Happy Blogiversary to me!!

I almost missed it!! (ok, so I did, it is technically 1:10, but we'll pretend I live in CA (that is where I was born) and that it is still the anniverary of Lisa's very first blog. In honor of this momentous occasion that I almost forgot, I figured I'd give you a list. A Lisa kind of list, not like Kristi's (see Rebuttal - Dec 2004). Therefore, I cannot promise much from this list, except that I will try!!

Great Events/Happenings/Things of Random Ramblings

1) The Daisy House - in September I moved in with Kristi and Kim. Since then God has not only blessed me with two of the most wonderful roommates ever, but some of the most amazing friends a girl could have.

2) The Spring of New Beginnings - I am still waiting to see all that will happen from this Spring, but the beginnings were pretty good:).

3) An uneventful second year of teaching - the second year was so much easier! My kids were great and I felt like I could be Lisa while I was teaching. It was amazing!!

4) Our March 4 Life trip - I got to go to the March for life to stand up for life with my 3 best friends - it was pretty rockin!!

5)Parties - I could name them all - the Housewarming party, the pumpkin carving party, the Great BDay bash of 2004, the Wine and Cheese Party, the Super Bowl Party, the Christmas Party, the Sojourn Reunion (wasn't even here for that one), the Muppet Party, the Cowboy themed party . . . oh, wait - guess I did name almost all of them!!

6) Cozy Sundays - I miss these!! I am tired of traveling!! Can I have my life back, and a cozy (or sunny) sunday? It'd be great! Thanks . . .

7) Roses . . .

Ok. So if I tried to name all of the wonderful stuff that has happened in the past year, it would take the rest of my night (of the only 5 or so that I will be home for in the month of June) so I will stop. Needless to say, it was a great year. I pray that next year can be this great as well. I also pray that as I look back on this year, I will be reminded of the very many blessings that I have been given - all of you!!

quick post from a tired little lisa

Hey all - I feel so far away from everyone (except for one:)

I have been in Rockford, Il for the past week (almost) and things are going well. I experienced my first Peruvian wedding yesturday and man was it a blast!! Jose's cousins are all really fun (it's nice to hang w/ family that is actually your age). I feel like I have been flying a whirl wind the last few days, spending time w/ Jose, following him car shopping - he got a Nissan Altima that is really cute (can I say that about a guy's car?), picking up brothers and chilling with family, besides meeting all of Jose's really neat friends from youth group in hs.

Over all, it has been a great trip. I feel like I am quiet all the time because everyone is speaking Spanish, but hey - it also gives me a reason to not have to talk as much. Not that I need one of those, but I haven't said anything really stupid to anyone but Josie in days (poor guy). It is great:). Anyways, I will post more from my parent's house sometime around Wednesday. I love you all and miss you!

My thinking problem

One of my friends in high school told me once, "Lisa, you think too much." And I do. Even now, years later, I have not outgrown the habit of thinking - overanalyzing every little situation into something big and huge and un-deal-with-able. Ok, not every situation but pretty close.

I think this is part of my problem with being undecisive. At a restaurant, during the day, it takes me forever to decide what I want to do. Why is this? Sometimes it is so easy. I want to wear this today. Other times, I try on 10 shirts before deciding to go with the first one with a different pair of pants. For those of you that know me, and have talked to me in the past few days - it has been one big Lisa Think Tank. Seriously, I can't get it to stop!! And what does this do? It blows everything out of proportion and I get freaked out.

So, how do I get over this over thinking problem? It works to talk to people. Late night conversations about crazy things like boys and whatever else we talk about. But what about when there's no one to talk to? What do I do then? I write in my journal to God, but it is so nice to get a human response - one that I can get a hug from.

I don't know if I have a solution. But I am tired of thinking!!

Correction

I reported in my last blog that summer starts on Saturday. I am here to report that I was sadly mistaken (hello, it was early on Saturday morning - who gets up that early? oh, yeah - me, two Saturdays in a row - but this Sat it's for Katie's wedding and I'm pretty darn cool with that.).
All right, done with LMM, back to the post.

