February has come and is going!

I mentioned in my previous post the blog of Sister Jo-El, a member of the St. Gertrude community.  A couple weeks ago she shared a beautiful reflection on Ordinary Time.  I encourage you to read her words here http://www.osbridgely.com/apps/blog and to be mindful of what is extraordinary in your daily life.  Maybe there is something or someone you can influence to move from ordinary to extraordinary, maybe especially with new seasons.  While still in the month of February we try to keep hold of our new year's resolutions; a few moments of sitting with the ordinary can do a lot for my brain racing 139 miles per minute, for my heart, and for my body, too. 

Recent outings:

                Did I mention I went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum?  I hardly could take in even a portion of it.  I was on sensory overload, but don’t know if I envision returning anytime soon.  For any of you who have visited the museum, you know the toll it takes emotionally.

                I met a friend in Annapolis a recent Friday afternoon.  We enjoyed hot chocolate…  I have to share this: the place we went insisted the only way they could make the drink was to fill have the cup with mini marshmallows before adding hot water to the mix.  One of my companions was bewildered; she could not wrap her head around such a concept.  Continuing, we enjoyed a brisk walk in the light drizzle around a quiet, wet downtown Annapolis.  It is so charming.  We enjoyed company in a warm, Friday evening bustling pub as we tasted vegetable crab soup.  An evening we could hope to repeat again soon!

                Also when in Annapolis I found the Whole Foods market/store.  I had never been in one (not even in MN), and had been looking forward to exploring.  Wow, what a place!  I enjoyed the plump produce section, the fishes and meats, oooh-ing at the homemade pastas, the cheeses, oh, and more!  This is one of my favorite pastimes, if you didn’t know: food markets, farmers’ markets, co-ops, etc. 

                I have been to Dover, DE a few times in the last weeks.  I venture there with my friends to have some girl time out and about, not even spending money on ourselves.  We went to the “small—though I’m not sure how Caroline County residents can make this judgment” Dover Mall and enjoyed window shopping, trying on 5” heels, chasing 14-month olds around.  Just this past Sunday I found a Plato’s Closet—I didn’t know they were nation-wide.  The women with me were elated with the finds for the great prices.  We will definitely be returning there when we have more time.  We also plan to go to a (bigger) mall in Annapolis in the near future.  Works for me—all the more places I can experience, the more cultured will I be. 

               

               My babies are growing up.  Lil’ almost-two-year-old repeats, well, tries anyway, everything I say.  She is growing into an identity of her own, and quickly!  One of two school-age sisters just turned six years old, and the other will be four next month.  Just a fun fact about these two: the former falls asleep around seven in the evening and nothing in the world will wake her—noise, moving her, her fidgety sister, and speaking of whom is an insomniac herself and refuses to sleep more than six or so hours each night; but the two share a single bed and don’t want it to work any other way.  The other two babies are as lively and lovable as ever.  They are great pals—just two weeks apart, and give each other a hard time… kinda like puppies, haha. 

                I introduced a few new nutrition/health topics so far this month to the women at St Martin’s.  We had a lesson on portion sizes and a good discussion relating portion guidelines to our everyday experiences with food and food choices.  We talked about whether to eat a huge loaded lettuce salad because it’s our source of vegetables and also some protein, and maybe even good fats and fiber.  On Valentine’s Day we did some interactive learning on Heart Health, as February is the American Heart Association’s Heart Health month.  We mostly talked about fats—bad and better, and how those affect our heart and overall health.  A healthy heart is a happy heart!  I also prepared some quinoa (KEEN-wah) for the residents to try.  It is one of my favorite grains (it’s a seed but most commonly serves as a grain, as a replacement for rice). 

                I haven’t been knitting much lately.  I finished a couple scarves and am working on another different-material one.  Definitely not on a roll, turning out scarves as I was/we were in the fall and before Christmas.  I have, instead, been taking time for reading, both novels and spiritual works.  I also am trying to get started on another cross-stitching project. 

                Yes, Lent is here.  I actually started a blog draft three weeks ago titled, “A new season is around the corner!”  Well, religiously speaking the season is here and enveloping us.  The season of the recent weather is also new and unexpected as of late.  The stars have been bright and dazzling and overwhelmingly breathtaking.  I have taken a few night walks in order to best enjoy them.  This is surely one of the unquestionable blessings of living away from city lights. 

