Advent, Christmas, Snow, the WHOLE Deal!

So it's going on three weeks since my last post. After posting each day of the month of November, I guess my brain was a little shot. I am working on some ideas for the new year because it's about time to shake things up.

After leaving the four weeks leading up to Christmas last year entirely to Advent, I cracked and put up the Christmas tree and other decorations this year on November 25th. It's just what I'm used to. And I was bored that day, and the football game wasn't being shown on television, and, well, what do you want me to say?? One year spent in a monastery couldn't change everything, you know. I did miss not being surrounded by everything, but it was nice to get a little Advent on my Saturday
nights.

I didn't make it home for Christmas day this year, but instead spent it with my Benedictine family. I enjoyed it very much, and it filled that spot in my heart that I know I would not be able to fill anywhere else, but I did miss my family back in my hometown. I will be visiting them this weekend. It makes for present suspense!

And the BEST thing happened on Christmas Eve just before the evening service at the Mount. SNOW! Unfortunately it all but disappeared by Christmas morning, but it was pretty while it lasted. Although, the day after Christmas brought at least 6 inches. I like snow. I missed it last year. Had tons of property around me to play in...hardly any snow. Go figure.

Some holiday baking. I did make cutouts, unfortunately there is no photographic evidence.

Our first real snow of the year! The steps, walkway, and sidewalk to the house were all shoveled twice since 5pm. You'd never know.

With the flash so you can see the amount of snow in the air!

Pushing Forward

The winter season at work has begun, Advent is here, and I am gearing up to return to my studies by entering graduate school shortly after the new year. It's a lot to take in all at once, but as I've said before, I always welcome change. Sometimes I am more prepared than at other times, but things always work out in their own way.

I think I mentioned before that my classroom dynamic was changing for the winter months. So from now through March I will have an interesting mix of ages and abilities, from discovering their voices and just learning to talk, to that wonderful world of potty training. All in one class. Yup. It's never boring, that's for sure.

The Advent season has begun again, and while I am not surrounded by it like I was last year, I still get my reflection fix Saturday nights with vigil. It's a nice way to center myself at the end of one week and just before the beginning of the next, and it helps me appreciate this time of year.

And last but not least, I am going back to school. After a year and a half away from the books, I'm ready to return and continue with my studies. I will be attending Case Western Reserve University's Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences in Cleveland to study for my Master of Science in Social Administration, which is a really wordy way of saying I am a graduate social work student. The best thing? I don't even have to move to Cleveland. I will be taking classes online. No less legit than sitting in the classroom, mind you. I am really excited and proud of myself. I know it will be a lot of hard work and dedication on my part, but I know I am capable of succeeding.



2 weeks left until Christmas! I should get going on my shopping...

11/30

November 30

I am thankful for a strong stomach. Most importantly because of my job. Pretty much nothing phases me: diapers, runny noses...nothing. It comes in handy, a lot.

Speaking of, I had a child get sick on me today...actually ON me. After which she proceeded to say "Sorry, lyssa. On you?" "Yes, sweetie, it got on me..."

Since November has come to an end, I will have to find something to keep me busy with my posts for the month of December. I'll think of something, I'm sure. Stay tuned.

11/29

November 29

I am thankful for the support of others. Whether it be professionally, personally, or whatever, I can always find the support I need in almost any situation. I am certainly blessed in that regard.

11/28

November 28

I am thankful for good health. I have a few health issues that I am on medication for and have been able to get under control, but nothing too serious. I try not to take it for granted. 

Someone help me become motivated to start cooking again, 'cause it's just not there. Eh...

11/27

November 27

I am thankful for new life, in all its forms. There have been quite a few new babies that have been born this past year to some of my co-workers. Every couple of months I meet a new little life, so innocent, so precious, and it makes me wonder what they will bring to this world. It also makes me want one of my own...but don't worry, I'm not that desperate. I can wait.

11/26

November 26

I am thankful for change. As hard as it may be at times, it's what keeps life interesting. Every couple of months I have a change in the children in my class, teachers I work with, my social life, etc. It keeps me on my toes.

11/25

November 25

I am thankful for my Benedictine family. I know I say this a lot, but I love them very much. It's the little things that make me tear up, and smile, and realize how important they are to me. Like getting a hug and hearing, "Our little ones returned home!", squeezing in a weekly hug and chat with a certain sister, or hearing "I love you. Thank you for being here." I mean something to them, and they certainly mean something to me. It's a very different relationship from the one I have with the family I grew up with, but no less meaningful.

