Moving Day

It's that time again!

I'm moving out on Monday.

In some ways, I can't believe it's been a whole year since I moved into this apartment. In others, it seems like two or three. That's almost always how I feel when there are major changes in my life.

In some ways I feel like I'm taking a step back, because I'm moving back in with my mom. But I know it's only temporary, and this is what is required so that I can move (hopefully) to Denver in a few months.

I'm super excited for what the future holds. The idea of moving to Denver makes me really really excited. I've been thinking about this and planning for this for over a year. And I'm still not sure if it's God's will.

Some people discern until they're absolutely sure that God is asking something of them. I'm more of a "jump and he'll catch you" kinda girl, I think. I've prayed about it, of course. But I'm not sure. What I am sure of, however, is that if it isn't His will, He will find a way to stop me. Another source of consolation I have is that I'm still five months out from being able to get promoted and have NO idea if there will be a job available for me when I'm ready to move. If there is, then I trust that it will be God's hand guiding me. If there isn't, I know something better will come up. He's good. He wants what is best for me. I know that.


This week I had breakfast with one of my best friends from high school, Alex. I have only seen Alex twice since high school: once in D.C. our freshman year of college (he attended American in D.C., and I was there for the March for Life), and once when we were both home at the same time, probably in 2010. He's been in China for the past four years running an English school. How awesome is that?!

Even though we hadn't spoken in quite some time, it was awesome to pick back up where we left off. Alex is extremely intelligent and in high school I always wondered why he picked me to be his friend. He is so in touch with his emotions, and very self aware. I was completely disconnected from myself, my extroversion often got the best of me, and I was rambunctious. Looking back, it's interesting that it took me so long to develop an inner voice, with him as a friend. He brought out the thinker in me, I brought out the adventure in him, I think. One time we laid in the parking lot of our high school football stadium and stared at the sky and talked all night. Once we ran (almost) naked through the town square. (Sorry if that scandalizes anyone, we were just crazy kids.)

Living at home, I've made new memories with new people here, and I sometimes forget that this is where I come from; this is where I grew up. It was good to be reminded of that.

It was also nice to have a conversation that was more than an inch deep with a man. I haven't had one in quite a while. It was nice to feel like a man loves my mind, and it gave me hope for my future with the man God made for me.

On a lighter note, ate a chorizo breakfast burrito on the first Friday of Lent. Realized afterwards. #awesome #whoops

St. John, pray for us.

In Honor of Mardi Gras

I performed in this musical during my senior year of high school. It was easily one of the coolest things I've had the opportunity to be a part of- my high school was the first ever nonprofessional group to get the rights to do Phantom, and the producers from New York came to our show. We even got the chandelier driven in from Las Vegas and wired with hydraulics.

The music is very difficult. Lloyd Webber is thought to have written it vertically, meaning each beat of the measure got certain notes, but usually without regard to which voice part sang which note in the previous beat. Each note, when done well, sounds great. But each part on its own can sound ridiculous, and we often found ourselves all over the staff. The melody doesn't belong to any one vocal part, it switches between all eight.

The most insane thing is happening right now.

My roommate is reading Ed Sri's chapter in Catholic for a Reason on the Eucharist.

WHAT?!

I'm sitting here watching her out of the corner of my eye while typing this.

It's been a long time coming, I think.

She's been asking me more and more questions about Catholicism.

And she asked me to give her my testimony a few weeks ago.

She's always been a Christian. Her "boyfriend" is Baptist and told her that as long as she prays a prayer and believes that Jesus is the Son of God, that it doesn't matter what they do, they'll go to Heaven. And she's believed that for a while. But lately the wheels have been turning.

God is SO good!

Pray that she comes to Mass with me this Sunday to see what it's all about. She's been with me once or twice before but had no idea what was going on. Earlier I explained the difference between liturgical and non-liturgical faiths. And we talked about transubstantiation.

Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Late Night Student Loan Ramblings

Sometimes when I can't sleep I crunch numbers. This is real life in my world... it's insane.

Today I filed my taxes.

In February I will get my tax return, my Q4 Bonus, and my reimbursement from some of my CFP classes from a while back. The bonus is the only variable I don't know yet, but I have an idea of what it might be.

The student loan I'm working at right now has a balance of about $9000 and an interest rate that it so high I won't even bother you with the number. Let's just say that it is highway freaking robbery, and I couldn't even count that high until I was like in first grade.

These three inflows of cash in conjunction with me packing it up and moving back into the old mom's house for a few months will leave me with just about enough to pay off 70% of this loan. It's possible that, in the next 2-3 months, I could have that loan paid off entirely. Also, the next loan is only $1900, so with my bonus in May I should pay that off as well. PROGRESS!!!!!

St. Matthew the Publican, pray for us.