I AM AN INTENT TO HOUSEHOLD!!
--1-- Well, this was a pretty amazing week.... I'll write about it more tomorrow, but for now, suffice it to say that ... I AM AN INTENT TO HOUSEHOLD!! --2-- I did end up baking these cookies last week. They disappeared pretty quickly, and everyone who had one said they were delicious!! (psst: they don't have any wheat in them!!) --3-- I know I've already mentioned that the warm weather is throwing me off. But really... Usually when my parents come for parents' weekend, I give them my warm-weather clothes to take home, and they bring me my fall clothes. Well, parent's weekend starts this next Friday, and I'm not convinced that it's going to suddenly and permanently get cold before then. So I'm debating what I should actually send home. This is difficult!! --4-- I am a "numbers person". (Note: that does not mean that I am a "math person"...) I love patterns, even numbers, and cheap prices (yes, that last one is included). Well last week, Stasia and I went to Walmart to pick up some random things. My total was $14.04, and I had a Walmart gift card, so I swiped it, then realized that it had exactly $14.04 left on it. I did a little jig of happiness. --5-- It's too nice outside to be sitting in the library doing homework. But alas, that is what must happen today. --6-- That "Digital Photography and Fine Art" class that I'm in ... It's challenging! I'm so grateful that I have it at the end of the day, because after 4 classes, I'm ready to be creative. But some of the people in that class.... I'm pretty sure one or two of them already have graphic design businesses. So I sit in the back and plug away on a project, only to scrap the entire thing 2 days before it's due.... Thankfully half of us didn't end up presenting on the "due day", so now I have until Tuesday to get it done. Maybe I'll post it when I finish... --7-- It may technically be a "mommy-blog", but I'm really enjoying reading Elizabeth Foss's blog "In the Heart of my Home". You should check it out... she's incredibly encouraging and thought-provoking.
0 Comments
I've been reading these "Five Favorites" on lots of different blogs for forever, and I decided to start doing my own! Check out Hallie's five favorites at Moxie Wife. 1. Pumpkin Everything Seriously, though, what's better than pumpkin bars and pumpkin lattes and pumpkin chai and pumpkin candles?? 2. Sweater time! I have a mini love-affair with sweaters. There's just something about the coziness of wrapping yourself in knit warmth. When they become a cold-weather necessity? I'm in seventh heaven! 3. Fall Leaves Don't get me wrong, the other seasons are pretty too, but those leaves? So beautiful! Campus becomes 100 times more pretty with the changing colors. When it's green, its just .... green. But adding the reds, oranges, and yellows, ahhh... 4. Socks Is this weird? For some reason, I just really enjoy socks. Especially fun socks. One year for Christmas, all I asked for was "fuzzy socks". And so when I can wear them all the time? Joy. 5. Fire
I'm no pyromaniac, but I love a crackling fire. Especially if it's real. But a gas fire will do, as well. Last fall, Evelyn and I were so desperate for a fire that I downloaded a "fire app" on my computer. It looks and sounds like a (fake) fire! Hey, it's better than no fire at all... I still get laughed at when I pull it up, but I'll take whatever I can get. --1-- And just as we think fall has arrived, an 81-degree day shows up and proves us wrong. *sigh* Soon it will be sweater weather!! --2-- A couple weeks ago I discovered Swagbucks, which is essentially a reward program where you earn points for searching the web, filling out surveys, answering easy polls, or doing your regular online shopping. I've already earned enough points to get a $5 Amazon credit, and I haven't done anything except my normal online activity. You should check it out! --3-- Audrey Assad is giving a concert in Steubenville next week! I've heard she's better live, so I'm really excited to be able to go! --4-- Earlier today, I was sitting in the library, writing part of a paper, and I looked down at my hand to find that the little-teeny-tiny diamond in the middle of one of my rings had fallen out. I kind of panicked. It was so small that I'm doubting anyone would even notice it if they found it on the street. I have no idea where it might have dropped, so I have a resigned myself to a poke-y, diamond-less ring. Or probably no ring at all. Sad day. --5-- I booked a bus ticket for fall break today! This is the first year I won't be going home for fall break; instead, I'm heading to Notre Dame to visit some friends and (maybe possibly) talk to admissions about grad school! --6-- For the last 3 days I've had a strong desire to bake something... the problem is that I have no idea what to bake. I'm figuring this is a perfect time to get one of the recipes I've pinned on Pinterest made. Should I make Deep Dark (Flourless) Chocolate Cookies? Soft Pudding Monster Cookies? Or these Ooey Gooey Rocky Road Cookies that I've made before? So many choices! --7-- You may have heard about the "controversial" interview that Pope Francis did this last week, but have you actually read the interview itself? Here it is in it's entirety!