So I caved and decided it was time to put up the Christmas decorations. I really like having the tree up for a few weeks, it's what I grew up with. But I promise, I will give Advent the attention it deserves :D

The tree! 7ft! There is a Christmas pickle in there somewhere. Can you find it? Also, do you know the story of the Christmas Pickle?? Click Here!

11/24

November 24

I am thankful for family time. I don't get to see them often, so when I do, it's nice to be able to enjoy hanging out together eating dinner, or even watching a movie.

11/23

November 23

I am thankful for good relationships. There are some that have just become better with time, and for that, I am so grateful.

11/22

November 22

I am thankful for good food, conversation, and most of all, family.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

11/21

November 21

I am thankful for innocence and wonder. I sat up at nap time this afternoon with my only East Coast child, because she only naps about an hour. She loves to play with my hair when it's down, have photo shoots with the classroom camera, lets me experiment with her hair, is interested in everything all of the time, and really has an awesome sense of humor for a 2 year old. Today was the last day for East Coast children until April, and I will really miss this funny little girl.

11/20

November 20

I am thankful for happy memories. While cleaning the house tonight I came across several cards and gifts from the apartment blessing we had. I found myself smiling as I went through all of them. I would give anything to have this apartment so full of people like that again. But as I was reminiscing, I could feel them all around.

11/19

November 19

I am thankful for the generosity of others. I have been on the receiving end of many gifts, most especially in the past year. And they have come in many forms. The more I receive, the more I want to give. I never feel entitled. I want others to feel the love I have felt. Pay it forward.

11/18

November 18

I am thankful for those in this world who care about all forms of life: plants, animals, humans, nature. When the world as a whole realizes we are all interconnected, and all life forms influence each other, maybe the conflicts that exist will begin to be resolved.

Now for some shameless advertising on my part:

RESCUE DOG!!! Erie, PA: Young female pit bull mix, possibly with shar-pei. 40-45 lbs. 2 years old max, believed to be spayed (scar on belly) and appears to be in good health. Non-aggressive, house broken, does not chew, very good temperament, very loving. Needs a good home. She is very high energy and would need someone who has the time, energy, and patience to work with her. But she learns quickly and would be an easily trainable dog. Unfortunately, the woman she is staying with cannot keep her because she travels frequently, and I am not able to take her. Otherwise, this sweet girl would already be mine.

11/17

November 17

I am thankful for new friends. It helps so much when you are new to an area and trying to branch out. New friends, new places, new experiences, new fun.

11/16

November 16

I am thankful for having the confidence to go for something I want in life. Sometimes you have to let things take their course, but other times you have to do your part. I have a couple of posters in my room that were given to me as gifts. I read them almost every day. Some of the messages? 

"Take personal responsibility"

"Commit yourself to constant improvement"

"Reach for the stars"

Sometimes, these words really sink in.

11/15

November 15

I am thankful for my toddlers. They teach me so many things about life, love, patience, gratitude, God, and future parenting. Sometimes, life's greatest teachers are those much younger than you.

Check out some previous posts on my other blog about my toddler adventures:

Toddler Top 10

and

Toddler Top 10 Part II

11/14

November 14

I am thankful for family. And not just those connected by blood. It extends far beyond the people I grew up with. Everyone I know has played a part in who I am today. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends near and far, and the sisters and oblates I've come to know over the past few years, especially this past year. They have believed in me, supported me, given me advice, listened when I needed it, and continue to be there today. Family, in all of its forms, is irreplaceable.

11/13

November 13

I am thankful for opportunity. Opportunity for jobs, school, anything. I received a petition email from change.org today asking for 15 year old activist Malala Yousafzai to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. It reminded me of opportunities I take for granted at times. Life is too precious, and opportunities should never be taken for granted, or wasted.

11/13/12 ~ First recorded snowfall. It was kind of pretty. But I know none of us will be saying that come January when there's slush and black ice all around, and your car is buried under 2 feet of snow...

11/12

November 12

I am thankful for having an open mind. There are things in my life that require this of me: my job, my friends, my beliefs, the career I'd like to pursue. None of this would be possible without that. It helps to make life more enjoyable for me.

