Oh, did you know Kelli and Dan are dating? Yea, when we went up the the retreat, everybody kept asking me about it, but it's so normal now! I did tell you that Jake left, right? Oh well if I didn't, he did. And it was kinda crazy. Everything happened all at once, kelli and dan getting together and Jake leaving, but it was good. We got thrown into adjusting to the new dynamics of the household all at once instead of going through it twice. Anyway, everything is super here.
Our retreat was so awesome! Okay here's what happened: we went to Atlanta on the friday before and we went to a concert (Matt Nathanson and Howie Day, because I know you know so much about new artists!) and spent the night at one of Kelli's friends apartments. Best part: they have a hot tub!!! On the roof! It was sooooo cool, and the apartment is this huge place... It was fun. Okay, we left the next morning for Wilmington DE, and we got there at, what 11pm ish? And there was a spanish dance going on.They have a huge latin community there and it was a lot of fun. Both sites were there, because Philly and Wilmington are so close. It was soo great to see everybody! Oh, David, Hugh, and Sean say hey!!! (The novices) We spent the night and went to mass the next morning accross the street. Have you been in that church? GORGEOUS! I highly recommend checking out the inside.... It was great! Then we left for New York... We dropped a Philly girl off in Binghamton and cruised down 81 and 17 to get to Corning (like the plates!) where we spent a good part of the day with Kelli's college roommate and her family. It was great. Crazy Notre Dame family, 8 kids... and of those who have been to college, all have been to ND, and 2 of the younger ones were wearing ND shirts!!!! Lol... Then... we got the "the mountian"... and... it was EIGHTEEN DEGREES! It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. Beautifully clear night, the nice crunching sound when you walk through leaves, no snow though. The mountain is so far away from anything... or it seems that way.... its a few minutes from Cuba, NY where they have a rather nice cheese shop actually. But you go hiking through the trails and you just seem so far away from "real life." And, when I was out on one of the farther trails, a deer bounded out across my path and into the woods. She had been chilling in a little ravine and I think she heard my singing and I scared her off! But she was so beautiful. Well I was way freaked out at first and, well, terrified! But then I was like, how cool! And of course, had to thank God for the blessing. How franciscan! lol!
Leaving the mountian was sad, I wanted to stay for longer. Because of the peaceful stillness, the separation from the real world, and to be with all the other FVMs, of course! But well, we had to go because it was snowing like mad and we didn't really wanna get snowed in!!!! Yesssss! Snow!!!! But lots of it (for a southern girl like me! (akk, I can't believe I just said that!!!)) and we said good bye to the friars (there are four who live on the mountian, working the retreat center) and made plans to over take the nearest gas station and eat it out of house and home.
Several hours later, we could be found in Philly. Not doing a whole lot, actually. Just chilling. It was nice to be with everybody else. The next day, we all worked at the Inn! Yay! It was great! I was a server, much like a waitress. You really sorta wait your tables. It was great. One of my guys kept falling asleep while eating. I think he was a heroine junkie. I think heroine is the one that makes you fall asleep... I'm not sure... They were all so nice and polite. I had a short conversation with this one big mexican man, and he told me in broken english that I was nice and beautiful. (what's new?) It was sweet. They were all very grateful. It was a wonderful experience!
Anyway, now we are home. Oh, today there was a luncheon for free clinic volunteers! I won a beautiful flower arangement center piece and a body wash and lotion set! Yay! And tonight, Dan, Kelli, and I turned the guest room into a chapel, but we left the bed in there because it'll probably be useful. We're going to make a bunch of pillows that'll make it look more like a couch for when it's simply the chapel. We bought a yard and a half of two pretty calicos, a green and a purple. I put an open bible and five purple tealights and the purple fabric on what used to be a tv stand I think, and the flower arangement and the green fabric on the desk. We hung up pictures and we're going to make an intention wall. It's really cool. I can't wait until it's done.
Our retreat was so awesome! Okay here's what happened: we went to Atlanta on the friday before and we went to a concert (Matt Nathanson and Howie Day, because I know you know so much about new artists!) and spent the night at one of Kelli's friends apartments. Best part: they have a hot tub!!! On the roof! It was sooooo cool, and the apartment is this huge place... It was fun. Okay, we left the next morning for Wilmington DE, and we got there at, what 11pm ish? And there was a spanish dance going on.They have a huge latin community there and it was a lot of fun. Both sites were there, because Philly and Wilmington are so close. It was soo great to see everybody! Oh, David, Hugh, and Sean say hey!!! (The novices) We spent the night and went to mass the next morning accross the street. Have you been in that church? GORGEOUS! I highly recommend checking out the inside.... It was great! Then we left for New York... We dropped a Philly girl off in Binghamton and cruised down 81 and 17 to get to Corning (like the plates!) where we spent a good part of the day with Kelli's college roommate and her family. It was great. Crazy Notre Dame family, 8 kids... and of those who have been to college, all have been to ND, and 2 of the younger ones were wearing ND shirts!!!! Lol... Then... we got the "the mountian"... and... it was EIGHTEEN DEGREES! It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. Beautifully clear night, the nice crunching sound when you walk through leaves, no snow though. The mountain is so far away from anything... or it seems that way.... its a few minutes from Cuba, NY where they have a rather nice cheese shop actually. But you go hiking through the trails and you just seem so far away from "real life." And, when I was out on one of the farther trails, a deer bounded out across my path and into the woods. She had been chilling in a little ravine and I think she heard my singing and I scared her off! But she was so beautiful. Well I was way freaked out at first and, well, terrified! But then I was like, how cool! And of course, had to thank God for the blessing. How franciscan! lol!
Leaving the mountian was sad, I wanted to stay for longer. Because of the peaceful stillness, the separation from the real world, and to be with all the other FVMs, of course! But well, we had to go because it was snowing like mad and we didn't really wanna get snowed in!!!! Yesssss! Snow!!!! But lots of it (for a southern girl like me! (akk, I can't believe I just said that!!!)) and we said good bye to the friars (there are four who live on the mountian, working the retreat center) and made plans to over take the nearest gas station and eat it out of house and home.
Several hours later, we could be found in Philly. Not doing a whole lot, actually. Just chilling. It was nice to be with everybody else. The next day, we all worked at the Inn! Yay! It was great! I was a server, much like a waitress. You really sorta wait your tables. It was great. One of my guys kept falling asleep while eating. I think he was a heroine junkie. I think heroine is the one that makes you fall asleep... I'm not sure... They were all so nice and polite. I had a short conversation with this one big mexican man, and he told me in broken english that I was nice and beautiful. (what's new?) It was sweet. They were all very grateful. It was a wonderful experience!
Anyway, now we are home. Oh, today there was a luncheon for free clinic volunteers! I won a beautiful flower arangement center piece and a body wash and lotion set! Yay! And tonight, Dan, Kelli, and I turned the guest room into a chapel, but we left the bed in there because it'll probably be useful. We're going to make a bunch of pillows that'll make it look more like a couch for when it's simply the chapel. We bought a yard and a half of two pretty calicos, a green and a purple. I put an open bible and five purple tealights and the purple fabric on what used to be a tv stand I think, and the flower arangement and the green fabric on the desk. We hung up pictures and we're going to make an intention wall. It's really cool. I can't wait until it's done.
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