Week in My Life

Well over at Team Whitaker, Kathryn is hosting a #weekinmylife link up and being the nosy-in-other-people's-daily-extraordinary-ordinary lives I was happy to join the party.  Technically you were supposed to do a post a day for the week but all these busy moms are showing me up.  In the meantime this single lady who just works a 40 work week is going to do one lump post.

Before I jump into Monday lets back up a bit.  I worked Friday night from 7p-3a, drove to Cleveland and got to my parents house about 5am and slept until 9ish, woke up and got ready for a 11 o'clock wedding.  The wedding was a beautiful extraordinary form Latin High Mass.  After Mass, I grabbed lunch with my parents, we went back and slept for two hours and then moved over to cocktails and appetizers at about 5:30.  That night I slept at my parents house but had to for leave at 8am in order to work from 11a-7p.  I got off work about 7:30 and went to adoration before Mass at 9.  I tell you all this because I went into my Monday running on a less than ideal amount of sleep.

#livingmyfiat The Bride and I.  Made all the sleepiness worth it.

So Monday.  As part of my job we have class every Monday.  On this Monday I had class from 8-4:30.  We learned about the hospital's Pitocin protocol, video conferenced in the for the systemwide Ebola meeting, and learned a bit about epidurals from the chief of anesthesia.  I can't even remember what I had for dinner on Monday but I am sure I crashed pretty hard.

When I was eating my morning breakfast and reading scripture I noticed this and laughed.  Life as a Catholic nurse. Spread the Gospel not communicable diseases.  

Tuesday I worked 7-3.  I wish I could tell you lots about my job but, well, HIPPA.  I can tell you I had some of my favorite patients and the day went well.  I paid my credit card, set up my student loan payments and sent some money to NET ministries so I remember feeling like I just spent a whole lot of money.

I also had dinner with two of my friends from work.  You want to hear this crazy.  The first two girls I met at my job were friends in high school with my roommate from last year!  It is such a small small world.  We want to periodically go out to dinner and try restaurants that none of us have been to.  It was an enjoyable evening venting and sharing our jobs.  As a bonus we found a restaurant with some great fries!

Wednesday wasn't all that different expect I know I made pasta and garlic bread for dinner and that I went to bed about 8:30.  When I was falling asleep at 8 I just gave up.

I posted this on the 'gram asking how many of these my fellow nurses eat.  I found out that I am pretty sure the nurses eat more of these than the patients do.  

Wednesday was also the three year anniversary of me intenting to my household.  This is the actual day three years ago.  What a crazy adventure and blessing it has been.  I love people's reactions.  

Thursday was my first of two days off.  Ahh deep breath.  Because I went to bed so early I woke up about 6:30.  Still sleeping in compared to my usual 5am wake-up.  I started the morning with some french press coffee and pumpkin pancakes from Trader Joe's.  I putzed around on the computer before I finally convinced myself to work out.

Putzing and crocheting

My working out wasn't my normal run, but Soul Core Yoga.  I will do a full review once I do it a few more times but already I can tell you it will be a rave.  Want to combine prayer and exercise in a very really, concrete way?  Soul Core Yoga is the answer.  As you are doing various yoga poses the leader also guides you through praying the rosary. In addition, the work out is perfect-challenging without being impossible.  Right now I only have only bought the Luminous mysteries but I will be buying other mysteries!

Shower followed before I walked to Mass.  Once again I was probably the youngest person there by at least half a century.  Came back home and made myself a lunch of an egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich.  Next I went to Target to look for a garmet rack that they said they only sold in online but with nothing else to do why not make a trip to Target.  They in fact only sell it online but I did come out of the store with two tunics that I think will get tons of use this winter, a Minnie Mouse costume for my Goddaughter, and some Christmas gifts.  I get to check out and realized I left my wallet on the couch.  The very kind cashier suspends my order, I run home and grab my wallet (of course there is construction) and come back.  The only reason I only actually went through all that trouble was because I still had two more stops (and lets be honest I really liked my purchases).  Next up was Trader Joe's to grab some yummies and pick up some produce for my bro.  Finally I had to go pick up stuff for the Color Run.  Unfortunately I signed up for it before I knew my work schedule and I am working the day of the run but I wanted to pick it up because I still might sell it or at least I get a free t-shirt out of it.   The idiot I am didn't know the pick-up location was on the other side of the tunnel so I sat in the beginning of rush hour traffic.  At least it gave me an opportunity for patience.

