School Days

 

Back at Franciscan for my second year of Spiritual Direction School. 

It has been such a wonderful week and a half! I can't believe it is almost over all ready!

We are learning how to take a person through the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. It's a lot to take in, but the Lord is really stretching me and making space. I have learned so much in the classes and even more in prayer! Jesus is so good. I came here with so many questions and needs, and He has healed so much in me! I am so grateful! 

I have also been reunited with so many friends from last year. So many very special people. Salia, from Gig Harbor who is a dear sister in Christ, and Robin, from North Carolina, and all the "walkers" who get together each night to walk around the campus after sitting in class all day. Kathleen, and Patty, who I am getting to know even better. Amy, and then there are the people who are teaching us! 

I am excited to get home and get back to my directees! This is such a gift!

Ordination Sunday

  Yesterday Paul and I were able to go down to Silver Spring to attend a reception for a brand new priest, Fr Jerry Andrews! This day has been so long awaited by his family and friends. 

I got to hang out with this handsome fella as well...what a treat!

Time Flies....

 This week has just flown by! Wednesday I had two Spiritual Direction appointments and then I went to get some things at the Grocery store, trying to get ahead of the shopping that I need for my trip to Ohio. Good thing there is a Walmart there because it is impossible to know what we'll need this year. 

Paul is in Texas visiting Madi and since they are close to Austin he an Madi went up to Laura's for dinner. The had a great time. Paul really enjoys the kids. Madi too. The kids absolutely love them! 

It has been pretty hot here so I haven't been taking Cora walking for the past couple of days. She just has to make do with her yard. 

Yesterday I worked on pulling a few things out of storage for the trip, did laundry, and finished up most of the reading that I needed to do for the course. I am as prepared as I can be, but I have no idea what's in store this year. Jesus always has a surprise or two for me when I do one of these things. I have so much to take to prayer. So much discernment. I really hope that I come home with a few things settled in my heart. 

Today I read at Mass. The first reading was one of those with a lot of long names. I tried. Hope I didn't insult anyone with my pronunciation. 

Well, I am going to get a bit more done before I let myself sit down.

Problem?

 

I have so many questions.....

Tuesday, Tuesday

 Woke up to rain, rumbles of thunder and a message from Lilly that the storm was so bad where they were that the teachers were calling out and that she probably shouldn't go to school. Oh well, last few days of school anyway. I managed to brave the storm to make it to Mass. 

Sounds like Ivy is probably sold. She has got some talent so I think she will make her new rider happy.

Lilly will spend this summer with this guy, Ghost. He is a gentleman in the way that geldings often are. I hope they have a lot of fun!

I trimmed Cora this afternoon and got her nice and short for the time that I am gone so that Tim doesn't need to worry about her. I still have some work to do on her face and she needs a bath tomorrow. She won't love that. I'll get some pictures when I get her all done.

We went for a lovely walk downtown this evening. It was so nice out. The carnival is down at the park right now. 

St Anthony

 

A nice Monday! The weather is beautiful and it's the feast of St Anthony! St Anthony and Brendan have been very tight in past years and I have a lot of love for him myself. Fr Abrams gave a wonderful homily at Mass this morning. 

Bible study was very nice. We are halfway through Ephesians! Such good conversation too!

Paul is in Texas with Madi. I hope they have a wonderful week. 

I am finishing up my reading for my Spiritual Direction course. I leave on Sunday. I have one more Supervision session with Fr Henry and then I have another meeting with a directee on Wednesday. I am a little nervous, as I always am before I go to a course. Not nervous about the content, just about being ready for what God is going to pour out. He always gives so much that it's a little like drinking from a fire hose. I want to be so present that I get everything that He want's me to have. I worry that I won't be able to keep up with His gifts! I am always so graciously gifted during those times though! He always holds me and gives me exactly what He knows that I need. And He gives me the capacity to receive it. I do know that ol' red legs is going to ramp up the trouble this week though. I just have to stay in prayer and not listen to him.

The day ended with American Ninja Warrior! 

Sunday

 Went to Mass last night so we are home today. This morning we watched the Formula One race in Azerbaijan. Max Verstappen won! He didn't have to compete with either of the Ferrari drivers though because both of their cars punked out. It was raining when we got up, but it dried out and now Tim is mowing. 

Paul is heading for Texas in the morning. He worked today, and has to fly out at 6:30! I guess Tim will take him to the airport around 4:00. 

I have been working on Grandma Maggie's logs today. So much family information. I love thinking back to the days of these logs. I look forward to adding the entries to the blog and then adding pictures. 

