On this day last year I graduated from UNCG with my PhD! What a joyous day that was that involved not one but two ceremonies with a lunch at Natty Greene's between the two events. It was sunny, warm, and packed full of smiles.
365 days later another sunny morning found me donning my gown, hood, and tam at another graduation a couple states away in Ohio. Fortunately, I *only* had to attend one graduation ceremony at my new institution today followed by some yummy food (especially the desserts) at the President's Reception.
Adam was at both events in NC and in OH. Last year, we were on a bit of a euphoric high as a newly engaged couple getting me ready to move from NC to PA for the summer and wondering at what 2015 would bring us since there were still so many unknowns.
Today was equally exciting as it is exactly two weeks prior to the wedding! At one point, one of my new coworkers quipped, "You must be tired of hearing 'Congratulations' but get used to it as this is an exciting time for you two!" Yeah, I'm not tired of hearing it but truth be told, I'm not in wedding mode just yet. I have a feeling that come Monday night I will be though! The early part of last week was focused on finals and grades, then the middle of the week was devoted to moving (I still can't believe I drove a moving truck...!), and now that the weekend is here, graduation and the festivities that came with it took precedence.
Something else that is the same today as last year is that little Dusty Shamrock is sick. Last year, I chalked it up to his eating the new mulch from my brother's landscaping but this year, I'm not sure why he is having the issues with keeping food down and getting sick. Perhaps it's because he is spending more time in the new backyard and getting into vegetation he shouldn't? Maybe it's because he had 3 shots at his annual appointment yesterday? Or he may be picking up on the fact that major changes are occurring (again) and he's sensitive to that? Dear reader, if you could, please keep him in your prayers. I hate to see the little cuddle bug so sick and lethargic. Hopefully he will be back to his usual bundle of energy self soon!
So, looking ahead to next week, once I get through the faculty meeting that is scheduled for the majority of Monday, I can finally turn my full attention to the wedding and work on tying up those loose ends. There are still decorations that need finished, favors to put together, pictures to print, cookies to bake, programs to be made, centerpieces to be collected, a marriage license to be obtained, and I'm sure a bunch of other things that will have to wait for the next week and a half I will have to focus on these things while at home. "I've Been Waiting for a Girl Like You" by Foreigner is currently playing as I type this which is making me shake my head at the thought that after all this waiting and planning for the sacrament of matrimony that the big day is nearly here....!!! I wouldn't trade a second of all the waiting that it took to meet Adam and to get to this point as God is SO good and merciful in his blessings!
As much as I grumbled about our living in two separate households the last five months and forever forgetting things at either house when at the other house, I wouldn't change a thing. I think this period of waiting to live in the new house together until after the wedding is helping us to appreciate each other that much more. I notice when Adam pulls the weeds from the garden. He takes the time to come over and watch an episode of The Office at the other house with me. He comments on how much progress has been made in arranging a room of furniture and I appreciate when he drops me off at the other house so I don't have to drive. Carving out the time to see each other no matter how briefly even if it might be inconvenient or require changing out of pajamas to leave the house helps to make us more intentional in spending time together amidst the hustle and bustle as we count down to May 23rd. It would be so easy to just deflate my air mattress, toss the laundry in the back seat, and just move in already. If I were already living here, I wouldn't have slid on ice back in February and damaged my front bumper. We would probably be eating healthier and be in more of a routine not to mention we would have saved a few pennies by consolidating bills/incomes. However, my moving into this house is so much more than the domestic side of things. Folks have asked why I stayed in my current house and some even encouraged me to spend the night, especially when we had company visiting us, but I'm so glad that we waited...it makes our return from the honeymoon to Ohio that much more exciting. Don't get me wrong, as we joked at the reception earlier, our town isn't exactly the hotbed of glamour. Much to my chagrin, we don't even have a Panera but what this town does hold for me now is my first home and where Adam and I will start our lives together as man and wife this summer. As I physically moved my things in this house over the last several weeks, I became aware that this move is so much more than just the physical aspect of putting stuff in one house over the other. It is symbolic in that it represents not only the physical move but the emotional move of Adam and I consciously merging our lives together and working in concert with each other to create a new normal as we live out our vocation of marriage together. I'm not offering myself to Adam as a roommate come May 23rd but instead am presenting myself to him as his wife and in turn am gaining a husband rather than a housemate. Through the grace of God I hope we can be hospitable to others, work through challenges together, and strive to live out our callings in harmony.
