It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Inside Macy's

Serendipity!!

Nativity in St Patrick's

Rockefeller Center

I'm in the middle of packing so this won't be long but here's a little update on things...

Last week was the music show. The students did an amazing job and I was so humbled to be a part of such a great show! It was incredible to see the kids get up in front of people... not easy, especially for some of our students. One of our seniors has an awesome voice and it's so fun to be able to work with her and listen to her sing.

This week has been flying by-- it seems there are more things to do each day that need to be finished by the end of the week! Yikes! But, nonetheless, the Christmas spirit keeps us going and the week is almost finished :) My community-mate/roommate has been working on a holiday video that we filmed over the past month (staff members dressed as elves, santa, etc doing various things) so we'll have an assembly tomorrow to show the students the video. After the video, we (4 teachers and me) will play "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" Bruce Springsteen style, and santa will come in bearing gifts for all the students... he gives each student a Collier High School hoodie! The administration at our school is very generous! I'm sure it will be a fun and emotional day tomorrow and I'm looking forward to all of it :)

Ok... I gotta run and get my laundry, eat, pack, etc.... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! I feel incredibly blessed by the family and friends I have been/will be surrounded by! Wishing you a very wonderful holiday and many joys in the new year. xoxoxoxo

Reflections

I felt moved to reflect a little on the readings from mass this weekend.... I've included the second reading and the gospel, just because I felt more inspired by these two... here we go...


"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this."
-1 Thes 5:16-24

Thus far in my life, I've found most situations (even the bad) to be good in hindsight. In the moment, it's difficult to remember this. Some things in life simply suck! I also believe that sometimes we do not get to see the good in our situations... the will for our life may impact someone else's life and we will never know. I know there are people in my life who have made such a positive difference in forming who I am, or have told me an inspiring story about someone else they know, but I may never get to tell them how much I appreciate them. Whether moments in our life impact us directly or impact those around us, there is a purpose for each moment. Therefore, "refrain from every kind of evil" and "may you entirely (spirt, soul and body) be preserved", for God is faithful :)


"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No." They said to him then, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said." Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing."

-John 1: 6-8, 19-28

I was talking with my Aunt Bern about this passage this weekend. First, we talked about the verse when John says "He was not the light, but he came to testify to the light". Aunt Bern was telling me about being an instrument and simply being. She was saying that all we need to do is be still and steadfast in our faith/instrument and God will create the music. This gives me hope when I feel like I've failed to be a witness... It's so counter-cultural and at times 'uncool' to live out your faith at my age, but I have to be honest with others and myself. I truly treasure my faith and relationship with God. That being said, I often feel conflicted when I try to live my faith in a world that doesn't always support it. Soooooo back to my original point, I love what Aunt Bern said about just being the instrument and letting God do the rest :) (I've heard this analogy a hundred times but for some reason it really struck a cord with me this weekend)I was also moved by the rest of this passage because the priests and Levites asked John who he was... By the way he lived his life, they became curious and asked if he was a prophet, Elijah, etc. When they asked, he told the truth and stood up for what he knew. I don't expect that anyone will ask me these questions because I am definitely not that holy, but I can hope that the way I live is a witness to God. And thank God for His forgiveness because I know I mess up. A lot ;)

Anyways, these are my thoughts... maybe you were inspired too... or maybe not... But either way, I hope you're enjoying the holiday season and can take some time to reflect or do something that speaks to your spirit :)

At Christmas, all roads lead home. ~Marjorie Holmes

Things are getting very hectic here at Collier. Next week is the music show... All of the students are busy getting their songs together. Some of the kids are playing songs as a band (one student on drums, one on guitar, one on bass, one singing etc.), some are singing solos/in the choir. I took head shots of all the students in the show today and we'll hang them in the lobby next week so everyone can see who's in the show.

I started teaching health last week. It's going well so far! I have four students and they're all very well behaved. They're all quiet so it can make teaching difficult... it's tricky to keep them engaged. We've been talking about exercise and we'll probably move on to nutrition next week followed by stress management. Any teachers out there with suggestions for high school students? Comments and suggestions are more than greatly appreciated ;)

We are also in the midst of lots of rehearsals for our play in January. The students rehearse during school hours because they are all bused from all over NJ. Rehearsing in the evening isn't possible for some of them, since the bus is their only transportation to/from school (parents working/not in the picture/etc). Because the show is next month, we've begun rehearsing 3-4 periods twice a week. They get pulled from classes, but they are expected to keep up with their work. It's been really neat to work with the drama students... They're almost different people when they can do what they love to do during the day :)

Last weekend we went on a bed and breakfast tour in Spring Lake, a shore town about 45 minutes from here. The B&Bs were all old victorian houses and were all decorated for Christmas. It was a TON of fun!! I LOVE that stuff. Makes me reconsider design and historical preservation. Anyway, we had a great time with our support people and another teacher from our school. One of the B&Bs was chosen to be on Design star! The design was really beautiful. Here are some pics!

The next 3 pics are from Design Star rooms

Outside one of the B&Bs... love

This one backs right up to the shore... so pretty!

I'm soooo excited to go home for the holidays and see my family!! To be totally honest, I'm not sure how I'm going to visit with all of my friends. I know I won't see everyone I want to see. So please bear with me... I'm only home for a verrrrry short period of time. But we're having a holiday party at our house on the 27th so hopefully I'll get to see lots of friends there :) I'm just so so excited to see everyone!

