I have seen the light.

Last night in mass I was focused on many things that I needed to get done before the week started and in how I have grown in the past year. Lots has happened and I won't bore you with all of it, yet the main thing is my growth with my faith. Many of you know I follow blogs, these families are all grounded by faith and every once an awhile their ground gets shaken but the pieces make it back together.

When Fr. Jerry passed away when I was in SC last May, I felt my ground shaken and broken in many pieces. I never went to mass during the summer except for the one time Cindy and Sarah were visiting, and that was difficult to sit in the gym with many people I have become close with and think that they did not have the privilege to know the one man I had always know that represented the Catholic faith for me. I have mentioned time and again how much Fr. Jerry means to my family, at 5 years old he came and did my Poppa's funeral. (Poppa's birthday is tomorrow. I miss not getting to know him like I should have been able to.) And just like Fr. Jerry, my Poppa's life was taken by the beast of cancer. At 7, Fr. Jerry Baptized me, at 8 he gave me my 1st Communion, at 10 he walked me through Reconciliation and at 16 he was there when my dad became Catholic and when I went through Confirmation.

While my ground was shaken and broken into many pieces I was looking for something to make me continue my beliefs and head back to church. And while I was only not attending mass for 10 weeks or so, I was pulled away from my faith. I had to figure out how to work my pieces back together and make my life one that I wanted with my faith included. St. Luke University Parish did that for me. When Fall semester started back again, I was eager to get back to the church. I saw it as a way to start the year off on the right foot. I was being guided by someone or maybe many.

I can remember one mass in the Fall that I could not stop thinking about Fr. Jerry. I let the pain fall and make my ground uneasy, but after, worked to piece my ground back together.

As I get working on the Relay for Life at GVSU, I am thinking more and more about the loved ones I have lost to the beast of cancer especially Fr. Jerry and Poppa. While I am still piecing my ground back together, I realize I owe a lot to St. Luke University Parish. Without them present in Allendale and on campus I am not so sure where I would be with my faith.

St. John Vianney has almost made it a whole year without Fr. Jerry, it has been a bumpy road but one that our God is leading us each down. For me, it is to become part of this new parish community in Western Michigan. I will always have strong connections to my home parish, but for now St. Luke's is helping me see the light that many others saw. While some others may be waiting for their aa-ah moment I think I have found mine this weekend, to see the light that God does have a plan for each and everyone of us to overcome all the challenges that disrupt our ground and to find it in some way to piece it all back together

More Joy for the Journey

I had to break out my little book of faith last weekend. I needed a pick me up. I was having a hard time adjusting back into school life. And this week I have finally felt at peace with my new schedule and what I am completing. I have all my homework done...well most of it except readings. But I have all my homework done for tomorrow and even a project written out that is due on February 3rd. (Look for my Math Curse soon!) I'm enjoying all my classes, work shopping in my SST Methods class, and loving my Math class. Enjoying my friends company and LOVING work for the most part, and especially missing it when I'm not there. But there was some frustration and uneasy feelings at the beginning about this new semester. Not really sure about what or why, but my schedule was very different from last semester and adjustment was hard this time around. Which is weird for a 3rd year Junior student to say.

There are a ton of new exciting things are happening this semester. We have a bus in the Admissions office. I am loving all my new classes. I am so close to making  my dreams come true. I'm trying to take some awesome pictures but I have failed horribly on the 365. Maybe next year..but then it will be 366! uh-oh. I'm still going to post some cool pictures I take. I have some awesome ideas in my head and just need to get out my camera and take the shots.

My 2nd graders and our new worship space has kept my excitement going. I love seeing all the new experiences in their eyes. We had a great discussion about the 10 Commandments this last week and I can see them growing in their faith each and every week. They make me remember about all my experiences in the church which brings me back to Fr. Jerry. I owe a lot to St. Luke's, without mass every week or the gift to be able to teach the young people of the church I am not sure who I would be today.

I have come to realize that little things make my days ten times better. My I am Grand Valley nomination from Jesi Parker the GA in the office made me smile. The time in SST with Laura and then working on homework with her Kristen. The hour break I get to spend with Michelle every Wednesday. The phone calls from Bananas (Mary). Sharing work with Constance. And shopping with Morgan of course makes each difficult day more joyful.

More Joy for the Journey is the book that I have turned to this week. I received it as a graduation gift from Kim and Kyle. The small book makes each conflict seem reachable.

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing 

that the testing of you faith produces patience

-James 1:2

Day 13- Oh Friends....

So when Rachel wanted to move furniture, this is what Michelle did and I took pictures.

(Now hopefully Michelle won't kill me for updating this..lol)

Day 12- Girl Scout Friends

After so many years in scouts together we still try to find sometime to get together and catch up over Christmas Break. 

