It was a great weekend here in Erie. Alyssa's grandparents visited for a few hours Saturday afternoon, and it was really great to see them. Otherwise the afternoon was spent relaxing and reading, one of my absolute favorite ways to spend an afternoon.
That evening we were invited for a night out at the Zabawa Polish Festival in town. What.a.blast. We ran into quite a few familiar faces, watched (but did not join!) some great polka dancing, and enjoyed some great Polish food and drinks. Na zdrowie!
Sunday was another great day to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather. Liturgy was great in the morning, and was followed by the chance to play with a visiting dog named Bear. I may or may not have really wanted to dog-nap him, but I refrained! After lunch Alyssa and I packed up our bikes into her car and headed out to the peninsula for an afternoon ride. We went about 6 miles round trip, and it felt great! The view was spectacular the whole ride, I can't quite get enough of spending time on Presque Isle, and we're trying to soak it all up before the snow flies.
Today has been a day jam packed with work, and it's been a really great day. I spent the morning at the food pantry, handing out boxes of food this time. The people who came down the line were more than happy to strike up a good conversation, and all just so thankful to see some smiling faces. One man told every one of us as he walked down the line "I prayed for you this morning, thank you so much for what you do." and it's really stuck with me all day.
My afternoon was spent at the Saint Benedict's Education Center where I helped out in a classroom of refugees. They were learning about money, grocery shopping, and getting change back, but we started the lesson off with a few songs that they all really enjoyed. I somehow agreed to lead them in singing "Row Row Row Your Boat" and "The More We Get Together" all by myself, and their smiles were priceless as they listened and then joined in. They were all in such good spirits, and kept me laughing all afternoon. I had such a great time with them, and I can't wait to go back tomorrow to the same room.
But the day is not done! Alyssa and I are going to a SeaWolves baseball game tonight with a group of Sisters, and I'm beyond excited. It should without a doubt be a fun filled evening!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Week 1 is in the Books!
And what a crazy week its been, jumping around to a few of the ministries and getting used to life at the Mount.
My favorites this week were Saint Benedict's Day Care where I spent a few hours Thursday morning and then running around AIM and Benetvision Friday, helping out with all things technological.
I love little kids, and spending the morning with them Thursday made my heart absolutely smile. I had five 2 year olds, and man were they adorable. It's such a cute, innocent age. I love it when they still like to sit in your lap and snuggle up to you, or find the greatest thrill in being picked up and spun around. Their giggles were absolutely infectious. I definitely hope to be going back again in the coming weeks.
I had a great time in the offices Yesterday for Benetvision and the Alliance for International Monasticism. For Benetvision I did the HTML formatting for their weekly newsletter publication, and I loved it. I hadn't done work like that since I was in middle school, and I forgot how much I really enjoy it. I also helped out with various computer related issues in the AIM office, tackling the chore of importing an address book with over 700 entries from one program to another. I have a feeling I may be snatched up as a bit of tech support for the offices on the 4th floor!
Overall it has been a great, fun and at times relaxing week. I've enjoyed all the work I've done in the ministries everyday, and I'm enjoying the chance to slow down and just be. My days are jam packed from when I wake up around 5:45 in the morning, until I go to bed around 10pm, but it's surprisingly relaxing, and I'm loving it all so far.
So here's to a great weekend, and I can't express how excited I am to not have to work on the weekend for the first time in almost 4 years. I don't know what's in store for the rest of the day, but I'm sure it will be fun!
My favorites this week were Saint Benedict's Day Care where I spent a few hours Thursday morning and then running around AIM and Benetvision Friday, helping out with all things technological.
I love little kids, and spending the morning with them Thursday made my heart absolutely smile. I had five 2 year olds, and man were they adorable. It's such a cute, innocent age. I love it when they still like to sit in your lap and snuggle up to you, or find the greatest thrill in being picked up and spun around. Their giggles were absolutely infectious. I definitely hope to be going back again in the coming weeks.
