Nov 2017-Nov 2018

I was recently inspired by this post to write a little reflection on the last year. Like Emma, I too have experienced a wide range of changes and I thought it would be fun to highlight some. Many of these were "surprises" like who would have expected this? but mostly the end of age 19 and age 20 has been great for me! I have learned, among MANY other things, that God's plans are ALWAYS better than mine. I say things like "I never knew...." or "who would have thought....?" a lot.  I have learned a lot this year and have had many new experiences.
In no particular order....

Some time last fall, I watched My Cousin Vinny for the first time. That was life changing. I am not sure why I did not think of watching that any sooner? This has now become my all time favorite movie ever. I also discovered Seinfeld to be actually funny, and my favorite is "Is Any One here a Marine Biologist?". my comedy side has really come out strong in the last year!

We went to Italy!! I do need to write more about Italy here but there is some written under this label. Italy was great! (I met someone recently who told me that she didn't like Italy/being in Italy. I do not understand how this is possible. How can you not like Italy?)

I finished my third year of raising steers and have started my fourth year. Last year we had a Simmental and this year we are back to Gelbviehs. Last year I showed a beef heifer for the first time. This was our first year in 3, maybe 4 years, of raising pigs where we didn't have any deaths. So our year with pigs was a complete success. Through our kittens, and our vet, I discovered the cuterebra parasite and I had the delight (at the time, misfortune) of pulling one out of a kitten myself. Go me!

I have really discovered the Latin Mass this year through books, daily low mass, my missal, the SSPX, Fr. Peter Lee's first mass.... Ever since my early/mid teens I have wanted to "get more into" the Latin Mass especially with more exposure and this year I think I have really done it! On the same note, my attitude towards the SSPX has made a full turn around and has really grown.
And, in the spring/summer I did my "quest for recent church history" through priests, books and talking to other people.

Jerry Coniker died. I really truly thought that I would be able to spend more time with him  before he died. My Grandpa Bruno turned 80! To my mom's chagrin I am turning more and more into her dad. I usually go to bed at 8:30pm now. I went to Door County for the first time as well as the shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. Very nice places each, I'll be back. My art knowledge/interest has blossomed. This Devotion  has blossomed in my life. Liturgical Living continues to make a climb in my life. I bought my first 2 cars this year. My book collection has exploded. I've been using Spotify. I bought my first iPhone and I love it. I have met many different people and become involved in many different families. I kind of feel like I know everyone now. I still dream of India and adopting Indian Children. I still babysit. a lot. I still read. a lot. I still write. a lot. I discovered Catholic Schoolhouse, and the importance of memory work.  I still love Charlotte Mason and Maria Montessori.

I started "more official" teaching in the Spring for some weeks and in the Fall for some weeks. Good times!

I met this lovely Mrs KBL on 2/25/18. I have written about her some already. I have entered a whole new world with her that I never knew I would, but I am so glad that I have. This world includes constant in-home caregivers, Hoyer lifts, catheters, so much confusion,  MS, dementia and just a whole mess of things. These would be the "negative" things. But knowing her, has also included learning many great lessons (as well as practical lessons I didn't think I'd learn like steering a power wheelchair, putting  a jacket on her & such)  , Fiji, (who would have thought?) constant adventures, and lots of fun moments to savor. So many great experiences! I can't really explain it. I'm living the life, that's for sure! Life is good. (This was an unplanned relationship that has now become the best thing in my life)

There is still so much to reflect on.

This week: World Dairy Expo, Teaching again & feast of St Francis of Assisi

This has been another crazy week!

First up: new things!
I got a bunch of binders, florescent post it flags (which I am really liking), and page protectors (some rather practical things). and best of all, I was gifted a $200 Amazon gift card. I am going to (try to) hold off until November to spend $150 of it and save the rest (not sure what for. A  bad day or something probably). I am super excited about this gift card! So many possibilities!
I started a new notebook. It feels great to  be back to my classic red 70 paged college ruled notebook.
I bought this book: Off the Hook: God, Love, Dating and Marriage in a Hook Up World by/from Timothy O'Malley. He came to speak at UW Madison Last night.
The Benedictine Sisters of Mary, Queen of the Apostles are coming to Madison!!!
I am back to teaching a 2nd grader and 3rd grader. (I taught them last spring as 2nd and 1st graders). Back to Seton Religion books, reading seasonal/fall picture books out loud, and reading old catechism books for me. It's great! Its good to be back doing that.

Currently reading: The Catholic Hearth Magazines. Adventure Lands (Abeka grade 6 reader-a copy from 1954). blogs. texts. and 2nd + 3rd grade level home school curriculum.
I printed off a "Latin Mass Study Guide" from the Crusaders for Christ blog. I haven't started it yet but its in a binder and ready for me to read.

Feast of St Francis of Assisi
I don't know what it was but this feast day seemed different this year than in other years.... Maybe because I have been to Assisi (including San Damiano and other magnificent "st Francis places" in Assisi)? (I will have to -read my notebooks on my adventures in Assisi)
Fr gave a really good sermon yesterday. I took lots  of notes. Random thought of yesterday: I was thinking about how people often comment how "generous" I am and I was thinking about how much I appreciate other peoples generosity to me and I was thinking of how I want to be "more generous". and that was the basic extent of my thoughts.

