just can't shake it

With the new year in full swing I find myself comfortably reverting back to old ways and patters of my college years as if it has become some sort of resolution.  And while I can't flashback physically it has been so great to relive memories with friends and catch up on what we've all missed out on now that we are spread cross-country.  Recent bonds over bubble gum pink Lilly Pulitzer and electric shades of nail polish seem to balance the juxtaposition of hardships we all seem to struggle through.  I find that friends have become a stronghold for me now more than ever, and discovering that we are all moving in each a different direction and yet still all moving forward is a pretty great feeling. It's as if we're living life together even though we're literally hundreds of miles apart--I love it!  Fitting as usual, last night's episode of Glee had me laughing one second and crying the next, reminding me of so many moments and emotions that I had with friends throughout my four years in college.  While I can't go back now, but I still can't shake the desire to!  And so, I leave you with this (another thing I just can't get out of my system).  I find it's rather appropriate...

Cheers!

It's 2012! Thankfully that means another awesome year with family and friends. I am so grateful for all of 2011 and know that 2012 will be a kick start to something great. Hopefully you had a fantastic New Year's Eve! Perhaps it's that mine was less than the thrill I'd hoped for (which is definitely okay) or just the fact that life is worth living, but let's not let the celebrating cease there! There's a whole year ahead of us, and I am definitely going to welcome it with open arms! xo

A Cajun Nation

It's pretty hilarious to think that my last post was about letting go and yet I spent my entire weekend living by the mantra "Never let go of the rope!" After a successful season the Ragin' Cajuns not only made it to the New Orleans Bowl--they WON the New Orleans Bowl. Festivities began late Friday night (early to bed, early to rise), and I am happy to say that they have still not come to an end. I think the petition for a victory parade is proof enough that everyone in Lafayette is still living the dream.

On Saturday Janie and I made our way to NOLA with lots of red, great music, and full stomachs. We made a few new friends on the drive over and partook in many rounds of "Honk if you love the Cajuns". We even managed to get some vocal practice in for all the tailgating that was to come. ("Red Solo Cup" became the theme song for the weekend. Way to keep it classy Lafayette!) It was hands down the most action packed 24 hours I've ever had...and I wouldn't change a thing! Between the RCAF tailgate and Champions Square there was little recovery time before the big game. As everyone filed into the Superdome it was a packed, crazy, mess of a ton of people you knew. Lafayette must have been pretty quiet because with the record breaking 42,000+ people in attendance (and San Diego having all of only 2,000 people present) there was no body home in South Louisiana! Everywhere I turned I saw a familiar face and yet came home to find out that so many people I didn't see were at the game.

We may have all complained about the missed field goal opportunity and the failure to call pass interference (twice), but in the end the game wouldn't have been half as climactic if the clock would have simply run out. Leave it to Baer to kick a field goal in a last-stitch effort of put the Cajuns over the top. It was sweet victory for the Cajun Nation! I hope they don't mind that I've now become an honorary alum. Below are some highlights. It's times like these that make me so grateful to be from Louisiana! Good friends, good times...Never let go of the rope!

hold on tight?

Sometimes it is only when we take a step back and look at all we have and all that we've been through that we feel most fulfilled. Over the last few months I have moved back to Louisiana to teach, and while a lot of things have happened so quickly, there's a side of it that seems to be moving in slow motion. So why is it that even with such mastery of skill, the transition and change always appear to be looming overhead? It's like you've reached the light at the end of the tunnel...so now what?

For a while now I have been living the routine life of a teacher: up at 5, teaching until 3, working until 9...overtime? And while part of me has bittersweet feelings about work, location, and change, I have recently forced myself to become more acclimated to my current conditions. In mass I was challenged to become detached from whatever it is that I was holding onto. How hysterical is that? I am the queen of holding on. After self-diagnosing (which I have also convinced myself I'm a pro at...and probably do way too much of) I think that I hold on because I fear what will happen if I let go. I don't want "letting go" to mean forgetting, but I've learned that it doesn't have to mean that at all. I was afraid of seeing parts of the new light in my life. I was so comfortable living in memories. Part of change is growing up and moving on, learning to make decisions. Because I'm physically in a different place now than I have been in for the 5 years and still holding on, it can feel like I've been stuck in the never-ending tunnel--like I'm constantly anticipating the light. But when I step back and take a look at all that I've gone through in college and graduate school I realize that I was living in the light all that time.

