And we're back on...

Sorry for the blog hiatus all! As you could tell by the last post up, things were about to get nutty! I am now all settled in the new place...ha ha...well I guess not so new at this point. Now just trying to organize time to be all domestic and keep things up to speed while I'm busy with work and Life Teen

We've just gotten our new Life Teen year going and we have a big group of excited freshmen. I can't wait to see how they grow in their faith over the next four years. Debbie and I are running the Senior small group again this year. Most of them are ones we've worked with since their freshman year, but a few are fairly new - either they just moved here, or are just now deciding to give Life Teen a shot. Either way, they're a great bunch and already asking great questions -which I always love!

Speaking of questions, official Confirmation nights kick off next week. Confirmation is one of my favorite parts of youth ministry. Teaching is a challenge, just because of all the levels of catechesis you encounter in the group, somehow your teaching needs to try to reach all of them. Lots of prayer and asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit, especially since I am teaching the first night on Sacraments and sacramentals - which I am developing from scratch. I am hoping to frame it around the topic of God's love for us, to give the teens a deeper understanding not just of what the Sacraments are, but why God would give them to us in the first place.

Work is busy as always. Right now my biggest task is keeping up with paperwork! As my patient load has increased, it's meant more daily notes, monthly notes and reports to write. Always a work in progress to be sure. But I love my kids and I love my job and according to the Annual Review I just completed (I know, can you believe it??) they want me to stick around for awhile, so all is well on that front.

7 Quick Takes...Volume 11

1. The word on everyone's lips in Seattle right now is S-N-O-W. Whether you love it or hate it, it's falling at a good pace outside my window and sticking on the grass. They're expecting between 2 and 6 inches by tomorrow...I'll be curious to see if the clinic is open or starting late. And just because snow is on the brain, from one my absolute favorites...



The current view from my window (and still coming down)...

From Drop Box

2. Work has been busy lately. I'm taking on more patients and nearly up to what would be expected of a full-time therapist. However, these last couple of weeks have been swamped with patient reports, equipment ordering (and writing the letters of justification that go with them), trying get reevaluations started and finished and of course daily notes and treatment planning. Amazing how you can feel just half a step behind, but slowly starting to catch up. A good but sometimes hard lesson in time management.

3. LA this weekend! I'm really excited for the course I'm taking and looking forward to integrating things I learn into my treatment sessions. I definitely feel like handling and positioning are areas I need to grow in and will really impact my sessions. The company this is through is well regarded by our staff which is always a good sign.

4. I spent last weekend in Seabeck for our adult retreat. What a fabulous weekend! The entire focus was on us recharging and refueling to give us the energy we would need in our ministry. Adoration was powerful, and our last activity focused on being honest with our team members about what we needed to make us complete and areas that we truly struggled with. That was an intense and very honest way to end, and it was perfect for bonding together as a group. It was a little cold and very windy but the sunshine and view of the Olympics was hard to beat! Just another reason why I love living in the Pacific NW!

From Drop Box

From Drop Box

From Drop Box

5. How does your garden grow? Well, mine is just starting to germinate :) Last week's picture has become...

From Drop Box

planted here are mesclun, lettuce, spinach, tomato, onion, cilantro, thyme, basil, and swiss chard. I'm also planning on planting beans, peas and peppers, but that will be a little later on. I'll keep you posted on its progress!

6. Okay, so product plug coming. A couple of my coworkers have had this cool new water bottle for awhile and I just found them at Target. It's called a Bobble and has a carbon filter (like what you would find in a Brita) right in the lid. The size is just right for my purse, and I can fill up from any tap or drinking fountain if filtered water isn't available. Made from recycled plastic in the USA and BPA-free. The tree-hugger in me loves the idea of how many water bottles this will save!

7. Most of you know that I'm kind of a crafty gal, and people are always asking what I'm making, since a crochet or knit project is often found in my purse. I thought I would share some things that are on my hook/needles/spindle/beading board/embroidery hoop/sewing machine...well you get the idea, and let you see what I'm up to.

My current project is called the Pearl Cardigan and is designed by Kristin Omdahl in crochet. The pattern is currently free on Lion Brand Yarn's website and is originally from her book Crochet So Fine. My version brought the openings at the waist up so, I can tie a ribbon just below the bust...more of an empire waist. I'm also thinking about flaring the bottom for some shaping and making the sleeves 3/4. Here's what it looks like so far...