That's some pretty heady stuff...! As we left mass tonight, I remarked, "Next time Father sees us, it will be as husband and wife!" Wow! How blessed and fortunate we were to have everything fall into place the way it did...acquiring the house when we did, making improvements along the way (especially thanks to the generous help of a family member), filling it with love from our friends and family via wedding gifts, and having the time to really work on making it a home. By Monday, all of my items will be out of the old house and in the new house so that after the wedding, voila, we return to a united home! Speaking of which, I suppose I should get off here so I can unpack the LAST box! Yippee!!
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Saturday School
Maybe having to administer two finals on a Saturday isn't so bad when you see comments like these as you're grading. I'm really lucky to have my job and to be able to work with students who are so passionate about their future teaching careers. Yes, even if it is a Saturday and I'm stuck at school all day, I wouldn't change my vocation. Only one more week until graduation and then it will be summmmmmerrrr!!!!
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Only 1 month to go!
30 days from today is the day we get to say, "I do!!" Leave some love at our wedding website if you have a moment!
I can't sleep tonight. I went to bed at 10pm in an effort to go to sleep early due to having to get up at 3am. Yet, I'm wide awake now at 1:30am. This is probably how I'll be in a month....too excited to sleep! Ahhh.....! Why do I have to get up so early you ask? Well, Adam and I have to catch a flight to Boston so we can finish out our Pre Cana counseling with the priest who will be officiating at the wedding.
I haven't been in Boston since gosh...well, September 2008!! My twin, his wife, and I drove up there for a weekend in which we went to a Broadway show, visited some museums, dined out with Aunt Maureen, Laura, and Jack, saw a former co-worker, Heather, and of course visited Fenway Park to see the Red Sox play the Yankees in spite of rain (Boston won..woohoo!). On the way back to PA my brother's jeep had car issues and we were stranded somewhere in Connecticut for a while. I remember leafing through a People magazine at the mechanic's garage and reading about Sarah Palin and her family at the time. Isn't it funny how some random memories stay with you over the years?! Here are some of my favorite pictures from that trip.
I can't sleep tonight. I went to bed at 10pm in an effort to go to sleep early due to having to get up at 3am. Yet, I'm wide awake now at 1:30am. This is probably how I'll be in a month....too excited to sleep! Ahhh.....! Why do I have to get up so early you ask? Well, Adam and I have to catch a flight to Boston so we can finish out our Pre Cana counseling with the priest who will be officiating at the wedding.
I haven't been in Boston since gosh...well, September 2008!! My twin, his wife, and I drove up there for a weekend in which we went to a Broadway show, visited some museums, dined out with Aunt Maureen, Laura, and Jack, saw a former co-worker, Heather, and of course visited Fenway Park to see the Red Sox play the Yankees in spite of rain (Boston won..woohoo!). On the way back to PA my brother's jeep had car issues and we were stranded somewhere in Connecticut for a while. I remember leafing through a People magazine at the mechanic's garage and reading about Sarah Palin and her family at the time. Isn't it funny how some random memories stay with you over the years?! Here are some of my favorite pictures from that trip.
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| Pretty brooch we saw at the museum |
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| I can laugh about this now....Mark was in a less than smiley mood when we checked into this hotel for a couple hours of sleep due to the car issues and needing to wait for the garage to open in the morning somewhere in CT. As the elevator doors shut, we were less than happy when we saw this image as we were exhausted, hungry, and irritable at this point. It was probably around 2am like it is now. |
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| These two inspire me with their love and how they treat one another! This trip occurred just a couple weeks shy of their one year wedding anniversary. |
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| Just before this trip to Bah-stun Nick, a family friend, got a cool fancy car! This picture was saved in my Boston album on snapfish so I figured I would post it here. It's only fitting since he was also my twin and his wife's best man in their wedding. |
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Bright days
Tonight, as we were on our way to dropping off the mail I glanced down at the bright colors resting in my lap. It dawned on me that the envelopes were in our wedding colors! How funny!