Well I gotta run... I have chicken parm in the oven while I sit here blogging and listening to Christmas music :) Cider and rum while watching home alone is on the menu for later tonight... It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

Slowing Down

I had a cold two weeks ago, got rid of it, and apparently didn't get enough of it the first time, because it came back this week. I also had a day and a half spell of being light headed which is no fun... Annnnd, the show must go on! I took it as a sign that I needed to slowwwww downnnnnn. I've been on the run constantly this year so it was actually a welcomed break to be forced into rest.

There's a very high chance that I'll be teaching a health class, starting after Thanksgiving. I'm super excited about this opportunity! I may be teaching with another volunteer or on my own- it's not clear yet... but I think it would be another great learning experience. I've been thinking a lot about my last blog and the origin of issues I discussed. I've decided a lot of it comes down to personal health! Healthy eating habits, self-respect, respect for others, taking care of your body physically, emotionally, sexually, spiritually, mentally, etc. With that said, I've gotten really excited about the idea of teaching health. It's definitely something I'm passionate about and can be fun to teach/learn about... I'll keep you posted as this unfolds :)

With Thanksgiving next week, I wanted to say a little bit about what I'm thankful for. My list could probably be pretty lengthy... Sooo I'm going to make a list of the first 10 things that come to mind:

1. My family: My Mom and Dad, Kate, Nathan, Joe and Lucy... I love you from the bottom of my heart

2. My faith and God: I would not be here without the Lord, and my faith is what gets me through each day

3. My friends: I am speechless. I have been truly blessed by each of you.

4. This experience in Wickatunk: truly life changing

5. Food and shelter

6. New experiences, challenges and adventures... as well as all of the experiences, challenges and adventures that have lead me to where I am now

7. Little joys: ex: tiny bubbles coming out of a soap bottle or getting a letter in the mail :)

8. The support from my immediate/extended family and friends: I am so humbled and hope I can reciprocate what you have given to me

9. The peace of a new day in the morning

10. Life

I feel like my blogs have been pretty scattered recently but hopefully you can still follow them... God bless you all this coming week with the holiday! Safe travels to all travelers! Happy Thanksgiving!

The Past Week in Photos...

Fall at Collier

My Mom and Dad and I at the wedding

Uncle Pat and Aunt Nancy (my godparents)

A few cousins and aunts/uncles with Nana

Cousins/Kids Table

Lovin' in Philly (not the real thing but close enough hehe)

My roommates and I took a day trip to Philly today!

The first Senate room

Liberty Bell

City Hall-- Also the home of another "Occupy" protest

Each of us handcrafted

November? Already!? Weeks continue to fly by... I probably post a sentence about how fast time flies in each blog haha... last weekend I got to go visit my Aunt Cathy, Uncle Jim, Kelly and Nana in PA. It was such a great visit! We got snowed in on Saturday... Saturday evening the power went out so we ate dinner by candle light and played Rummikub by candle/flashlight-- it was qutie the scene ;) Sunday, Kel and I got lunch out and ran a few errands. It was definitely too short, but a fun and relaxed visit!

Here's a little taste of what makes my school weeks fly:
Last Monday, my roommates and I dressed up as winnie the pooh characters for Halloween at school. I blogged earlier about the theme for the school year (it was a quote from christopher robin), which is where we got the idea for the costumes (see my FB for a pic of me as pooh). In the evening, I went to my Aunt Bern's and helped her hand out candy.
Tuesday, we went to NYC for a dinner fundraiser all evening after school.
Wednesday we had another day of training on the ropes course to get zip line certified.
Thursday we left right after school for an alternative school conference in Atlantic City and stayed over night through Friday.
Friday evening, Aleks and I caught the train to NYC and then came back Saturday afternoon. When we got home, I went for a run, ate dinner and then we had spirituality night.
Today Christina and I served all afternoon at one of the school teacher's parents' 50th anniversary party.... needless to say, the days fly by faster than I can type.

Being so close to NYC has definitely provided lots of opportunities to go into the city. Along with this comes a ton of fun as well as the realization of the brokenness of the city. It makes me so sad to see how addiction to food, sex, alcohol, drugs, etc. has consumed a lot of our society. I'm reading a book from a friend about cravings... everyone craves and everyone is tempted. It goes all the way back to Eve being tempted by food in the garden. I believe everyone craves a relationship with God and unconditional love (whether or not that's how we recognize it), but we're tempted and choose to fill it with other things that we think will satisfy this hunger. We've all fallen guilty to it at one time or another at different levels. I know I have. How do you satisfy your hunger? Choosing to fill the hunger with these worldly things will only temporarily fulfill us. I think a lot of the media feeds us messages about focusing on "me" and "now". How can I be satisfied in the fastest way possible? I posted a FB status quote today from Ingrid Michaelson's song called Everybody. The quote is: "Everybody, everybody wants to love. Everybody, everybody wants to be loved." I think she's trying to get a point across when she repeats the word 'everybody'. Everybody wants to love. Everybody wants to be loved. Just as you and I crave and are tempted, so are our neighbors. Just as you want to be loved, I want to be loved. I pray for the courage to live my life in a way that would reflect the dignity of each person as a son or daughter of God, loved unconditionally by Him. All of this definitely ties to our GSV tenant of social justice. Social justice goes much deeper than it appears... we visited the UN recently and talked with some religious sisters who are connected to the UN and advocate for justice, particularly with women and children. I'm so inspired by people who choose to live radically for the betterment of our world. It's one thing for me to be uncomfortable with these things I see in NYC. It's another thing for me to do something about it. I'm gonna think about what to do and I'll get back to you :) In the mean time, let me know if you have ideas! ...Sorry about the rant... I just felt inspired to write about it :)
(Photos from top to bottom: A quote at the UN; An artsy take on the Human Rights; One of the Human Rights; the General Assembly)