                Back to Lent in my next post! 

Much love. 

Please enjoy these links!

I have been meaning to share with you the websites of my service sites.  There is a lot to look at, read, watch, take in.  I hope that they can supplement and support all I've told you about these incredible ministries here in Ridgely, MD.  Here they are, along with a few others.  =) 

St. Martin's Ministries= "The Barn" (food pantry & thrift shop) and "The House" (residential program for women)... http://stmartinsministries.org/ 
and on Facebook "St. Martin's Ministries" http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/St-Martins-Ministries/146146165419502

Benedictine School for Exceptional Children http://www.benschool.org/ 
and http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Benedictine-School/49643943549?fref=ts

My host community, St Gertrude Monastery http://www.osbridgely.com/ and on Facebook "Benedictine Sisters of Ridgely" http://www.facebook.com/#!/BenedictineSistersofRidgelyMd?fref=ts

BWSC (Benedictine Women Service Corps) is an outreach of Saint Benedict's Monastery, St Joseph, MN http://sbm.osb.org/

You will love the rich, reflective words of Sr Jo-El McLaughlin, OSB's blog "Song du Jour."  From the St Gertrude website click on the most extreme right icon at the top of the page, or http://www.osbridgely.com/apps/blog 

Thank you!!! 

Some of my favorite things & shared reflection

I love children, their aura, innocence, honesty, purity.  I love how with infants and toddlers we understand them through their actions for lack of verbal communication.  This connection teaches me something about communication with others in my life.  Really what I love is walking into St. Martin's House to a handful of children who are just themselves.  And to, "Aaaaaaaa--" (for Aaa-shley), a 14-month old prancing over to me to be picked up and snuggling into my neck for just a second before squirming down to resume playing, to smiles and clapping, to 3- and 5- year olds fighting over who gets to open the door for me.  I've spent quite a bit of time around children before, but these children are what I most look forward to every day. Everyone would have a friend.

Life is unexpected.  Life is a plethora of the unknown.  A youth surprises me by getting close, almost in a hug, and then remaining there, allowing my to keep an arm around her for a whole two minutes as I stood on guard waiting for the moment her comfort passed.  She typically holds out an arm or both to ensure everyone keeps their distance.  And for good reason, because just this week she was upset and decided to express that emotion by pinching and scratching--also unexpected but just the flick of a few fingers.
Right could always win.

I never expected that worlds could come together and I would be a sounding board, a confidant for some of the clients here.  Even those that seemed to try so hard to make it known to me that I was different from them and hardly capable of relating to their lives and hardships are open now, slowly with time.  And trusting, too.  Or maybe the trust had to come first.
Time will heal all hearts.

Back to communicating through actions.  Someone wise and admirable in my life put it something like this, "Don't hang onto the words of others but look to and trust their actions."  With infants and children, those who are nonverbal such as persons with disabilities, and others including the elderly, we have to look for and make the best decisions for them based on their actions, body language, and nonverbal cues.  Oftentimes I get so caught up in what people say or I wait for a friend to say the right thing.  Or, I may hear the same words from an acquaintance but no action taken to follow up or support those words.  Making the best decision for myself can be possible if I am aware of what that person is communicating to me through her actions.  I want to thank all the nonverbal persons currently in my life for reminding me of this which improves my work experiences. 
Love would have no end.

Remember the warmth a smile can bring and offer that to another.  Know how simple a greeting of blessings is to a friend.  I have a dream that acknowledgement means greeting with a smile, a nod, a positive energy.  I have dreams of kind words, affirmations, encouragement, broadening of minds to the betterment of the community, opening of minds and hearts to the injustices we can prevent each day, fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves.  Affirming children so they don’t grow up to affirm themselves by abusing others.  Taking an extra four seconds to listen. Taking an extra two to respond.  Taking a final half-second to smile. 
No more lives torn apart; and wars would never start.  This is the world we share.

Included is an incorporation of lines from the song "A Prayer for Every Year" by Plus One --the statement at the end of each paragraph.  Thank you for keeping up with me in this post!  
 

Halfway...?!?

Yes, yes, it indeed has been a month since I last wrote something on my blog.  I know you are disappointed, so here I am-- enough of my reasons of illness and weariness. 