These days leading up to the wedding are so bright and colorful! The grass is greener thanks to all the rain we have been getting. The blossoms on the trees are full of life and color as they grow and fall off the trees. The days are longer allowing the light to remain just a bit longer and the school year is winding down with only three more teaching days (meaning only one Marathon Monday remains) left to get through until finals!
I can't believe Adam has been here in Ohio for almost five months. Last semester of seeing him only through Skype feels like forever ago. Living here with him in the same town has brought so much joy to this new life of being a professor and starting out here in the Buckeye State. I'm so thankful he was here to share this past semester with and to be by my side as last minute wedding prep details fall into place. Today is exactly 1.5 years since we first messaged each other during my lunch break in North Carolina and at the start of his work day three time zones away in California. It's amazing to look at all that has happened in the last 18 months. There were 3.5 moves (I have been slowly bringing my things over from the other house each time I come to the new house), a selling of one house and a buying of another house, a couple trips to PA, a parent weekend in which our parents came to see us for a fabulous all too short weekend, some tears but way more laughs, four seasons worth of "The Office" watching, and continuing to grow as both a couple and individuals as we set out to merge our separate lives into one on this journey we call life. Only 32 more days until we get to celebrate the sacrament with our loved ones!! It might be sprinkling outside with some gray clouds in the sky but that's okay because these days are shining brighter than ever!
These days leading up to the wedding are so bright and colorful! The grass is greener thanks to all the rain we have been getting. The blossoms on the trees are full of life and color as they grow and fall off the trees. The days are longer allowing the light to remain just a bit longer and the school year is winding down with only three more teaching days (meaning only one Marathon Monday remains) left to get through until finals!
I can't believe Adam has been here in Ohio for almost five months. Last semester of seeing him only through Skype feels like forever ago. Living here with him in the same town has brought so much joy to this new life of being a professor and starting out here in the Buckeye State. I'm so thankful he was here to share this past semester with and to be by my side as last minute wedding prep details fall into place. Today is exactly 1.5 years since we first messaged each other during my lunch break in North Carolina and at the start of his work day three time zones away in California. It's amazing to look at all that has happened in the last 18 months. There were 3.5 moves (I have been slowly bringing my things over from the other house each time I come to the new house), a selling of one house and a buying of another house, a couple trips to PA, a parent weekend in which our parents came to see us for a fabulous all too short weekend, some tears but way more laughs, four seasons worth of "The Office" watching, and continuing to grow as both a couple and individuals as we set out to merge our separate lives into one on this journey we call life. Only 32 more days until we get to celebrate the sacrament with our loved ones!! It might be sprinkling outside with some gray clouds in the sky but that's okay because these days are shining brighter than ever!
Monday, April 6, 2015
Companions on the Journey
During Spring Break last month, my friends held a bridal shower for Adam and me. Prior to that afternoon, all I knew was that it was going to be held at my twin's house and that it was going to be at 2pm. I had no idea who all would be there, what the theme would be, or anything else!!
Prior to the shower, Adam and I had a quick meeting with our videographer down the road as Dusty Shamrock waited in the car. Once that order of business was tended to it was time to partttayyy!
So down the road, over the hill, and around the bend we went to my twin's house. I admit when I rounded the last curve and saw all the cars parked in the street, I was shocked at how many folks were there! Then, I realized it seemed like more people were there due to the snow in the driveway as people maneuvered their cars to figure out how to park in the white stuff. My poor brother had to shovel and direct folks as they navigated their way off the street but eventually we all got ourselves situated. In the midst of all this, I nearly fell over when I saw a dear friend from NORTH CAROLINA standing there in front of my brother's house in Pennsylvania. How sweet of her to come all that way just for the shower!! Then, when I walked into the house, I saw my best friends from college including one's Mom I used to call my "York Mom", friends from Harrisburg and York, the gals in my family, my brothers' in-laws, and of course my matron of honor who never stopped moving the whole day as she carried out the beautiful shower with my sisters-in-law (well, except for when I Jamberried her nails at the end of the shower). :)
It was so neat seeing friends from different times and places in my life...they all truly had been companions on my journey and now on Adam's and my journey. Heather and I met when I was 16 and she was 17 and we both worked at Subway back in high school. We quickly became best buds even though we lived in neighboring towns and attended different schools. Years later, she wound up marrying my big brother's childhood best friend. Did you follow that? Through all of life's ups and downs, Heather has been there. Even when we're both swamped with life's daily responsibilities and routines and after becoming mama to two adorable children, Heather has always been the person who could provide moral support, advice, or just analyze everything with me at a moment's notice. Everyone should be so lucky to have a friend like that in his/her corner.