Just over a week left in the regular season at work. I'll be losing a couple of my kiddos. I dealt with this last year, but this season I spent 8 months with them. Last year it was only 3. This year will be harder :(

11/11

November 11

I am thankful for my faith. It keeps me grounded when times are tough, and I don't know what to do. And it comes in handy on those Sundays when I don't make it to church. A few deep breaths, some quiet, and an open mind. It can take you far.

So I failed with my pumpkin cream cheese swirl bread yesterday. I was bummed, because I was really looking forward to it. I have to perfect my bread baking. Anyway, Carrie and I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies this afternoon. It made up for the disappointment yesterday.

11/10

November 10

I am thankful for resilience. Failure is not the end of the world. In fact, it only empowers me to keep trying.

"Once or twice, though you should fail, if you would at last prevail, try, try again"

~T.H. Palmer

Speaking of failure, I tried my hand at that pumpkin cream cheese swirl bread.

FAIL!!!

11/9

November 9

I am thankful for Fridays. I don't care how much you love your job, the weekend is always a welcome break. It's when I look forward to a clean house, crockpot meals, and the freedom to lay around or go wherever you want, whenever you want. 

Side note: after over a year of trying to find some good tasting pizza in this city, I'm starting to think it doesn't exist. I come from the chicken wing capital, so that's pretty hard to beat. But I found some wings that are comparable and actually very, very good. The pizza is a different story. I think I've tried like 8 different places, and none have impressed me. Locals here will probably have a different opinion, but come up to my neck of the woods. Trust me. We know how to do the pizza and wing combo :)

11/8

November 8

I am thankful for those that have taught me the value of a Thank You note. I opened one today, and a smile grew across my face and my eyes got a little teary. Sometimes the timing is just right.

I was going to bake some pumpkin cream cheese swirl bread tonight, but then I looked at the recipe again and it was going to take an hour to bake...and I was short one egg. Maybe that will be Saturday's project.

Also, who decided Thanksgiving doesn't exist and Christmas should begin before Halloween has even passed? I've been looking for Thanksgiving decorations for my front door and all I can find is Christmas stuff!! What the heck?!?!?!

Thankful

Ok, so I am seeing all of these statuses on Facebook where people post something that they are thankful for each day of the month of November. I guess it doesn't always have to be something that happened that particular day, at least I don't think so, but who really knows? Not I.

Anyway, I thought I might make the posts for this month a little more interesting and try writing about something or someone I am thankful for and post it each day. Now it is already November 7th so I have some catching up to do. So this post will contain November 1st-7th.

November 1

I am thankful for my parents. They loved each other enough to give me life and have loved me enough to continue to provide a good life for me. They have always supported me and continue to do so as I now enter adulthood, make mistakes, find myself, and carry on this crazy journey.

November 2

As this day was pay day, I am thankful, and oh, so very grateful for the very fact that I have a job. With so many in this country facing unemployment, many of those being people I graduated with just 17 months ago, I am well aware of what a blessing it is that I have a job at all, let alone one I enjoy waking up and going to each day.

November 3

I am thankful for good friends who get you home safely, and tuck you in with a cold bottle of water...and then offer to move your car for you the next morning so you can sleep in ;)

November 4

I am thankful for creativity. Nothing warms my heart more than creating something with your own two hands and heart for someone, and seeing them smile upon receiving it.

November 5

I am thankful for patience. While I mentioned above that I love my job, it does not mean it isn't stressful. Teaching 8 children between the ages of 18-24 months can make your head spin sometimes, but I have the patience for it. For that, I am extremely thankful.

November 6

I am thankful for having the freedom and the right to vote. Acknowledge it. Appreciate it. Use it.

November 7

 I am thankful for puppy snuggles. When you don't have a significant other, and you've had a long, tiring day, sometimes that's just what you need. Unconditional.Puppy.Love.

And right now, I am thankful for my big, comfy bed.

Slacking Somewhat

So, I've been slacking when it comes to my blog posts. In my defense, I really don't have that much going on that is interesting enough to write about. At least I don't think so. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'll start to write some things down every day and see what I have by the end of the week. Hopefully that will help with the lack of blog-worthy material...

In other news, I am now an oblate! My 3rd level of relationship with the Erie Benedictines. I now enter the ranks as one of the youngest, I believe. It's interesting to see how far I've come with my relationship with the sisters in 3 1/2 years.

