Random Thoughts and Ramblings

Time: 11:18
Location: dorm room
State of Mind: somewhat (read:completely) out of it
Why? finals are over!!!!  and therefore I am tired, braindead, and ready to sleeeep.
Looking forward to: sleep. (see a trend?) And home-cooked meals.  And seeing friends and family at home.
Best thing(s) that happened this past week: (1) Stasia and Grace made me half-birthday signs for my door, since I won't be in school for my actual birthday =) (Thanks to the Bunker!) and I got an A on my Biblical Studies paper! Huzzah!

What do the next couple days look like? tomorrow will be completely full of graphic design, and Thursday will be completely full of packing, and Friday will be completely full of packing and Liturgy Committee end-of-year stuff.

Wait.  Finals are over.  Why am I working on design still? Because it's not due 'till Thursday and we don't have a test in that class.

I'll try to post my designs after I turn them in, so that you can get an idea of what I'm doing =)
xoxo,

AAAAAHHHHHH.....

.....aaahhhhhhh!!!!!!

Guys, it's officially official.

I'm going to Austria in January.

Do you realize how exciting/terrifying/mind-blowing/crazy this is?  In 2 months and 14 days, I'll be in Austria.  For 4 months.  Europe: France.  Germany.  Belgium.  Ireland. Spain?  Portugal?  England? It's all possible.  Probable, actually.

The plane-ticket-buying procedure was a bit frustrating.  Since I'll be making a domestic flight to meet up with some friends (shout out to Stasia and Grace!), I had to book that separately from the flight overseas, so there was a bit of time coordination to do.  It's done.

This will really be the adventure of a lifetime.  I'll be in a foreign country, studying, traveling, seeing things I've never seen, going places I've only read about, eating foods that I can't pronounce the names of, and meeting new friends.

I've chosen my classes.
I've booked my flight.
Now, I just have to wait.
xoxo,

Saturday's Silly Saying

Amusing conversation of the week:

Stasia: "We could never take you and Evelyn camping."
Me: "I lived in an RV for the summer and didn't shower for a week; I think I could handle camping."
Evelyn: "We had a pet scorpion, I can handle camping!"

Stasia and I: "How on earth does that follow?!?!?"

xoxo,

like birds upon the dawn arising

This last week has been a week of beauty.

Beauty comes from liturgy committee; those people who I am able to serve with, who all have our Lord as the center of their lives and love helping others worship Him in the Mass.

Beauty is seen in reading blogs.  Blogs that emanate God's love and joy.

Beauty is a multitude of conversations with friends: Robyn, who I've known since Kindergarten; Stasia, an amazing friend here at school; Evie, my ever-insightful roommate; Patrick, who I hadn't gotten to really have a discussion with in a long time; Josh, who's got amazing views of so many things; Mario, who is just fun to talk to and makes me smile.

Beauty is found in the women at Lord's Day, singing praise and worship and sharing their joys of the week with each other.

There is even beauty in swing dancing for 2 hours straight 'till you're sweating, and sloshing through rain that's so heavy that your umbrella does absolutely no good.

These are the weeks that I just have to laugh and think, God is just so present in our lives!

God is there in so many seemingly everyday activities- long late-night walks, dinners in the caf, classes, and homework readings.

I have been struck at the number of relevant articles and such that I've been seeing lately.  Relevant to my life, that is.  Things that I've been struggling with or questioning, I've just run across these things to read and have said "Ok, God, I get it.  I need to work on this.  Thanks."  And then I'll read it and 6 hours later (no, more like 2) he'll throw something else in front of me that I need to hear/read.  People say that God never interacts with us?  I challenge that.  I challenge it from the depths of my soul.

Go now.  Live out the beauty that's surrounding you.  Be aware of God's presence in the minute, seemingly insignificant moments of your life.  And share your joy with others.  For it is through others that we can truly know God's love.

xoxo,