Melanie and I met in the early 2000s when I took on a part-time job working nights at a teacher supply/toy store in Harrisburg after teaching in York during the school day. Melanie trained me then quit (LOL!!!) but fortunately our friendship lasted over the years....and the miles. She came to visit me in NC twice and nearly every time I was home during my 4 years in the South we were sure to get together.
My co-friends from York were there too!! The time with Becky, Jen, Kim, & Lauren was way too short but I'm so thankful we were able to see each other! Being all together like that again made it seem like we were at a Christmas Cookie Exchange or hanging out in the office at York Learning Center for a moment. I love my job now but man do I miss the fellowship from the 7 years of teaching in York with these fine ladies sometimes!
My new family in CA was even a part of the shower too!! Heather and Adam worked to get Skype up and running so that Adam's Mom, sister, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and his two older nephews could chit chat with us and feel as if they were on our side of the country. I can't wait until we're all together in late May and we can be one big happy family in one location for a couple days at least!
It was so neat seeing friends I had been able to stay connected with in both NC and PA like Joan who has a summer home in NC but I know her from York through my old job. Isn't it funny how we go through life with friends in various aspects of our lives such as church friends, school friends, friends from home, from college, those you live with, and those you see less often yet you still stay in good touch? What was so neat to experience was having all those folks together that sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate. Each person brings something different to the table and the friendships and family ties are what get you through the tough times and also the joyful times. Looking around at the laughing and smiling girls, starting and not getting to really finish many conversations, and just taking it all in at my best friends from college and the tumultuous 20s to the steady LIU girls to Heather who has picked up the pieces too many times to count to Deb from NC who told me to, "not live life on pause" while I was in NC to my Mom & Dad to little Dusty Shamrock tucked away in another room to everyone else who took the time to make the trip and to spend the afternoon with us and of course, Adam, who has become my anchor and truly my best friend, it was overwhelming but in a good way!! The food was delicious (oh that chocolate peanut butter caked...YUM!) and we all loved painting our personalized wine glasses and wine charms. There were even cute wine or martini glass cookies to go with the glasses and I loved the scrapbook that my friends put together of pictures and memories they shared. Adam and I have also been enjoying reading the Date Night idea cards on the individual bottles of wine as we enjoy them at dinners we are having fun preparing using our Fiesta ware and other cool kitchen gadgets. So far we need to go see a movie, go bowling, and have a KFC picnic lunch. :)
Thank you to all those who came to the shower and also for your friendship over the years! We can't wait to celebrate with you again in 47 days.
I had been meaning to blog about the shower (and well, many other things) for a while but just hadn't found the time until today. What's interesting about today is that it is Easter Monday instead of a Marathon Monday so I'm not teaching right now as I would normally be doing at this time on a Monday night. However, that is not the interesting part....last year on Easter Monday, as I drove back to NC from spending the holiday at home in PA, Adam was setting up a Skype call from California to talk with my parents about seeking their blessing in proposing!! Just one short year later we're ordering curtains for our new house and preparing for upcoming "Parent Weekend". I don't think I could have dreamt up a better story when I look back at all that has happened since that fateful October 21st lunch break back in 2013!
Thinking back over this Easter season we are currently in the midst of we just wrapped up 40 days of fasting for Lent as we looked forward in joyful anticipation to Easter. Throughout this season of turning inward, sacrificing, and meditating on what Jesus did for us while still keeping a face turned toward Easter, I can't help but make a parallel to this time of waiting, sacrificing, and preparing for the sacrament of matrimony. We're down to 47 days until May 23rd. After that, no more saying goodbye every day as we return to each other's houses and no more managing of two households as we truly do merge our lives together in the way of shared bank accounts, names, and living spaces not to mention sharing of one another in complete sacrifice and total self-giving.