Last night for spirituality night, we made collages of our experience so far and the things that have inspired us or been part of our growth. Here's a picture of mine... not my most artistic piece, but fun :)



Woops this post is a little long! I may not write for a little while... Next weekend is my cousin's wedding so I get to see my parents!! I'm so excited! I'll write more when I can :)

Somethinnn'. Somethin' about this place...

Last week flewwww by! We had Monday off for Columbus day. A few of us went to the beach because it was free (no fees after labor day!) and it was sooo nice. The weather was beautiful and there was barely anyone where we parked it. Then we had school Tuesday-Thursday. Thursday afternoon we went to our Community Retreat at a retreat center conveniently located 1/4 mile from where we live :) The weekend was centered around our community and how we relate/clash with each other. We took the Enneagram test to find out our personality types. I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the test because it puts people in a box and can be focused on negative things, but it was a good test for becoming aware of differences between me and my community members. We also got to see the other Good Shepherd Volunteers from NYC... it's always fun to see them! :)

Mid summer, I made a comment in a blog about wanting to feel healthier by Christmas. I think I've definitely made some positive changes. First, being at this school and working with these kids has been such a blessing. I can tell that my heart is happier here and I'm doing something that really makes me happy. My thoughts and relationships are all a lot healthier. Also, while it's a work in progress, I've definitely had a better perspective on self-image recently. We have to learn to love ourselves. Lots of prayer and self love and acceptance are key recipes for happiness within.

So, here I sit, listening to country music on my computer (through my headphones cuz my roommates don't like country music haha), sipping tea and reflecting on the year so far in NJ. I've already thought about how sad I will be when I have to leave (although I try not to dwell in that and just enjoy the moments). I feel spoiled to be here. So many learning opportunities and experiences. The joy I have has lead me to believe that this sort of work may be what I've been called to all along. Why I didn't turn to this sooner, I'm not sure. But I do know that all things lead us to where we're meant to be. Our ways are not always God's ways! We may feel uncomfortable or like we're not happy at times, but truly, with faith in the One who loves us, we can have hope for good things to come.

Let nothing trouble you,
Let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who possesses God lacks nothing:
God alone suffices.
-St. Theresa of Avila

A word from Ms. Skrobacz in the Rec Room :)

The rec room is a place the students can go after their done eating during lunch. They love to go in there because they can use their phones, play pool, play ping pong, and just hang out. I was on duty in there today and had a strange and awesome feeling. I just felt really alive and happy. It's not really explainable.... because rec room duty is probably one of the more stressful jobs of the day. Most of the kids like to go in there and it gets loud, crazy, and out of control. But for some reason, I was overcome with a ton of love and so much joy. Philippians says that after prayer and petition with thanksgiving, "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will be with you". Maybe that's just it. Pray, pray, and pray some more. I'll admit, I'm really not the best at keeping a consistent prayer life. But I know that when I DO make time, my day is so much better, I'm a lot less stressed/anxious, and my view of the world is a lot less cluttered.

Do you have those moments in your day that make you happy? What makes you feel alive? Do you follow your heart or the world? If you asked me a year ago (when I was sitting in a computer lab coming up with design ideas) if I thought I'd be hangin out in a high school rec room in New Jersey, trying to love kids who want to push ur buttons as far as possible, ummm I probably would have chuckled. I'm so thankful to be where I am and for all the people who have lead me here. I pray that you and I would follow the plans of the Lord and what makes us truly alive. That plan may change unexpectedly in a couple days or maybe even years down the road. Own it and follow it! :)

Happiness is in the heart, not the circumstances

OKAY PEOPLE... In case you didn't know, tearing up in spinning class is definitely RIDONKulous!! haha nevertheless I DID! ;) The teacher probably thought I was working so hard that I cried or some sort of crazy wacko. Moreso the later hehe... but in all seriousness, I think I'm feeling my first wave of homesickness today... Lucy got homecoming queen last night and I so badly wish I could be home to help her get ready for the dance tonight. I'm really close with my siblings and fam so things like this are hard to miss. Kate, I can totally appreciate how hard it's been for you to be gone! We all need to get matching underwear or SOMETHING to have on these days so we're all connected hahahaha ok so maybe underwear is a littttt-tle bit weird... ;) these are definitely eye opening learning opportunities!

I'm going to visit with my Aunt Bern this afternoon, and then go to confession and mass with her and my uncle so hopefully that will distract me. I was thinking about it this morning and realized that I scheduled our visit during the time Lucy is getting ready for the dance... I got really upset because it would be fun to skype in for a bit but as I write this I'm realizing that it's probably better that I don't... it may add fuel to the fire. There will be plenty of other opportunities to skype with her :) look at me, trying to counsel myself baha ;) My mom always says "your mind is a dangerous place to go by yourself"... thus, I share this all with youu! Thanks for reading and not judging me for my crazy thoughts :P!