I got home, made hamburgers, laid around and watched Gilmore Girls before I went to bed.  I would call that a successful day off. 

Now you want a donut.....sorry. 

Friday morning after getting confused about what time it was I headed to Steubenville, an hour later than I had planned due to said confusion but hey we roll with the punches.  I had already enjoyed a delicious donut at the donut shop I had finally tried out down the street.  After noon Mass at Franciscan I had lunch with a friend and spent the afternoon at the house of the family who I babysat since I was a freshman in college.  I had missed them so and it is always crazy to see how much all the kids have grown.

After dinner, I headed back onto campus for a talk by one of my graduated household sisters about porn and the overwhelming love and mercy of Christ.  She works for the Culture Project (that picture of the two red heads, household sister and household brother, I am a lucky woman) and spends her days traveling to middle schools, high schools and colleges spreading the chastity message.  Before heading back to Pittsburgh, I caught up with another household sister who was in town for a few days.  We lamented and celebrated all the struggles and joys of life on the otherside-after graduating from Franciscan.   How good it is for the soul to spend a day bathed in the richness of genuineness.

Kuddos to all of you who made it to the end of this long winded post.  My weeks can be all over the place but I am blessed to be living the life I have been given, to be living my fiat.

Regina Angelorum: 20 years of Sisterhood

This past weekend my household, Regina Angelroum, celebrated 20 years of sisterhood.  If you didn't go to Franciscan University, you just can't understand housholds.  I don't mean to be exclusive but you just can't completely understand them unless you have lived with them.  They aren't really a sorority/fraternity, an accountability group, or a prayer group.  They are so much more.

We are bounded by a covenant that calls us on to greater holiness.  We are sisters for life, long after we have left the hill.  We wear matching sweatshirts like a toddler carries around their blankie.  We have crazy stories of shenanigans that should never be repeated....or we should tell them everyday just so that we can achieve those six pack abs.  Our prayer is powerful.  Our devotion is strong.  Our fasting changes lives.

Celebrating 20 years of this was incredible.  We were reminded that we started in order to give a group of broken woman a home.  We were rebels without a cause.  We may not have been what people expect of the image of holiness, but we were and are holy.  We aren't Mary but we do need to be like Mary.  We have fought for sisterhood and need to continue to fight for sisterhood.  Each line of our covenant is there for a reason and we need to dive deeper into our covenant each and every day.

I am so thankful that I had this weekend to reflect on my sisterhood.  It was an incredible blessing to meet so many sisters who I call my sister but I have never even meet.  I cannot wait for the 25th Reunion. Until then, Regina Angelorum, ora pro nobis....past, present, and future. 

7QT (Vol. 21)

So I haven't been around this here bloggity lately, chalk it up to life.  However I keep putting interesting articles and videos into a draft post so alot of these are random tidbits that I want to pass on.

--- 1 ---

So this weeks Not Alone Series topic was Vulnerability with Friends and I totally thought I was going to be alone in my ideas about the topic but virtually everyone wrote about the exact same thing.  That is just something awesome about the Not Alone Series.  Here is my thoughts on the topic and go check out all the ladies' thoughts at Morgan's blog.

--- 2 ---

So Breast Cancer month is over but I wanted to pass on this article because it makes you stop and think exactly how you are supporting women with breast cancer.  I don't want to get in a debate or hurt anyone but I do want to bring up the fact that some big breast cancer awareness associations give money to Planned Parenthood knowing that Planned Parenthood hands out oral hormonal contraceptives and performs abortions which we know directly sky rockets your chance of getting Breast Cancer.  Just something to think about when you consider how to support the cause.

--- 3 ---

Ahh this article, just makes you excited about life!

--- 4 ---

I may or may not have cried watching this video when the mom listens to her daughter's heart recipient. Grab some tissues, its a tear jerker.

--- 5 ---

Want more tears, here watch this one too.  Something about adoption stories just always makes me weep.

--- 6 ---

So I know all your moms out there will roll your eyes because I know you have it soooo much worse with all your little kiddos but this time change hit me hard.  I know it is only an hour but I felt like I was off for a week.  I wonder how I adjusted to the 6 hour Austria time change so easily.

--- 7 ---

My household, Regina Angelorum, is on retreat this week so please please keep us in your prayers.  This is going to be a really fruitful and blessed retreat so we need all the prayers we can get!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Five Favorites--4/26

Joining Hallie once again for Five Favorites.  Yeah!!

