turned all 'round

It's so hard to believe that it's already been two weeks since school started, and three weeks since I arrived back on campus.  I honestly really love it here, and when I call Steubenville my "second home", I mean it 100%.

I have been blessed with some amazing friends who help me in so many ways.  Every time I'm having a bad day or a hard time with something, they're there.  They're definitely up there on my "most thankful for list".  (another list. yup.  I'm into lists.) 

I've gotta say, my perspectives on so many things have changed since this summer.  Not just perspectives, but habits and daily activities.  I drink a lot more water, I eat trail mix like it's going out of style, I have no qualms about doing dishes in the dorm bathroom sink, and if my cell phone goes out of service for an hour, I may not even notice.  I wake up a heck of a lot faster, and when I go to bed, I crash (2:30 am fire alarm? didn't phase me).  I value conversations with friends and correspondence with family more.  I find myself "dropping in" to the chapel at random times, and I lovelovelovelove adoration (I missed that this summer!)  I pray the divine office every morning and evening.  My views of dating, dorm "visitation hours", and kneeling to receive communion have all changed, whether slightly or drastically.  And oh, walking the hills across campus?  No biggie.

Still, it's hard to tell what all the ways I've changed are.  Is it possible to see all the fruits from an entire summer in just 4 short weeks after completing the journey?  I can wholeheartedly say that this summer changed me, yet I can't say exactly how.  I can just feel, sense, a change, for the better.  Even two of my friends said to me, "You're different!" "How?" I asked.  "We don't exactly know.  But you're different, and it's a really good kind of different."

As I move on from this summer, I'll look back often and see all the good that happened.  I'll even revisit those difficult days, because I know they helped form me.  Hopefully, I'll be able to see someday how Crossroads made me who I am today.

But for now, I'm just gonna trust that God will reveal it all, in His perfect timing.

Montana:Revisited

People keep asking me what my favorite state was, and I have to say Montana.  I could never live there- I'm definitely a city girl- but the skies were phenomenal!  

windshield sunset

Mario's amazing photo-taking skills... yes, this was posed, but I still love it!

the road goes ever on and on

This is the Cathedral of St. Helen in Helena, MT.  We were blessed to be able to attend Mass here 3 mornings, and boy oh boy, was it gorgeous!

Is it not apparent that there IS a God, and that He is oh-so-good?  How could all this beauty have happened by chance?

Never thought I'd be the one....

Two months ago, if you had told me that I'd be "that person" sitting in McDonalds with a Frappe and a computer, enthusiastically typing away, I never would have believed you.

Yet, here I sit.

I have decided that typing blog posts on my phone is totally not worth it, because of the number of typos, so alas, you must wait until I have opportunities such as this one to take advantage of free Wi-Fi. Thankfully, today's night local (aka, Walmart) is a 1 minute walk from McD's.

I also never thought I'd be ok with seeing roadkill so close and personal.  Like, 1 foot away.

And yet I am.

I never thought I would wash dishes with water from a spigot 2 feet off the ground.
That I'd drain pasta in a parking lot.
That I would drive an RV before I drove a 8-seater van.
Be ok with popping blisters.
Eat the same lunch 5 days in a row.
Beg for money at Masses.
Accept cookies from people I've never met.
Go to Walmart at 2:30 in the morning.
Sleep overnight in a Walmart parking lot.
Shop at Walmart multiple times a day, 4 days in a row.

(are we seeing a Walmart trend here?  We are of the opinion that Walmart should sponsor Crossroads.  We go there enough!)

We are a walking advertisement (haha, no pun intended) for Walmart, iPhone, and Chrysler.  Except now we have a Dodge van, so that doesn't really work anymore.

Basically, Crossroads has made me go sooo far outside my comfort zone!  On this journey, I have done oodles of things that I never would have done before.  And honestly, I needed to break out of my box.

Consider the box broken.
xoxo,

PS- say a prayer for us- only 1 month left!
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What is Crossroads, really?

First off, I want to welcome all those of you who are just joining me on my blog. Thank you for all of your support for my walk this summer.... It means more to me than you could possibly imagine.

(This is my first time posting from my phone, so please forgive any funny or strange spelling or grammar errors :D)

So, I know many of you have been wondering some of the details about my walk- how long I walk, where I sleep, how I eat, and how many people will be traveling with me. I'm hoping this post will help clear up some if the confusion!

Crossroads was founded 17 years ago by a Franciscan University student. Since then, it has grown exponentially. This year, there will be a total of 6 groups walking- 4 in the states, one in Canada, and one in Ireland.

On my walk, the northern route, there will be 12 walkers. We walk from Seattle Washington to Washington DC. We have an RV and a van with us- the RV is where we will typically sleep, and the van serves as the "support vehicle" for those who are walking. The van will stay within 5 miles of the walkers in case they need anything. In general, we will do our own cooking, but there will also be times that we will eat with host families or at parishes.

While it is my shift to walk, I'll walk with some if my teammates for five miles (give or take) and meet the van. At that point, 2-3 other walkers will walk for 5 miles and I will ride ahead to their destination (which will be about 5 miles ahead).
(this is one of the most difficult things that I have ever tried to explain... Someone please let me know in the comments if that was unclear!)

As I write this, I'm actually in the air over Olympia Washington, and we're due to land in around 10 minutes. I don't think anyone can really understand how excited I am!!