Things are going well at school! The students are more and more challenging and humbling each day. Each day I also realize I have more and more love to give. Jillian Michaels has work out DVDs (which I own and highly recommend... they kick ur a$$ if you're interested in a good work out!) and at one point she says "You know I expect a lot from you, but I know you've got it to give." I think that's so true- it's a lot about mental power and determination. While we give, it's also important to feed ourselves (mentally, physically, etc). Someone once told me we should have our cups constantly full so that what we are giving is the overflow- ie. not emptying our cup, filling it up, emptying, filling, etc.... sooo I took this weekend to do some things for myself that I've been putting off, because I think I've been giving a little bit from inside my cup... from the little things of doing my nails and relaxing to bigger things like finding a young adult group, I'm really cherishing this time to myself.

So here I am, writing about how I want to be home with everyone, but I'm loving some time to myself. haha sometimes I make myself laugh. I guess we always hear that we need to laugh at ourselves.... "A day without laughter is a day wasted".... find a way to make yourself laugh today! :) Enjoy the weekend! I'll write more again soon!

PS-- as always, sending lots of love to my Mom, Dad, Kate, Nathan, Joe and Lucy! miss youuu! xoxoxo

The Tao of Christopher Robin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tRepZdoRmY

(you'll have to copy/paste the link into ur browser... i'm still trying to figure out how to add youtube videos to my blog)

Watching clips like this reminds me how inspiring some children's shows are... I didn't realize what they were saying when I was younger ;) I probably just ran around in front of the screen pretending to catch fireflies hehe

This clip holds the theme for the year at Collier. The vice principal picks out a theme and this year, it's based on this quote:

"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

You and I should hold onto this as the theme of our lives ;) you are BRAVER than you believe you are, STRONGER thank you seem to be, and SMARTER thank you think you are. Believe in yourself :)

Speaking of Pooh, I've always loved this song... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ao9NUITRoE) It makes me think of Jen... we've known each other since we were so little and I remember watching the Tigger Movie with her. "Just think of your friends, the ones who care. They all will be waiting there, with love (and huge smiles!) to share, and your heart will lead you home." :)

Happy weekend everyone!

St. Mary Euphrasia... pray for us

Tonite, I sit in the quiet of the apartment questioning whether or not I made the right decision to stay home. There was an informational meeting tonite in NY at the Astoria residence (another GSV site) for the School of the Americas protest that happens in November. I'm not big on protesting but after thinking about it, it may be good to try it and just see what it's like. So anyways, I decided the trip would be too much for me today, and I'm just trying to remind myself of that and not be so hard on myself for not going. I guess setting boundaries for myself is part of my simplicity for this year. I think I try to do everything and sometimes I get myself into trouble/spread myself thin. Another boundary I should set is how much I let my thoughts consume my thoughts- if that makes any sense ;) Basically, I need not dwell in something but rather let it be.

St. Mary Euphrasia is the foundress of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. She helped troubled children during most of her life... thus, Good Shepherd Volunteers have a specific call to women and children affected by abuse, neglect and poverty. She once said, "You have to adapt to all circumstances. Do the best you can, while remembering that, according to the spirit of our calling, we must be everything to everyone." I love this quote and think it's fitting for my torn feelings about staying home tonight... at least the beginning of the quote- adapting to all circumstances and doing the best you can. The end of the quote- the part about being everything to everyone- is questionable to me, simply because I don't think we can be everything to everyone. Not everyone will be pleased when we try to do something or say something. Maybe she meant that we should do our best to be the best we can for everyone. That is something I'd agree with.

Another one of her quotes is, "Oh, how much love and compassion we must have for those entrusted to our care. Love them, love them very much! Make them happy, very happy." This is sort of my theme or mantra for the year.my life. Love and compassion are two things that can help any situation for anyone. The kids at Collier all need and want to be loved. Sometimes it can be frustrating to work with the kids, especially when they're stubborn or know that they're "working the system". But in the end, they just want love. I interviewed a social worker at the school today... just as an informational interview. She was talking about her experiences and about the population we're working with at the school. A lot of people suggest that if we want to go into counseling or anything with social work, we should just get our MSW because there are a lot more opportunities with an MSW vs a Masters in School Counseling. Buuuut let's be real, I don't know what I'm doing next year so I'll cross that bridge when I get to it... for now, I'll just continue the year and "love them, love them very much!"

St. Mary Euphrasia, pray for us.




"Draw near to our Lord, thoroughly aware of you own nothingness, and you may hope all things from His Goodness and Mercy. Never forget that Jesus Christ is no less generous in the Blessed Sacrament than He was during His mortal life on earth."
-St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier

Back to School

This week was our first week with the students at the school! They had a half day on Wednesday and then the regular full day schedule on Thursday and Friday.

In the mornings, I start in the music classroom with the choir 1st period, instrumental music 2nd and 4th periods, and drama during 3rd period. I'm singing in the choir because there's only 3 other girls in the class. All the girls are preparing solos and then we'll all do a song together. I'm really excited to be singing again! We're singing "Only Hope" from A Walk To Remember, which is definitely not my favorite song, but it just feels good to be singing :) During instrumental music, I help another girl with her piano song. Again, everyone is preparing solos in this class... In the drama class, they're thinking about writing their own musical about stopping bullying and using popular pop songs for the music... the faculty wants them to take it out "on the road" to schools in the area. I think it's such a great idea- I hope it all works out! :) Once things get rolling with that I'm sure I'll be helping a lot with writing scripts, helping students prepare songs, etc.