From Drop Box

7 Quick Takes...Volume 10

1. I'm thinking Wednesday will be the best day for the quick takes, since it's my day off, if I sneak a post or two in between, even better! The longer I'm at Valley, the more I'm appreciating my schedule. 10 hour days can be quite the long haul sometimes, but having Wednesdays off means that I never have to work more than two days without getting a break to recharge.

2. Speaking of recharging...this weekend our Life Teen Core, Band, Retreat and Outreach groups will be headed to lovely Seabeck for a recharging and reconnecting adult retreat. Those of you who work in youth ministry, or really any kind of ministry, know that right about halfway through the year, the burnout begins. It takes a lot of energy and planning, and often emotional investment and that can take a toll, especially if your own prayer and sacramental life isn't where it should be. I'm looking very forward to the weekend spent with friends. My Core Team small group has prepared a session for the weekend on current youth culture...should be interesting!

3. Finally booked my hotel this week for my continuing education class next weekend in LA! Before you get too jealous, just remember I will be inside most of the time taking classes. The weekend is on NDT handling for pediatrics.....which basically means ways to hold kids and help them move in good patterns, helping their muscles fire correctly to facilitate the movements you want. Mouthful enough? Anyway, I'm really looking forward to it and applying the techniques I learn to my kiddos!

4. Still waiting on word for moving into the condo I'm planning to rent, but already plotting what to do with the patio space.

From Drop Box

I've been doing some reading up on growing your own herbs and veggies in containers. I'm thinking of giving it a try and am planning on starting at least some seeds soon to be ready to transplant after last frost. I will be sure to post updates.

5. Last Sunday, my Core Team small group presented our revamped night on the Saints. We tweaked a prepared night with some of our own ideas and it went off great. Even better, we got some great feedback from the other Core members and are putting together a guide for the night so that it can be integrated into our Confirmation curriculum. I think it will be great as an active night, as several teens told me during their interviews that they had a hard time just sitting and listening, which I can appreciate. Also, I'm hopeful that this intro to the saints will better prepare them for selecting their Confirmation saint.

6. In more Confirmation news, and not from St. John's, my friend Val recently asked me to give a talk on the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit for her Confirmation Retreat for Bl. Teresa of Calcutta in March. It will basically be a repeat of a talk I gave for her while she was at St. Cecilia's a few years ago. Looking at the talk now, though, I have a feeling I'm going to change it around a bit though. Funny, how a few more years of youth ministry experience can change your perspective on how you organize things!

7. My friend Michelle, who I mentioned in my last post, is still on bedrest but doing great. Baby is still inside growing stronger, but keep sending those prayers her way!

7 Quick Takes...Vol.9

1. Hoping to use the 7 Quick Takes more regularly for keeping the blog updated. Can't always promise they'll actually be on Friday because of the work schedule (10 hour day) but hopefully close to every week.

2. We recently celebrated Confirmations at St. John's with our brand new Archbishop, J. Peter Sartain, what a blessing! One of my teens asked me to be his sponsor and as always it was a wonderful journey. I also taught on the Confirmation team and it was great to see the teens finally reach their destination. We had a wonderful group this year, and I feel like the majority were very invested in receiving this Sacrament. Our parish was Archbishop Sartain's first in the diocese, so I have had a chance to attend his installation Mass, first Ordination and first Confirmation - not too shabby!

3. Last weekend I visited Chicago for the first time. It was a very special occasion, celebrating the Baptism of my beautiful Goddaughter Siena Marie. Here she is in all cuteness...

From Drop Box

Chicago was also digging out from their huge snowstorm a couple of weeks ago...sufficed to say I have never seen this much snow in my life...

From Drop Box

From Drop Box

...unfortunately the cold temperatures also meant waiting on the runway for my plane to get de-iced - for an hour and a half. I ended up missing a connecting flight and spending an unexpected night in San Francisco. It made for a crazy Monday at work, since I headed over right after landing, but all worked out in the end.

4. Work is going well. I've recently picked up a couple of babies onto my caseload, so starting to work more with younger kids. Both are wonderful and as always, the strong mentorship is a huge help. The biggest thing right now is that we are preparing for a visit by the Joint Commission - this is a governing body that oversees hospital safety and regulation. They will be stopping by sometime this quarter, we just don't know when.

5. Prayers requested for my friends Lou and Michelle! They are expecting their first little one, and he tried to come early at 29 weeks. She is on bedrest in the hospital and being monitored, they are hoping to keep him until 34 weeks so he will be stronger but are watching for any signs of complications.