I don't know if or when we will move to Tennessee, but if we do I want to do a good job of documenting that time in our lives. Grandma sure did with many of the years of their lives.

Well, I took Cora for a very long walk! All the way to Bayview and back, and she's still going! I can't believe her energy! Maybe we can take a hike this week. I think she would enjoy that. 

So Maryland!

 I got home on Monday evening, after a two day drive home with Cora. It was a nice drive actually. I was glad to get home though because Wednesday was Tim's birthday and I had a big surprise for him! A 110 pound surprise! I had gotten a tip from Laura on a family that makes statues in their backyard in Dallas. I saw a picture of a beautiful statue that I thought Tim would love. I called the guy who sells them and he said that I could come by on my way home. I found them in a trailer park not too far off I35, and the guy moved the Holy Family out to my car. I hadn't really thought about how heavy that concrete statue was going to be, and how, once it was in my car, I would be unable to move it myself. I let the guy lay it on the back seat, and headed for Nashville. As I was driving I was thinking that maybe this wasn't the safest place for something that large, but I wasn't sure how to move it to the back. I decided that I would figure it out when I got to the hotel. The next morning I thought that I would look for someone who could lift it and move it for me. There were lots of guys from construction companies and such staying at the hotel. I knew that since God helped me find the statue, He would help me find someone to help me move it. I walked out into the parking lot, and there I saw a guy sitting on the curb next to his truck and work trailer. He looked pretty strong, so I asked him if he would do me a favor, and offered to pay him. He said sure. So I opened up the car and he picked up the statue like it was a stuffed animal. He set in in the back, and declined the money that I offered. I thanked him very enthusiastically, and then after he had gone back to sit down I went back over to him and I asked him his first name. He said "Bruce". I said "Well, Bruce, you're my angel today, so I am going to pray for you." He said that was just what he needed. I have been praying for him ever since. 

And this is the statue:

Yesterday Celeste and Rick invited us out on their boat for a little cruise on the bay. 

Tim was unable to go, but I went and we had a wonderful time!

The weather was just perfect, not too hot, and just a little breeze.

We headed out to Battery Island, my first time out there. 

We got off the boat and Celeste and Ricky and I walked all the way around the island. Then the guys got out the fishing poles and, using Royal Farms chicken as bait, 

they caught three fish in about 15 minutes! They let the first two go, but the third one was a keeper. A nice fat catfish!

 After securing him in the water tank we headed back into the marina. It was a beautiful evening! The sailboats were all out on the river and we were so grateful! 

To Texas!!

 So I made a very uncharacteristically quick decision to make a trip to Texas!

I had been thinking about how expensive gas has been getting and I have been wanting to come down and see everybody so much! Laura's birthday was coming up and I decided to come down for her birthday! 

I packed up Cora and myself and left on Friday the 27th and drove to Holloway, TN. I stayed in a rather sad little place, with very friendly, sweet people. It is very much a truck stop, and it wasn't fancy, but it was clean and they took dogs. 

I got back on the road and made it to Kyle by 9:00. Laura and Andrew weren't here. They were in Savannah, GA on vacation and the kids were with Sue, Andrew's mom. Courtney let us in and we went to bed! 

The next day I went to Mass and then came back to wait for the kids! They had no idea that I was coming, so it was really fun to surprise them! 

The next day we went shopping and put together a party for Laura. We bought an ice cream cake and streamers and decorations. The kids picked out presents. It was so much fun to surprise her when they got home. We had such a good time. 

The rest of the week was getting the kids into a Summer routine. Lucy is taking classes at the community college and Max and Miles are taking Jujitsu. They have to get to their activities and Molly is going to PT for her knee. We did a bunch of projects!

Laura's Lego Bonsai!

Wednesday Laura and Courtney and I went to dinner and then to see the last "Downton Abbey" Movie. Wow. It was really good. Now I want to watch all the seasons again. 

Thursday night we watched the first Top Gun with the older girls. That was a blast from the past. I have never seen it anywhere but in a theater. 

In between we have been scanning lots and lots of family documents and pictures. We also worked on a puzzle that I helped to start and Laura finished. Tonight!

We found a place that is selling Tiny Houses and I really think this could be a great idea for dad! I want him to see them.

Today we went to the pool at Sue and Paul's and the kids swam like crazy! Cora went along and had a nice time sitting in the shade. Claire was very enthustically, "catwalking our faces off". The beginning of her modeling career I guess. 

We went to Mass tonight and I came home and finished packing up the car. Have to head back in the morning! 

I did promise Lucy that I would get back to the piano. I will have to do that when I get back.