The wedding weekend will also be during the weekend of Pentecost Sunday when the church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles when they received the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Through these gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were able to live out their vocations in preaching the Gospel in foreign lands yet all understood their words. If you want to read more about Pentecost Sunday and the gifts you can click here. I love that our wedding is falling on this date. From the start of Adam's and my relationship, hope has been an underlying element. The dove has always represented hope for me and from the early stages to even now as we near ever closer to May 23rd, the reassuring messages/images of hope present themselves in seemingly inconspicuous ways so it shouldn't surprise me that our wedding falls on the epitome of hope when the Holy Spirit, symbolized by the dove, is such a focus through Pentecost Sunday. What great attributes (i.e., wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord) to focus on as we start our marriage and try to grow together in these seven areas. These gifts, along with extra graces, will hopefully help Adam and me to start off married life strong as we try to model ourselves after the Holy Family as well. Originally, Fr. Louis had suggested this coming weekend as our wedding date but I couldn't fathom getting married in the middle of the semester so we opted for the next available date that happened to be May 23rd. Ironically, our parents will be together and celebrating on April 11th anyhow as they come to see us in Ohio for what we've dubbed Parent Weekend! Then we get to do it all again so soon in May! What a joyful time of anticipation and preparation this is during this Easter season for our family!! Pax to you all as we all move forward on our journeys!
Prior to the shower, Adam and I had a quick meeting with our videographer down the road as Dusty Shamrock waited in the car. Once that order of business was tended to it was time to partttayyy!
So down the road, over the hill, and around the bend we went to my twin's house. I admit when I rounded the last curve and saw all the cars parked in the street, I was shocked at how many folks were there! Then, I realized it seemed like more people were there due to the snow in the driveway as people maneuvered their cars to figure out how to park in the white stuff. My poor brother had to shovel and direct folks as they navigated their way off the street but eventually we all got ourselves situated. In the midst of all this, I nearly fell over when I saw a dear friend from NORTH CAROLINA standing there in front of my brother's house in Pennsylvania. How sweet of her to come all that way just for the shower!! Then, when I walked into the house, I saw my best friends from college including one's Mom I used to call my "York Mom", friends from Harrisburg and York, the gals in my family, my brothers' in-laws, and of course my matron of honor who never stopped moving the whole day as she carried out the beautiful shower with my sisters-in-law (well, except for when I Jamberried her nails at the end of the shower). :)
It was so neat seeing friends from different times and places in my life...they all truly had been companions on my journey and now on Adam's and my journey. Heather and I met when I was 16 and she was 17 and we both worked at Subway back in high school. We quickly became best buds even though we lived in neighboring towns and attended different schools. Years later, she wound up marrying my big brother's childhood best friend. Did you follow that? Through all of life's ups and downs, Heather has been there. Even when we're both swamped with life's daily responsibilities and routines and after becoming mama to two adorable children, Heather has always been the person who could provide moral support, advice, or just analyze everything with me at a moment's notice. Everyone should be so lucky to have a friend like that in his/her corner.
Melanie and I met in the early 2000s when I took on a part-time job working nights at a teacher supply/toy store in Harrisburg after teaching in York during the school day. Melanie trained me then quit (LOL!!!) but fortunately our friendship lasted over the years....and the miles. She came to visit me in NC twice and nearly every time I was home during my 4 years in the South we were sure to get together.
My co-friends from York were there too!! The time with Becky, Jen, Kim, & Lauren was way too short but I'm so thankful we were able to see each other! Being all together like that again made it seem like we were at a Christmas Cookie Exchange or hanging out in the office at York Learning Center for a moment. I love my job now but man do I miss the fellowship from the 7 years of teaching in York with these fine ladies sometimes!
My new family in CA was even a part of the shower too!! Heather and Adam worked to get Skype up and running so that Adam's Mom, sister, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and his two older nephews could chit chat with us and feel as if they were on our side of the country. I can't wait until we're all together in late May and we can be one big happy family in one location for a couple days at least!