Well 5 months ago I drove up to St Benedict's Monastery in St Joseph, MN to begin my orientation retreat for BWSC.  And I'm sitting here trying not to think about the fact that my time with this program will conclude in just a little more than four months.  I also have been reflecting on my mid-year evaluation/review for BWSC, as well as the new year's revelations.  There are so many reflections to share...might I suggest you just take a little trip inside my mind ?  Okay, great-- that will make this blog post lots shorter.  Haha, how about, then, taking a little trip to Ridgely, Maryland to visit?  Good compromise. 

Alright, to begin: an update on my service works. 

          The Barn had a great, busy month in December.  We were fortunate to be able to give additional food for the holidays to all clients during the months of November and December.  St Martin’s Ministries has incredible donors that enable us to continue giving time, talents, resources, and more to those in need, in this community.  I keep busy with tasks: stocking the food pantry, creating recipe sheets for items in monthly food boxes, set up of data spreadsheets, filing, decorating billboard, cleaning, planning, reviewing cash register—you name it. 

            Clients continue to visit us monthly.  I now recognize many faces and am learning quite a few names as well as a few more helpful Spanish phrases!  I am without a doubt the newest and least-seasoned of the volunteers at St Martin’s Ministries.  Most have been giving to St. Martin’s for 20-30 years!  I am blessed to learn from the example of these selfless persons around me. 

            I have had many bonding experiences with beautiful people.  I don’t know what I expected during my time here but I have formed rich relationships with so many.  These have been with co-workers, peers, children, and clients alike—through all of the ministries in which I serve.  I look forward to my service BECAUSE of sharing time with people.  I have been able to extend these relationships beyond our scheduled working hours which has been time both relaxed and social for me.  

To be continued... :) 

ADVENT joyfully concludes... Photos!

Hey everyone! 

Time flies when fun is had... and I have been having fun!!

Here are some photos taken in the past couple months :D

Lots of love! 

5K that I walked with one of the residents at SMH; pictured with another resident and her son

"Walk for the Well of It" 3-mile walk in Ridgely

Halloween trick-or-treating with the daughter of a SMH resident

In D.C. with a Minnesotan friend

Along the mall in D.C.

Beautiful-- in honor of women & nurses

First Lady's garden on the White House lawn

More ADVENTures

Over Thanksgiving and the weekend I went to Charleston, SC to visit friends!  Katie and I graduated together from St. Ben’s, and she lives with her husband Karl in Charleston.  We shared a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal and company of friends.  The weather was fantastic when I was there (they had rain all week before I arrived), so Katie and I spent much of our time outdoors.  We walked around downtown Charleston two different days; again another place so rich in history.  I enjoyed a few tourist experiences as we paddled a small boat through Cypress Gardens, visited a slave mart—the original building still standing, and toured a plantation outside of Charleston complete with a tour of the main house and self-guided history in nine slave houses.  I appreciated being able to put real images to the history that we—especially as mid-Westerners—only read.  Charleston is a city of authentic and original cuisine, so Katie and Karl treated me (as their first visitor!) to a few of their favorites including unique tacos, Indian, Southern comfort food, and also brunch at the Farmers’ Market. 

Life at the monastery is and has been wonderful!  Mostly I am not around here as much as I’d like to be.  Or when I am around I am running to and/or from someplace else which is not conducive to conversation or quality time.  Lately some nun-life adventures include beautiful preparation as we are moving through the season of Advent.  I have my flute here and have loved contributing to the liturgy, especially because of Advent hymns.  Scarves, scarves, scarves!—we had a very successful sale and received many orders from staff and parents of Benedictine.  The race has been on to complete scarves to fill these orders.  I will admit that I took quite a long break from knitting, but have jumped back in and do what I can.  I spend many of my volunteer hours in the evenings which reduces my evening communal television and knitting time. 

I thought I wrote about this already, but I didn’t—I visited Washington D.C.!!  I have had some wonderful touring experiences with a couple friends in the area.  We went to D.C. for a day early in November and saw all of the monuments and memorials.  I am itching to get back to see the museums—a couple at a time since I have the time to do so!  It was a chilly, windy day, but we got lots of walking in.  We also walked by the White House and saw the First Lady’s garden.  I am so grateful to the many friends and acquaintances generous with their time and keen on contributing to a full experience for my time here. 

