Princess-in-Training: Welcome to Murray State University!

Welcome back to my blogged missionary life! To catch you up on the past 6 months, I've made a top 6 list of important things that have happened:

1. Celebrating Life: In March, my mom's dad passed away after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis. I was blessed enough to have been able to visit him when he was in the hospital. Although my mom's family is spread out over the US, the power of family was evident as the brothers and sisters flocked to South Carolina for his final days and the funeral. He was buried at West Point, and since it was only a few hours from South Orange, I was able to go. It rained as soon as we got the casket into the chapel for the burial Mass. I know Grandpa was proud of the men and women in uniform who didn't let the torrential rain phase their actions at the grave site.

Sister and I with Grandpa, flying to the moon on his front porch swing.

2. May Celebrations: As my year in South Orange, NJ came to an end, the season of celebrations began! Since I had a Bible Study with mostly seniors I stayed an extra week in Jersey to go to graduation. After graduation, I headed to PA for my cousin's wedding. It was so much fun to see all of my dad's family (he is number 9 of 10 kids) celebrating my cousin and her new husband. Then, Theresa and I journeyed back to NJ to pack up my things and headed into NYC for a night. We had a blast!

Final retreat of the year with the student leaders and missionaries of Seton Hall

My view of graduation. Congratulations!

My beautiful sister at the Stardust Diner in NYC

3. Sweating through Training: During the month of June, all 350+ missionaries with FOCUS headed to Ave Maria University in Florida to continue our training as missionaries. Almost every conversation began with "Man, I hate this humidity" or "Want to play connect the dots with my mosquito bites?" or "Hey look! An alligator!". It was so rejuvenating to be able to connect with all of the friends I made last year and learn how to be a more effective missionary!

My small group. Our patron was St. Monica.

One of the gators in the pond by the dorms. I called him George.

The gorgeous chapel!

A good friend and I with the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia

4. Prayers for Healing: My sister has been battling with endometriosis for the past two years. This summer she headed to the Pope Paul VI Institute in Nebraska for surgery. Thank you to everyone who was praying for her and my mom who journeyed with her. She came home at the end of July and had to be re-hospitalized due to an infection. She was in the hospital for 5 days, with the rest of the family cycling through to be with her. It was a trying time, but just as with Grandpa, the servant love we have for each other came shining through. She is back at school now and doing much better. Hopefully this chapter of her life it behind her.

There are no pictures of Theresa during her stay at the hospital, but while under the influence of some pretty nice medication, she declared herself a princess and demanded a pointy stick. This is what we came up with.

5. Moving Day: In the middle of August I made the 14 hour trip from Tampa to Murray. I stopped to see a dear friend and her family in Atlanta on my way up. When GoogleMaps told me that it was going to take 14 hours, I was so excited! That's only half of the trip from Tampa to South Orange, NJ. But 14 hours is still a long time, so I am incredibly blessed to have a stopping point halfway here. The weekend after I moved in, my parents made the trip (in a day). I cannot say how wonderful they are and how much I love them. They got to see my very first apartment (I've always lived in a dorm), the town, and the beautifully renovated St. Leo's.

Welcome to our apartment in Murray!

Me and my roomie, Sarah!

6. Team Murray: In April I found out that I would be moving to Murray State University in Murray, KY for this school year. At the first glance of the website, I knew I was in love. Murray is a small town in western Kentucky, with only a short drive to Paducah (a larger city), Nashville, TN, and a good friend's house in Florence, KY. Our team consists of second years Zach, Meghan, and their beautiful daughter, Flannery, and a first year, Sarah. I couldn't have asked for a better team! We have our work cut out for us, as this is the first year FOCUS has been at Murray, but I'm already leading 5 Bible Studies and mentoring 3 women.