(this is unrelated to the interview itself but I find it hysterical that the post is dated September 30, 2013, when that's still 10 days away!!) My sister’s the oldest in our family.
My brother is the youngest and the middle child. I’m both an only child and the youngest of three. I feel like this should be a “What Am I?” riddle, but nope! It’s just a description of my family. You see, when your siblings are 15 and 17 years old when you’re born, the 15-year-old has been the youngest for quite a long time. And when you’re 3, both siblings have left home for college, and you become the only child at home. We have quite an interesting family dynamic because of this. I met my (soon-to-be) in-laws when I was 5, gained 2 in-laws when I was 6 and 7, and became an aunt when I was 8. I didn’t even know if I liked having these in-law people join our family. I mean, all they were doing were taking my siblings away. I almost cried when my sister Christine showed us her engagement ring. “Mom, will I ever see her again?” As much as I knew that I had this brother and sister and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, they were pretty much just four more adults who I happened to be related to. That’s nice. How does this matter to me? thought 5-year-old Allison. I’d spend time at their houses, play with the kiddos, sometimes spend the night. It was fun, but we had next to nothing in common. They were having children and buying houses, and I was rocking dolls playing house on my swingset. There was no way for me to relate to any of them. I have a distinct memory of sitting on the sofa next to my sister, listening to her talk to my sister-in-law about a TV show and wishing with all my heart I knew what the heck they were talking about so I could join in. Ever tried having a conversation with a 7-year-old? There’s only so long or deep you can go. As I’ve gotten older, starting about halfway through high school, I’ve started to get to really know Christine and David. We’ve started having those deeper conversations that I think lots of people have with their siblings at a much younger age. I consider this delay-of-game both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it’s hard to be starting out in a relationship with siblings, of all people, so late in life. When most people are solid in their family relationships and are branching out to meeting friends, I’m just now starting to learn Christine's and David’s habits, their likes and dislikes, what their early years were like, their experiences that made them who they are now. On the other hand, it’s kind of nice to not have past experiences in the way of our relationships. I don’t have horrible fights with them in my mind, no major disagreements in the way. While most siblings can remember shouting matches with their brothers and sisters, or being mad at a sister for “borrowing” a sweater without asking, or being hit by an ornery brother, I have no such memories. [ There was that time when I was 10 and Christine wanted to play a game that she was really good at and I stunk at. I was pretty ticked off for a good couple hours… And there was that other time when I was 3 that David tried to put my arms in my sleeper before he put my legs in… doesn’t work like that, bro. ;) ] But really, no horrible memories. These last couple years have been wonderful, as I’ve headed off to their alma mater for college and experience some of the same things that they did “in the good old days”. It’s been so wonderful for me to be able to text them with a question or a fun fact of the day or when I need advice. I feel like I’m finally “catching up” to where I want to be with them. I have also grown a lot since the days of “I really don’t like this invasion of in-law people”. (Here I will state that when I was 5, I tried to convince my brother-in-law that Christine loved me more than she loved him. He did his best to convince me that that was impossible; after all, she chose him, but she had no choice to be related to me. Humph. Whatevs.) I no longer consider Jake and Teresa just my in-laws, but my siblings. As much as I wasn’t a fan of our family arrangement when I was younger, it’s been a terrific blessing to me as I’ve grown up. As much as I’ve always wished for more siblings, God gave me in-laws and nieces and nephews to make for that. As much as I used to wonder how to get to know them all, I’ve been given a humongous gift in their love and friendship. ______________________________________________________________________ Jake and Teresa, thank you for accepting me as a little sister 15 years ago. You’ll never know how much its meant to have you in my life, and that has only increased in the recent years. Thanks for letting me steal your spouses away sometimes, for giving me time to get to know them, and for letting me crash at your houses for dinners and