This week is the world dairy expo, and I am so glad that I have been able to go twice! for what ever reason, I have collected ZERO freebies. But I did get to look at nearly all the venders and had two grilled cheeses so I think the week was a success! I am now even more jazzed up for our new steers (only a few more days! + lots of work before then)
I did my first set of observational hours at a 4K class. It was an interesting experience.
This week we went to a funeral for a girl/woman who died from drug overdose. We knew the girls parents, one of her sisters and her brother so that's why we went. Wow,  was that ever a depressing event. Don't do drugs, kids.

Listening to lately: its the end of the world  as we know it. the Beverly hillbillies theme song. the creed in Latin (I am trying to memorize it) and still a wide variety of songs on my Spotify playlist and on my YouTube playlist.

Life is good.

Feast of St Pope Pius X

Pope Pius X has been my favorite Pope (with Benedict XVI, and John Paul II in second and third) for as long as I can remember. I don't really know/remember why. I was first introduced to him through the Vision book on him and have been fascinated with him ever since. I don't know why I liked him...maybe it was because he was Italian, or a farm boy, or...I don't even know what but when I was younger I declared him my favorite pope and that has stuck. When I was 17, I nicknamed my calf "Pius" because I didn't like the calf's actual name. Then, two years ago came my discovery of the Society of Pope Pius X (I was extremely confused then, but my understanding has been greatly cleared up in the last 6 months). anyways, life clipped along. St Pope Pius X was added to my daily litany of saints.  Earlier this spring Mrs KBL and I would go through her relics and one of them is of Pope Pius X, so of course I feel like a complete rock star having that experience. Then, my family and I were in Italy. We're walking around through our tour of St Peter's and I was taking notes. When all of a sudden, after just a quick glance, I see the tomb of Pope Pius X! I was so excited! I couldn't believe it! (clearly, I don't know that much about him, or I would have know where he is buried). My notebooks state this, "POPE PIUS X CHAPEL!!!!!!! in corrupt!! AND HIS BODY!!!!! St. Pope Pius X, pray for us!!!! w/picture of the presentation of Mary in/at the temple.
a side altar....I'm so excited!!! I can't believe it!!!" We only stayed at that spot for a few minutes, as there is just so much to see (its really overwhelming). As we had concluded our whole tour, and all I wanted to do was rush back to the tomb of Pope Pius X for some time in prayer there. There I prayed for my vocation, for strong faith and for endurance and I wrote about my excitement to be there. (I was probably glowing the whole time...) I then, went into a physical description of the scenery there, "He has a mask on his face & hands...He is wearing red, white & gold. with red & gold slippers. laying horizontal with a ring on his finger. and white lace." and that was it, then we left. That was my most exciting experience of being at the tomb of Pope Pius X. When we were home from Italy and I was asked my favorite things of Italy I said being at the tomb of St Pope Pius X!

Since then, I now have an Angelus Press missal and  have been to 2 masses at St Therese Chapel (SSPX) so, I guess that is my other connection to him (sort of). Today, to celebrate I wanted to go to mass (I usually go to a 7am daily low mass) but we have zero cars that I can drive (last week was BAD!) so I am not going to mass today, but I read through the propers and such in my missal. Hopefully (very!) soon, I will go to visit Mrs KBL's and she and I will bless ourselves with his relic (I don't think that will happen today). I have also been doing some readings on him/his life from the SSPX website, and Crisis Magazine and such. Nothing terribly exciting. I guess that is about all I've got for liturgical living. I still get so excited thing about the day that I was at his tomb!

Saint Pope Pius X, pray for us!

from my notebooks// some thoughts lately

This was written when we were on our trip to Italy. I wanted to share this because I've been thinking a lot about priests & me praying more for priests lately. I don't know if its because of the recent scandals outbreak (every time I go on Facebook or Instagram I just have articles and such of all kinds coming constantly through my feed about that), or because my seminarian pals are going back to school, or because I saw a seminarian pal the other day (he and I had two different "first week of school" experiences!) or what but this has been on my mind a lot lately, so, I wanted to share this as a letter of encouragement, I guess.

"we are on the train now and our theme for writing is going to be Rome, Assisi & Vocations. I have begun to think that the necessary place (&tool!!) for vocational discernment (for me & women) is here. Its a whole different feel & vibe here. Nuns/sisters, priests & seminarians of all colors, kinds & ages are here and they are everywhere, just going about their life. And there are all of these powerhouse churches & places filled with richness & great history. nuns & priests walking with a rosary in hand, wearing different kinds of garb. the clerical collar. familiarity. Beauty. example. a sense of  'they are just like us' learning and exploring. seeing them all inspires and challenges me to pray for current & future vocations even more. those living out religious vocations here are a sight to be seen. it really is beautiful. vocations are alive here. what an honor for seminarians to study here. what a great blessing. what a gift. what a gift, joy, blessing & service to the church this place is. .....I need to pray for familiar priests more frequently. I need to make a schedule/habit of the spiritual motherhood for priests & seminarians. like mass, Holy Hour & archbishop Brady's prayer for vocations. I need renewed dedication to/for this habit."
-May 2018 (I don't have the exact date)

"...the devil does not want us to succeed, but Christ has already won the victory!"-in a card to me from a new priest in our diocese.