5th period is lunch and it's pretty much like eating at an Italian deli every day... the chefs at the school studied in Italy and make these awesome homemade meals for the students for lunch! They also have really good salads so I've been having a salad and fresh veggies every day fur lunch... nom nom nom

In the afternoon, I help in the office and in a gym class. 2:45 marks the end of the school day and by that time, I'm exhausted :) I tried getting up every day at 5:30/6ish to work out before school... I'm hoping my routine lasts ;) We have access to the school's fitness room with weights and treadmills so maybe I'll go in there when the weather is too crumby for running.






Last night, a few of us went into a nearby town, Redbank, and went to a couple bars there... it's SUCH a cute town and there are so many cute shops (like the irish shop in the bottom pic above-- ;) thinking of u, ma!). I want to go back and look during the day- not that I can buy much, but it reminds me a lot of old town Foco so I love it already :) One of the places we went was called The Dublin House... we had a little bit to eat on their outdoor patio in front of the restaurant. It was a beautiful night so it was perfect for eating outside... they also have seating and a bar indoors and a back patio bar so we were there for a while. We walked through the town a little and a lot of the restaurants have folding doors/walls in the front of the restaurant that open up in the summer so it feels like the whole restaurant is outside! There are a TON of home decor shops too. Maybe I'll get in touch with a designer here and at least see what the market is like. :)






On labor day we went into NYC for a volunteer picnic with the people from GSV... my friend from CO, Stephanie Pott, was in the city so I also got to see her!! Last summer, we were both doing internships (she was in NY and I was in southern NJ) and we both happened to be in the city one weekend so we met up! It's so crazy that we were both back in the city again!!! Meant to be or meant to be?

Today, my aunt and uncle(my dad's brother) came today to visit me for a little bit and I went to see my mom's sister and mom last weekend. My dad will probably come up this way at some point cuz he's out this way for business trips a lot :) I can't wait to see him!! It's nice to have some familiar faces once in a while :) Missing all my frands and family in CO and WA! xoxoxoxo

Not a fan, Irene, Not. A. Fan

Who survived an earthquake and hurricane in one week? This kid... that's right folks, ur talkin to a well rounded severe weather fightin force right hurrr.... ;) actually it wasn't bad at all and that's a highly over exaggerated statement. The earthquake felt like someone kicking my chair (aka not that big) and the hurricane involved lots of wind and rain.... There were lots of trees down on our property and some flooding in surrounding neighborhoods, but we live on a hill so we were clear of floods. The worst part was losing power and hot water for a few days but we kinda got used to it. One of the tenants of Good Shepherd Volunteers is simplicity... so it was kinda simplicity on steroids- no showers, putting together all kinds of strange meals with the food we had, candle light at night, no drying/straightening hair, no laundry. But really it was only a few days and we survived! :)

This week, we've been getting situated in the school and belay certified (maintaining, monitoring, and helping people stay suspended on a rock wall). They have a rock wall and ropes course on the school campus for the youth- I love it and can't wait to do it with the students. They have so many neat classes and opportunities for the students here like the ropes course, film classes, and a cosmetology class. We also went crabbing yesterday with Ray, our principal, in the bay off the shore. I probably caught 10 crabs but only 2 were big enough to eat. I feel like I've learned so much this week and it's only the first week! I can't wait for this year! Ray's family has also been so wonderful in welcoming the GSVs... His wife and three daughters are so sweet and I have been enjoying getting to know all of them... his daughters LOVE disney and the performing arts... automatic A+ for those kids in my grade book ;)

I may have mentioned this in a previous post but the religious sisters here are absolutely wonderful. They are so hospitable and I feel so at home. I think that has been a major part in helping me transition- I feel so safe and comfortable with them living right below us. They have made us dinner a couple times and were very helpful during the hurricane-- they gave us food, water, and ice to keep the cold food cold. After the hurricane, we helped them rake the entrance road to the school and scrubbed out their pool... They say we don't need to repay them but of course we like to give back so we were happy to help in those ways.

We were also blessed to have one of the previous GSVs from Collier stay with us for a couple nights because her flight home got canceled with the hurricane... so we had a great time getting to know her and drilling her with questions- poor girl was probably so ready to get out of here so no one asked her any more questions! haha... She said she didn't mind because of course she loved her experience here... can't wait to see what the year holds in store for us!

There's a chapel in the convent and I'm thinking about getting up and praying each morning before work. I think it's so important for me to have that time in prayer (which I haven't had recently) and a great way to start the day. Plus i've been running around the campus here- it's so beatufiul and i'll be very sad when winter comes and I can't run outside anymore. There are a few different routes I can take and it's all through the forests with a family of deer every once in a while- very peaceful here :)

That's all for now- i'll post an album on facebook with pics so you can see some of what i'm talking about :)

Funky Tunky

Oh what's up Wickatunk! here's my volunteer community that I'll be living with for the year:)


It's official! I've arrived at my school in New Jersey :) Things have been pret-ty exciting this week!
Last Sunday, my flight left at "O'dark thirty" (as AC says) and I had a layover in Chicago... my flight into Newark got delayed so I was late to orientation but there wasn't much but mingling and "getting to know you" sunday night. Two family friends from Colorado were at the orientation! Melissa was there Sunday night for dinner and Julie was there the whole week leading the orientation... small world!

