Coffee Shop Chats - The Third

Yay! I was hoping that Tessa would post another of these. I love these chats! They're so fun. Click the link to see the rules for this link-up!

What I did this week

You won't believe it - I went on a mini road trip by myself! Wednesday was my day off of work, and I had heard that there was adoration outside in the evening around half an hour outside of the city I used to live in. The city was about 1 hr and 1/2 away, and I'd never driven anywhere that far on my own before, so I was nervous, but I made it with the help of my GPS and a phone call to my dad (but, really, guys, my dad is awesome). I arrived in the city in the afternoon around dinner time and was able to see my new baby cousin who is the most adorable little munchkin ever. I had dinner with my grandma, and stopped in at a bookstore before heading out to the church. I met a friend, and we sat together. Adoration was amazing. I was overwhelmed with the beauty of it - adoring our Savior out under the stars. I was able to go to confession, and it was a very peaceful time. I'm really glad I was able to go, even though it was so far away.

Also, that morning, I started spiritual direction with my priest friend who is pastor of the churches on the Reservation where my family is. The first session went well, and I'm excited for this new way to grow closer to God.

Food I've enjoyed made

Guys, I'm really bad in the kitchen, okay? I have been eating super simple things lately, because I don't want to waste food by cooking things that will turn out badly. So mostly sandwiches and cereal - I'm serious. Anyway, the other night I decided to try to make spaghetti. Let's say it wasn't a masterpiece. I think I cooked the noodles too long and the meat I tried to use for the sauce turned out to taste sour. I didn't want to get sick, so I threw the whole thing out and ate candy for dinner. That's a completely healthy alternative, what are you talking about? Ahem.

Drinks I've enjoyed

On the plus side, I found a really easy recipe for coffee vanilla milkshakes, and I've been loving those. *Goes to make one so I can take a picture for you to see* 

You're welcome

Music I've enjoyed

I've been noticing lately that my taste in music has changed a little. Or maybe I'm just discovering more music than I knew about before. Either way, I've been enjoying some music my aunt introduced me to, including Switchfoot, and Jack Johnson. Also, one of the only popular songs that I like right now is Hello by Adele. All the feels.

Movies I've enjoyed

Well, it's mainly been shows. I started watching Downton Abbey a few weeks ago, and I was like, "Oh, this is a cute show. Not much feels crushing going on, but I like it. It's interesting." And then came season 3 and I was like, "WHOA SLOW DOWN, NOW YOU'RE OVERDOING THE WHOLE FEELS THING. I TAKE IT BACK, I DIDN'T MEAN IT, GO BACK TO BEING THE INNOCENT LITTLE SHOW THAT YOU WERE AT THE BEGINNING!" I stopped watching it for almost a week just to recover from the shock and get over a character's death (and I had other things I needed to get done). I started season 4 on Saturday morning, and I cried through pretty much the whole first episode. But of course I'm still going to watch the rest. #nerdprobs

Currently loving

My job. Really, guys. I was so, so nervous before I started here. What if I had only liked the people at the old facility, and don't actually like being an aide wherever I go? I was so worried about the probability of being around younger coworkers than at my last job because I'm socially awkward I thought I worked better around older adults. And then I started work, and right away I loved it. I realized that I really do love being a CNA. I love the many different people I am able to work with - coworkers and residents. I love listening to their stories, and how each person has their own little quirks and preferences. I love being an aide, and I hope I'm able to do this for a long time. I really thank God for this blessing because if I didn't like my job, I don't know how I'd make it through the next at least 8 months.

Currently hoping

That I am able to visit my family for Thanksgiving! I don't think that I'll be able to get Christmas off, since I just started working here, and they'll probably give the holiday to the people who worked it last year. So, Thanksgiving seems like the best option to aim for, because New Years is probably pretty big, too. So please pray that I am able to get off for a good few days around Thanksgiving so that I can go see my family!

Looking forward to

A trip to see my best friends Mia and Ellie and Esther in August! The former two are both getting back from World Youth Day and Ellie is also getting back from SPEC, where she worked as a missionary in England for a year. She's bringing her boyfriend, too, and I am excited to meet him in person. Mia and Ellie are both going back to SPEC towards the end of August, so this will be the last I will see them for a while. *Royal sulk because they're leaving me behind* I am really, really hoping to be able to go and visit them, possibly in February, so please pray that that works out, as well!

Quotes I'm enjoying

To Answer Some Questions

What's on your summer reading list?

Okay, so I stayed up till 4 am on Saturday night to finish To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han. Yes. Me. Staying up that late to finish a YA book. You know it must have been good. It was so beautifully written, and it felt so real. The dialogue sounded just like how teens talk now days. I could also relate so much to what Lara Jean was feeling when her sister left for college. In my case, I was the big sister who left, but I still felt her pain at being separated from the person she's spent her entire life with, and also the strain of all of the responsibilities she had to take on when Margot left. This book really spoke to me, because I'm going through a lot of what the characters in the book went through (even though I didn't write love letters that got sent out on accident). So, anyway, my quest for the summer is to be able to find and read the second book P.S. I Still Love You. Honestly, I don't really have anything else I'm planning on reading. I mean, I am going to read more, but I don't have something specific. I'm heading out to the library later to get a library card and I'm gonna look around while I'm there.

How did you celebrate the Fourth of July?

In all honesty, I did nothing to celebrate. I know. I'm a horrible citizen. But at work we had a 4th of July party for all of the residents and staff and their families on the 1st of the month, so that kind of counts.