1.  My favorite thing is when I can go thrifting and get exactly what I want.  I have been looking for a braided belt, $2.  Check!  I was going to stop at WalMart after Goodwill to get another plastic tote for packing up the house and low and behold look at what was at Goodwill.  $4.  Check!  I have this thing for coffee mugs and always looking for any that catch my eye at thrift stores.  $1 "N" mug.  Check!

2.  I have been craving me some Dunkin' Donuts coffee so when I ran out off coffee this was a must. (And you can see my love of all things Trader Joe's in the background!)

3.  I had my last class of the semester today, woohooo!  Because it was the last one and we needed to fit in a little more lecture we began class at 7 instead of 8.  If I am going to class at 7 I am wearing slippers and not going to be ashamed.  I liked it so much that this will defiantly be a favorite thing next year.

4.  New sisters being inducted (and brothers!).  I don't think I ever love my household more than at induction time.  This is defiantly a favorite thing and even the RAs were excited about it.

5.  I started studying for finals on Wednesday.  I will just go ahead and pat myself on the pack because the final isn't until this coming Friday.  The studying isn't a favorite thing but the organizing for the studying sure is.

And what do you know coffee made it in yet again.  I am telling you I don't really plan this, the love of the liquid gold just flows over.  

{p,h,f,r}:Angel Edition

We went on household retreat this past and we chubbed (moved the intents on to the next level in the formation process) on Tuesday so it has been a very household rich week and I wouldn't have it any other way.
{pretty}

I have a little!!  Ain't she so pretty!!  I couldn't decide whether to put this under pretty or happy because being her big just brings me so much joy!!

{happy}

We console the heart of Christ by offering our thanks to his Sacred Heart.  For all those ministry junkies out there we nailed our weaknesses to the cross at the beginning of the weekend, on the last day we removed those, added a large sacred heart and pinned our gratitude list to His heart.  

{funny}

The nursing angels minus one.  The craziest ones of the bunch.

{real}

These are my sisters.

7 Quick Takes (Vol. 9)

--- 1 ---

Haven't been around these parts of the woods for a while.  Last weekend I was on Born of the Spirit  retreat and have been so busy with school.  After Spring Break I will have time again.  I won't be leading a mission trip and I will have a AA meeting in Weirton instead of a Psych clinical in Pittsburgh.

--- 2 ---

Psych clinical.  This week I had a patient that I will forever carry with me.  I pray to my guardian angel that I remember to pray for him every day for the rest of my life.  He was only one month younger then me and I saw in him the ability to get better and beat his addiction.

--- 3 ---

Med/Surg clinical.  It is so easy to see Christ in these patients.  They are so very sick and when you hold their hand, listen to them, and carefully move them you are truly caring for the very body of Christ.

--- 4 ---

Sick. Sick. Sick.  Everyone here is sick.  Wait a second and you will hear a sniffle or cough.  I wasn't able to escape it this time.  Sick two times in a little over a month is so unlike me.  Thankfully it is not full blown, just a raw throat, cough, and under the weather feeling.

--- 5 ---

I might be a little late in this but Valentine's Day was great.  Our household brothers set the bar really high, my roommate and I showered each other in gifts all day and ended the day with a romantic dinner for the two of us and another roommate.   Favorite Valentine's Day yet.

 Our household brothers, the Knights of the Holy Queen, set the bar super high for every other man on campus on Valentine's Day.  They all wore suits to 6:30 Mass, sprinted out at the end of Mass and served us breakfast while serenading us with violin and cello.  Honestly, we do not deserve all the ways they love us but I for one am so very appreciative of it.  

I came back from a bathroom break during psych nursing class and found this on my desk.  My roommate is so good to me.  Not only does she know I love McDonald's coffee but she also knows exactly how I like it. 

Our romantic dinner.  We moved the kitchen table into the living room for something different and ate by the light of votive candles. 

Even Polka Padre got in on the Valentine's Day fun.  I thought this was just so hilarious. 

--- 6 ---

If you are in the Steubenville area or a student at Franciscan let me introduce you to an awesome talk series Regina Angelorum is sponsoring 

Look at those topics and speakers!!  This is really going to rock your socks.  If you are not a student or in the area we are looking into recording them so I will be sure to let you know if that happens.  All I have got to say is, Satan watch out, there is about to be a whole lot of people on fire about fighting the good fight of faith!!

--- 7 ---

This weekend I am going on retreat with household.  Please pray for us!!  Regina Angelorum, Queen of the Angels, pray for us.