This week we basically got to know our community members (when I say community I mean the 4 other volunteers I'm living with in NJ) and talked about the 4 tenants of Good Shepherd Volunteers: Simplicity, Service, Community, and Spirituality. Surprisingly, the one I wrestled with the most was spirituality. I got spiritual direction yesterday and the nun that I talked with told me that I needed to trust in God and myself. I think this means I need to be more confident in who I am. Its so weird... Not everyone in the world is Catholic or studying interior design! haha... but really- I was in a bubble in college and so this year is going to be such a great experience for being uniquely *me*

While we were at orientation, we felt our chairs shaking and got really confused... later to realize that it was the rippling from the earthquake in MD! Now we sit with flashlights and water bottles, preparing for Hurricane Irene... womp womp. My community is going to the library tmrw to get some books in case we get stuck inside/without other options for entertainment. It should be interesting ;) I'll keep you updated as long as I can! hehe...

Just a few last random notes/thoughts:
I love my community! I think we have a lot of differences but I think it's going to be lots of fun and a great learning experience for everyone.

The nuns are awesome and hilarious. Sr. Carol (who's probably in her 80s) apparently loves to text and is a spitfire when it comes to jokes and comebacks. Love her.

We haven't even started orientation to our specific work site and I'm already a little overwhelmed with the amount of info we've received.

The ID nerd inside me rearranged my room right away tonite to be better space planned ;)

This weekend is proving to me that it's too bad I brought my broken umbrella.

aaaand th-th-th-th-that's all folks... I'm POOped! see ya on the flip side of good ol' lean Irene

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye! .... for now :)

Packing for a year is so overwhelming... there's so much to think about! I'm still not totally sure what my role will be at the school, so I'm trying to be prepared for all situations (P.E. classes, substituting, etc)... It's been an emotional rollercoaster today- :) :/ :D :( :O I think God has great things in store for this year!

This isn't gonna be super long but I just wanted to do another post before I leave. My flight is early tomorrow morning and I'll get there tomorrow afternoon for orientation. Orientation is one week in Staten Island and then we'll move to the school next weekend. I'm not sure how much computer access I'll have this week but I'll try to let you know that I got there or at least post something on FB...

Thank you again to all of you who have sent your love and support... I really can't thank you enough. I am so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing family and friends. Until next time, Colorado, God Bless! East Coast, here I come! :)

When you wish upon a star...

"There are many ways to reach your dream, so don't be discouraged if you can't yet see the way on your own."

"Demand to be free of whatever categorizations or limits others try to put on you."

These are two quotes from Life Without Limits that stuck out to me today. What are my goals? My dreams? What's holding me back or creating a road block? For me, my dream is to have a family, live simply, have a home where I work to live rather than live to work. I've always dreamed of having a big vegetable garden... not only do I love veggies, but home-grown vegetables are so yummy and cheapppp! My road block? Society tells us that we should be $uccessful and work our way up the corporate ladder... a bit different from living simply on my garden ;) I just finished college with a Bachelor of Science- shouldn't I be getting a job? I just spent thousands of dollars on this degree... I am such a believer in the idea that nothing happens without reason. Whether or not I end up in interior design, the people I've met, experiences I've gained, and ideas I've had throughout college have all happened in perfect timing with God's plan and preparation for my future. Another part of my dream is to rebuild my childhood home wherever I live so interior design definitely plays a role in that plan. I haven't given up the idea of health care design, either. I would really love it, actually. But my dream is moreso the life of simplicity as a housewife. As I prepare to volunteer on the east coast, a simple life in a country house seems a little ways out and I'm not sure how that's gonna happen... but as Nick Vujicic said in his book, "There are many ways to reach your dream, so don't be discouraged if you can't yet see the way on your own." God knows the desires of our hearts- He put them on our hearts and will either fufill those dreams or change the desires of our heart- I'm so excited for this year and I know the experiences ahead will greatly prepare me for my future. Never give up and always believe in your ability to achieve :)

Winds of Change

Ok- I said I'd do a video last time but I haven't had time yet- Hopefully i'll do a video one of these days :) These past few weeks have been crazy, fun, crazy fun, and full of change pants. I moved home to my parents' house and in the mean time, accepted a position to do a year of volunteer work. First, moving home was crassayyyy. There were a couple hiccups in the day but it turned out just fine... It's crazy to be home again but I do love my framily. We've all been hanging out a lot doing lots of fun sings togesser... horseback riding, going to the county fair, white water rafting, shopping, going to old town Fort Collins, having meals together, laughing, and just enjoying each others' company :) I'll admit that being home definitely threw a curve in my routine for feeling healthier. I'm sure you know the feeling of being out of your routine in a new place. But it's getting better for sure. Two things I need to remember: to pray and to keep trying to do better when I mess up.

Sooo in between taping boxes and scrubbing my shower, I was applying, interviewing and accepting volunteer work on the east coast! I'll be at a high school for at-risk youth and I couldn't be more excited and humbled to have the opportunity to work with this school. I'll be living with the four other volunteers who are working at the high school as well as three nuns. I'll be substitute and ropes course certified upon arrival but until I feel comfortable substituting, I'll be helping in classes as needed, doing admin work, helping with after school activities, and helping wherever they have need. I can't wait to get the year started- It's going to be a great year of growth and learning! All of the readings and songs in mass this morning were about having no fear and knowing that we can do anything with faith in God. "Do not be afraid I am with you, I have called you each by name.... I love you and you are mine"-- that song was played this morning and whether or not you like the song, I do haha, and it makes me cry every time. I have no idea why. It just gets me! Remember that time I didn't trust God and everything turned out great? Oh yeah... that happens a lot ;) but really, I think it was really affirming- since all of this happened so quickly, it's nice to hear that God has a hand in it and I'm not just crazy to suddenly decide to do this work.

