Awake My Soul

Happy Tuesday! My favorite day of the week (as most PC friends know). I am minorly heartbroken that I'm not in my first day of classes at PC, and I won't be returning to DiTraglia to hang out with 501 and 601 and build surprise forts, but I also know that if I was at PC today, none of those people would be there (except Mary), so it wouldn't be as fun. The moving back in tweets and facebook posts were tough yesterday, as well as all the OL love... I'm missing my home away from home, but I'm trying to focus on my new home here.

This weekend was a wonderful chance to relax and take some time to myself to refuel and re-energize for the week ahead. I did some exploring around Houston, found some cool restaurants, made my way to Central Market (foodie heaven), worked out a lot, and visited with some people I love. I did also lesson plan and clean the house, but all in all it was a nourishing weekend.


I made dinner Saturday night... sweet potato black bean enchiladas... yum. We worked out at the YMCA, used the interwebs, and were so excited to go to bed because we were so tired! That morning, we went to visit Megan at work, where there was a 10 cent sale at the Vincentian Services Center. I got a VCR for the house for $2 since we have a ton of tapes but no way to watch them, as well as this excellent find for a quarter:

We went back for naps and I did some arts and crafts! I put one of my favorite quotes from Mumford & Sons on our wall: "where you invest your love/you invest your life." I think it's so appropriate for our JV year, and I need to fix some of the letters, but overall, I think it looks pretty cool :).

Sunday, I took my roommates to mass at a Dominican parish! It was so exciting to see the OPs, and the mass was really beautiful. It was almost entirely chanted, and most of the prayers were sung in Latin- not exactly what we were expecting, but really beautiful. It was a little more traditional than the parish we've been attending each week, but we plan to go back next week at a different time in order to participate in a different style mass.

We had Spirituality night on Sunday, led by Megan, but before that, we went to Costco! Karen and I both have cards now because one of us will always go, and it was a good investment for our house. I felt like such a big kid with my very own Costco card! And we have a ton of snacks now- so great.

Yesterday was a busy day filled with errands, lesson plans, and working out- AND visiting with Sister Mary! Cassie and I went to Central Market again, and then we discovered that the famed cupcake shop Sprinkles was right down the street... so naturally, we got a half dozen to bring home as a Labor Day treat. They were absolutely delicious.

Sister Mary and I met that afternoon at the Cenacle Sisters Retreat House, a beautiful spot about 30 minutes away from my house (but still in Houston). We went on a walk/hike on the grounds, and it was so lovely to catch up with her and talk about Kenya, Ireland, and life as a JV. We continued our chat over some delicious salads, and parted ways because we both had an early day today!

It was so good to see her, and have a little time to myself outside of the house. I'm at school in a calm, confident attitude, even if I am missing my morning LaSalle and seeing the Dominicans every day.