I had a great time in the offices Yesterday for Benetvision and the Alliance for International Monasticism. For Benetvision I did the HTML formatting for their weekly newsletter publication, and I loved it. I hadn't done work like that since I was in middle school, and I forgot how much I really enjoy it. I also helped out with various computer related issues in the AIM office, tackling the chore of importing an address book with over 700 entries from one program to another. I have a feeling I may be snatched up as a bit of tech support for the offices on the 4th floor!
Overall it has been a great, fun and at times relaxing week. I've enjoyed all the work I've done in the ministries everyday, and I'm enjoying the chance to slow down and just be. My days are jam packed from when I wake up around 5:45 in the morning, until I go to bed around 10pm, but it's surprisingly relaxing, and I'm loving it all so far.
So here's to a great weekend, and I can't express how excited I am to not have to work on the weekend for the first time in almost 4 years. I don't know what's in store for the rest of the day, but I'm sure it will be fun!
Monday, August 22, 2011
A Change of Pace
Well, I'm here and all moved in to my new home for the next year. It's been a good couple of days, taking the weekend to get settled in and start the process of adjusting to life at the Mount. Saturday was filled with lots of warm welcomes from the community. Sunday was a perfect day with Liturgy in the morning and the chance for Alyssa and I to explore Erie a little. It just felt really nice to have a Sunday afternoon completely free to relax and just enjoy. That evening we were taught a card game by some of the Sisters that I'm sure we'll be quizzed on soon, I probably should have taken better notes!
Today started our month long adventure of trying out all the different ministries, we have a busy and exciting week ahead. My day started out at the food pantry where I helped check everyone in. I was very humbled by the interactions I had with almost every person who came through the line this morning. Having worked for years in customer service of some kind or another, I have found that a fair share of people just never seem happy, they always seem to have something to be grumpy about. Yet today, I sat for hours greeting and talking to so many people, who for whatever personal reasons, needed help in providing food for their families. But not one person I spoke with today had anything negative to say, they smiled and carried on like they were on top of the world. Over and over again I would hear them say the same things "Ya know, I'm not having a great couple of days, but I'm blessed. I'm alive, and I am blessed."
Isn't that something we should consider a little more? I know I should. I have days that just aren't the best, we all do, but I need to stop and remember I have so much to be thankful for.
These last few days have been a good change of pace. I'm finding more time to relax, and to just stop and enjoy simple things like this gorgeous weather or the chance to go for a walk in the woods after dinner. It's nice doing work that feels more fulfilling than what I've been doing all summer. It's nice to slow down a little. I'm looking forward to the experiences of the next few days.
Without a doubt I can say that I am blessed.
Peace,
Carrie
(Photo courtesy of Alyssa-- a beautiful evening sky on a Sunday night walk around the grounds)
Today started our month long adventure of trying out all the different ministries, we have a busy and exciting week ahead. My day started out at the food pantry where I helped check everyone in. I was very humbled by the interactions I had with almost every person who came through the line this morning. Having worked for years in customer service of some kind or another, I have found that a fair share of people just never seem happy, they always seem to have something to be grumpy about. Yet today, I sat for hours greeting and talking to so many people, who for whatever personal reasons, needed help in providing food for their families. But not one person I spoke with today had anything negative to say, they smiled and carried on like they were on top of the world. Over and over again I would hear them say the same things "Ya know, I'm not having a great couple of days, but I'm blessed. I'm alive, and I am blessed."
Isn't that something we should consider a little more? I know I should. I have days that just aren't the best, we all do, but I need to stop and remember I have so much to be thankful for.
These last few days have been a good change of pace. I'm finding more time to relax, and to just stop and enjoy simple things like this gorgeous weather or the chance to go for a walk in the woods after dinner. It's nice doing work that feels more fulfilling than what I've been doing all summer. It's nice to slow down a little. I'm looking forward to the experiences of the next few days.
Without a doubt I can say that I am blessed.
Peace,
Carrie
(Photo courtesy of Alyssa-- a beautiful evening sky on a Sunday night walk around the grounds)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The #1 Question
So the biggest question I get from people when I tell them about what I'm doing this coming year (besides- are you becoming a nun?) is simply this: why?
