Our Apartment is So Cute!

So, tonight, instead of going out, Roomie and I decided to continue to beautify our apartment. We planted some pansies into a upcycled postal service box, I made a yarn wreath (my first attempt!) for our front door, and Rooms hung a new picture above our TV. Here are some pictures to highlight the experience. The rest will be on facebook/tumblr.

 Punching holes in the bottom so that it can drain.

 Oh no! Out of potting soil!

 Emergency trip to Lowe's for more potting soil/rocks for the bottom of the planter.

 Yeah! Got some soil/rocks!

 Arg....these rocks are SO heavy!

 Rocks in ze bottom

 I set you free extra soil that spilled on the balcony!

 Puttin' in some pansies!

 Water 'em in.

 Super cute planter!!!

 Rooms putting nails into the wall.

 Look at the super cute picture I picked out!

 Ain't it pretty?

 New over the TV area!

My yarn wreath!!!!!!!!!!

Guess who's on tumblr?

Oh, that would be me! I will probably still blog from here, but I am currently posting a quote-a-day on my tumblr. I am also sharing sweet stuff that I find. So......check it out!

What Wondrous Love Is This?

Quick Thought

I wrote a couple of weeks age about my struggle with the passage from Job made famous by the praise and worship song "Blessed Be the Name." Then on October 24, 2010, the Psalm response for Mass was

The Lord hears the cry of the poor, blessed be the Lord.

I have been struggling with this. With what I have just experienced (in my immersion trip, by visiting with my Hospice companion every week, etc.) it is easy to think that the Lord does not hear the cry of the poor.  But, maybe the Lord does hear the cry of the poor. Maye He calls people like me to answer and alleviate the cry whenever, wherever, and however we are needed. I think it is important for me and for humanity to stand up for this call: to hear the cry of the poor.

Thoughts Post Immigration Immersion (more to come later)

For those of you who don't know, I was in Tucson over Fall Break doing an immersion trip to learn about immigration issues on the border. I will write more about the experience, but here are some brief thoughts that I have going through my mind right now.


I've been thinking a lot about suffering. I see a lot of injustices in this world and I have a vision of how to heal them. We, as a human family, seem to have lost sight of the intrinsic human worth of each individual in our search for personal gain and selfish desires. Yet, how can I affect all of these problems when there are so many? Do I just pick on and work on that? Do I try an affect change in all areas? 
A recognition of everyone as worth something would go far in this world. Yet, how is the best way to do this? I hope that by teaching (or youth ministering) I can help affect change. I can teach people and maybe a few will take what I  have said to them to heart and affect change in their own unique way. I just hope I can make some sort of difference in someone's life.


I think Natalie Grant says is beautifully in her song "Human"

We gotta do better than this cuz we only got 

One chance to make a difference 

We gotta do better than this cuz we only got 

One life that we've been given 

A little love, a little kindness 

A little light in this time of darkness 

It'll be what makes us different 

It'll be what makes us human 

I'm human, you're human, we are human 

Broken Records.

Sorry for the immense neglect of this blog the past couple of months. School hit me hard and unexpectedly. I don't know what it is about this semester: if it is the lack of a true summer vacation or this new internship that I haven't had to balance in in the past, or something else, but I have not been in school mode this first half of the semester. I also haven't been praying as much, and let me tell you, if you think that a few minutes in prayer a day don't make a difference, try going without them and you turn into me last Friday. I was drained. Literally running on empty. I couldn't process anything and at some points I could barely stand up. I was in a complete fog and schoolwork and work-work alike were neglected. I hope my essay I turned in last week was okay. I barely remember it. I NEED to find the time for prayer, time to devote totally to God. Right now I feel like a hypocrite: the life I led and the life I preached this summer is currently a lie. I am not living Totus Tuus. Why should all of those kids believe me when I don't even live the life. I miss daily Mass, but unfortunately it is hard to get my schedule to go with it. But a few minutes of prayer a day is a lot, and I need to do it! I can do it! And after 20+ hours of sleep this weekend, I think I am ready to fix my lack of prayer and make God more a part of my life. I feel like a broken record, saying this over and over, but sometimes I take two steps back and one forward, but the important thing is that eventually I do make it forward, even if it is just a tiny bit. A relationship with God is not a one time thing, but a life long journey. I am just trying to stay on the path.

Walking on God's Path: Introduction

Please bear with me. Almost all of this is straight out of my head onto the computer screen. I made typos, some grammar makes no sense and sometimes whole bits don't make any sense. Eventually I will edit, but for now writing it is the biggest accomplishment.

An Introduction, Preface, or Whatever Else You Want to Call It.

Hello! My name is Katie. This is my attempt at a memoir. Over my few years on this earth, I have seen God working in my life in many ways, helping me grow in my love for Him, my faith, and my desire to be a part of His Church. This story is about that journey that He has lead and is still leading me down. This is God’s path and I am just walking down it, trusting in Him and trying, despite my human weakness, not to get lost: lost in my selfish desires, lost in this materialistic and secular world, lost by following prompts from the Devil that may sound good, but in the end are not. This is a manifesto of how much God loves each and every one of us, a manifesto of how He works in our lives, and the goodness and happiness that overflows from us if we just follow His will for us. Come with me on this journey. Some dates may only be approximate, the conversations are not exact quotes, but typical to what that person may have said, and names are changed, but it is truth. Stick with me; I am working from memory and journal entries here! Let us being walking on this path and see where the Lord takes us, and thanks for joining me!

            Recently I heard from a very good friend of mine that life is a roller coaster and we need the seatbelt of prayer in order to not fall off the roller coaster. So, on that note, I would like to begin this book with a prayer, that the words I am writing are the words God wishes me to speak.

Come Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

And You shall renew the face of the earth. 
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,

did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise

and ever enjoy His consolations,

Through Christ Our Lord,

Amen.

After a long time away...

Sorry I haven't updated all summer. I was working with Totus Tuus in the Diocese of Tulsa all summer and had very, very, very limited internet access. I just have to say...this summer was AMAZING! I grew so much in my prayer life and my relationship with God. This summer gave me a new outlook on my future and what I am planning to do with my life. I am wanting to write down my life, especially this what happened this summer. I want to compile my journal entries into a coherent memoir. I think I will do that in little installments on this blog, so if anyone is reading out there, you can stay tuned. :-)

My awesome team!