Halloween is right around the corner, along with possible remnants of Hurricane Sandy, which should make for an interesting week. I have my costume for our classroom party at work. I'll be a giraffe, or a pink cheetah...whatever anyone thinks I look like. Tomorrow we're carving a pumpkin with my toddlers. Should be a messy endeavor, but also a lot of fun.

This week's yoga pose is (and forgive the outfit. It's my costume. It's fleece, it's cold in my house, and I'm too cheap to turn up the heat right now):

Triangle Pose

Hold for 5 breaths in and out, then switch direction

Benefits:

Opening of your chest, lungs and heart

Reassuring steadiness in your limbs

Conscious equilibrium of the mind and body

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

A Lot to Report

Ok, I'm back after two weeks. A pretty eventful two weeks.

Last weekend, our sisters fully broke in, and blessed, our new apartment. About 45 sisters, oblates, and family members were present and it was a great afternoon. The apartment feels a little more full and warm now. Check it out HERE!

We also have Carrie's dog Daisy at the apartment with us now. After a 2-month probationary period, we passed and went to pick her up after work on Friday. 24 hours later, we were back in Erie with her in tow. She's already made herself right at home. I don't think she had much trouble.

In health news, I'm still trying to stick to my new routine: Yoga and diet. This includes attempting to mostly cut out red meat...which will probably be harder than it seems. Now and then I can tolerate it, but I can live off of chicken, turkey, and fish just fine. Made some pretty awesome turkey burgers and tacos with ground turkey this week. Tasted just fine to me. 

In work related news: I have a completely new classroom full of toddlers now. There are 8 total, which means we are finally at capacity with less than two months left in the season. 8 little toddlers between 18 and 24 months. Quite a challenge, but who doesn't like one of those every now and then? Throw in a few monitorings and it makes for an interesting few weeks. Never boring, though.

This week's yoga pose is a breathing exercise:

Begin sitting with your legs crossed, arms and hands by your side.

As you breathe in, raise your arms above your head, hands together.

Breathe out and bring your arms and hands back down to your side.

 Do this for 5 breaths in and out. 

Benefits:

Centers mind, body, and spirit

Helps control breathing

Relieves stress

Living

Time is a wastin', and I'm getting old. Ok, maybe not really. But I came across a blog post on a site that I follow via Facebook and it was really intriguing to me. It's entitled "25 Things You Should Do Before You Turn 25."

Naturally, I clicked on it. It has some pretty cool, practical, and fun suggestions. There are a few that I can check off this list. But since I only have 16 months until I turn 25, I should probably get going on some of these. Namely numbers 1, 3, 7, 23, and 25. Regarding #1: if anyone is headed abroad before January 2014, can I tag along? Please?? I promise to pay my own way :)
(I'm only slightly kidding around here...)
25 Things You Should Do Before You Turn 25


This past week I did a 3-night stint at the Mount. It felt so wonderful to be there, but I don't know if it will end up helping me or hurting me in the end.



This week's yoga pose:

Goddess Warrior/Reverse Warrior

Hold for 5 breaths in and out

Benefits:

Opening in the ribs

Strengthens thighs

A Collage of Sorts

More baking adventures this past week. Banana muffins and apple turnovers. Both taste absolutely yummy. Take a look!

I'll be taking a break from baking for a little while. Too many sweet temptations in the house. Lucky for me I work in a building where there are plenty of mouths to feed :D



I was reminded this afternoon of my all-too-easily fading spirituality since leaving the mount 8 weeks ago. Being too overwhelmed with the move the first month was easy to understand and forgivable. Slacking the past 4 weeks is not an excuse nor is it something I'm proud of. I realize I will never be a morning person. If this past year's 5:45am daily alarm could not change that, nothing will, so meditating to start off my day might not ever happen. I will be trying something new starting tonight.

Along the same lines, I have been reading a book entitled "Fearing the Stigmata." Now, before your mind starts wandering in a billion different places trying to figure out what is meant by that title, this is a book written for young, 20-something to early 30's Catholics. The subtitle: "Humorously Holy Stories of a Young Catholic's Search for a Culturally Relevant Faith." It consists of a bunch of short stories and is an extremely easy read. It is written by a 28-year-old who was brought up in a pretty traditional Catholic family, so some of what the author writes about is a bit foreign to me. But most of it I can relate to in some way, like his chapter about publicly accepting your faith. How do you become comfortable with it when everyone around you that is your age seems to be slipping away? "A public faith life may bruise your head. It can embarrass you, challenge you, and create large amounts of anxiety or fear--on buses, in restaurants, along roads...This is even more difficult if you are twenty-seven and some of your friends look at you the way you looked at someone of a different faith. Yet, along with its bumps and bruises, toads and dirty looks, the key ingredients to having a public faith life still include generous heapings of joy and grace, love, wonder, and strength--the strength to sometimes do things you never thought you could do."
Check it out: "Fearing the Stigmata"



And now for this week's yoga pose:

 

High Lunge/Crescent Pose

Hold for 5 breaths in and out, then switch legs

Benefits:

Improved balance

If you're really looking for a challenge, try the tripod pose...

Just kidding! I mean, you can try if you'd like. I learned how to do this in gymnastics class when I was like...8.

On a New Kick

Most people who know me know I LOVE to bake. Brownies, cake, cupcakes...soon I will be trying my hand at apple turnovers. And yes, I know I just blogged about losing weight last week. I actually enjoy baking more for the creations I come up with for other people than for myself.

This time I decided to try to make rainbow cupcakes. Just a box of white cake mix and food coloring,

                                                         and VIOLA!

Rainbow cupcakes! 

They are sooo flippin' good! I also made vanilla buttercream frosting from scratch and dyed it purple, and tried to be all fancy with a pastry bag and tips. I think I need to perfect both the frosting and the decorating, however. But they still taste good. Here's to hoping the person they were made for thinks the same...

I also started to take some steps towards a healthier lifestyle within the last week. Carrie and I began taking some decently long walks last weekend. 6 miles at the penninsula last Sunday and yesterday, with some shorter 3 mile walks around our neighborhood during the week. I also bought a beginner yoga DVD and started that tonight. I'd love to take classes at a studio but, alas, I am still broke so a one time $12 fee for an at home session will have to do for now. I hope I keep up with it because I can feel the effects after only one time through, and I love how I feel after stretching. I'll post one yoga pose each week that you can try yourself if you'd like. Hopefully my form will improve with time!

Downward Facing Dog

Hold for 5 breaths in and out
Benefits:
Stronger hands, wrists, low-back, hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendon
Decrease in back pain
Decrease in tension and headaches
Deepened respiration
Decreased anxiety
Increased full-body circulation

Getting in Shape

How do I get rid of the 10 pounds I gained living at the Mount? That's a good question.

My problem? I hate working out. I don't run, I don't particularly enjoy riding my bike (which is still in the garage at the Mount anyway), I love rollerblading but it's difficult to find a smooth surface, and I strongly dislike the gym. I pretty much just complain and wish I was in shape instead of doing something about it. Gets me far, this I know...

I decided today I need to get motivated to do little things that will help and eventually add up to be big things. I took advantage of the beautiful weather and walked about 6 miles at the peninsula this afternoon. Loved it. The ice cream I stopped to get after the fact probably negated every bit of good the walk did, though. And that's where I fall short. Somehow I need to figure out how to get the physical part and the food to work together. I'm thinking of taking up yoga soon, too.

Sisters, I loved celebrating all of your birthdays and feast days this past year with cake, brownies, ice cream and other sweets. My midsection, not so much. My doctor wasn't exactly thrilled either.

Patient Trust

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything
     to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something
     unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
     that it is made by passing through
     some stages of instability—
     and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you;
     your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
     let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
     as though you could be today what time
     (that is to say, grace and circumstances
     acting on your own good will)
     will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit
     gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
     that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
     in suspense and incomplete.

—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ



I am patient with my kiddos, yet very impatient with life.
Funny how that works.

Post-Community Blues

The greatest adjustment that I've had to deal with the past 5 weeks is going from living with 60+ women to living with just one other person. I never really minded being alone all that much until I moved into the Mount last year and realized how much living in community really worked for me.

There's just something wonderful about it. You have the ability to experience peace, quiet, tranquility and balance, go for a walk, sit outside in the gardens, watch the deer and other wildlife in your own backyard, but you're still surrounded by so many women who always have your back, support you, and love you. It wasn't without its struggles, of course, but the rewards were well worth it for me. And no matter how hard I try, that feeling can never be replicated anywhere else.

There have been times since I've moved where I've honestly thought, "I hate this house. I hate it on my own." I'm not having fun, I'm not comfortable. I can enjoy moments here and there, but that doesn't change how I'm feeling inside.

I've been alone at the apartment this holiday weekend. I've done a lot of thinking, praying, crying. I'm trying to make sense of the emotions I've been feeling. It doesn't help that I don't have much of a social life yet. I'm rebuilding my life in a new city, despite the fact that I've lived here for a year already. It's one of those situations where I wish I could just snap my fingers and friends appear, a guy, a life outside of work. At 23, I feel so out of the loop. I hate it.

Bottom line, I don't know what any of these feelings mean. Probably that I'm human and difficult adjustments are normal.

But it still sucks.

Forever in Transition

Once again my work environment is in transition. I am "losing" four of the kids in my class as they are moving up to the oldest toddler classroom. I will still see them throughout the day, but I will certainly miss having them in my room. Three will be staying with us, and we gain two from the "waddlers." That brings us to a grand total of 5, for the moment.

In addition to the shift in children, there is also a change with the adults in our room. There will be a couple that are switching classrooms, and I will now be sharing lead teacher responsibilities with one other adult in my room. So everyone is in transition in one way or another. It never seems to stop, but then again, that always leaves something new to experience.

We finally broke in our apartment...and the dining room table...with some guests this past weekend. Aside from the weather making it feel like a sauna up here, I'd say it was a successful evening. Also, I received my first paycheck since June 2011 on Friday. I did a celebratory dance all the way to the bank...and then promptly paid my rent and utilities, which means I can't wait for the next one. :D

The Pain of Moving

Nothing has been more of a pain in the butt for me in the past 5 years than moving. Since graduating from high school, I have not lived in the same space for more than a year at a time. Granted, I have always had something new to look forward to, but things would just start to feel like home to me when I had to pack up and do it all over again. This move is number 8 for me since August of 2007.

I am not very good at labeling boxes or containers so that I know what is in them when I go through to unpack, so that's the #1 pain for me. I just stick things in whatever box it fits in. Then when I go to unpack, I have no clue where anything is. And then there's the thought that "oh, I might find that I need what's in this box at some point, so let's just leave it out in the open." Cue me running into it or tripping over it every time I went to get something out of the cupboard above it. And with stuff all over the place, it's kind of hard to feel comfortable and at home in your own house.

So this past weekend we finally dug into the rest of our boxes, taking out things that we know we will use, and leaving the rest in storage for now. Most of the boxes are now in the basement or up in the attic. We finally re-discovered the dining room table that was apparently in our place for the past two weeks... This place is finally starting to feel a little like home. But still, something feels like it's missing.



In other news, I have officially been living in Erie for one year now. I moved here August 20, 2011. It's so weird to think that a year has gone by so quickly. It just doesn't seem possible. But I am happy to call Erie my home :)

A New Beginning

So, it's been about two weeks since my last post as a Riepper, and quite a bit has occurred since then. I have since spent some time with my family, moved into my new place and have been back at work for a week now. Well, moved in, not unpacked. There is a distinct difference. It'll get there.

This new transition has been an adjustment, that's for sure. It's odd to go from living with 60+ women to living with just one other person, but it definitely has its perks. I like having my own place to decorate and re-arrange. It's fun to plan meals and cook for ourselves again, though I'm sure that will wear off after a while. I'll tell you what I didn't miss, however: hand-washing dishes 2-3 times each day. Yeah, no. Put me on a week-long dish team every 5-6 weeks any day.

This morning we made our way to the Mount for liturgy. It was our first time back in two weeks, and it reminded me of how much I really do miss being there. It did feel different, though. I know that I will always have a home there, but to have it set in that it's not where I physically live anymore was a bit of a shock to my system, and when I think about it, it still makes me tear up a little. It's not something you get over very easily right away. But as I've said before, living right around the corner and working for the sisters makes the transition a little easier for everyone involved.

So this new blog will be about my life post-Benedicta Riepp and beyond. I still have links to my other blog: One Year at the Mount, Carrie's blog: A Year in the Life, Sister Susan's blog: Light through Stained-Glass Windows, plus links to the Erie Benedictine's website and the Benedicta Riepp Program page on the sidebar of this blog, so check them out from time to time. I will do my best to keep this blog up with weekly happenings in my life, and I hope it's interesting enough!! For now, I leave you with some yummy food creations of the past week.

Cheese & wine. I'm well aware it's probably not the correct pairing of the two, but I don't care. It's cheese & wine.