Summer starts today (well, today in 6 minutes at least). Ok, so I don't' have everything crossed off of my "to do before leaving the building - gots to talk to the principal list" done yet. But, at precisely 11:10 am, all students will be issued out of the doors and (cross my fingers) all grades will be in the computer!! It will be amazing. This will be followed by the Mission Club/Liturgy Club picnic and much shopping for our GIANT luau on Friday, along w/ Angels getting together w/ the Grace girls (way exciting!!). Then I'll hop on over to Ray's grad party and have fun - all in moderation of course.

But seriously - is this really summer? I have two parties, three weddings and some major chilling out to do this weekend. It is ridiculous the amount of activity planned for this memorial day!! I am way excited, don't get me wrong (FJ is getting us tiki torches- our back porch is going to be the bomb!!). But I think it may possibly be a bit overkill on the fun scale. I just want to sit back and sunbathe for a day people!! Ah, well - my time will come.

I haven't written a late night post for a while now. I miss them. There will be many more to come in future days!!! (cause I can stay up past 10:30!!)

Early on Saturday Morning

When you don't know what to name your post, it is best to start with what you are thinking. I am thinking that it is very early in the morning and wondering why I am awake at 8. But, I had my alarm set to go off in a few minutes anyways so I can make it to the CORE meeting for SALT.

Summer is quickly approaching and it is so exciting. I have been grading like a mad cow all week long. Seriously, I had to stop giving assignments cause I won't have time to grade them all before I have to turn in grades. It is ridiculous. But alas, there are only 4 more days. It is kind of sad. I really like all of my classes this year. Even those kids that drive me crazy in class are really good kids - it's just that when they get to my class they go a little wacko.

I am excited for this summer. I think some really neat things are going to happen. I am going to be the world traveler - ok, just midwest/southern US traveler. But - I get to go to Chicago and New Orleans and I've never been to either place. That is exciting. And I get to go with Jose which will be fun. I will be freaking out about meeting his family - I don't know how to speak Spanish and it will be like My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Meet the Parents and I hope not that dramatic!!

So, I wait - in joyful anticipation - on this early Saturday morning with the knowledge that next Saturday is the beginning of summer!!!

"Ru-ha"

Otherwise, if it was spelled correctly - breath of God, the breath of life that is the Holy Spirit. I find it interesting that sometimes you can feel the Holy Spirit moving. Like I just know that something "big" is about to happen. God is prepping me. He's saying "Get off your butt, Lisa! Get a move on. I want to see some things from you!!"

I don't really have a clue of what he is prepping me for. That is the exciting, scary faith part. I think it may have something to do with my crazy summer. And the two trips to Steubenville that I am taking - can we say charismatic and Steubenville in the same sentence? Hello Holy Spirit!

I don't know what this could be. And although I am excited and a little freaked out - it is coming from Jesus - through Mary - are they going to make my life bad? No - they are going to make me closer to Jesus which is closer to heaven which is the true happiness. So although I am freaking out a little, it is good to freak out, it will bring me closer to Jesus.

- ok, don't know if that logic works in reality but it does in my head so flow with me here people!!

Red is for . . .

First it was pink and white.

Then yellow with a tinge of red.

Now it is red, a deep meanful red.

. . . for love.

Fun Stuff!

Elisabeth Anne's Aliases

Your movie star name: Twizzlers Joe
Your fashion designer name is Elisabeth Rome
Your socialite name is Lioness Wichita
Your fly girl / guy name is E Car
Your detective name is Cats Carroll
Your barfly name is Cake Sex On The Beach
Your soap opera name is Anne Birch
Your rock star name is Chocolate Jaguar
Your Star Wars name is Eliril Carjos
Your punk rock band name is The Happy:) Nose

courtesy of http://blogthings.com/meganames/outcome.php

Interesting Encounters

This weekend was fantastic! On Friday Kim, Jose and I went to the airport to pick Kristi up from her two-week training in Chicago. It is so good to have all us Daisy Girls together!! Saturday was wonderful. I slept in and then cleaned my room (my closet is full for the first time in months!!). We went out to lunch at Hog Wild Pit BBQ – yummy – with Peter Carney who was home for the weekendJ. Then, Kim, Kristi, Amy and I went hammock/porch swing shopping.
There were some amazingly great songs on the radio while we were shopping. And, it was a beautiful day so we had the windows open in the car. We were sitting at the stoplight next to a guy on a motorcycle and I started singing really loudly. He looked over at us like we were crazy. I kept singing, just a little more quietly however. Here we are in the car, jammin’ and snapping our fingers. It was great. So great it was that when we got to Target I really didn’t want to stop singing. Kristi and I broke out into a chorus on the way to the porch furniture section. We were all singing and groovin’. Then we noticed this guy in the aisle that was staring at us. We both noticed him at the same time and stopped our singing. He looked over at us and said “Hey, good job with the song girls!” It was all we could do not to break down into laughter, it was great!!