sleepovers. And thank you for your advice, thoughts, and love. Christine and David, you guys are the best. I’m so blessed to have such wonderful siblings as role models and examples of Christian femininity and masculinity. I’m so sorry for every time I’ve been an annoying little sister. Thank you… … for playing games with me and putting my sleeper on (even though it scarred me) (kidding, kidding) (no really, I’m fine) … for buying me coffee and reed diffusers … for putting up with me when I was little and wanted to sit on the porch with you and your significant other … for introducing me to your friends (who are sometimes my friends’ parents) and acting normal about it … for not going nuts every time you’re mistaken for my mom or dad (even when we’ve already corrected the waiter 3 times!) … for your hours on the phone with me, the millions of texts you’ve received from and sent to me, the emails you send just to say “hi” … for sharing your experiences with me so that I don’t make the same mistakes (or if I do, for understanding) … for telling me you love me … for becoming two of my very best friends I love you guys. Time and Place... 2:32 pm, my dorm room
What I can hear... Carry On by Fun. This past week... I almost got to go to Mass without sacristan-ing or serving as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion (EMHC).... but then there weren't enough EMs and I had to fill in. I literally haven't been to a Mass without either sacristan-ing or EMing this entire school year. So that's my goal for this next week. (Not that I don't love doing either of these things, but it would be nice to be able to really pray the Mass again, just once...) I've been reading... a slightly heretical book for class. Haha, it took me by surprise at first, but I think my professor just wants us to hear another side of things. And this morning, I read this awesome article that my brother wrote called "4 Guidelines for Asking Out My Daughter". Ya'll should read it. It's quality. Recent realization... It's pumpkin season!!!! Pumpkin chai tea is the yummiest! I'm oh-so-grateful for... my friend Grace :) Next week... I get to summarize the book of Tobit catechetically. It's going to be a fun way to see how I'd prepare a lesson plan as a teacher or youth minister. I'm looking forward to... sitting outside to do homework this next week. Yay for fall weather! (hosted at Conversion Diary) --1-- And another busy week is behind me. How relieving! I had a lot of homework due this past week, and I ended up working an extra shift at the chapel office. But this weekend, it's relaxing time! Very little homework = more time with friends. --2-- One of my assignments for my Digital Photography and Fine Art class was to take 100 photographs and bring them into class. We were allowed to use some pictures that we had taken in the past. We then looked at all our 100 pictures in thumbnails to see if there was a pattern to what we were drawn to. My pattern was very clear (which is nice!) - landscapes. architecture. the sky. light. Here are some of the pictures that I brought to class. These were taken all over the US and Europe, all were taken by me, and none are edited. --3-- This Photography class involves a lot of photo manipulation, including compositing. So, I'll once again be purchasing Photoshop for a couple months. I have a love/hate relationship with Photoshop. I love the features, the ease of use, and the millions of tutorials all over the web. I hate (with a passion) the cost. Oh well, it'll help me get a job later on, so it's worth it! Who knows, maybe I'll be brave enough to share one of my designs on here...! --4-- Speaking of my designs, my friend Stasia informed me that my CD case design from last year was shown in her graphic design class. Do you know how bad that design was?!? Well let me tell you. It was bad. How embarrassing! --5-- I want to know what's up with the weather. 2 days ago, it was literally 90 degrees outside. Today, I stepped out of my door (wearing a summer dress with stockings and a sweater) and pretty much froze. It only got up to 73-ish today! What on earth. While I'm grateful to not have to die of the heat in my air conditioning-less dorm room, a tiny little warning would have been lovely. --6-- I have a stationery problem. Actually, anything you can use for the office or school or communication, I pretty much love it. Confession: When I need a break from whatever I'm doing, I'll just go look at office supplies. Check these out and tell me they're not amazing. Anchor stationery. Elegant thank-you stationery. Ombre keyboard covers. Whale tape dispenser. Decorative thumbtacks. Chevron desk caddy. And there you have it. Proof of my procrastination. ;) --7-- Please pray for the repose of the soul of Mr. M, who was basically a grandfather to my elementary school. He will be missed by many.
I found this fun A - Z list while perusing the interwebs and thought I'd fill it out. I'm sure I am forgetting some books, so I may fill this out again sometime when I'm home. If you do the list, leave me a comment with a link to yours! I don’t know for sure, but it’s one of these: 1) Betsy Brannon Green 2) Ted Dekker 3) Frank Peretti 4) J.K. Rowling Best Sequel Ever: Rose in Bloom (Louisa May Alcott) Currently Reading: I’m about to start Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Drink of Choice While Reading: Chai E-reader or Physical Book? Physical Book all the way (unless it’s Regina Doman’s latest release and I’m in Austria. Then the e-book is acceptable until it’s possible to obtain the physical.) Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School: Benedict (Fish) Dennison Hidden Gem Book: Healing Your Past, Releasing Your Future (fascinating Christian psychology book about how our experiences from different stages of life shape who we 'turn out' to be) Important Moment in your Reading Life: Crying while reading Green by Ted Dekker Just Finished: My Sisters the Saints Kinds of Books You Won’t Read: Comics/Graphic Novels/Manga (not by principle, just lack of interest); Horror; Military Longest Book You’ve Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (870 pages in 2 days, oh yeah!) Major book hangover because of: Anything by Dekker (Circle Trilogy especially) or Green Number of Bookcases You Own: If all the books I own were to be put on a bookshelf, I’d say at least 2 if not 3. Lots of my books are in boxes in the basement because, well, only so many fit on my bookshelf! One Book You Have Read Multiple Times: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Preferred Place To Read: On a swing. When that’s not possible, in bed. Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read: “Have you ever felt that there was something going on in life that not everyone was aware of?” -Shadow of the Bear “Some scars never heal. And he sounds like he has a lot of them.' 'But Christ had scars too, even on His risen Body. Wounds in this life become glory in the next.” -Waking Rose Reading Regret: One of Nicholas Sparks’ books. I honestly have no idea which one it was. Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series): The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis Three of your All-Time Favorite Books: Persuasion. Waking Rose. Kiss. Unapologetic Fangirl For: Harry Potter. Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others: Anything written or edited by Regina Doman (do you see the trend here?). Worst Bookish Habit: Not using bookmarks and under-utilizing libraries. X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book: Captivating Your latest book purchase: Haha, honestly? School books. Specifically Theology for Beginners and St. Augustine’s Ancient Christian Writers. ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late): Rapunzel Let Down. Time and Place... 11:02, my dorm room What I can hear... this incredibly beautiful song: This past week... was hectic, crazy, stressful, and honestly, I'm really glad it's over!
I've been reading... The catechism, again. #cetecheticsmajorproblems I also finished "My Sisters the Saints, which was excellent! (Thanks, Mom!) Recent realization... People kept warning me about Junior year. They were right. It's nuts. AND I only have 23 days of classes left! Haha, it's so weird to have so few days left, but be right at the beginning of the semester. I'm oh-so-grateful for... being able to go into Pittsburgh to the Opus Dei center yesterday! Even if it meant a sunburn... oh well... Next week... I have to finish taking 100 pictures for my photography/fine art class. And memorize scripture. And write mini-papers. Basically, I've just got a ton of homework. I'm looking forward to... having a whole day tomorrow to get ahead. Yay no classes! I have to be honest- I don’t really love to vent in public places. That includes everything from verbal rants in train stations to typed rants on my blog and everywhere in between. But sometimes, when a subject is in my heart for a long time and I think it’s relevant, I’m more willing to. This is one such time. In all honesty, a version of this has been drafted for almost 6 months now…It’s only thanks to a couple recent conversations and questions that I’m finally publishing this. I also say this at the risk of offending people. If you don’t like what I have to say, tell me! Let’s discuss!