6. I got a chance to meet up with some old classmates a couple of weeks ago for our first book club meeting since last spring. We read "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford, which I would highly recommend. In takes place in the 80s in Seattle's International District with flashbacks to the 40s and the era of the Japanese internment told through the eyes of a then 12 year old Chinese boy. It made me want to explore the International District more closely!

7. Still working on the condo rental I had mentioned. It's pretty much a done deal, just waiting for the owner to get some repairs done and then I should be able to move in! I'll post pics once that's done. A recent trip to IKEA did result in the purchase of a coffee and side table... I can't wait to start decorating :)

Reboot...

Yes, it's been a few months, and even though getting this blog going again was already on my radar, I was recently reminded by a friend that it had been awhile since my last post (is there a "sheepish grin" smiley?)

So what's been going on lately? As stated by the wise Inigo Montoya...let me explain, no there's no time...let me sum up.

Well, for starters, I graduated as planned from the University of Washington last June my Doctoral degree in Physical Therapy. After 3 years of studying I could finally call myself a physical therapist! It was a long journey to be sure and I still have so many moments where I'm just trying to figure it all out - but I am there!

This summer was a whirlwind, considering that in the space of three days I 1. Took my national board exam (Tuesday), 2. Accepted a job at Valley Medical Center in their Children's Therapy Department (Wednesday) and left on a two week vacation to visit family in Mexico (Thursday) - nuts but worth it. I passed my boards, love my job and had an incredible time with family. I'll post a little later with some choice pictures.

Working at Valley has been a joy. I have wonderful mentors and a caseload ranging from toddlers to teens of many different diagnoses. It is challenging to be sure and I am constantly reminded of how much I still have to learn - but to be in such a supportive place with such incredible clinicians inspires me to learn and always try to be better. Loving the kids too!

The other half of my life, as usual, is immersed in my involvement at church. I'm still a Core Team member through our Life Teen program and this year am helping to teach Confirmation classes as well - one of my favorite times of year. We are excited to welcome Seattle's new Archbishop, J. Peter Sartain, to St. John's to celebrate our Confirmation liturgy on February 3rd - a blessing to be sure. Just a few days later, I will be headed on a quick trip to Chicago to be a Godmother for a beautiful little girl who is the daughter of two dear friends. I am excited to see them again, and humbled to have been asked to take on this role in her life.

The other work in progress in my life involves striking out on my own. After 6 wonderful years back at home, it's time to set out and be independent, now that school is done and work has started. I'm currently pursuing renting a condo not too far from home/work/church and will be sure to let everyone know if it goes through!

I'll keep it brief for today, but will absolutely try to be better about keeping this thing updated again. It's a new year and an exciting new time in my life and I hope to share!

7 Quick Takes...Volume 8

1. Trying to get the blog back on track slowly :) I love the idea of the blog but find it so darn easy to let it slip when I get busy with school, clinicals, church or whatever. I'm hoping to start posting again a little more regularly :)

2. This week will be my last at Valley Children's Therapy which is so hard to believe. I've always had it in my heart that I want to go into pediatrics but I wouldn't know for sure if that's where I was called until I actually worked in the setting. Well, sufficed to say that it only took me a couple of weeks to be sure. The amazing thing is that 10 weeks have gone by and I'm ready to move on to my last clinical internship - crazy, I'm going to miss my kids! Now it's time to prepare to apply for jobs to start this fall!

3. Speaking of my last clinical internship, I move to Portland in two weeks for my last one at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Well, technically I'll be moving to Vancouver, just across the river. My friend Br. Matthew's parents, who I visit with my friend Janet every New Year's Day, have graciously offered to let me stay at their place for the couple of months I'm at Emanuel. I drove down with my mom on Friday and it looks like it's a 20 minute commute without traffic - not bad :) I think it'll be a great opportunity and I'm excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel (graduation!)

4. Today is my friend Lou's 30th birthday, and to celebrate, last night his wife Michelle threw him a masquerade ball bash! It was a lot of fun and a great excuse to dress up fancy pants style :) It was great to see everybody dressed up in costumes or formal wear with some pretty fun and creative masks. I didn't have my camera unfortunately so no pics to post, you'll have to take my word for it.

5. I've been helping with the Confirmation program and tomorrow I have to teach a night on Bible 101. I'll probably be spending most of today planning for it :) It's a great chance to dispel some of those "Catholics aren't biblical" myths. Confirmation has been fun but also quite a challenge. At Life Teen, I find that that most of the teens want to be there, and so when you're teaching, for the most part, they're ready to learn. Confirmation kids run the gamut from, "my parents made me come, and I've been really poorly catechized" to "I go to Catholic school and I know all the facts but I don't want to be here" to "I'm really excited about this, and want to learn everything I can". Question is - how do you design a teaching that reaches them all? It's a challenge I love as a catechist and I hope I'm rising to it.