Do you know . . .

how happy they always seem in musicals? They're all goo-goo and it is really gross to watch.

I feel like that this week :). I like it, it is neat!

Eight years later . . .

Tonight I experienced a first. Pretty late for an almost 25 year old, but that's ok. I had my first date to a dance (if you don't count my pappa who is amazing, but really - who else is he going to ask to the Father/Daughter dance?). After experiencing all of my high school dances going either stag or stag w/ one of my best friends' dates (I couldn't even get a date to Sadie Hawkins man!), I finally had a date!

Let me just say that I like dates. They are neat. I like having a boyfriend. He is pretty neat. I like him. He likes me too. He picks out really good roses (and knows it too). And even though I will have a gazillion questions to answer Monday morning from each and every student that I have, going to prom this year was a blast!! Yeah for chaperones - aka - one who buys alcohol (just had to remember the Nathaniel there:)!

btw - I have a "suprise" date tomorrow. I hear it will be fun. I will let you know:).

It's been a long time . . .

. . . since I blogged so I thought I'd give you all an update on Lisa Land. Things here (or there depending on where I am) are good. I have just returned home from a week and a half Spring Break trip. Let me just say - it is good to be home. (It will be even better when everybody else gets home - ok, when my boyfriend gets home tonight) I can say that! It is pretty neat. Ok, it is really neat. Before I left he got me a really pretty rose and then when I got back there was an Easter basket waiting for me. Needless to say, it made me smile - a lot. Ah, the hopeless romantic that is me. Usually, however, I get to watch it on Sleepless in Seatle or A Walk to Remember or some other sappy romantic comedy. Nope, not this time. This time it is real. And neat. And smiley. Poor Kimmy has to live with us smiling girls.

I love home. And days off. Today I woke up at 7 - yes that ungodly hour on a vacation day. I chilled until 11, went to mass at the Cathedral - oh so prettily decorated for Easter - ALLELUIA!!, went to my favorite store - yay for Wally World, called bunches of people for dinner tonight - if you are in town, stop by it is going to be good! When I got home I made my lunch, including a caffinated beverage of the cherry-vanilla diet dr. pepper variety, got a book and a CD player and chilled out in our back yard for a couple of hours. The best day to spend a Spring day if you ask me:).

Spring of New Beginnings

My roommate Kristi decided about a year ago that it would be fun to theme the seasons. This gives us something to look forward to while bringing excitement to life. I have thus far lived through the "Summer of Possibilities," the "Fall of Making it Happen," the "Winter of Anticipation," and now the "Spring of New Begginings" is upon us. Check out her blog!

For one thing, it is beautiful outside! I love the spring and all the dead stuff becoming alive and the smell of daisies and daffodils blooming! It is great. As for the new beginnings - God is working some amazing stuff in my life right now. We were at Lenten Season (affectionately known as "The God Squad") this morning and reflecting on how much Jesus loves us. His mercy is flowing down on me in so many ways that I don't even realize. (LMM - a few years ago I went convent hopping for spring break. We visited the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus. They are amazing women. Anyways, it was during Lent and we were talking about sacrifices. Their sacrifice was to let God love them - because so many people don't.) That's not really an LMM because that is what God is asking of me right now. He's there, with his arms open on the cross saying, "I love you Lisa. I want to give you the desires of your heart." And he is. It is amazing! I love it! I feel very blest:).

Thoughts of an English Teacher

Yes, Jason, I agree that the "So, . . . " could and is getting a little old. But it is a fun way to start out a paragraph.

But, the whole discussion made me think about how none grammatically correct I write on my blog. And how, as an English teacher, this should annoy me greatly. But - it doesn't. I think that I am rebelling. I have to grade a hundred and five papers (ok, I am supposed to grade 105 papers, that doesn't mean I get that many). Many of them say the same things over and over and over again - not a whole lot of creativity. Also, very few of them stay on topic (or at least the topic that they are supposed to be on). I think that may be why my blogs are so random - I don't have to grade my blog, or make sure that the spelling is right or that I have the right sentence structure or dangling modifiers or run on sentences . . . And, you get to read them! joy of joys!!