                                                    --- 7.5 ---


  If you haven't already, go check out the first part of my God in Austria series about my semester in Austria.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Marian Monday--Crushing the Head of the Satan

The Virgin Mary is a beautiful loving lady.  However in no way does this make her weak.  In fact Our Lady is strong, commonly depicted crushing the head of Satan.  She has spiritual strength and is a powerful intercessor.  Our Lady has power, in her femininity and as the mother of Christ, to fight the good fight against the evil one.  When we pray to Our Lady she intercedes for us, bringing our intentions to the Lord.  The Lord cannot deny His mother and listens to the intentions prevented before her.  We must as woman and as faithful look to Our Lady's strength and entrust our lives and needs into her hands.  

"We have taken Mary as our model of womanhood through her life of humility and purity.  At the same time, we turn to her as an example of spiritual strength and powerful intercession.  It is virtue of this that God has given her commission over the heavenly legions." -Regina Angelorum Covenant 

Live joy.

Marian Monday--Witness

Being back to Steubenville is back into high gear and I am attempting to find my stride.  It hasn't all been painful however, prayer opportunities have been abundant with a FOP, household life Mass, opening semester Mass, daily Mass, and household commitments.  The Lord is already calling me on to great things for this semester and I am so excited to see all the places he has to take me.  Many ideas are starting to role around in my head for Marian Monday topics, many which need to be pondered a bit more (a Marian idea in it of itself!!).  I feel myself though wanting to write a bit about my Marian witness over the years.

I grew up in Catholic home (you can read more about my deeper conversion here) and always knew about Mary.  Memorized the Hail Mary in Kindergarten, knew the rosary was related to her, and thought she looked awful beautiful in the Nativity.  In high school, she was often brought up in LIFETEEN and in particular a CORE member of the ministry, a grandpa to all, was in love with her and she had done alot of work in his life.   However it was upon coming to Franciscan that Mary took a whole new role in my life.

Here at Franciscan people are obsessed with Our Lady.  Want to discuss a woman who is loved and talked about by all, nothing compares to Mary.  It was at FUS that I learned about consecration to Our Lady and during my first semester here I did a consecration to Our Lady with preparation by St. Louis de Monefort (another topic for another day!).

Between then and now I have taken a class all about her, Mariology, taught by Dr. Marivalle, a Marian specialist often involved in Vatican happenings   (I highly suggest his Introduction to Mary book which was written at the the request of  professors of other schools to be used as a text book in their schools who aren't lucky enough to have him present as a professor)  It was in the class that I realized the depth and richness of what the Bible and the Church teaches us about Our Lady.

I have renewed my consecration multiple times both again through St. Louis de Monefort and also with preparation by St. Maximilian Kolbe.   I have joined a household with an alive and deep devotion to Our Lady.  Our name, Regina Angelorum, literally means queen of the Angels.  (I promise a household post,    I am being rude and leaving all the non-frannies in suspense).

On a day to day basis I strive to live in imitation of Our Lady.  Sometimes I succeed and other times I fall on my butt in utter failure.  I desire to pray a daily rosary, I know that I am more who the Lord calls me to be when I make it a part of my day.  There are times when I rock the daily rosary and other times when I run dry.

I could go on and on about all the aspects of Our Lady that are significant to me but there are more Mondays ahead.  Here however I hope you find a personal short summary of who Our Lady is to me.  I hope you will subscribe and come around again for more about Our Lady, her scapular, the rosary, consecration, her virtues, and anything that floats my boat.

Marian Monday

I am beyond excited for the new "Marian Monday" link-up hosted over at Anima Kinsi and so excited to be joining up for the first one. From her blog,

"What is Marian Mondays? It's a weekly opportunity for us to talk about our most Blessed Mother, Mary. Simple enough, right? Simple in concept, but rich in result. We hope that Marian Mondays catechizes you in the genuine and beautiful teachings of the Catholic church, via blogging buddies! Today, we approach the Feast of Mary, Mother of God (Jan 1st! Holy Day of Obligation!). We think that now is as good a time as ever to resolve to learn, to love, and to live in imitation of that holy woman, following Jesus' every step."

For this first link up I am not going to pretend like I can say anything more profound than the saints that have already gone before us.

My household, Regina Angelorum, has a simple and profound quote at the beginning of our covenant and the back of our sweatshirts and t-shirts. (I PROMISE you I will try to soon do a post about households because I know any of you who aren't Franciscan students or grads or scratching their head but understand that they are super hard to explain if you don't live in the culture of them at Franciscan.)