And that's honestly one of the hardest questions to answer about anything. It's hard to make someone understand something that you feel deeply, when you don't really know quite how to put it into words to begin with. You just feel it, you just know, so how do you explain why?
I couldn't explain why I applied and went on the trip to Poland. I couldn't explain why I really signed up for my first retreat, or why I went on a couple more and even lead one. I couldn't explain why I chose to become a Catholic, or why I shaved my head and donated all my hair. It's just what I felt called to do. And all of these things have changed my life in so many ways, they were some of the biggest blessings over my four years in college.
It's the same with this coming year. Maybe I can't explain why because I don't fully understand it, because God is guiding my life where I'm meant to be, and I know I'm going to grow so much in the process.
I have faith in that. I don't need to understand why, not right away. I just have to be open, and ready for what is to come.
Could I just go on and start grad school right now? Sure, I got accepted after all but turned it down. Or couldn't I just get a real job and run headlong into the working world? Sure. But that's not my purpose, that's not my calling, that's not God's plan for me right now in this coming year. I'm scared because I could really put myself behind financially in these coming months, and because that's one more year added on until I have my Master's degree, but that can't be what drives my life.
So here I am, now only 4 days away from the next chapter of my life. I finished my job at Cracker Barrel today, and while it's been a pretty good 15 months with them and I've made some wonderful friends there, I'm happy to see it come to a close. It means my life is moving forward.
So to get back to that little, but oh so loaded question of "why?"-- I don't know. But part of the point is to figure that out, and to be able to better express my purpose and my understanding of who I am in these coming months.
I'm a work in progress I guess. And I like being that way, it means I'm always growing and changing, I hope always for the better.
So I guess the real countdown is on now. 4 days isn't much at all. And there is so much to do in these coming days, it's going to be crazy. I'm a little nervous as the days tick down, but I'm getting more and more excited for what's to come. I just need to remind myself to pray, it's all going to be OK, and I'm ready for it.
Peace,
Carrie
And that's honestly one of the hardest questions to answer about anything. It's hard to make someone understand something that you feel deeply, when you don't really know quite how to put it into words to begin with. You just feel it, you just know, so how do you explain why?
I couldn't explain why I applied and went on the trip to Poland. I couldn't explain why I really signed up for my first retreat, or why I went on a couple more and even lead one. I couldn't explain why I chose to become a Catholic, or why I shaved my head and donated all my hair. It's just what I felt called to do. And all of these things have changed my life in so many ways, they were some of the biggest blessings over my four years in college.
It's the same with this coming year. Maybe I can't explain why because I don't fully understand it, because God is guiding my life where I'm meant to be, and I know I'm going to grow so much in the process.
I have faith in that. I don't need to understand why, not right away. I just have to be open, and ready for what is to come.
Could I just go on and start grad school right now? Sure, I got accepted after all but turned it down. Or couldn't I just get a real job and run headlong into the working world? Sure. But that's not my purpose, that's not my calling, that's not God's plan for me right now in this coming year. I'm scared because I could really put myself behind financially in these coming months, and because that's one more year added on until I have my Master's degree, but that can't be what drives my life.
So here I am, now only 4 days away from the next chapter of my life. I finished my job at Cracker Barrel today, and while it's been a pretty good 15 months with them and I've made some wonderful friends there, I'm happy to see it come to a close. It means my life is moving forward.
So to get back to that little, but oh so loaded question of "why?"-- I don't know. But part of the point is to figure that out, and to be able to better express my purpose and my understanding of who I am in these coming months.
I'm a work in progress I guess. And I like being that way, it means I'm always growing and changing, I hope always for the better.
So I guess the real countdown is on now. 4 days isn't much at all. And there is so much to do in these coming days, it's going to be crazy. I'm a little nervous as the days tick down, but I'm getting more and more excited for what's to come. I just need to remind myself to pray, it's all going to be OK, and I'm ready for it.
Peace,
Carrie
Monday, August 8, 2011
The (failed) Art of Packing
Packing is, in short, absurd.