It was so neat seeing friends I had been able to stay connected with in both NC and PA like Joan who has a summer home in NC but I know her from York through my old job. Isn't it funny how we go through life with friends in various aspects of our lives such as church friends, school friends, friends from home, from college, those you live with, and those you see less often yet you still stay in good touch? What was so neat to experience was having all those folks together that sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate. Each person brings something different to the table and the friendships and family ties are what get you through the tough times and also the joyful times. Looking around at the laughing and smiling girls, starting and not getting to really finish many conversations, and just taking it all in at my best friends from college and the tumultuous 20s to the steady LIU girls to Heather who has picked up the pieces too many times to count to Deb from NC who told me to, "not live life on pause" while I was in NC to my Mom & Dad to little Dusty Shamrock tucked away in another room to everyone else who took the time to make the trip and to spend the afternoon with us and of course, Adam, who has become my anchor and truly my best friend, it was overwhelming but in a good way!! The food was delicious (oh that chocolate peanut butter caked...YUM!) and we all loved painting our personalized wine glasses and wine charms. There were even cute wine or martini glass cookies to go with the glasses and I loved the scrapbook that my friends put together of pictures and memories they shared. Adam and I have also been enjoying reading the Date Night idea cards on the individual bottles of wine as we enjoy them at dinners we are having fun preparing using our Fiesta ware and other cool kitchen gadgets. So far we need to go see a movie, go bowling, and have a KFC picnic lunch. :)
Thank you to all those who came to the shower and also for your friendship over the years! We can't wait to celebrate with you again in 47 days.
I had been meaning to blog about the shower (and well, many other things) for a while but just hadn't found the time until today. What's interesting about today is that it is Easter Monday instead of a Marathon Monday so I'm not teaching right now as I would normally be doing at this time on a Monday night. However, that is not the interesting part....last year on Easter Monday, as I drove back to NC from spending the holiday at home in PA, Adam was setting up a Skype call from California to talk with my parents about seeking their blessing in proposing!! Just one short year later we're ordering curtains for our new house and preparing for upcoming "Parent Weekend". I don't think I could have dreamt up a better story when I look back at all that has happened since that fateful October 21st lunch break back in 2013!
Thinking back over this Easter season we are currently in the midst of we just wrapped up 40 days of fasting for Lent as we looked forward in joyful anticipation to Easter. Throughout this season of turning inward, sacrificing, and meditating on what Jesus did for us while still keeping a face turned toward Easter, I can't help but make a parallel to this time of waiting, sacrificing, and preparing for the sacrament of matrimony. We're down to 47 days until May 23rd. After that, no more saying goodbye every day as we return to each other's houses and no more managing of two households as we truly do merge our lives together in the way of shared bank accounts, names, and living spaces not to mention sharing of one another in complete sacrifice and total self-giving.
The wedding weekend will also be during the weekend of Pentecost Sunday when the church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles when they received the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Through these gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were able to live out their vocations in preaching the Gospel in foreign lands yet all understood their words. If you want to read more about Pentecost Sunday and the gifts you can click here. I love that our wedding is falling on this date. From the start of Adam's and my relationship, hope has been an underlying element. The dove has always represented hope for me and from the early stages to even now as we near ever closer to May 23rd, the reassuring messages/images of hope present themselves in seemingly inconspicuous ways so it shouldn't surprise me that our wedding falls on the epitome of hope when the Holy Spirit, symbolized by the dove, is such a focus through Pentecost Sunday. What great attributes (i.e., wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord) to focus on as we start our marriage and try to grow together in these seven areas. These gifts, along with extra graces, will hopefully help Adam and me to start off married life strong as we try to model ourselves after the Holy Family as well. Originally, Fr. Louis had suggested this coming weekend as our wedding date but I couldn't fathom getting married in the middle of the semester so we opted for the next available date that happened to be May 23rd. Ironically, our parents will be together and celebrating on April 11th anyhow as they come to see us in Ohio for what we've dubbed Parent Weekend! Then we get to do it all again so soon in May! What a joyful time of anticipation and preparation this is during this Easter season for our family!! Pax to you all as we all move forward on our journeys!
Thursday, March 26, 2015
So inspiring!