On a slightly different topic, I have been thinking a lot about being content. Actually, it has been more praying about being content. The conclusion that I have come to (at least to an extent) is that you have to want to be content. It is a choice. I know that God loves me. I know that He cares for me and that if I am open to it, he can do wondrous things through me - and for me. In order for this to happen, I have to give myself over and let him know that I want Him to - to allow him to.

It is amazing that gifts that God has given me in the past year. Not a year ago, I was sitting in my apartment wondering why I did not have any friends - hello, I am a fun person! Since then, God has blessed me with some life-long forever friends that love me even through my grammatically incorrectness and annoying spells of not cleaning anything and just being annoyed. It took a while to find them, but I am so blessed by them that it amazes me. You guys add to my life in such an important way!! I love each of you more than I can say!

btw - happy Sunday during let - yay for Feast days!

Note to self -

I am not allowed to start any more posts with "(insert word) . . ." It is getting on my nerves!!

Single . . .

. . . that is what I am. It has defined me for about 25 years now. After going to a singles conference, this is very apparent. and I don't like it!!

I do, being single is wonderful. I get to do what I want to do when I want to. I don't have to worry about planning things because it is just me. But it gets to the point where you've had enough. Especially when Webster's dictionary defines single as "a : not married b : of or relating to celibacy." Not exactly the definition I have of "Lisa" in my life plan - I know Soujourners - it's not my life plan it is God's life plan. But the two have faired pretty well together so far.

So where do I go know? One of the speakers at the National Catholic Singles Conference (Dave Sloan - check out God of Desire . com - it rocks my face off) said that we spend too much time looking for "features" of a mate; what kind of car he drives, what clothes he wears, that sort of thing. I don't think of myself as a materialistic type person, but here is what I wonder. I wonder if I am concentrating on too many specific qualities and missing out on some amazing relationships because of this.

This is what I have been wondering. and wondering and thinking and things keep happening. Things have been crazy amazing this week. Here are just a few of them:
Our Lenten Season at school - Get this - we have 75- 90 students coming to school at 6:50 every morning for morning prayer, meditation and mass. We have all kinds of kids coming to pray, the captains of the football team, volleyball players, cheerleaders to our liturgy club members and guys that come all the time to pray morning prayer - and of course my own Angels of the Holy Queen!! It is amazing to see these students give up their sleep to grow closer to God. I love Lent - it is amazing and it is hard!!!
The Daisy House - God is totally working some wonders through our house. All we are doing is living our lives, attempting to be good Catholics. All of a sudden we are meeting people in Denver (from Wichita) that know about our house! This amazes me - St. Therese is building herself a bouquet of friendships right in our living room.
Angels - some awesome things are in store for the Angels - they are amazing women that challenge me to grow in my faith. God has some wonderful stuff planned for us!!
God of Desire - So, I mentioned Dave's site when I started writing this blog this afternoon before Mass. We get home from the evening's craziness only to find that the Dave Sloan has posted on Kristi's webpage. God rocks my face off!

I want to end this post in prayer:
Father - Thank you for the amazing love that you show us throughout the season of Lent. Thank you for those that you have put in our lives. Help us to be aware of your ever-present reality and care for us.

Acceptance

I just went to see Phantom of the Opera with one of my lifelong friends. She is moving this weekend and I am sad because even though we don't hang out much, it is nice to have her around.

I've been in a reflecting mood recently and the movie was no exception. The story of a man how is not accepted for who he is and what he looks like. It is a sad and poignant story. And yet, unfortunately, it is the story of so many of us quote-on-quote undisfigured people. I think that we are all disfigured in many ways - or at least think that we are.

My weekend was amazing. I went on a Sojourn and it was great. I did not want to go on Friday. As I was driving in the snow, I just wanted to come home and sleep. But I got out there and God did the rest. Father Jarrod pointed out a verse in Song of Songs chapter 1 that says "Ah, you are beautiful . . . yes, you are lovely." I don't feel lovely. Most of the time I feel rather frumpy. I can't imagine how the Phantom felt.