6. Our not so winter-like winter is fading away - the trees are in full bloom and the daffodils are flowering. I've been trying to go outside and play a little more, and picked up a couple of letterboxes in Tukwila to get my find count up to 50! As if that wasn't enough sign that I'm hooked, next weekend the letterboxing crew I usually go out with down here (known in the logbooks as Happily Ever After, Leonheart and The 7th Day) along with a few others are heading to a park just south of Olympia for a letterboxing event! Lots of 'boxers, and boxes and general fun to be had. Yeah, we're nerds but it's cool.

7. My lenten challenge this year, instead of giving something up, was to read a chapter of a book I got on praying the Divine Office every night and actually try to make it happen. It's going pretty well so far - I've only missed a couple of days and am now praying night prayer every night before bed. I'm discovering the beauty of the psalms and hymns in the Office (no not the Michael Scott kind :) ) and am hoping to add Morning and Evening Prayers soon. It's such a beautiful sign of unity to know that around the world thousands are joining in the same prayer with you!

On reading...

I know that the day to day updates have been well...not so day to day since I started my pediatric clinical rotation. Suffice to say that it's been going wonderfully and I only have two weeks left! But more on that in another post.

I had an idea that stemmed from a while back, when I joined the web community Shelfari, a place where you can create a virtual bookshelf for yourself. I haven't really updated my page in awhile, but I recently was thinking about a group I'd joined on the site called the 50 Book Challenge. The group was formed due to this quote by Apple president Steve Jobs regarding the Amazon Kindle:

“It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don’t read anymore,” he said. “Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year. The whole conception is flawed at the top because people don’t read anymore.”

The 50 book challenge was basically a place for people to set a reading goal for the year then track their progress.

The whole notion of reading is a deep-rooted one for me. Growing up, I was voracious reader - no, really, I mean voracious. I was already beginning to read by the time I started kindergarten, and I spent the next 12 years of my public school education gobbling up every single book I could find. I went through spurts - the young adult pop novels...Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley High, the teen horror novels...Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine, historical fiction, the classics - you name it. When I was in 5th and 6th grade, my best friend at the time, Rachel, and I had contests with each other to see who could go through an author's entire repertoire first - we tackled L.M. Montgomery (of Anne of Green Gables fame), Beverly Cleary and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

This crazy love of reading continued right up until college. It was this love of reading that helped me get nearly straight A's in high school, that got me into undergrad, that helped me through the Honors Program at Western. But during my time at Western something completely unexpected happened - I got BUSY. Classes, projects, my involvement with the campus minstry - these things became my calling and whatever reading I was doing was more for class and less for me. Sadly, this became a habit. I made it out of undergrad, through two years of working full time and back to graduate school and even though I tried to read for pleasure other things also occupied my brain and my time. It wasn't that I didn't love to read anymore - I did - I just didn't make the time for it.

Throughout all of this, I started keeping a "Books to Read" list in a small yellow notebook that fit in my purse. The aim was to have this when I went to the library, so I could find books on the shelf I was interested in. I still loved reading book reviews, jotting down titles, even if I didn't always make the time to get to them. That list has grown and grown and I'm now in the process of digitizing it - adding it to my "should" list on All Consuming and it's sparked something in me to rediscover and reclaim my love of reading.

I've rediscovered my love of used book stores, the well stocked and low priced book section at our new nearby St. Vincent de Paul store. Maybe the Kindle is great for some, but me, I love to snuggle up and page through a good old fashioned paper novel.

So begins my own 50 Book Challenge. I'm hoping to post progress as I go. I am also borrowing from my friend Janet a quasi-reading plan. She told me a while back that she was hoping to read a book of fiction, a non-fiction book and then a classic and begin the cycle again. That sounds like a great plan so I hope to hop on board with that one too. Without further ado - book 1 :)

1. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (3/7/10)
Still not sure how I feel about this one. Definitely a tragic heroine, who is good at making mistakes over and over, but who life has not paid any favors to either. Morally, there was a lot in the book that I didn't agree with either, which my have contributed, but at the same time, the picture painted of Dolores, and the time she lived in (1950s-1980s) was incredibly realistic.

Up Next: Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks
On Deck: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens