I survived!!!

The exams are finished, the grades are submitted, and I have SURVIVED my first semester teaching college!  Not only that, if my student thank you notes indicate anything, I actually succeeded.  I can't believe how much I've learned this semester, or how much I still have to learn, but that is all on hold right now while I go enjoy my family & friends.

Catechetics & Theology

Many people have never heard of catechetics, the subject I teach, and have asked me to explain exactly what it is.  It's easily confused with theology (and sometimes it's just easier to tell people that I teach theology), so let me differentiate between the two.

"Catechesis" comes from the Greek word which translates "to echo down."  Specifically, to catechize is to echo down or hand down the Faith to others.  (I love the translation "echo" because it presumes faithfulness to the original teaching of Christ down through the ages.)  "Catechetics" is the science of how to catechize, how to echo down the Faith.  It prepares those who want to hand on the Faith to do so effectively.  So the program has two key goals:  ensure that students know the Faith, and prepare those students to become professionals in the field.

"Theology" is the "study of God."  Theology takes the doctrine, the truths of the Faith that have been handed on by the Church, and then reasons what else could be deduced from that body of knowledge.  Theology is more speculative, beginning with what is known and progressing to the unknown.  Catechesis does not go beyond what is known, but only deals with what is held by the Church.  Pope John Paul's Theology of the Body illustrates theology very well:  he took what we know about Creation, the Fall, and Redemption, and speculated (beautifully) about what else might be deduced from that knowledge.  Of course, he did so in a catechetical setting, and in his position as the chief catechist of the Church, so it's also very catechetical...obviously, the two dovetail quite a bit.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my theology colleagues told me he was surprised to see me at Sunday Mass at Parish A.  I thought to myself, "I'm a Catholic teaching Catholicism at a Catholic University...why would he be surprised to see me at Sunday Mass?"  Evidently my puzzlement showed, because one of my catechetics colleagues chimed in, "What's the difference between a theology professor and a catechetics professor?  Theology professors attend Parish A; catechetics professors attend Parish B.  Theology professors homeschool their children; catechetics professors send their children to school."  I laughed, because while exceptions to the rule do exist, the idea has roots in reality.

When I returned to town after Thanksgiving, I noticed that many people had already decorated for Christmas.  Indeed, most of my neighborhood has suddenly become very festive in these dark days of December.  And some of my catechetics colleagues are right up there with the most festive of them.  The theology professors, on the other hand, are not putting up their decorations during Advent (since it's a penitential season), but wait until Christmas Eve or so to decorate.  So we can extend our distinction:  "Theology professors don't decorate until Christmas; catechetics professors decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving."

Now that I know about the game, I'm on the lookout for other fun distinctions between theology and catechetics...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can't begin to express my gratitude to God, family, and friends for all the blessings I've received this year:

- one of my best years teaching high school,
- a surprising, amazing new job opportunity at the college level,
- the quick sale of my house,
- the discovery of a beautiful new place to live,
- all the generous helping hands on both ends of the move,
- an outpouring of love and friendship from old friends,
- warm welcome from new friends,
- countless prayers offered up for me to successfully meet the new challenges,
- delightful, inspiring students,
- successes in the classroom,
- failures in the classroom (yes, I'm grateful for those too),
- beautiful Masses, inspiring homilies, and sweet moments with the Lord,
- the light at the end of the semester tunnel.

May God bless you and yours as richly as He has blessed me!

Fall Festival

I've battled my first bad bout of homesickness in the last week or so, for several reasons.  The days are getting shorter and darker (dark by 5:30 now, and by 4:30 when exams end...sunrise just beginning at 7 am).  I've been overwhelmed by work:  I inadvertently scheduled two major projects due the day after fall break, and I've been frantically trying to dig out from under my own self-inflicted torture.  And I just flat-out miss everyone.  I haven't had time to meet many people or develop many friendships here, and I haven't had the time I've wanted to be in touch with everyone from home.  I'm at that point in the semester where you feel like you've been working so hard for so long, and yet you still have so far to go.  All of that left me quite cranky by the end of this week.

So on Friday, when I had graded the last of the first set of projects, I left my office a little early and got in touch with my domestic side.  I cleaned the kitchen for the first time all week.  I made some bread (it's "Five Minute Artisan Bread," so don't get overly impressed), some pumpkin soup, butternut squash casserole, and apple crisp.  I roasted some little crouton-size pieces of butternut squash to garnish my spinach salad.  And I had myself one delicious fall dinner.

When the kitchen was (finally) clean, I went to CAT on Tap, a social gathering for catechetics (CAT) majors.  They invited the CAT professors (of which I am one) to sit as a panel and answer their questions.  They mostly wanted to know what to expect out in the field, lessons we'd learned and challenges we'd faced, so their questions were easy to answer.  Afterwards we mixed and mingled, and I enjoyed talking to many of my students about themselves and not just their assignments and class concerns.  Everyone considered the evening a rousing success:  about 40 students were present, up from six at previous events.

Yesterday, I went to the Big City with a gal I've been getting to know.  She knew of a few consignment shops and we went to check them out.  I came home with a warm & cozy cashmere sweater for about $20.  She found two suits for close to the same price.  We took a little detour to Trader Joe's, a store I'd never visited before but which I intend to visit again - yum!  We enjoyed a beautiful sunny Saturday with the last of the fall colors shining brightly.  Best of all, we laughed and talked and enjoyed getting to know each other better.

One valuable lesson I learned while teaching high school:  sometimes you just have to stop working.  I hate the feeling that my work isn't finished; it nags at me and the black cloud hangs over me when there is work still undone.  But if I keep working and trying to keep up, I end up tired and cranky and frustrated and with little joy in life.  I learned that lesson again this week, as I struggled so hard to keep up with the many and varied tasks I faced.  A few hours in the kitchen, a delicious meal with plenty of leftovers at the end, and some social time, all put me in a better frame of mind.  I renewed my resolve to break away from work periodically, to give myself the mental break necessary to do that work well.  I have to learn this lesson all over again in these new circumstances, and figure out how to make it work in my new life.  But I believe it's an important lesson, and I'm glad I learned it again.

Hopefully I can live by it in these final weeks of the semester.

Jeckyll & Hyde

So, today the temperature reached 68 degrees.  Beautiful.

The weatherman predicts snow for Friday.

They tell me I'd better get used to this...

Make your own kind of music

I heard this Mama Cass oldie the other day, and it got stuck in my head in the way catchy songs are wont to do.  So I pulled it up on YouTube to hear the whole thing.  The song encourages the listener to "make your own kind of music; sing your own special song...even if nobody else sings along."  And that got me thinking.

Some might say that "making your own kind of music" means doing whatever you want, regardless of the ways it affects you or others.   This is selfish individualism, which if left unchecked, ultimately destroys you and your relationships.  But I think that to "make your own kind of music" means to follow God's call no matter what the cost.

Different musical instruments may play the same tune, but they sound different from one another.  They "make their own kind of music." I've always sort of marched to the beat of my own drum.  Certain life choices have placed me on a little different path than others.  Sometimes people haven't understood why I would make those choices or hold those preferences and values.  Sometimes "just to do your thing's/the hardest thing to do."

But I've learned that if doing "your thing" is also doing "God's thing," it becomes a beautiful kind of music, and quite fulfilling.  God gives us certain interests and talents and experiences, and He invites us to use those gifts for the benefit of His people.  When we do that, we may sacrifice, we may have bad days, we may experience some "rough goin'," as the song says...but we also find a certain fulfillment and joy we would not find otherwise.  And that joy becomes contagious, spilling out of us to affect the people we meet.

As I live out this new adventure, I realize that more than ever I'm making my own kind of music.  The circumstances of my life are rather different than I envisioned for myself, and rather different from most of my friends'.  I have sacrificed some things that have been hard.  Yet I am thriving, and exhilarated by the joy of doing what God called me to do.  More than that, I think I am affecting others.  When I decided to embrace this new adventure, I embraced a mission to model for young people, especially young women, how to live as a Catholic layperson in the world.  My students' response to me indicates that I am fulfilling that mission.  Just yesterday a young woman said to me, "I look at you, and I want to be like you." I have tremendous opportunities to impact others, and I take that responsibility very seriously.  I want to help them make their own kind of music!

Pope John Paul said in his Letter to Artists, "All men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece."  As I make my own kind of music, I pray that with God's grace I am making a masterpiece.  And I also pray that my life encourages others to make their own kind of music - not the cacophony of selfish individualism, but the symphony of a life wholeheartedly dedicated to God's call.

Weather Channel

The s-word has been spoken.

Saturday's forecast calls for temperatures in the low to mid-30s, and for rain mixed with snow.  We'll see if it really happens, since weather here changes on a dime, but I can't believe it's not yet November 1 and we're already talking white stuff.

I absolutely love snow, probably since I grew up deprived of it in my otherwise beautiful Southern homeland.  But this winter, for the first time, I will have to shovel the driveway.  And that, my friends, is nothing I'm looking forward to.  Particularly since the driveway is one car-width wide, with high retaining walls on either side, and uphill backing out.  And I leave the house at 6:20am.

I wonder if my love affair with snow is about to end...

SATURDAY UPDATE:  Huge, beautiful snowflakes were falling out of the sky when I woke up this morning, and continued until about 11am.  It melted as soon as it hit the ground, and it will warm up to 40 degrees...but it bodes ill for the cost of my heat bills if this early snowfall is a portent of things to come.

JPII, we love you!

Today marks the first feast of Bl. John Paul II.  While certain canonical norms limit the celebration of this feast until (and unless) he is canonized, I am most definitely celebrating his life and example in my heart. A brilliant man, lover of Christ and lover of us, he showed Christians how to live joyfully and courageously in a fallen world.  He is one of my spiritual fathers and heroes.  I consider myself truly blessed to have lived during his life and papacy.

If you'd like to celebrate as well, here is a novena in thanksgiving for his life.
Novena in Thanksgiving for Blessed Pope John Paul II

Dear Papa, John Paul II - we still love you!

Headline News

My sleepy little town and it's vicinity have made national news several times in the last couple of weeks.  In a small town, small news becomes Big News, and local headlines can really entertain.  For example, I recall a lead story about the K-Mart sign falling down and blocking the main entrance.  No one was hurt; it just fell.  That was the story.  Yesterday, an elementary school's power outage and early dismissal received top billing.    So when something local catches national attention, it merits my notice as well.

The first story featured several Amish men arrested for cutting the hair and beards of their fellow Amish.  Everyone's a little shocked by the oxymoron "Amish violence," and the situation raises some legal questions about how to handle a crime in a community that generally governs itself.

That story got replaced by a national news feature showing an anticipated economic boom in the area.  This sleepy, dumpy, rusted out little town could see enough job expansion to warrant a local Starbucks franchise!  The story showed parts of town I see every day...rusted out industry, run down neighborhoods, cliffs stripped of their greenery for functional purposes.  If it all comes to pass (and it may not), what would happen to that distinctive skyline of rusty towers belching out fire, smoke, and stench?  I would miss that!

You may have heard that some exotic animals were shot this week - that happened in a neighboring community.  Yes, some weirdo owned a bunch of exotic animals, and after 10 years of getting in trouble with the law for letting them roam freely, he decided to free them all (ie - turn them loose on an unsuspecting public) before he shot himself.   The animals wandered around the area for two days as hunters tried to shoot them with tranquilizer darts.  Unfortunately, the tranquilizers weren't strong enough to bring the animals down.  The animals attacked the hunters or ran off and got themselves lost, only to wake up and start wandering around neighborhoods again.  A bill has been drafted and sent to the state legislature, banning the trafficking of exotic animals in the state.  (Because, you know, this sort of thing happens all the time.)  Personally, I don't see why they didn't just take the animals away from the guy back when he started breaking the law to begin with.  

I live in the weirdest place.  Why do I love it so much?

+++

The weather got a little chilly this week, and the heat started coming on in my house in the mornings.  I wore a scarf to work one day, tied in the cute braid my friend Joannie taught me (thanks, Joannie!).  One of my girls asked if I would show her how to do it, and when I did, she decided it should be called the "Professor R- knot".  Isn't that hilarious?

Advising began this week, which I think should be done by the Registrar, because I sure can't keep up with all the details of how to meet the requirements for their core courses, double majors, and triple minors, in time to graduate in 6 semesters, including a semester abroad.  But it's given me a chance to talk to several students and hear their stories, including those of my own students.  I teach the neatest kids!  They all have fascinating life stories, and want so much to give everything they have to making the world a better place.

That said, the project I'm grading this weekend demonstrates that some don't (yet) have the skills they need to better the world in this field.  Next week I'll need to host some private tutorial sessions in my office.  This particular project requires the skill of organizing material into a multi-lesson unit.  I am as surprised to discover that some college students don't know how to outline as I was to discover some AP students could not tell time on a non-digital watch.  So I'll coach them and see if they fare any better on Unit 2.  Interestingly, this summer I dreaded conversations with students in which I would have to tell them they weren't cut out for this ministry.  But now that I see some students' abilities, I realize it's in the student's best interest to tell them.  Such a conversation would surely save them from some miserable ministry experiences down the road, and would free them to find God's true calling for their lives.

On that note, I must return to the grading.  I hope you are all well and enjoying a beautiful October!

Snippets

I'm sorry I haven't posted lately; it's been quite busy around here!  But really, even when I've thought "Gosh, I really need to update the blog," the thought that follows is always, "What news do I have?"  Not much.  So I'm posting just a few snippets:

-This weekend featured a liturgical conference on campus.  The speakers addressed a number of topics related to worship:  the new translation of the Mass, the Mass in Scripture, liturgical architecture, sacred music, and so forth.  Up to now I haven't educated myself as much about the new Missal as I should have; I guess I was waiting until the critical moment.  Well, the critical moment has arrived, and now that I'm learning about it, I can't wait for November 27.  (That said, I've harbored a secret wish to hear the Foley Gloria with trumpets and strings one last time before it becomes obsolete; I got my wish at a recent Mass celebrating a feast day.  I can now move on as a happy woman.)  The new translation will more clearly express what we believe as Catholics, and I think we will really experience a moment of great grace in the Church as a result.