Convo Starters

Do you have any big plans for this summer?

Is there some special project you're currently working on, or that you've just completed?

What's on your summer reading list?

How did you celebrate the Fourth of July?

Do you write more during the summer or take a break?

What do you drink at Starbucks on hot days?

Do you prefer summer or fall?

- Maddie

There and Back... and There and Back Again: The Current Story of My Crazy Life

Hello, my wonderful circle of friends! 

First off, how is everyone's summer so far? Congrats to the people who have graduated high school (like I have) and good luck for the fall, everyone, whether you're starting college, or another year of high school, or even middle school! And to those of us who are going to take a while off from school and take a breather, or just work, that's awesome, too!

So this post is about what's happening in my life right now. Because I keep saying that I'm going to write a post soon about this thing that happened the other day, or what I did yesterday, but I never follow through, and I have way too much that I could catch up on, and I would never get to this current point in life. So I've been thinking that I'm going to have to write a big recap post at the end of the year and tell all about the wonderful little things that have happened that I never had the chance to write about before. Sound good? And then next year, maybe I'll be able to start posting monthly wrap-ups. Your thoughts?

And now the actual post.

So, as you probably remember from this post, I started my first job at the beginning of April. Well, at the time that I took it, I knew that there was a slight possibility that my family would be moving away on another mission. But we were not 100% sure at the time, and I needed to have a way to pay back some people I owed (aka my parents), so I took it anyway. The first few days on the job, were terribly stressful. Switching my body over from days to nights was part of it. The other part was that there is so much pressure that comes with being a nurse aide because someone could literally die if you're not careful. Not to mention this was my first job, haha. 

Anyway, my co-workers were really amazing (shout out to C, J, D, M, A, and R, if you guys are somehow reading this), and helped me with little things that I probably should have known how to do but was too scared to do on my own. Their willingness to help was definitely what made me overcome my fear of accidentally killing someone, and I came to love my job and all the residents, even though working nights was still exhausting. That being said, it was heartbreaking when I found out that my family was indeed going to move after all. I had only been working there for about a month. I had just gotten down the residents' schedules. I was getting used to their personalities and their individual preferences, which could be so different and interesting to work with. I was just beginning to get really comfortable with my co-workers (I'm an introvert, and it takes time for me to open up to people). But for some reason, God didn't want me to continue on there. I am so grateful that He allowed me to have the job at that nursing home as my first. I learned so many things under the kind influence of people who were patient with me that I know I wouldn't have learned anywhere else. It was the perfect facility for me to learn at exactly what it takes to be a CNA.

So then, I graduated on May 21st! I still can't quite believe it. How did I grow up so fast?

You hope and wait for years and years for something, and then just when you're not thinking about it, it comes and surprises you out of nowhere. Anyway, I participated in my homeschool group's Mass and graduation ceremony - there were only five total of us Seniors! It was very nice, though. Lots of family and my best friends were there, and that's all I asked for :) Also, wow, people are generous when it comes to graduation gifts. Thanks so much, if any of you are reading this! And Mom and Dad, especially! I was so not expecting this, but... they gave me a laptop! I'm so blessed :D

    

 

           

             

Now comes the big news.

My family is serving at an Indian Reservation, and I am currently with them. We just arrived last week. However, a couple of weeks before we moved up here, my aunt had felt guided by the Holy Spirit to offer me a place to stay with her, so I could keep my CNA license in the State in which I was certified and not have to transfer it to the new State. We also didn't know if there would be any nursing homes hiring in the area where we would be living on the reservation. So a few days before the move, I interviewed at a nursing home in the town where I would live with my aunt, but I wouldn't find out whether or not I had gotten the position until after the move. I was still planning on going with my family to help settle in, and if I didn't get the job, I would obviously stay with them. 

Well, it turns out I did get the job.

And now I'm really scared because I'll be leaving my family for the first time. I'm going to be starting work at a new place, and I don't know if I'll get along wonderfully with my new co-workers or if it will be a less than pleasing experience. This facility is going to be twice the size of the one that I am used to, and I've never worked full-time on the day shift (praise God, though. I don't think I would do it if it were nights). I'll have bills to pay for the first time. I know that this is God's plan for me, I'm just scared about taking the step and heading into a new stage of life where I have absolutely no idea what could happen. I am moving in with my aunt and starting the new job in the middle of this month, so prayers would be so, so comforting.

In the meantime, I've been having a wonderful time here with my family, and I'm going to miss them and our mission partners and our parish priest so much! I feel like this is the perfect mission post for them, and am so excited to see what God has in store! 

Here are a few pictures that I've taken in the past few weeks. They include ones taken up until last Saturday!

           

        

                   

In conclusion

I've been a lot of places in the past two months. I went with my Dad to visit the Indian Reservation in April, and then came back home. After we decided that we did want to move to that mission, my aunt offered me a place to stay with her. I then had an interview at a facility in her city and stayed with her for a few days to see how I would like it if I did end up coming back to live with her after the move with my family to the mission. We traveled up here and have been at the mission for 10 days. The facility I interviewed with called me a week ago and offered me the job, so I'll be heading back to live with my aunt and start the job in the middle of this month. Hence, there and back, and there and back again (now that I read it, it should have been three times, but that would have been too long of a title anyway). I'm nervous but excited to see what God has next for me! Please pray for me as I start out on this new adventure, and I will be praying for you and whatever plans God has for you!

- Maddie