Its been awhile.
Do you remember me? It's okay if you don't. My name is Katy. I like down comforters, coffee mugs, long hikes, and my camera. Good. Now we are friends again I can do this blog-ity blog thing.
The semester is just about half way through, and it gives me a gut check every time I think about how fast the time is going. I have a joke with my team at the start of every month I say well this month is almost over. You probably don't know this but I am planning on leaving FOCUS after this semester. It's bitter sweet to say the least. It hit me this past weekend on the Catholic Midshipmen Spring Retreat, that it is indeed time to take the next step in life. Not exactly sure what that entails, only God knows at this time...
The Naval Academy has been a huge part of my life these past two years, and I can say I wouldn't trade it in for anything. It was through undercooked fish that made me realize this. Let me explain. As Catholics we don't eat meat on Fridays during Lent, well actually, if you want to get technical we shouldn't be eating meat any Friday. As I choked down the fish dinner (since I was raised to always eat the food on your plate) at the retreat center, I thought about what my Grandmother would say about the fish. She is a fresh fish connoisseur, she taught me how to smell the fish and taught me you should always go behind the counter and get the stuff right off the boat. This caused many embarrassing sights at the fish market on the Jersey Shore, so much that my Father would stay in the car. What am I talking about, this still happens. As I walked out of the dining hall someone said "It will be a contest to see what cabin throws up first, that fish was way undercooked. I'm pretty sure we all have salmonella." They must have seen the look on my face of sheer terror. The stomach bug is one thing that I cannot handle. If you want to make me anxious just start saying your stomach hurts or you just threw up. So before I knew it, I had people coming up to me saying "Kattttyyy, my stomach hurts..." One after another, in my head the midshipmen were dropping like flies. I was trying my best to remain calm and not jump in my car and head home. I am not going to lie that was my first thought, and knew that I could make it home before the bacteria reached my large intestine. "There are only 4 bathrooms for every 20 people in each cabin," I thought in my head. I saw the panicked scene play out in my head, and it wasn't pretty. I tried to hide my fear with laughter, but soon, my stomach started to hurt too...
Long story short, no one got sick, because they all played a SICK [pun intended] joke on me. They all knew, somehow, that my weakness was salmonella and stomach viruses. No, one's stomach was really hurting and this one student whom shall remain nameless told a selected group of Mids to come up and tell me their stomachs were hurting.
You're probably wondering why this made me realized I am so blessed to be here. Most people wouldn't make that connection.
These Midshipmen have been my family for the past two years. Only my family would know that I have a deep-seeded fear of stomach viruses. It's ironic when you come and give your life to those around you, you expect to change their lives, but in fact, they change yours. I am facing the fact that even though these have been some of the best times and harest times of my life, God is calling me elsewhere. This elsewhere hopefully will bring me as much joy, love, and peace as this place has. Here's to the last few months of being a FOCUS missionary!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Where to start?
Why are we so blessed? Do you remember that SNL skit? We'll get to that Bob. If you don't that's okay, but that's a question I've been asking myself these past few months, especially these past few weeks.
The past two months have been a whirlwind of graces. I ended the year with a bittersweet goodbye to all the graduating Midshipmen. Who now are officers in the Marine Corps or Navy. I am beyond proud and honored to have served them in their last year at they Academy. I know they are off to do bigger and better things. Things that most people wouldn't even dare to do. As I say goodbye to many friends who are moving to different states, serving our country or entering religious life, I am reminded and humbled that my friends are not my own. God gives you the people you need at points in your life and they are true gifts. So, having swallowed that piece of knowledge I have realized that we all have been called to go and do BIG things, and I must have hope that we shall be reunited in heaven, one day.
I traveled to Denver, Colorado for our Team Director training. Some of you may not know but I will be returning to the Naval Academy as the Team Director. Talk about an amazing week of training. I don't know where else I would get this great training. FOCUS has taken the time to not only train us how to be good leaders on the respective campus' we serve but also teaching us how to live the lifelong mission of being a leader whatever our vocation may be.