The last thing I want to say is how blessed and thankful I am for all of the love and support from my friends and family. I am truly humbled by all the support I've gotten and will keep you all in my prayers and in the loop as I begin this year long journey on the east coast!

Ad maiorem Dei gloriam

Joy-filled

Here are just a few of the recent events in my summer :)

Jen's at it again! Quite the cowgirl


A walk through CSU's flower garden. Kate is doing her masters at CSU and I drop her off right next to the gardens so one day, I went for a run and then walked through the gardens-- something I've wanted to do since coming to school :)


Azra (our German exchange student from last year) came back! We were so excited at the airport-- but I was too excited to take any actual pictures of her when we finally saw her... haha so here's Lucy and I before she came through the gate!


We (but mostly my amazing Dad) threw a surprise party for my mom! This picture's worth a thousand words-- she was SO happy!


We ate great food and danced into the night!

Hipsters and King Soopers

I would just like to start today by pointing out that my friend, Emily Snyder, thinks I'm hipster for blogging. You should get to know her cuz she's so hipster she doesn't even know that she's hipster.

Most recently, I've been learning how I can turn something that sounds unappealing into something that is fun and for the greater glory of God. I got a part time job at NY&Co. and at first I didn't really want to do it. After some thought and ingredients for a positive attitude, I'm really looking forward to it! First, I'm thinking I definitely need a little laughter. Laughing (as u can probably tell) is one of my most favorite past times. Even hipsters laugh sometimes. So should you! Second, I think it's important to think of others first . So with this job, I can go into it with the attitude of serving others and making the women who come in the store feel beautiful as we all are! Third, we all need to wear something outrageous once in a while- like the hats em and I found for the fourth of july. Maybe I'll wear my tiara as I get ready every day. (btw- don't name ur kids nevaeh- heaven spelled backwards. it's cheezy) Fourth, jam to good music on the way to work and on the way home. Gets ya goin every time... and last, whatever you do, dooon't make gun hands in photos. If they end up on facebook, you'll be embarrassed and depressed the rest of the day while you work. hehe but really, there's always a way to make something unappealing become appealing. If you need help with this just let me know- I'm happy to offer my brilliant solutions when I can ;)

I got off track with eating the past couple days but I'm ready to get back on track. It's so easy to beat ourselves up for messing up but the reality is that we are human and we fall. Wanna know one of my little tricks!? First, I'll point out that I really love nuts and seeds. I bought these cinnamon covered almonds from Kings that have a little sugar on them too... so every time I crave sweets, I just have an almond or two (being careful not to grab 10 cuz I could honestly eat the whole bag hahaha) and it generally helps! I've also started eating hardboiled egg whites and that really kills a craving to eat and eggs are cheap! But I like the almonds cuz they're still healthy but give u a little kick of sugar and taste oh so yummy :)

for my next blog, i'm going to try to do a video-- stay tuned :)

Steubenville of the Rockies

"Pooped" would be an accurate word to describe my physical state at the moment ;) I got the chance, very last minute, to chaperone Steubenville of the Rockies this weekend- a regional 3 day conference for high school youth. They had speakers, a worship band, mass, adoration, confession, a concert, small groups, and lotttts of goofing around :) it was definitely a great experience! Btwn 1,000 and 1,500 youth were there and it was truly a blessing to see them all search for answers and try to build a relationship with Christ. I will definitely keep them in my prayers- especially as they go back to their schools and friends and try to defend their faith... The photo (tho crappy quality) is of all the youth and chaperones from our church- we had 19 teens, 4 chaperones and Lisa... we're all lookin pret-ty BA with our foco shirts. It's ok to be jealous :P Even though I was there for the teens, I definitely think God spoke to me a lot as well. It was cool because the first song the band played on Friday was "I am Free" by Newsboys (I was just talking about my goal to be freed in my faith and physical life in a previous blog), followed by a few other songs about being free in Christ. It was so great to be affirmed in that goal.

"Do you feel like you can have an open personal relationship with Christ? What's holding you back?" This reflection question was convicting for me because it really challenged me to think about what I put in the way of my relationship with Christ, even after years and years of practicing my faith. It also helped me think about what things I hold onto in my life that I turn to for safety but actually keep me from happiness. After reflecting on all of this, I am sure God and I have a lot of chit chatting to do in the next year ;)

Lots of good things this week- for starters, the whole fam is home! YAY! Bbsitting, job hunting, fam time, meeting up with friends, softball, Bachelorette (yes, the secret is out. I watch it. Annnd it's exhausting to keep up with this chick and her drama).... Gotta go to bed to get some energy back for all this ;)