The thing is, however, that God desires me no matter how broken I am. When it doesn't feel like I am good enough, he holds out his hand to me. A hand that has been pierced by a nail just because he loves me. How amazing is that? All he wants for me is to desire him the way he desires and loves me. I pray that I can give back to him - through giving to those around me - a measure of the love, the happiness that he has given me.

Power Outages . . .

So, our power went out the other day. Not for as long as some people. Ok, for 45 minutes. But, I don't know that I would have minded if it had been longer. (I know what you are thinking; "You didn't have to get up early, clean off your car and drive the icy roads to work after taking a cold shower and not being able to blow dry your hair.") Nope, I have a cushy job (ha, if you think teaching is cushy, try it for a day.

Anyway, I am totally off the subject. The power went out and I was sitting with my two roommates with the fire glowing its warmth and the french vanilla candle permeating the room with its light and its scent. We just sat there (after we did our Windsor Pilates tape workout from memory in front of the fire). We could just "be." It was so refreshing to just "be." There was no pressure that we should be doing anything. There was nothing to do. We just took cozy naps and sat and watched the fire glimmering. (can a fire glimmer).

I was almost disappointed when the lights came back on. It was, as I explained to my girls, "loud in our house." There were machines humming and lights murmuring and life trying to track us down saying "Why aren't you watching TV or playing a game or working on something for school tomorrow." And I was sad.

I think that we, as an American culture, have forgotten how to be with each other. We can't just sit and not do anything. I think that we do it more here at the Daisy House. When I went home for Christmas there was no time for "being." We had to watch this movie or that show or eat or cook or go somewhere. There was very little "being."

That is my challenge. For myself as well as for you, my reader. Take some time this weekend to "be" with your family and friends. It is relaxing. It is non-stressing. It is good.

A rebuttal

I keep giving my roommate Kristi a hard time because she likes to list things. Ok, that is an understatement. She loves to list things. It is one of her favorite things to do, just check out her recent blog. But, I realize that lists are fun things to make (especially when you are bored in class, I miss making to do lists in college classes) and I decided to make my own.

Without further ado, I bring you some of Lisa's favorite things. These are things that have happened this past year, stuff that I like, things that make me smile, the like. And some stuff that just seems like it should be listed!!

1) Feeling at home - whether at my parent's house, at the Daisy House, in front of the Eucharist, or just with my friends, I love feeling at home.

2) Cozy days - seeing as I've blogged about them a couple of times, I feel they should make the list. Yeah for chillin' out on Sunday afternoons!

3) Hanging out with my sister - she is amazing and fun and I love her

4) Making it happen - even though this was the theme for fall, it seems to just keep on going. I love making things happen. Can I get a job where I make things happen? That would be great man, fantabulous. Fixing things and making things happen.

sublist of making things happen

• Random Road Trip to Indiana - seeing Notre Dame and meeting Chris and getting completely lost in rural Indiana
• Nutcracker - I have always wanted to go and it was awesome!!
• Wine and Cheese party
• Getting involved with the Angels of the Holy Queen and dedicating my life to Mary - amazing things, let me tell you. And I love my girls - they are so fun!
• Feeling like I know what I am doing while teaching - big thing, let me tell you, big thing
• Getting some SALT stuff going - ok, still making this happen but let me tell you, it is going to be pretty rad!

end of sublist

5) Ok, so this is why I don't make lists. I always go off into sublists in my brain and then I run out of things to talk about. So, you should go read the middle of my rebuttal and then leave me a comment!!

I pray that all of you have a safe and happy new year's eve and that someday I get a kiss at midnight!!

in the middle of a rebuttal

So, I am in the middle of writing another blog to finish out the year of 2004 but my thoughts got interrupted (blame it all on the little man, it is totally his fault).

I just have to say that I love guy hugs. They have to be the greatest thing ever. Which brings me to a funny story. (does it seem that all stories start like that?) Think back to junior year of college (my junior year not yours). I was walking down the steps of the student union on my way to check my mail or something and ran into my friend Patrick. We were both like "Hey! I need a hug." And seriously, it was the best hug ever. Unfortunately Patrick transferred to some school in Colorado the next year but in January of the next year I saw him at a conference. We were talking about all the good old times (like when he borrowed a clean pillow case from me after a friend sat on his while we watched Tarzan) and he brought up the hug. "Do you remember that hug on the steps of the student union that day?" he said to me. "Yes! I do, that was great!" I replied.

And that is my ode to great hugs.

End of LMM.