Those who are close to me know how much I love inspirational quotes and sayings. I have one that I heard from a colleague in my cohort during my first semester during PhD school (yes, I just made up that term) back in Fall 2010 hanging up in my office at school. I've got one of my favorite letters Adam ever wrote to me on January 22, 2014 stored under the glass on my desk by my laptop in the home office. Each time I drive somewhere and I glance up at the sun visor, I catch a glimpse of beloved Aunt Ollie (one of my favorite pictures of the two of us, albeit worn and faded over time, hangs there) and recall her last words to my parents as they sat by her side when she drew her last breath, "Celebrate my life" and vow to strive to make her proud as I go about daily living trying to make a small difference each day as she did with all those she came into contact. Such a beautiful soul she had. Even a fortune cookie fortune I received somewhere along the way was saved to remind me that life is always a journey and to embrace every moment via this statement, "You are about to embark on a delightful journey". Beautiful words that were written on the bathroom mirror by one of my housemates on my birthday nearly a month ago still reflect back at me upon each gaze in the mirror. Yes, I love words!
While grading this afternoon, today's gem of a comment is brought to you from one of my
students upon her reflection of attending a job fair on campus for one of my classes yesterday:
"Sometimes we think we know what we are supposed to do and God surprises us with something completely different."
Oh, how I love working at my place of employment! What a contrast it is to be in an environment where others profess and live out their lives in this beautiful faith we share. I think I just found a new quote to hang on my office door at work; how appropriate as we are in the throes of advising for the summer and fall semester!
"Sometimes we think we know what we are supposed to do and God surprises us with something completely different."
Oh, how I love working at my place of employment! What a contrast it is to be in an environment where others profess and live out their lives in this beautiful faith we share. I think I just found a new quote to hang on my office door at work; how appropriate as we are in the throes of advising for the summer and fall semester!
He Goes Before Us Always
This past Sunday, at mass, my NC anthem was played.
The comfort I drew from listening to these words being sung while sitting in the front pew on Sunday night was that as we near the wedding date and prepare for this blessed sacrament of marriage that Adam and I need not fear. Now, after having read this update on the plane crash that recently occurred in the French Alps. How my heart aches for these people...so many lives lost...so many families and friends dealing with the loss. Having had many students recently travel near and far for missionary work over Spring Break and having just recently flown back from New Orleans with Adam on Saturday morning, many aspects of this story hits home. 16 high school students from Germany as well as two teachers are presumed dead. One couple who perished in the plane crash had been married just two days prior to the crash...probably enroute on their honeymoon. Wow...Adam and I have been excitedly counting down the days to what will probably be my favorite sacrament and the honeymoon shortly after it that I can't help but imagine what it must have been like for the couple to surely have been ecstatic at marrying one another then continuing on for rest and relaxation as they boarded the plane days after the wedding. Reading the description of the parents desperately calling their children on their cell phones to find that there was no answer was so heartbreaking. This article sure puts things into perspective. Prior to reading this update on the plane crash, I had been stressing over grading projects and finding time to respond to wedding related emails that have been sitting in my inbox for over a month. Now, I'm just grateful that I can reply to these folks and that my students are safe and sound and attending my classes day in and day out on campus. Let's all offer up a prayer and send peaceful healing thoughts to those affected by this tragedy amidst the hustle and bustle of today.
The comfort I drew from listening to these words being sung while sitting in the front pew on Sunday night was that as we near the wedding date and prepare for this blessed sacrament of marriage that Adam and I need not fear. Now, after having read this update on the plane crash that recently occurred in the French Alps. How my heart aches for these people...so many lives lost...so many families and friends dealing with the loss. Having had many students recently travel near and far for missionary work over Spring Break and having just recently flown back from New Orleans with Adam on Saturday morning, many aspects of this story hits home. 16 high school students from Germany as well as two teachers are presumed dead. One couple who perished in the plane crash had been married just two days prior to the crash...probably enroute on their honeymoon. Wow...Adam and I have been excitedly counting down the days to what will probably be my favorite sacrament and the honeymoon shortly after it that I can't help but imagine what it must have been like for the couple to surely have been ecstatic at marrying one another then continuing on for rest and relaxation as they boarded the plane days after the wedding. Reading the description of the parents desperately calling their children on their cell phones to find that there was no answer was so heartbreaking. This article sure puts things into perspective. Prior to reading this update on the plane crash, I had been stressing over grading projects and finding time to respond to wedding related emails that have been sitting in my inbox for over a month. Now, I'm just grateful that I can reply to these folks and that my students are safe and sound and attending my classes day in and day out on campus. Let's all offer up a prayer and send peaceful healing thoughts to those affected by this tragedy amidst the hustle and bustle of today.
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