Laughing

... They say it's one of life's best medicines :) I think it's so important to surround ourselves with people who make us laugh. It's during those times that we laugh straight from the gut that we become unaware of all our worries and fill our "joy cup" if you will. I've always loved other peoples' laughs... they're so contagious! This morning I was thinking about how much I laugh or smile vs how much I think about something I don't like about myself or something I don't want to do during the day. How about you!? How can we make those frowns lit'terally turn upside down!? I've started reading "Life without limits" by Nick Vujicic. It's a book I got for graduation and it's written by this guy who was born without any limbs- so he basically has his abdomen and then it looks like he has a left foot at the bottom of his abdomen. He wrote this book about "inspiration for a ridiculously good life". I just read the beginning of it and i'm pretttty sure it's gonna be awesome :) Some of the things he says it takes for a life without limits are:

"A powerful sense of purpose
Hope so strong that it cannot be diminished
Faith in God and the infinite possibilities
Love and self-acceptance
Attitude with altitude
A courageous spirit
Willingness to change
A trusting heart
Hunger for Opportunities
The ability to assess risks and to laugh at life
A mission to serve others first"

Seem like pretty good ways to live positively and joyfully- I'll keep you posted on how the book goes :)

I'm also trying to do one small thing each day to connect with God/take a little quiet time. Whether it's 5 minutes or 50 minutes, it doesn't matter. Baby steps for now. I think the mornings are always the best time for this, but, of course, any time really works. It's also nice to just have a moment to slow down from life's crazy speed and just be.

As a final note, this is one of the first Youtube baby videos I saw- it's one of my favs... and he kinda sounds like me... the weezer. hope it makes you laugh too :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

New Beginnings

I've decided I'm going to start blogging again and maybe try to keep up with it more now that it's summer and I'm jumping into a new chapter of life :)

I graduated from CSU with my Bachelors of Science degree in Interior Design. My final capstone project was a pediatric center for children who suffer from physical, emotional or mental disabilities. Services within the building included physical therapy, occupational therapy, music therapy, speech therapy, family therapy, and a few others... I also included a cafeteria, daycare, residential suites for longer term patients, a cafe, a chapel, and children's play areas. I found the psychology behind healthcare design to be incredibly fascinating. The power of design in the healing process is a lot greater than people understand, thus, I absolutely loved doing all the research for my project. Coming into school I was set on residential design; however, after my capstone project, I have found a great love for healthcare design and hope to continue designing in this area of the field.

This summer has been absolutely wonderful. After graduation, I took a little time for myself to recoup from my senior year and catch up on some things I've been putting off. Hiking, going to the butterfly pavilion, joining a rec softball team, shopping, reading, getting together with friends, cleaning, and loving old town have all been a part of my fun... In the end of May, a couple of my friends, Emily Koenning and Emily Weber, left for FOCUS training so we all hung out and went to a Rockies game... always a blast :) In the beginning of June, I went to see Emily Frost (my college roommate of the past 2 yrs) in her hometown, Rapid City, SD. I stayed at her house and we went into rapid, went for a run, went out to eat, laid by the pool, etc.... It was so great to be back together and meet her friends/family from home that I had heard so many great things about! After I got back I came back to foco and did a ton of job searching for temporary jobs (waiting, retail, etc) because I'm still a little unsure of what I want to do. Nothing went through with that :/ In the middle of the month, my dad's dad passed away. My parents flew out to NJ for the funeral and I went home to be with my younger siblings -- I was back and forth between foco and berthoud a lot but it all worked out just fine :) I'm very sad at the loss of my grandpa, and I am also relieved that he is in a better place, not suffering.

This past weekend, I went to Lake Powell with some friends from my freshman and sophomore yr at CSU... we had a BLAST! If you ever get the chance to go to lake powell, GO! It's beautiful. My friends, Crystal and Kirk, work there and they got us a double decker party boat, power boat for tubing and wakeboarding, and a jet ski... the trip was dirt cheap cuz there was so many of us and we just had a great great time.

SNAP BACK TO REALITY! I got back and felt very motivated to continue the job search. I sent out some applications to design firms last week and plan to follow up with those today and tomorrow. As you can imagine, the design field is sorta slow right now, particularly in Denver. But i'm hopeful that something is out there for me. It's just a matter of searching and having patience :) At the end of this month, I'll be moving home to save some money on rent until I figure out a job... I don't mind moving in with the fam-- it's the *moving to Berthoud* part that will be a bit difficult haha... everything is temporary :) I have also been considering going back to get my masters degree in school counseling/clinical psychology. I absolutely love this idea but i'm trying to give the design world a fair shot too. (clearly, what i want to do is clear to me ;) haha)

As a final note for this post (sorry i know it's long), I have decided to really take better care of myself spiritually and physically. I was recently reading through a story about someone who likes to make exercising and eating funnn, something I think I have lost sight of. I am also striving to renew my faith and purpose behind my everyday. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in how you're doing something or compare yourself (relating to our spiritual and physical life), but my friend, emily snyder, made a great point last night when she quoted John 8:36 which says "So if the son sets you free, you are truly free". I have a goal to feel healthier by Christmas, setting myself free of any comparison to others or concern about how I look or numbers on a scale. In addition, I'm hoping to find that freedom again in my faith and relationship with the Father who loves us all so dearly and would never want us to feel burdened by our relationship with Him (Matthew 11:30). I find an immense amount of joy in God and I think I allowed school and other things to get in the way of that this year. Here He is, once again, waiting with open arms as I try to start over again :)

I'll keep you posted on how I go about all of this! I think there will be more frequent, *shorter* posts after this ;) I'm very excited for the next chapter in my life- I have no idea what it looks like right meow, but I have great confidence that God has it written and all I can do is my best :)