That's what Girl Scouts does to you!

Day 11

Day 10

Day 10- For 2 little cuties, who will most likely want to keep their little piggies warm with all the snow they got.

Day 9

Edited in Picasa

or

Straight off my Kodak.

You choose your liking.

Day 8--Packing and 5 Minute Furniture

Day 8, man its been one long day. Packing and unpacking, putting together furniture and watching a movie. And to say that the unpacking is only half done is an understatement, I mean look at the piles I had going at home.

This was the Christmas and Birthday gift pile. It kinda expanded with anything I bought throughout the break and did not want to take downstairs.

and then there was the luggage pile. This was mostly Rachael's pile. Mine was building bigger in the kitchen. Lets just say it was a good thing no one came back with us, we would have had no room.

Back at school around 12 am, Rachel and I decided we were up to putting together some furniture. With our experiences with the last pieces we did, we were ready for an hour on each piece. Lets just say we had college proof furniture, 5 minutes for each piece. Thats the best kind of furniture.

The 5 minute IKEA table. 

The 5 Minute desk chair. (Ask Rachel how her part went, she couldn't figure out the easiest part of the chair. lol)

Day 7--Memorabilia

While I should be packing and sewing. But instead I am checking out all the fun things in my basement and cleaning it to some sorts.

Three Christmas's ago my dad and I decided to make the wall on her workroom dedicated to our Detroit Tigers Memorabilia. The orange border is even 6 inches for Al Kaline's number. There is a lot of cool things we have and this picture does not show it all. But my dad got a score board that keeps the time and the temperature of the basement, and many other pictures of players. We have a popcorn tin from when we sat in the Pepsi Suite and even dad's old baseball cards hang on the sidewall. We have decided we need to expand the wall, we have too much stuff for such a small area, but I have to say this is the best wall in the house!

Comerica, I have been there too many times to count. I love the energy and the smells. Baseball is the best season. Dad got this picture for his 50th birthday. Probably one of the coolest things on the wall. 

Day 6-Are you Bananas?

Day 6 of 2011 I spent with Mary and Amy. After a close encounter with a tree, Mary joined Amy and I to head to Oakland and lunch in the village. Delicious sandwiches and soup to make the cold wintery day warm. Then we were off to Amy's dr. appointment, but before that we made a quick stop at Panera to warm ourselves back up. While Mary and I waited for Amy, the whole hour, we played 2 games of Bananagrams. (one of which we never finished...actually we never finished either.) While this game seems like Scrabble in a bag, it is so much fun. Ask anyone who has played with me. It was for sure worth the $15, plus its very portable all you need is a banana.

PS this is my words. I was very excited about Fatigued and Beehives

Day 4 and 5!

Day 4- The Christmas Aftermath! It's so sad to see the holidays have come and gone. I love the glitter and lights and love that comes with each Christmas season. I can not believe that it is over. And its really over in my house. All the decorations are down the excitement is over and the new semester starts in less than a week. 

Day 5- Chilis and Shopping with Mary

Last Wednesday home for awhile Mary and I hit our favorite place to eat and treated ourselves to Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers! And so much more. Shopped for some pens....kill me. Apparently pen choices are life choices. This picture pretty much sums up our relationship. Bananas!

Day 3- New Machine means New Creations

Finally pulled out my new Brother Sewing Machine tonight. LOVE IT! I have fixed my 3 cousins slippers that needed to be made bigger, finished some pj pants I gave to Morgan last Christmas, fixed a couple pairs of my pj pants and sewed something new for me! Maybe my sleeping in until 12:45 today means I'll be up all night sewing, probably not though.

Till Later!

Day 2--Money Maker

For me scratch offs have always been bad. I never win anything while I family wins everything. Except for this year--I won $18 on 3 tickets on Christmas Day. My family won nothing. So today at the Girl Scout lunch Mrs. Joy passes out scratch offs and I was determined to win again. I did! Add another $1 to my total.

Here is Marissa scratching off her winnings, she was the only other one to win a $1 also. I think the chop sticks were good luck. (Then of course there is my creepy looking sister in the background.)


Till Later!

Project 365- Day 1

I have been thinking and reading many blogs that do Project 365, taking a picture each day. This year I think I want to take on the challenge, while this may become a huge defeat I am willing to try.

January 1st- New Years Eve Party just after the ball dropped and 2011 began.


Rachael, Courtney and Leah. High School friends, 2 at GV and 1 home. All 3 grown up ready to take on the world...well maybe not all the time but most of the time. (Doesn't Rae look like Waldo?)





Day 1 complete!

Looking forward to taking on this challenge!