“With your help, as long as there is strength within us, we will fight to the last breath, so help us O Queen, O Lady, O best and dearest Mother.” –St. Maximilian Kolbe

Most people only know St. Maximilian as the priest in the Nazi concentration camp who gave up his life so that a man who had children could live but he is a saint that has strongly enriched Marian theology, including his Preparation for Total Consecration and forming of the Knights of the Immaculate.

The thing that always strikes me about this quote is the line,

"...as long as there is strength within us, we will fight to the last breath.."

How long do we have strength in us? Until the last breath. As long as we are alive on this earth, through His grace, we will have strength to fight the good fight of faith. What a hefty task we have set before us.

Live joy.

7 Quick Takes (Vol. 5)

--- 1 ---

Wow call me Miss. Creative...not. I have been all about the link-ups lately but I have some posts in drafts and some post ideas and maybe a link up of my own. Would anyone be interested in a "what's in my makeup bag" link up?

--- 2 ---

My mom called me about half way through the day yesterday apologizing for not sending me anything for St. Nicks day. Being the gift giver she is, she had a local florist deliver a Christmas Cactus. Isn't she the best. And I love me some potted plants.

--- 3 ---

In my Pediatric nursing class, our professor asked us to bring in Christmas presents for local children in need for a Christmas Party and Exam Review Day. That tree in the background, the "ornaments" are all nurse's caps with our names on them. Each color is a different grade level.

--- 4 ---

http://www.indiegogo.com/partingthewaters?c=home

Would you consider helping out a family in need. As a household, we help the family in the above link it whatever ways we can. I have mentioned them before here. However, as college students we can only do so much financial. Think about making even a small donation to this family stuck between a rock and a hard place.

--- 5 ---

My outfit needs for the day today were varied. We were encouraged to wear ugly Christmas sweaters to our Peds class this morning, for household life Mass the Angels are all wearing flannel with our Angel gear. And then I am going to an ugly Christmas party later tonight. How delighted was I when I found ugly Christmas plaid (plaid is close enough to flannel right?)

In case you can't tell those are embroidered gingerbread men.

Of course I had to match my socks to my shirt.

--- 6 ---

I am already going crazy from studying. How do we do this semester after semester?!

--- 7 ---

Want to brighten up your day...watch this video.

You won't regret it. That would be some of my hosuehold sisters singing to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You".

Your welcome.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

What I Wore....Thursday

So even though I had a great outfit on yesterday I decided to cheat with my link up and do "What I Wore Thursday".

We, the women of Regina Angelorum, had 6:30 Mass this morning followed by breakfast. If this was the only Mass this semester we had to make it good so naturally we had a dance party including Mariah Carey, One Direction and other great sing-alongs.

O and did I mention our dress was Christmas themed.

We always say pretty much anything goes at Franciscan when it comes to fashion so why not wear loads of crazy christmas clothes.

The details

Sweatshirt: Angel armor
Pants: Red pants from Goodwill
Socks: Candy Cane socks from Old Navy
Shoes: Tom Gold Glitter
And of course bow earrings

Thanks for letting me brag about how great my sisters are! What a blessing to celebrate Mass together followed by a fun breakfast.

And if you are visiting from Pleated Poppy I hope you will come back again.

Live joy.

Thankful Thursday

+The big highlight of this week, the thing I am most thankful for, would have to be my 7 new sisters. Each day I have been so amazed and inspired by them. There dead pan is incredible!

+On that note, I am so thankful for my household sisters. They truly are my sisters. They challenge me to imitate Our Lady more perfectly. They are powerful intercessors who are changing the world.

+I am thankful that the Lord is taking me on another crazy Haiti adventure and that He is putting together another amazing team.

+I am so thankful for long time best friends. With the recent cancer diagnosis of Kate's dad, I am reminded of the rock of friendship we have that is always there through happy joyful moments and really crappy unfair situations. My life would not be the same without these girls.

My high school graduation nearly 4 years ago!

+I was going to be thankful for something frivolous like nail polish but I just have a hard time even putting that in after the other four rock solid things. So yes, I am thankful for my bed, nail polish, finally breaking in a pair of toms, awesome Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread cookies, Christmas trees, and new phones but those things just can't compare to things like sisterhood, mission trips, and best friends. Lord, you bless me more than I deserve.

Live joy.