-No, it hasn't snowed (yet)!  But two weekends ago was quite cold and dreary, and when the sun came out again all the trees sported stunning fall color.  We saw a glorious few days last weekend, but it's cooler & blustery this weekend, and I spent the afternoon raking leaves for a good leaf mulch in the garden.  Many more leaves will fall, but I'd say we are a good three weeks ahead of the weather back home.  Which leads to...

-...the reality that I already have to wear my winter clothes, and will need to buy some Igloo-wear before the year's end.  I've solicited tips for the most essential items of clothing for surviving cold, wet winters (if you've got experience with cold weather, please post your ideas in the comm box - consider it a work of mercy).  Fortunately, my office is quite toasty...so much so that even I, with ice water in my veins, have to prop my door open to keep from roasting.  So maybe I don't need warm clothes as much as I need warm outerwear.

-I did manage to bust out of town last weekend for a shopping trip in the big city.  I mapquested my favorite store and discovered that it is an hour away, and some other stores I like are 35 minutes away.  So I hurried through my grading and made an afternoon/evening of it.  I didn't have much success with purchases, unfortunately, but it was nice to get away for a bit.

-One project I've had to grade is a unit project from my students in the High School class.  I discovered that not all the units met the Platonic form in my mind of Unit Project, but many did, and I'm really proud of the work they did.  I set up the assignment to give them an experience of what their life will be like if they teach high school next year.  The class after the project was due I let them discuss it.  They expressed quite a bit of shock over how much time the project took, and I think it served as a wake-up call for some of them.  However, I delighted to hear some of them describe how they dreaded beginning it, but then as they got into writing the lesson plans, they got idea after idea of demonstrations, activities, assignments.  Two of them even described it as fun.  Natural teachers, they; girls after my own heart.  And I also enjoyed hearing one young man belly ache about the whole thing, beg for an extension, come to my office to talk through how-to-do-this-anyway...then see the light bulb go on as I walked him through the process and gave him a couple of tips.  This one doesn't really want to teach but to do youth ministry, but I see some teaching potential buried under there, and I look forward to seeing what he gives me tomorrow.

So that's really all there is to share...not too much exciting.  I still very much like my job, my students, my colleagues, and campus life.  Things are going really well, but it's all the usual stuff.  Let me know if there's anything you want to know about my new life and new adventures - maybe I can answer in a future blog post!

Steve Jobs: A Case for Life

As a Macophile, I was saddened to hear of Steve Jobs' death yesterday.  Whether you love Macs or hate them, I think we can all agree that he transformed the industry.

A few years ago, I discovered that Steve Jobs was adopted.  But I saw this blog post this week, which uses his story to make a compelling case for life.  Read it and see if you agree.

Homily for October 2, 2011: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time | The Deacon's Bench

Grading, grading, grading...

No real post this week because I am up to my eyeballs in grading.  This coming week may be the hardest of the semester; I have a test or major assignment due in every class and I also need to write lesson plans.  Until finals, every week after next only has one test or assignment due. So if I can make it through next week, I should make it through the semester.  This is the acid test, sort of the Olympics for professors.  Wish me luck - I'm going for the gold!

Highly recommended

I highly encourage you to take a look at this 10 part series on Catholicism.  Several PBS affiliates throughout the nation will air 4 parts this fall...check local listings.

Please watch the trailer...it promotes the series far better than I ever could:
Fr. Robert Barron's Word On Fire - Trailer New

And if you want to read more, check out the interview with Fr. Barron that describes the genesis, production, and intent of the project:
Why Father Robert Barron Filmed 'Catholicism' | Daily News | NCRegister.com

As someone who's gone on pilgrimage to some of these places, I can't wait to watch the series myself!

Fun times

Today we held an all-day seminar for our students on Beauty & Catechesis.  I wrote last week that I would have the opportunity to hear Dr. Denis McNamara present on this topic.  I had been told that he is a fantastic speaker, and he did not disappoint.  We spent three hours defining beauty, then analyzing art and architecture to determine if it truly is beautiful.  Up to now I've only been able to identify what I like and don't like, and I've coveted the Dominicans' ability to explain why.  Now I think I have a better grasp of the principles behind it...and I wish I'd had this information years ago, because it would have come in very handy!  Anyway, his presentation entertained as well as informed...no dry lecture there!

The afternoon session, led by one of my colleagues, focused on how to use art to teach the Faith.  Before my colleague began her presentation, she said "I just want to say I'm so happy to have [my name] on staff now." The auditorium erupted with loud applause and cheers, which both embarrassed and pleased me.  Just a few minutes earlier, a student (not mine) told me that my students really love my class, and the applause sort of confirmed that.  I can't say how encouraging that is for me.  I love my students and the material I teach, but the job demands a lot of time and effort on my part and I don't always think I've done a very good job.  It's just the "first year feeling," and I know I will improve, but their response encourages me to continue to strive to do better.  And on a weekend like this, when I lose planning time and so will need to give up a good part of my "day of rest" to play catch up, it's really motivating to have their applause cheering me on.

During the morning break I circulated among my students and got a chance to talk to some of them outside the class context.  Several of them wondered if I am happy I came, which I am.  One of them asked if it was hard for me to leave home, and I said yes.  I told her that I really miss my family & friends, but that I'm having a lot of fun meeting the challenge of planning new courses.  She is taking my Teaching High School class, so she wanted to know how I got the ideas for that class.  Honestly, I got the ideas as I drove home from a friend's house one night, before I even accepted the job! I wanted to teach them all the things I wished I'd known before I started teaching...and all the things I learned by success and by failure.  She expressed a great eagerness to begin teaching, and it excites me to help prepare her...she's got that natural gift and I know she's going to make a great teacher.  And there are others like her!

The next two or three weeks will be really intense for me, as several assignments and tests will need grading, and I will run out of lesson plans in the meantime.  After mid-October, things will settle down (sort of) until around Thanksgiving, when we'll shift into end-of-semester mode.  I thank you all for your prayers, because I know I am not doing this on my own power, but on His.  Nevertheless, in spite of the intensity of the challenges, I am having a lot of fun!

The State of the Classes

Today, as my colleagues and I were lunching with our guest speaker, someone asked me how my classes were going.  I immediately began gushing about my "Teaching High School" class.  I absolutely love them!  I have 14 students, all of them gems, and about 12 of them have wanted to teach since they were 4.  There are varying degrees of ability, for sure, but they all look at me with adoring eyes and type furiously on their laptops as I speak.  There's an ego trip for you!  They ask fantastic questions, too, and I'm so glad that my successes and failures in my high school teaching years can (hopefully) help them to be better teachers.  


Not only do I love the students, I also really love how I structured the class to tie in with the assignments...it's working out so beautifully.  I started off by teaching several lessons on academics:  curriculum and timeline development, writing a syllabus, lesson planning, teaching sensitive subjects, planning assignments, writing tests, addressing special needs students, and more.  In a couple of weeks they have to submit a unit which includes all of these components.  (Just this week they submitted their syllabus.  I made them include policies even though we haven't discussed those yet, and I howled with laughter as I saw them include every doomed first-year teacher policy I've ever heard.  They'll be retracting those sooner or later!)  When we finish academics, we'll spend a good bit of time on classroom management.  Their second unit has to include revisions to their policies that reflect our classroom management discussions.  Then we'll discuss student, parent, and faculty relations.  Finally, we'll wrap up with some "surviving the first year" tips.  It has been so much fun to plan these lessons and watch the students engage with the material.  It confirms, once again, my love for teaching!


After I gushed for a few minutes about this class, my colleague observed that I hadn't mentioned the other two classes I'm teaching.  Astute observation!  I'm struggling a bit with them, which is really good for my humility, and good for keeping me on my toes.  I took both of the classes in grad school, and I've been doing what the classes teach for the last 13 years, but doing it and teaching the principles behind it are two different things.  I enjoy wrestling with this material...I've always loved being a student, and no one is more a student than a teacher...but I don't feel as confident in those classes as in the high school class.  Nevertheless, all of my students are very dear, very fun, and very eager to learn.  They thank me at the end of class.  Can you believe???


One last thing to share.  You may know that I have sort of a hobby of noting the differences between men & women.  It springs from my study of Theology of the Body, and when I taught TOB I always enjoyed the conversations and observations that this topic sparked.  This week one of my guy students wore a t-shirt titled "Being a Guy Rocks," and I found it so funny that I wanted to share it with you.   

• We can be showered and ready in 10 minutes.
• We get better looking with age.
• We don't stop to think about which way to turn a bolt.
• Wedding dress: $5,000.  Tux: $100.
• Our shoes don't mangle, blister, or cut our feet.
• We play with toys all our life.
• We can wear shorts no matter what our legs look like.
• Phone calls are 30 seconds flat.
• A trip requires only one suitcase.
• We can open all of our own jars.
• We get credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
• If someone lets us down, we can still be their friend.
• Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
• We don't get whistled at by construction workers.
• We can "do" our nails with a pocket knife.
• One mood, all the time.

Can anyone come up with a good counterpart to this for the girls?

Rhythms & Routines

A friend asked me recently if I had established a new routine.  It's a great question, because my routine is like my security blanket.  When school started, I could establish a routine more easily; now that Zumba offerings are more regular my routine can be even more so.  I thought you'd like to see my new routine as it has shaped up so far, just to give a feel for my life:

Weekdays:

5am - up & at 'em!  Ok, maybe more like drag out of bed & stagger to the shower...

6:30 - Mass & morning prayer time

8am - in my office.  I officially hold office hours on Monday & Wednesday from 8-9:30.  So far, not too many people have come through, but I have had a few.

MWF - class from 10-11.  TR - class from 9:30 - 12:15.

MWF - 11 am is meeting time; no classes meet.  And very often there's a meeting of some sort.  The good news is that it can't last longer than an hour!

12 noon-ish: lunch!

On Mondays, I hold office hours from 1-3, then work til 5.

On Tuesday & Thursday, I have class from 2:15-3:30, so I try to get some work done before & after class.

On Wednesdays, we have a department meeting from 1-3, and then I work til 5.

On Fridays, I work as hard as I have the energy for til 5:00.

MTWRF 5pm:  Quittin' Time!

Home for dinner and some housework (I don't know why it takes so long to clean this little house, but it does), then usually more schoolwork before bed.

Two nights a week and once on the weekend I go to Zumba.  I don't like to spend my weekend exercising, but the best classes meet on the weekend.

I realized it works well for me to get groceries on the way home from Zumba.  I drive right past Wal-Mart and Krogers; my brain has already switched off for the day (so I wouldn't be good for much schoolwork) but my body is still going (so I have the energy to zip through the aisles and grab what I need).

Weekends:

On Saturdays I work almost the whole day.  I was used to putting in a couple of hours on Saturdays, but I tried to keep the weekends fairly open.  I'm not crazy about working six days a week on a regular basis; I keep hoping that it's a first year practice and my weekends will free up again.

Friday & Saturday night I try to do something fun & social - go to a party, have dinner with a friend, call someone from home.

And Sunday is my day of rest.  I read, take a nap, watch a movie, garden...let my little introverted self recharge for the week.  The lack of dishwasher prompted me to switch to using paper plates on Sunday; now I find it really nice to just reheat my food and then throw that plate away.  No cooking; no cleaning.  I love it.

I feel like I've hit the rhythm as far as planning lessons and teaching and getting to meetings goes.  This week the first round of papers comes in, so I will have to get into a new rhythm.  I told a friend that it's like juggling:  first you juggle a couple of things, then you add a third, then a fourth....  So I've learned to juggle planning and teaching, next we'll add grading.  Then, once I'm over the grading hump, we'll add advising.  (Yes, I get to direct the students in their course choices for next semester and make sure they graduate on time...why didn't I pay more attention when we did this at the high school??)  I do hope I don't drop anything important!

Two great pieces of news this week.  First, several faculty and staff have told me they've heard that my students really love me and are buzzing about my classes.  I'm so glad.  I already love them too so I'm glad it's mutual.  Of course, once I start grading their papers things may change!  But it makes me really happy to hear they enjoy the class, the material, and me.  It makes the hard work worthwhile.

Second, I got my teaching assignments for next semester.  I anticipated teaching four different classes: two repeats from this semester and two new ones.  I felt really apprehensive about that:  this semester I have three different classes, which has been quite overwhelming, so to have four preps (two entirely new preps, plus working on the two I've only taught once) would be even more so.  But today I found out I'll only have three different classes again...like this semester...and two of them are repeats.  What a relief!  One of the repeats will be Teaching in a Catholic High School, and if early indications tell us anything, I will have a larger group next semester than this one.  The other repeat will be Content & Curriculum, but I'll teach it on the graduate level, so I anticipate more work to do on that course.  The third class, which I will teach twice, is Methods I.  I will still work very hard next semester...but at least I think I can manage it.  Four preps?  I wasn't so sure.

And hey, get this:  I get to say what days & times I want to teach the classes.  Whoa!!  THAT's a perk, let me tell you!

So I'm hitting my stride, and while that will be interrupted a bit as I add new duties, I feel more confident that I will in fact conquer this, and that I can conquer next semester too.  Thanks be to God!

Opportunity Knocks

I love college!  There is always something exciting going on, unfortunate only in that you don't have time to take advantage of every opportunity offered.  Just this weekend I had to miss out on the campus showing of the movie "Of Gods and Men," which I've wanted to see since its release this spring.  Sigh.  Another time.

Anyway, this Saturday affords me the fantastic opportunity to hear Dr.  Denis McNamara of the Liturgical Institute at University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary present to our students on the topic "Beauty and Catechesis".  I've heard wonderful things about Dr. McNamara, whose PhD dissertation bore the intriguing title "Modern & Medieval:  Church Architecture in the United States, 1920-1945."  Since I am about to teach my students how to "read" art and architecture, I'm really jazzed to hear from one of the leading experts on the topic firsthand.

On top of that, I've just been invited to co-host him on Friday for lunch and a look around at Church architecture in the Big City.  What an amazing opportunity to get a private tour from one of the best tour guides around!

The opportunity poses only one drawback:  I'll have to give up two full days when I would normally plan lessons like mad.  It's well worth the investment, for it will enrich my understanding and ability to teach the topic - but I hope I don't waste the opportunity by worrying the whole time about how I will finish everything "I should be doing right now".

I'll let you know how it goes!

"God bless America...

...Land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above
From the mountains to the prairies 
To the oceans white with foam
God bless America - my home sweet home
God bless America - my home sweet home."

Charms & challenges

In any new adventure, one can expect ups and downs, joys and struggles, charms & challenges.  Especially as the newness wears off and one begins to see a fuller picture of the reality of the present, certain aspects become more apparent than they were before.

My adventure is no exception.  I knew from the beginning that the first year would present exciting new opportunities and difficult struggles.  I thought I'd share of few of each with you, as they have unfolded thus far.

Charms:

• At Academic Convocation, the new VP for Academic Affairs presented his credentials and past experience as a one-time political science prof, including papers on topics like "Global Terrorism."  He supposed we might not think that work prepared him well for his present position, but he just wanted to inform all the students tempted to cheat on a test or plagiarize a paper that he is well versed in interrogation tactics.  (He did shift gears to give a very inspiring exhortation to take advantage of all the University offers.)
• While all of the profs, including some former teachers, warmly welcomed me to the faculty, dear Dr. X (will I EVER bring myself to call him by his first name?) made a point to join my lunch table conversation during in-service.  It was delightful for him to reach out that way to establish collegiality...and completely in character with how I know him.
• I've been going to Mass on campus at 6:30 am.  Every single weekday I'm surrounded by 250-300 college students who just rolled out of bed and threw on their sweats, but whose wholehearted participation in the Mass (at the crack of dawn) inspires and humbles me.  Wow.
• I can drive to work in less than 4 minutes.  I can drive to Kroger's in about 3.  Less than 10 minutes to Wal-Mart and the mall.  It takes 20 minutes to Zumba, but with some great views of the country.  I walked to a party last weekend in under 10 minutes.  This means I can go some 18 days before I have to refill my gas tank.  Cha-ching!
• The native population hails primarily from Italy and Poland, and many immigrated themselves or are children of immigrants.  Even apart from the students (who come from all 50 states, 50 foreign countries, and 6 continents), I find myself in a real treasure trove of multiculturalism.  The most recent example:  The seamstress I found, an Italian native in her 80s, loves to regale me with stories of the old country while she fixes my clothes.  I know every member of her family intimately...even though I've never met them.  And the exchange I witnessed between her and her husband about answering the phone could have come straight from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."  Hilarious!
• I look forward to my classes, and especially to seeing my students.  I find that I'm on familiar ground in the classroom...so much resembles teaching high school.  But I must say:  I LOVE that I don't have to say to the students "Write this down."  I just talk and they write.  Amazing.

Now for the challenges:

• Lessons, lessons, lessons!  Who has time to do anything else?  It seems that all the time between classes would be quite a luxury for planning.  But I've definitely stepped up a level (or two) in content, and all the background reading takes quite a bit of time.  After this week, assignments will start coming in for grading.  May the good Lord multiply my time, especially once that happens!
• I get the sneezies every weekend after the coke (as in, steel by-product) plant fires up.  This is not pleasant.  Combined with the advent of fall allergens, I can be a respiratory basket case on weekend.  I may need to explore that allergy shot option again.
• My new house is smaller than the one I just moved out of.  So how come it takes 3 times longer to vacuum?!?!
• The kitchen.  I must limit my word count on how challenging the kitchen is.  The only thing good I can say about the gas stove is that if the power goes out, I will still be able to cook dinner.  The cabinets don't shut all the way, and if they do, they pop right back open.  The drawers don't roll out, they pull out...and don't push all the way back in.  That leaves sawdust residue in my dishes in the cabinets below, necessitating that I wash them (again) before using.  I only have the counter space to span two cabinets.  I don't have a dishwasher (I've decreed that Sunday is paper plate day).  How on earth did anyone EVER cook in here?!  It's not ugly...it's actually quite charming visually...but it is not functional.  I'm already planning and pricing a renovation if I buy the house next summer.
• Missing the folks back home - family & friends.  I hope all of you are well.  I think of you often!  Thank you for your notes & emails.  I really enjoy getting the news. 

My new adventure continues to excite me and as difficult as the challenges can be, I find myself stimulated as I meet them.  I know I'm growing in spite of - or probably because of - the struggles.  I remain convinced that God called me here, that I am where I'm supposed to be, and that alone makes this all worthwhile.

Calling all gardeners!

They say "leaves of three, let it be"
but I can't tell if this one falls in that
category.  Is this poison ivy/oak/sumac? 

My new home has this fantastic fenced in yard, with an "established garden" along a stacked stone wall in the back.  By "established" I mean, "in dire need of weeding and renovation."  Since I rent the place this year, I am limited to the former...but that's not stopping me from dreaming about and planning for the latter.  However, in the weeding I've run across some plants I can't really identify.  Can you gardening experts help me out?  Leave your answers in the comment box or email me.  Many thanks!

Here's another shot - it's all over the garden.
I'm also worried about the 5-leafer under it
 - to the left in the photo.

I doubt it's poisonous, but is it a flower or a weed?

This plant is tall & stalky.  Flower or weed?

First week - check!

I conquered the first week - by God's grace and the prayers of many, many people.  Thank you so much to all of my prayer warriors!  I could not have made it without you.

Convocation was held Monday, followed by the opening of school Mass.  Our new Vice President for Academic Affairs delivered the convocation address, and gave us a little background on himself and his vision for the University.  Before coming to the University he taught political science, including diplomacy, democracy, and terrorism at University of Illinois.  He quipped that such a background might seem irrelevant to his present position, but that if students contemplated cheating or plagiarizing then they should know he is well-versed in interrogation tactics.

Classes began Tuesday.  I was very nervous (although I was spared the dreaded back-to-school dreams), but my students are wonderful, passionate, friendly, and attentive.  Or so they seem after two classes!  Three classes met on Tuesday, and by 3:30 (the end of my last class) I could hardly hold my eyes open.  Only one class met on Wednesday, but all week I've struggled with exhaustion.  I hope that after I get the first two or three weeks under my belt that I'll manage my energy a little better.

The class that comes most naturally to me is "Teaching in a High School Classroom."  Sixteen students are enrolled in this class, two more are sitting in, and several others have begged me to offer it again next semester.  On the first day, I invited students to introduce themselves and tell why they are taking the class.  I giggled to myself as about 13 of them said they've wanted to teach since they were little (just like me!) and they're in the class to learn how.  Only a few of them said they weren't sure about teaching and they were hoping the class would help them decide.  I think I will really enjoy that class - I feel relaxed and in my element there.

The other two classes challenge me more, though in an enjoyable way.  I teach two sections of a class called "Content & Curriculum."  In this class students learn how to present Church doctrine.  They write some lesson plans and get their first try at writing a short curriculum.  The class very systematically analyzes the doctrine.  "Systematic" is not exactly my middle name, so while I really enjoy this material I am challenged by how to present it!

The other class I teach is Methods.  I am more comfortable with this material; it is a small class and they will be doing presentations the entire second half of the semester.  If I can just make it to October 20...

I love my students and love my colleagues.  Everyone has warmly welcomed me and placed themselves completely at my service.  I'm enjoying being back on campus amid the buzz of college life.  I've seen a few of my former high school students on campus and that's helped ease some of my homesickness.

My biggest challenge at this point is time.  I set for myself the goal of planning one lesson per day.  Then I realized that (except for the "Teaching High School" class) I can't plan a lesson in one day.  There is too much background reading to do, too much material to manage.  Then I realized that I have 7 different lessons to plan per week.  Then a colleague mentioned that he will have 1600 pages of grading to do this semester, not counting midterm & final exams.  "Oh no," I thought.  "I didn't count how many pages of grading I even assigned.  I only know I have 7 assignments per class.  That's 28 assignments.  From 66 students.  And 28x66 is higher math that I'm afraid to calculate.  I only know that I'M NEVER GOING TO GET IT ALL DONE!  AAACK!"  (Visualize me freaking out.  Go ahead.  You can do it.  You've all seen it before.)

This morning I had to give myself a good talking to, and remind myself that the goal of the first year is to survive.  I had to pray and be reminded that "I can do all things through Him that strengthens me."  And He showed me that, in a way, I am walking on water - and I will not sink as long as I keep my eyes on Him rather than the human impossibility of this task.

So please continue to pray for me!  And please know that you are not far from my thoughts or prayers.  I know I haven't been in touch with some of you since I moved, and I am sorry about that.  I miss you, and I hope to touch base with you soon.

Right now, I'm going to go walk on water.

I made it!

First day down, and I think it went well!  My "kids" (must stop calling them that!) are so sweet and so eager to learn  - a teacher's dream.
And speaking of dreams, I must go plan lessons because I am exhausted and need to go to bed.  Thanks SO much for your prayers!

Deja vu week

Many of my new colleagues have commented that their first year teaching was very challenging, but since I've taught before, I "won't find it as hard".  I've wanted to reply hastily that a first year is a first year, no matter what.  But this week could be called "deja vu week" because of all the similarities I've noticed between teaching high school and teaching college.  I don't want to cast aspersions on my present or former institution, nor my present or past colleagues.  But this week brought more than a few laughs as I realized that, in this world, some things are universal.

While my contract did not begin until Thursday of this week, I went to campus Monday in hopes of being more productive in the office than at home.  (Apparently everyone else had the same idea.)  I asked a male colleague what the dress code was for various meetings through the week.  He explained, and then finished by saying, "Well, look around, and notice that the men wear a tie, and the women wear whatever they want!"  I immediately burst out laughing, because this was an annual discussion (verbatim) held at the high school.  Deja vu!

Then I went to explore the faculty lounge.  Another colleague was also there, hunting for some grub.  I asked about how things go, and heard that "the unwritten rule is:  if it's on the table it's fair game, if it's in the fridge it's hands off."  Deja vu!

That night I went to a new faculty orientation meeting.  The Assistant Academic Dean oriented us to the academic policies of the school.  Many (if not all) of them are identical to the ones I'm accustomed to.  And even as she exhorted us and pled with us to not violate these policies in ways I can't believe any professional ever would (and yet I know they do!), I thought to myself "Deja vu!"

At Thursday's round of back to school meetings, it was deja vu all over again.  The president gave the State of the School address.  Then we broke up for department meetings, wherein the usual grousing took place. Lunch was on the house, and the afternoon held a faculty meeting.  Deja vu!

Not all was deja vu.  News to report is that at the orientation Mass, I publicly took the Oath of Fidelity to the Catholic Church.  The University requires (in accordance with Church law) that all Theology and Catechetics faculty, priests, and anyone in a position of directly teaching the Faith take this oath.  I knew I would do that and hadn't really given it a thought, because I have been living the oath already for 13 years of teaching.  But the doing of it was a solemn and beautiful moment for me.  When I finished, the Bishop handed me the mandatum, his official permission that I can teach theology at a university, which is required by canon law.  I'm in now!

So it turns out my colleagues were right after all, in that I have an advantage by having 13 years experience teaching in a school.  In addition, I have God's grace to help me, now that I've placed myself under oath.  Classes begin Tuesday.  Pray for me, that the Holy Spirit guides me to (as the Oath of Fidelity says) "preserve and transmit the Deposit of Faith in its beauty and integrity."

Workout woes

Many of you know I've avidly Jazzercised for the past 8 years.  Since I'd have to travel 45 minutes one way to get to the nearest Jazzercise class in this area, I knew I 'd said goodbye-for-now to Jazzercise when I moved.  I assumed I could find something just as effective here, even if I didn't like it as well.  Not so much.

I should probably state right off the bat that since I've never been what anyone (in their right mind) would call "athletic", I have never really enjoyed exercise.  I tried it all, it seemed, and anything that didn't cause some sort of injury just wasn't enjoyable.  The only real exception to that was dance.  I took ballet classes in middle school and really loved the beauty of it.  But when I tried again as an adult, I found that while I liked the toning I got, it just didn't increase my heart rate.  It was also expensive. When I found Jazzercise, I found everything I needed:  a fun way to get my aerobic workout through dance, lots of good toning exercises, encouragement to push myself a little harder combined with assurance that I didn't have to keep up with everyone else, and instructions on how to modify exercises so I didn't injure myself.  The benefits were fantastic:  I became healthier and stronger overall; I protected my vulnerable back from further injury through core work; I had a healthy outlet for managing my stress; I slept better; and my clothes fit better.  What more can you ask?

Would that every exercise offering could do that for me.

My first attempt at "replacement-cise" focused on the programs offered by my work.  I heard from HR that a step aerobics class meets a few times a week, and a "jazzercise" class meets at alternate times, but they were on summer hiatus when I arrived.  However, once they reconvened, I got right in there.  Both instructor and class welcomed a new class member enthusiastically.  But my heart rate didn't rise as I'm used to, and we didn't do any toning exercises, both of which I need.  I have a weak back and have to work my core pretty hard to keep from injuring myself, and it didn't look like these classes would cut the mustard for my regular workout.  On to Option 2.

A local YMCA offers a number of classes.  I reviewed the schedule and thought "Total Body Conditioning" looked promising.  At the perfunctory gym tour I was told the instructor taught two back-to-back classes several days a week and used to weigh 212 pounds.  Hopes high, I entered the workout studio.  The instructor was spunky and sassy and yes, appeared to weigh just about 100 pounds to her 5 foot frame.  But she sported a severe case of what seemed like osteoporosis.  Still, as we gathered steps and mats and hand weights and rubber bands, I remained hopeful that this class could help me.  Hopes dashed.  We did light step aerobics for 10 minutes (hasn't anyone heard that 20 minutes is the minimum for an effective workout?), paused for 5 minutes to chat and wipe the sweat off our brows, hand weights for 10 minutes, paused for 5 minutes to chat and wipe the sweat off our brows, core for 10 minutes, paused for 5 minutes to chat & wipe the sweat off our brows, paused for 5 more minutes to wonder what time class ended and what we should do for the rest of the time, then cooled down for 10 minutes.  (Why we needed a cool down remained a mystery to me, but there you have it...a full 60-minute class.)  Since they wouldn't let me try any other classes without joining, I moved on to Option 3.

I've heard about Zumba for a few years, and assumed it's a kind of Jazzercise, Latin style.  While I'm not very adept at the whole Latin dance thing, I knew it would give me the core workout I need.  I heard about an instructor who has her own studio, called, got the class schedule, and braved a class.  We started the class by moshing.  (Who needs a warm-up??)  We continued to mosh, head-bang, and belly dance (!) at the highest possible intensity for the next 55 minutes.  I kept up pretty well, and was glad to finally sweat and get some core work, but I had to modify a bit to keep from hurting myself.  (I thought moshing & head-banging ended after high school...?)  And I wished for some toning exercises for my arms & legs.

I researched all the options I could find on the internet.  Maybe a gym offers Zumba classes, I thought.  Nope.  At best, one night a week.  I don't want to join a gym.  I've been to a gym.  Or, more accurately, I paid dues to be a member of a gym.  I certainly never worked out at the gym.  When the gym is always open, I always say "I'll go later."  I need a class time that I either make or I don't.  So joining the gym for a once-a-week dance class  isn't a good option.  Maybe another Jazzercise class has miraculously sprung into being, I thought.  Nope.  I began wondering if I could make that hour and a half round trip commute, plus hour-long class, three nights a week.  I realized that if I were crazy enough to sign up for that, it would become a practical impossibility once snow flies.  In total desperation, I began researching how to become a Jazzercise instructor.  (Go ahead and laugh.)  I realized that I may be driven to that some day, but to take on not one but two new teaching jobs in the same year would utterly defeat the purpose.  I want my exercise to decrease my stress level, not increase it.

So I've decided to join the Zumba classes.  I'm going to get some DVDs to use at home in hopes of getting some arm/leg work in.  (Hopefully they won't end up as useless as the gym membership.)  I may also take the aerobic intensity down in class and use some wrist weights I have to tone the arms.  The instructor offered me a new student special, which will take me through first semester, but regularly her classes are well out of the price range.  So I may face the same dilemma come January.  Stay tuned for further whining.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Zumba.

Update:  Okay, so I've returned - not from Zumba, but from the Zumba teacher's "toning" class.  Every muscle group is quivering.  She asked if I wanted to stay for belly dancing but I don't think I could make my body - or my belly - obey any command.  Maybe Zumba will work out after all.  (And yes, I too am cracking up at the mental image of me belly dancing.  Among other things, I have no groove or rhythm whatsoever.  It's a, um, genetic deficiency.)

Counting down

Ten days from today, I will begin the meetings, in services, and advising sessions that precede the start of classes.  Classes officially begin on August 30, which seems very late to this former high school teacher, but the date stares me in the face with the force of...I don't know what.  I'm really excited about my classes, and also terrified.  Not terrified of the students - I might feel better once I see them face to face.  Terrified because there is so much to do to prepare and I'm not making the progress I'd like to and I don't know how I will ever keep up once school begins.

I've been reading the texts for the courses as I prepare the lessons, and have been fascinated by them.  Some of the texts I read as a grad student, and so they are quite invigorating to re-read with the perspective of 13 years experience behind me.  Some of the texts are new - either unassigned in my grad program or assigned but never quite read.  (Students are students no matter what level of education!)

A text I finished yesterday is A Map of Life by Frank Sheed.  I've read two of Sheed's other works:  Theology for Beginners  was the first book that ever explained to me the teachings of the Catholic Church, and To Know Christ Jesus beautifully tells the story of Jesus in a way that helped me not just know about Him, but know Him.  So when I learned that Map is a required text for one of my classes, I eagerly picked it up.  My students have to write a reflection on it; here's an abbreviated rough draft of my own.

In A Map of Life (aptly subtitled "A Simple Study of the Catholic Faith"), Sheed seeks to explain the most fundamental truths of the Faith from the perspective that Heaven is our destination, and the Faith is our road map for how to get there.  He explains that God made each of us for Heaven, but that we cannot get there on our own power.  We need God to show us the way to go, and to give us the power to get there.  When Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," He is telling us that He is fulfilling what we need Him to do.  Sheed then goes on to marvelously explain the tenets of the Catholic Faith in light of that reality.

One of the parts that struck me most was the discussion of how supernatural Life comes into the soul.  Sheed reminds the reader that this is sheer grace, total gift from God, not earned by us but given in love by Him who loves us infinitely.  He also reminds us that at Baptism, we become members of Christ's body, and Christ's life is given to us.  St. Paul said as much in saying "I live, yet now not I, but Christ lives in me."  Sheed goes on to beautifully explain how prayer directs our lives to God.  But then he pointed out:


Man is not an isolated unit, but a being linked by his very nature to other men.  He owes his coming into existence to a man and a woman; he owes his continuance in existence, the development of his powers of mind and body, the full life of his emotions, to a certain cooperation with others.  If prayer is to be a directing of his life to God, this necessary social element in his nature must not be excluded -- otherwise there would be a whole side of his nature not consecrated to God.  Therefore, not only must he pray for his fellow men, he must from time to time join with them in the worship of God.  

Huh.  I never heard such a clear explanation for the "why" behind the 3rd commandment!  But he goes on:

There is not only a prayer of the individual cell but a prayer of the whole body.  And if for its own individual prayer, the cell uses the life of the whole body, equally it joins in the prayer of the whole body and makes it its own.  [This prayer of the body] must be the prayer of the Head, of him whose Body it is..."Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us."...His intercession for us is not a thing done upon Calvary once and for all, but a continuous thing, a thing that never ceases.  In other words, Christ in heaven is unceasingly making intercession for us.  But the basis of our Lord's intercession is Calvary. ...Therefore, Christ in heaving is continuously offering his own death upon Calvary to his Father on our behalf.  That is the prayer of Christ himself.  The prayer of his Body is an earthly participation in that.  

And after several pages of explanation, he summarizes:


"Our situation as Catholics may be seen in its simplest elements.  By baptism, we are built into the Body of Christ, and as cells in the Body we are able to live with the life of the Body.  The condition of all life in God is prayer: our prayer in the Body culminates in the supreme prayer of the Mass, and from the Mass we receive Christ himself to be the food of our life in the Body.  Communion, then, is God's supreme gift to us upon earth.  Everything in our life is vitalized by it.  Baptism leads up to it, everything else flows from it."


None of this is new information for me.  But a new way of explaining and understanding something always helps me appreciate it more.  So I carried it with me, in my mind and in my heart, to Mass this morning.  And somehow, I experienced Mass far more beautifully than I have in quite some time.

A Map of Life is a short book that can be read quickly for information, or slowly for meditation.  I highly recommend it, whether you are Catholic and want a refresher on the faith or non-Catholic and just want a brief overview of what Catholics believe and why.

Meanwhile, please pray for me to make progress on these lesson plans so that I can stay sane this semester!

It is finished!!!

Thank the dear Lord for generous friends and helping hands.  I could never have accomplished this move without them!

After getting a great start out of the gate in the moving race, I stalled.  Everything, from grocery shopping to cooking to filing, seemed to be taking longer than I expected or wanted.  (I mean, when this is all the counter space you've got, you can only chop so much at once!)


Anyway, my grad school friend Amy came to town for a few days to help me get my house in order.  No kidding, we worked from dawn til way past dark unpacking, organizing, arranging.  We stopped to eat some delicious meals, to go to Mass, to sleep.  We talked non-stop while we worked (no surprise to her husband), so it was lots of fun!  I could never have finished it without her.

Want a tour?  Here it is, in 2 parts:

In reviewing the audio, I realize I over-use the word "great" and should have scripted what I was going to say.  Sorry it's not very dynamic (or "great"), but several people have asked for pictures and I wanted you to be able to see what we did.

I delight in so much about this house!  Last week as I answered email, a movement outside my window caught my eye.  I looked up and saw several birds, including at least three goldfinches,  searching for seeds in the sunflowers.  I had thought to harvest those seeds for myself, but the birds provided such a great show that I think I'll let them have them.  Now that the heat has broken, I've left the windows open at night - something I didn't feel safe doing in my one-level house - and the birds chirping woke me up the next morning.  My drive through my neighborhood charms me:  each house showcases more beautiful stone and more beautiful flowers than the one before it.  (I need to take some pictures for a future blog post.)  A friend and master gardener promised to look my garden over to identify some unknown plants, and I can't wait to get to work on helping it to thrive.  And now that the boxes are all unpacked, I'm able to see the gorgeous hardwood floors I've got!

I'm so, so grateful for everyone's help, in my new home and old!  I still have so much to do, & so little time...only 19 days til classes begin, and syllabi and lesson plans in embryonic stages.  Hopefully I can get that in gear and get lots done over the next several days.

Surreal

Look what I saw when I went to my office on campus:

Can somebody please pinch me??

Moved in...sort of

Here's what the moving van looked like on Friday when we finished loading.  Note: 2 additional vehicles were filled to the brim as well.  Translate that to the new place and presto!  My present life!

Actually, things are coming along very well.  My mom did an amazing job on the kitchen cabinets.  For example, check out the wonder she did on the spice cabinet above the stove:

My brother & brother-in-law were the Hulk Hogans of the weekend, using their brains & brute strength to move all manner of heavy boxes & furniture.  They saved my aching back, for sure!

Now I have to run to work...presentations to give tomorrow and Saturday and I haven't exactly thought about them.  Wish me luck!

A new adventure

I wrote this post on Sunday, July 17; however, my internet service just came up today.  

They’ve just left.

My parents, brother, & brother-in-law, all of whom gave up their whole weekend to help me move, just drove away.  I’ve collapsed on the couch, exhausted.  They don’t have that luxury, with a long drive home and duties demanding their attention when they get there.

I feel overwhelmed with gratitude to all of you who gave me such a nice sending off.  So many people had me for a meal, helped me pack, loaded the moving truck, wished me well, and made sure I knew how much I’d be missed.  Words cannot adequately express how much I appreciate your love and support, not to mention how much I will miss you, how blessed I am that you’ve been (and will continue to be!) in my life.  

I’ve received a warm welcome here.  One friend recruited another couple of friends to help me unload the truck.  I’ve briefly encountered several people whom I know and/or will work with who’ve expressed their delight at my arrival.  Really, aside from the fact that C*mc*st has royally messed up my phone and internet hookup and won’t make good on it, everything has gone with hardly a hitch.  Miraculous, like so much else in this whole adventure. 

I feel a sense of unreality about it all.  My beautiful new house does not really feel like home - every once in a while, when I imagine going home, I picture my old (beloved) house and realize with a wave of sadness that I’m never going back there.  Fortunately, I’m too busy to dwell on that...and I hope that by the time the busyness abates I will have come to think of this house as home.

Every once in a while I ask myself:  What am I doing?  I’m leaving a house I’ve loved, a job I’ve enjoyed, dear family and friends to pursue this adventure into the unknown.  I’m not really an adventurous person; I don’t make snap decisions like this!  Why have I made these sacrifices?

What am I doing?  I’m saying yes to God.  I did not go looking for this adventure; I did not seek it out.  The offer came to me.  And after I discerned that it was truly from God, His invitation down a new path, I said yes.  I am stepping out of my comfort zone, confident that His plan for my life is good and will ultimately make me happy - even if there are short-term challenges to face and sacrifices to make.  

I anticipate that the coming year will be busy, challenging, stressful, and even sad on some days.  But I also anticipate God’s blessings as I respond to His invitation.  I know I will grow as a person;  I know it will be an adventure!

Let’s pray for each other, as we respond to His invitation to follow Him on our respective adventures.

Happy 4th of July!

I have some pretty terrific nieces and nephews, and they provide a steady stream of entertaining comments as well as some great adventures in my catholic education about life.

My oldest nieces & I had planned a trip to the nearest American Girl museum earlier this summer, which we had to delay when one of them broke her leg.  So I decided to spend the day with them, teaching them to knit and then joining them for a fireworks celebration in the local park.

The day became one long potential blog post.  I wish I had pictures to show of my nephew drinking pickle juice straight from the jar, or my youngest niece crying "Cheers!" as she clubbed us all with her cotton candy.  My oldest nieces (and my crafty sister) proved themselves quick learners and made great starts on their knitting projects.  Everyone enjoyed the symphony in the park and the fireworks show at the end, although we all agreed that Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" piped over a PA for the grand finale did not have quite the same effect as the symphony rendition of the 1812 Overture earlier in the show.  (It reminded me of my boat ride on the Sea of Galilee with "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" playing over the loudspeaker.)  And I learned that I don't know the words to songs such as "Dixie" or the Marine Corps hymn, but I can sing every word of Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American."  Mental note:  Rectify that soon.

I now find myself 10 days out from my life-changing move.  I'm so grateful for precious time with family & friends before I become swamped with the transition into my new life.  I'm excited about the changes, but glad to savor this time too.