I've never mentioned on here how much I really just don't like the chore of packing. It wasn't really terrible when I used to be able to just take everything from school, leave it stored in the basement untouched all summer, and then drag it upstairs again come August, load up the car, and be on my way.
This time though, I don't need half of what I used to have at school. No kitchen stuff is a biggie. That saves me a lot of space. And that part is easy, all the kitchen stuff is in 2 massive containers downstairs. Done and done.
But it's going to be hard to condense down everything else for this coming year. The biggest thing is clothes- I have way too many. I'm a girl, what do you want from me? And I think almost all of us have a little weight fluctuation while in college, so a lot of this stuff doesn't fit anymore, it's just around in case I lose a few pounds and my current stuff stop fitting. Honestly, I need to just clear out my large duffel bag already and stop hanging onto quite so much clothing. If I happen to need a couple new pairs of pants in the next few months I can go out and buy them. In the mean time, I don't have a lot of space for a mound of "what-if" clothing.
Ok, so there's a promise to myself, I'm going to march upstairs and clean out that massive bag once and for all.
I'm also huge on decorating my room, I always have been since I was a kid. I like a lot on my walls or on my shelves to make a space feel homey and comfortable. I have a few knick-knacks I always like to have on my desk or dresser, I have lots of pictures/posters/etc that I like to have on my walls. I like to put myself into my room, make it my own. And I really like to have things to look at while I'm falling asleep and my mind wanders endlessly.
I went through a lot of this stuff earlier this afternoon and condensed it down quite a bit. Most of what I'm taking is going to be pictures, I'm an absolute picture nut. But I am definitely trying to tone it down from what I've decorated my room with in the past, my walls would be covered in posters, a couple flags, pictures everywhere. I'm not decorating a dorm room anymore, so I'm trying to simplify it. I will probably pack more decorative stuff than I will use, but I'll see how I can transform my little room at the Mount into my own little sanctuary, without going overboard.
So I guess I'm trying to find my happy medium between packing way too much stuff (which is my usual) and not having enough, or more specifically, the things I really need. It's amazing how much stuff just accumulates in 4 years. I still even have stuff in boxes upstairs in my sister's closet (my old room) from when I was in high school. A lot of it needs to just be thrown away finally. But it's hard to just throw out things that hold memories. Same with a lot of this stuff from the last four years, there's a lot of memories there.
But, I know how good it feels to donate old clothes, books and things I know I'll never touch again. It feels good to finally make some free space (the possibilities are endless for it!) But above all, it's that much less crud that I have to move out someday when I have my own place again :)
Hopefully I'll stop pushing off this packing thing. I've done a couple of hour-long stints in the last couple of weeks, just trying to get a start on it, which is the hardest part. But I keep stopping, "eh, it will be easier to pack when it's almost time to go." hellllllloooooooo, it is almost time to go, we're talking less than two weeks here! And I keep reminding myself that I don't want to spend my last few days home worrying about packing, I just want to spend those last three days after I finish work and before I leave just relaxing with my family, instead of running around like a lunatic and just cramming stuff into this box or that bag.
Wish me luck with the rest of this beastly task, I know it's not going down without a fight!
Peace,
Carrie
I've never mentioned on here how much I really just don't like the chore of packing. It wasn't really terrible when I used to be able to just take everything from school, leave it stored in the basement untouched all summer, and then drag it upstairs again come August, load up the car, and be on my way.
This time though, I don't need half of what I used to have at school. No kitchen stuff is a biggie. That saves me a lot of space. And that part is easy, all the kitchen stuff is in 2 massive containers downstairs. Done and done.
But it's going to be hard to condense down everything else for this coming year. The biggest thing is clothes- I have way too many. I'm a girl, what do you want from me? And I think almost all of us have a little weight fluctuation while in college, so a lot of this stuff doesn't fit anymore, it's just around in case I lose a few pounds and my current stuff stop fitting. Honestly, I need to just clear out my large duffel bag already and stop hanging onto quite so much clothing. If I happen to need a couple new pairs of pants in the next few months I can go out and buy them. In the mean time, I don't have a lot of space for a mound of "what-if" clothing.