From there I flew back to Annapolis for a day to get packed up for our New Staff Training. The next day I made the trek out here (University of Illinois at Campaign) with another missionary. As we drove 13 hours to Campaign, IL I was thinking, our lives are crazy. Denver, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois all in 3 days. We arrived and the next day we were back in classes. The first few days of Training were just for us Deans and Fundraising coaches. During New Staff Training we are all broken down in to different colleges around 8 people men with men women with women. These are the people that you spend the most time with. It is to help us have a smaller group of people that we eat dinner with and have evening formation with. Even an extrovert can get overwhelmed by the 300+ missionaries here.
Dean and Fundraising Coach Training was til Wendesday then we had our first ever Cor Unum from Acts 4:32 “And the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul.” It was 3 day celebration with all the staff and their families. It was a huge work party.
From that we welcomed our 160 first year missionaries. They are the largest class of first year missionaries. Saturday there was a steady stream of eager, nervous, intimated first year missionaries checking into their new home for the next 5 weeks.
And we've been going non stop since then. Almost 4 weeks down, 1 more to go. Let me tell you, these missionaries here are top-notch rock stars. I forget what counter-cultural life we live, and am reminded when I am here at training that this is a different world. These men and women that have said YES to serving the church are unbelievable. The first years here are pushed to the edge and the only thing that keeps you going is knowing that the Lord has called you to serve in this mission.
Meet the 2012-2013 Navy team! Marcos and Celine are both first year missionaries with FOCUS.
Alrighty, thanks for reading! I am now off to MPD class for the first years and then off to Mass, dinner, and more fundraising classes.
Peace!
The past two months have been a whirlwind of graces. I ended the year with a bittersweet goodbye to all the graduating Midshipmen. Who now are officers in the Marine Corps or Navy. I am beyond proud and honored to have served them in their last year at they Academy. I know they are off to do bigger and better things. Things that most people wouldn't even dare to do. As I say goodbye to many friends who are moving to different states, serving our country or entering religious life, I am reminded and humbled that my friends are not my own. God gives you the people you need at points in your life and they are true gifts. So, having swallowed that piece of knowledge I have realized that we all have been called to go and do BIG things, and I must have hope that we shall be reunited in heaven, one day.
I traveled to Denver, Colorado for our Team Director training. Some of you may not know but I will be returning to the Naval Academy as the Team Director. Talk about an amazing week of training. I don't know where else I would get this great training. FOCUS has taken the time to not only train us how to be good leaders on the respective campus' we serve but also teaching us how to live the lifelong mission of being a leader whatever our vocation may be.
From there I flew back to Annapolis for a day to get packed up for our New Staff Training. The next day I made the trek out here (University of Illinois at Campaign) with another missionary. As we drove 13 hours to Campaign, IL I was thinking, our lives are crazy. Denver, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois all in 3 days. We arrived and the next day we were back in classes. The first few days of Training were just for us Deans and Fundraising coaches. During New Staff Training we are all broken down in to different colleges around 8 people men with men women with women. These are the people that you spend the most time with. It is to help us have a smaller group of people that we eat dinner with and have evening formation with. Even an extrovert can get overwhelmed by the 300+ missionaries here.
Dean and Fundraising Coach Training was til Wendesday then we had our first ever Cor Unum from Acts 4:32 “And the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul.” It was 3 day celebration with all the staff and their families. It was a huge work party.
From that we welcomed our 160 first year missionaries. They are the largest class of first year missionaries. Saturday there was a steady stream of eager, nervous, intimated first year missionaries checking into their new home for the next 5 weeks.
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| Daily Mass is always a part of our day |
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| Eucharistic Procession on U of I's campus |
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| 2012-2013 FOCUS Missionaries |
Meet the 2012-2013 Navy team! Marcos and Celine are both first year missionaries with FOCUS.
Alrighty, thanks for reading! I am now off to MPD class for the first years and then off to Mass, dinner, and more fundraising classes.
Peace!
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| Team Navy! L-R Marcos, Celine, Me, Eric |
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