Another experience to add to these—Handel’s Messiah!  Just Saturday night Sisters Patricia, Jo-El, Mary Elizabeth, and I had the privilege of attending Messiah put on by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with guest soloists; it was held at Chesapeake College.  It was incredible, beautiful, breathtaking, and more!  I hadn’t ever heard the full 2½ hour oratorio, and the bar was set high for any future performance of it.  I am so blessed. 

My ADVENTures!

Wow!  The end of November already!  Time certainly has flown by for me.  I cannot believe I’ll be traveling to MN in less than four weeks.  I definitely have lots to share from the past weeks I’ve left you without updates of my adventures.  This is your fair warning that this will be a long post and/or one of two…  =)

In November my childcare hours increased, my days and schedule at the (Benedictine) school have changed, I’ve had new projects related to the Barn, and I had many wonderful days of relaxation and reflection.  I took one of the St Martin’s House residents along with her 18-month-old daughter trick-or-treating a couple days after Halloween.  Many towns rescheduled the town trick-or-treat because of Hurricane Sandy that week.  It was Lucy’s first time out on Halloween and she got scared right away by the costumes, but we had a fun time and of course got a little candy. 

I had an opportunity to stay at a condo in Ocean City, MD for a couple days.  The Sisters were given one week of a timeshare there and Sisters Colleen and Patricia invited me to join them!  It was chilly (low 40s) when we were there, but inside we enjoyed the company of one another, shared meals, reading for pleasure, and the presidential election updates.  It was a perfectly timed get-away. 

The following weekend was a holiday bazaar in Ridgely put on by the joint parishes of Ridgely and Denton (another nearby town).  The bazaar has a 5K run and fun walk as well, this year being “Run for the Well of It”—the money raised went toward providing clean, drinkable water for communities in Ghana.  Some of the House residents, their children, and I had a great time walking three miles in the crisp, sunny morning.  Anthony who’s nine turned it into kind of a competition and ended up speed walking ahead of us, finishing almost ten minutes before the rest of the group!  We were very proud of his ambition. 

Speaking of the Saint Martin’s House children—oh, so many stories and misadventures I could share!  As I mentioned, I have been doing childcare for the House residents (in the evenings when they’re at college classes or meetings) quite often.  Just this week I planned to care for Lucy and (Anthony’s four-year- old sister,) Rosie but also had to do transportation for the residents that evening and night.  So I set out from the House with the two residents on their way to college night class and Rosie who has to ride along because I’m in charge of her.  On our way we pick up Lucy from day care; after singing songs about November and the other months of the year Rosie falls asleep in the backseat.  We arrive at the college to drop these two women off and pick up Lucy’s mom who had an afternoon class.  Upon returning to SMH (St Martin’s House), Rosie sleepily gets out of the car while I’m waiting for the second she snaps out of it to instantly be wound up for the entire night… 

Next we heat up Rosie’s dinner and Lucy’s mother leaves with me Lucy and her own dinner.  The two are sitting and eating as I get distracted by the 11- and 12- month olds who want my attention and run around finding drinks and activities to bring with us as I had to leave shortly to be out driving for the rest of the night (again bringing Rosie along).  Next thing I know Lucy’s whole plate of food is on the floor, she’s crying about her hotdogs, while a ball bounces and babies continue to crawl and walk through it.  Alright, I guess we’ll make a new plate of dinner for Lucy!   Oh, and did I mention that somewhere in there Rosie is running around with the second half of her pork chop hanging out of her mouth?  Yep.  [I wasn’t going to mention it, but some of the Sisters insisted.]  Rosie, sit down if you’re going to finish eating and yes, you do need to wear more than a t-shirt, leggings, and sandals when we go outside…

Those were the events of that evening, but really life is never dull!  My mom was here visiting for over a week—right before Thanksgiving!  She was able to come along with me to my service sites and she survived through hours and days such as these.  She really got a super-condensed version of my life here, especially in just the first two or three days of her visit.  We stayed very busy and enjoyed our time together doing just what we love: health food stores and a farmers’ market, exercising, the state park and all of nature (there are many more leaves on trees here than in Minnesota), baking gluten- and egg-free goodies, and lots of visiting and catching up.  I got to show off how well I know my way around the area, things I’ve discovered, and all I’ve grown to love, especially the community of Benedictine Sisters.  It was great to have my mom here!