Ok, so there's a promise to myself, I'm going to march upstairs and clean out that massive bag once and for all.
I'm also huge on decorating my room, I always have been since I was a kid. I like a lot on my walls or on my shelves to make a space feel homey and comfortable. I have a few knick-knacks I always like to have on my desk or dresser, I have lots of pictures/posters/etc that I like to have on my walls. I like to put myself into my room, make it my own. And I really like to have things to look at while I'm falling asleep and my mind wanders endlessly.
I went through a lot of this stuff earlier this afternoon and condensed it down quite a bit. Most of what I'm taking is going to be pictures, I'm an absolute picture nut. But I am definitely trying to tone it down from what I've decorated my room with in the past, my walls would be covered in posters, a couple flags, pictures everywhere. I'm not decorating a dorm room anymore, so I'm trying to simplify it. I will probably pack more decorative stuff than I will use, but I'll see how I can transform my little room at the Mount into my own little sanctuary, without going overboard.
So I guess I'm trying to find my happy medium between packing way too much stuff (which is my usual) and not having enough, or more specifically, the things I really need. It's amazing how much stuff just accumulates in 4 years. I still even have stuff in boxes upstairs in my sister's closet (my old room) from when I was in high school. A lot of it needs to just be thrown away finally. But it's hard to just throw out things that hold memories. Same with a lot of this stuff from the last four years, there's a lot of memories there.
But, I know how good it feels to donate old clothes, books and things I know I'll never touch again. It feels good to finally make some free space (the possibilities are endless for it!) But above all, it's that much less crud that I have to move out someday when I have my own place again :)
Hopefully I'll stop pushing off this packing thing. I've done a couple of hour-long stints in the last couple of weeks, just trying to get a start on it, which is the hardest part. But I keep stopping, "eh, it will be easier to pack when it's almost time to go." hellllllloooooooo, it is almost time to go, we're talking less than two weeks here! And I keep reminding myself that I don't want to spend my last few days home worrying about packing, I just want to spend those last three days after I finish work and before I leave just relaxing with my family, instead of running around like a lunatic and just cramming stuff into this box or that bag.
Wish me luck with the rest of this beastly task, I know it's not going down without a fight!
Peace,
Carrie
Monday, August 1, 2011
August....already?
It's ridiculous how fast the time flies sometimes. Forget that it feels like just yesterday that I graduated college and my summer started, it also feels like just yesterday that I was gearing up for my freshman year to start.
It's weird, not getting myself ready to start another year at Canisius. It was always a mixed feeling of excitement and apprehension once August began and the countdown to move-in started. Buying stuff for my dorm/apartments, getting school supplies, spending a fortune on books (ick). I'd always be so excited to get back to the city I love, and seeing my friends again that I live so far away from. I'd be excited at the thought of the new classes I would be taking, and seeing my favorite professors. I'd promise myself at the start of every year that I would be totally on top of all my work and be the best student ever-but that would wear off by the third week of class when I was sick of reading and papers haha!
And then the countdown to the end of the semester would begin. When the newness and excitement would wain and I'd be itching to make it through another semester of late nights filled with papers and reading, on top of a hectic work schedule. My stress level would start to rise, and I just couldn't wait to hit that finish line, blast through all my final papers and projects, and get that reward of my grades at the end. Somehow, still in tact.
I loved being a college kid, stress and all. I loved every moment of it, but I did always push myself to the next days/week/month/semester way too fast. It flew by me, and sometimes I didn't stop enough to really appreciate the greatest time of my life, because the stress was just too high some weeks to focus on anything else.
So here I am now, both longing for that feeling of gearing up for a new year at Canisius, but at the same time relieved that I don't have to deal with the stress of another academic year. Not right now anyway.