I have come to the realization lately that so. many. people. hand-pick their “groups”. This includes groups at Church, people to sit with at lunch, and yes, even households* at Franciscan University. (cue collective gasp) But you know what? It severely limits what you learn. When you let the mom of 5 help with youth group, the teens can learn from her. If you sit with the guy whose major is completely opposite from yours, you can learn from him. And when your household is made up of girls (or guys) who are NOT cookie cutter molds of yourself, you can learn from them! I wrote here about my need for trust. At the time, I wasn’t ready to share yet, but now, I am. When I wrote that, I had just been rejected from a household. That’s actually not supposed to ever happen, yet as I gradually talked to more and more people, I realized that I’m not the only person who has been rejected from this particular household. For the last two semesters, I did a lot of questioning. Why wasn’t I allowed in? Why? Why did those girls get in, and I didn’t? You know, today, as much as it hurts to not be in household, I am glad I didn’t get in. Well ... kind of. It’s one of the most painful situations I’ve ever lived through. But joining that household would’ve been detrimental to me. Maybe the girls who made the decision and I weren’t alike enough. Maybe I didn’t have enough in common with them for their liking. Know what? That’s ok! I don’t want to only spend time with those whom I agree with all the time. I need to grow out from myself, not become more like one single kind of person. Maybe now, I will be able to discover who I am, not be swallowed by one dominating personality. I hope that I don’t sound bitter. I was a big fan of that household, and many people have randomly told me that they can see me joining. But I also hope that you understand what I’m saying. Let’s welcome people who aren’t in “our” group. Let’s throw out the cookie cutter. *(Households are groups of men or women, united in brotherhood or sisterhood, who focus on a specific charism, or aspect of the Catholic faith. They were started at Franciscan, and have spread to a couple other college campuses around the States. If you're having a hard time picturing what this is like, you can kinda imagine an awesome solid Catholic sorority or fraternity.) Time and Place: 6:37, my dorm room
What I can hear... people talking outside, and "If I Could Fall" by William Naraine This past week... was just nuts. Monday was a Fieldhouse Mass, which means a time commitment of about 5 hours for me. Then we had the ministry fair in the evening to get people to sign up for the various chapel ministries. Tuesday was the first day of classes, and I got my first taste of what 5 classes a day would be like. Wednesday I worked a half-day and had a meeting. Thursday was day 2 of classes; Friday was yet another Fieldhouse Mass; Saturday I did homework, "housecleaning" type things, and 4 hours of editing the sacristan manual; today was the last Fieldhouse Mass for a while and sacristan training. Now, I am resting my head and preparing to do .... something yet to be determined. I've also been knitting (a secret project!) and watching Once upon a Time and Doctor Who. Good times, good times. I've been reading... The Catechism. Recent realization... 8 am classes are not my cup of tea... I'm oh-so-grateful for... yet another class with Dr. Gan. This semester I'm taking "photography and fine art". Most of the class will be focused on photoshop, so I'm looking forward to enhancing what I learned in Dr. Gan's class last fall. It'll be challenging again, but I think I'm going to learn a lot. AND I'm grateful for the chance to talk to Stephanie and Elyse this past week!! Next week... Classes. Meetings. Mass. Friends. Figuring out my schedule. I'm looking forward to... getting more into the rhythm of school over the next couple weeks. |
allison.walk in faith. currently::
Categories
All
|