night. I have a hard time really believing that confession is this:

After though I felt so good. Like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Like I could receive the Eucharist in so much of a fuller way and could relate to those around me more like I should.

Now reminded me of this in a few weeks when I am making excuses why I can't go to confession.

Live joy.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Happy Angel Feastdays!

Today is the feast of the Guardian Angels and Saturday was the feast of the Archangels. Being that my household is affectionately called "The Angels" we had an Archangel party at our adviser's, or as we like to say Guardian Angel, house. In deciding what to contribute to the party I decided to scope out an angel themed item. I liked the idea of Devil's Food Cake with swords stuck in the top (to represent St. Michael defeating Satan), however, in fear of not being able to find small swords I decided instead to make these cookies.

While I was intimidated by the amount of steps required to make these cookies I decided to forge ahead with baking confidence and take a stab at them (get it haha still keeping the fighting theme). I was really afraid they wouldn't look any thing like angels wings but I turned out thoroughly surprised that they actually did look like angel wings.

Some photos of the process.

The cookies ready to go into the oven.

I got really festive and first put three "halos" on the platter to represent the three archangels, Sts. Rapheal, Gabriel, and Micheal.

The cookies all ready for the party, see they do look like wings (I will admit they only look like angel wings when you know they are supposed to be angel wings.)

And one photo of a few angels and cherubs.

So there you go. I hope you are enjoying these weeks full of feast days!

Live Joy.