I'm gearing up for something totally new and exciting. I'm moving onto the next big step in my life in just 19 days, and I'm moving somewhere brand new to me. I'll once again pack up most of my life into my little red car, and drive westward toward another new beginning. This time though, I'll bypass the city I have grown to love so much for the last 4 years, and continue two hours more onto my new home for the next year at the Mount. It's going to be an emotional day, I know I'll probably cry more than once on that long car ride, as my thoughts race and I imagine what's in store for me, and I'm always sad to say by to my family and my pup at the end of another extended time home.
It's surreal to think that it's only 19 days away. The big move is almost staring me in the face. I'm excited, I'm scared, I'm nervous, and I'm not yet ready for my summer to be done. I pray the next 19 days take their time. As much as I'm sick of work, and can't wait until my last shift on the 16th, I also don't want to wish away these final days home with my family and my dogs.
I need to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the moment more often. It's something I'd like to work on in the coming months and year. I don't need to wish my time away, it's marching on fast enough on its own. Instead of watching the time pass, willing it to go just a little quicker to reach the end of the work day, or whatever, I need to watch everything else going on around me. Everyday is its own, and I need to savor that day, because no matter how good or bad a day, or an entire week might feel, I'll never get those moments back.
So here's my promise to myself to enjoy the coming days as much as possible, work included (haha!), and to stop focusing on that number of days left. I don't need to countdown the days, they're doing that for me on their own. My job is to just enjoy what they bring.
Peace,
Carrie
It's weird, not getting myself ready to start another year at Canisius. It was always a mixed feeling of excitement and apprehension once August began and the countdown to move-in started. Buying stuff for my dorm/apartments, getting school supplies, spending a fortune on books (ick). I'd always be so excited to get back to the city I love, and seeing my friends again that I live so far away from. I'd be excited at the thought of the new classes I would be taking, and seeing my favorite professors. I'd promise myself at the start of every year that I would be totally on top of all my work and be the best student ever-but that would wear off by the third week of class when I was sick of reading and papers haha!
And then the countdown to the end of the semester would begin. When the newness and excitement would wain and I'd be itching to make it through another semester of late nights filled with papers and reading, on top of a hectic work schedule. My stress level would start to rise, and I just couldn't wait to hit that finish line, blast through all my final papers and projects, and get that reward of my grades at the end. Somehow, still in tact.
I loved being a college kid, stress and all. I loved every moment of it, but I did always push myself to the next days/week/month/semester way too fast. It flew by me, and sometimes I didn't stop enough to really appreciate the greatest time of my life, because the stress was just too high some weeks to focus on anything else.
So here I am now, both longing for that feeling of gearing up for a new year at Canisius, but at the same time relieved that I don't have to deal with the stress of another academic year. Not right now anyway.
I'm gearing up for something totally new and exciting. I'm moving onto the next big step in my life in just 19 days, and I'm moving somewhere brand new to me. I'll once again pack up most of my life into my little red car, and drive westward toward another new beginning. This time though, I'll bypass the city I have grown to love so much for the last 4 years, and continue two hours more onto my new home for the next year at the Mount. It's going to be an emotional day, I know I'll probably cry more than once on that long car ride, as my thoughts race and I imagine what's in store for me, and I'm always sad to say by to my family and my pup at the end of another extended time home.
It's surreal to think that it's only 19 days away. The big move is almost staring me in the face. I'm excited, I'm scared, I'm nervous, and I'm not yet ready for my summer to be done. I pray the next 19 days take their time. As much as I'm sick of work, and can't wait until my last shift on the 16th, I also don't want to wish away these final days home with my family and my dogs.
I need to remind myself to slow down and enjoy the moment more often. It's something I'd like to work on in the coming months and year. I don't need to wish my time away, it's marching on fast enough on its own. Instead of watching the time pass, willing it to go just a little quicker to reach the end of the work day, or whatever, I need to watch everything else going on around me. Everyday is its own, and I need to savor that day, because no matter how good or bad a day, or an entire week might feel, I'll never get those moments back.
So here's my promise to myself to enjoy the coming days as much as possible, work included (haha!), and to stop focusing on that number of days left. I don't need to countdown the days, they're doing that for me on their own. My job is to just enjoy what they bring.
Peace,
Carrie
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