I miss it incredibly--friends, the city, experiences, and all those lessons learned. And while I want to hold onto it all, I realize that the only way for me to fully accept where I am now is to let go of a it a little. I can't go back in time, but I can certainly go back...to friends, to the city, to experience things, to learn things. I am understanding that detaching just means letting go of the things that keep you from living for today. Once we surrender all of my anxieties and conflicts between past and present, we won't be afraid of today anymore.

So here I am, LA...I detach, I surrender, I'm not afraid anymore.

parking lot soccer

Well we've arrived in Rome. This morning we traded in the beach for the city life, and let me tell you, we are livin' large. Our hotel is great...a little far from the city center, but really nice and very hospitable. Most of the group are in double rooms; however, there are some boys who just can't get enough of quads! We spent most of our day touring Rome from the bus as it was a little rainy, but there were a few moments when we hopped out and were able to really get a feel for the city.

Upon arriving in Rome we made a stop for lunch and shopping at the Fontana di Trevi--so great. Naturally my first throw into the fountain was a bit of a miss. Let's just hope that it doesn't mean I'll never make it back to Rome. I threw a few more pennies in just for good measure. Most of the group spent their time visiting the local shops and exploring...more like scavenging for new foods. Apparently the sandwiches from a man in a cart were the best. Who knew pizza could get old after a while?! After we left the Trevi Fountain and got our fill of pictures and rain drizzle we hopped back on the bus and headed for the coliseum.

We were able to breeze through the line and head inside thanks to our Pretty in Pink tour guide, Julia. Once we were inside it was rainy, but it didn't stop us from being total tourists. We took so many pictures our faces hurt...and I'm pretty sure our precious seniors got a little more than annoyed with us. Oh well! The ruins were so neat to look at and learn about. We were able to go up to the to of the coliseum and all throughout one of the bottom levels and get a great view of where the gladiators and animals used to run out. Much of the conversation surrounded how cool it was that the emperors of the day would sit in the very spot where we were and many questions arose as to what happened when lions jumped up into the stands--they may have graduated high school, but I guess that doesn't make them world class scholars! They're so funny.

After we left the coliseum we boarded the bus for the hotel. On our way we passed some great sights! We passed some of the ancient ruins of Rome as well as the "Wedding Cake Monument". We passed right in front of St. Peter's Basilica and wanted so badly to go run around on St. Peter's Square. Once we got back to the hotel we settled in and ate dinner. It didn't take long for a game of soccer to break out in the parking lot. Our next goal is to break out a game in St. Peter's Square. We shall see.

It appears now that graduating has sparked a bit of bravery as our seniors have left for an Italian McDonald's excursion. They are determined to find a quarter pounder in Italy. I'll be sure to let y'all know what the outcome is tomorrow. For now, it's time for bed for us here in Italy...and time for a late night snack for some.

Buonanotte...

can I buy a boat?

We're off to the beach! We have left Assisi now and are at our next stop--a beach just about an hour outside of Naples along the Mediterranean coast. The water is a deep blue and the sand, while not as white as in the states, is really smooth and not pebbly at all. There is a huge boat port with beautiful yachts just down the beach from our hotel. Some of the kids were asking if they could buy one to take out on the water. Fr. Louis told them they could. Surprise!

Our hotel is very nice--pretty contemporary for Italy. Each room has a balcony and I think most everyone has an ocean view. The water is pretty chilly but according to the boys in the group, it's totally worth jumping in. There is a small area near the port with a couple of restaurants and shops, but the main drag of this area is called Centro and is the city center or town square. It runs along a street called Vie Tittoni. When we arrived yesterday everyone hit the beach, but today most of the group slept in and are actually just heading out to find some lunch now. Plenty of time for pizza and gelato before our late dinner.

So far so good here in Italy. Ciao i miei amici.

Benvenuti in Italia

We have arrived in Italy! Assisi was so wonderful. The streets are so narrow and wind throughout the whole city. Our rooms are small and quaint. They are very primitive, but very Italian! The windows have shutters that open wide, allowing the fresh air to come in--no AC here, folks! The hotel has breakfast and dinner for us and so far it has proved to be quite a...cultural experience. Not to worry, though. We're all eating with pictures to prove it.

Most of our days were filled with lots of picture taking, gelato eating, and church visiting. We were able to visit quite a number of the churches in Assisi. The only problem is that there aren't any pictures to show for it. In Italy it is disrespectful to take pictures inside of churches so I only have pictures of the outsides of them! They were so beautiful--the frescos, the marble, the stone. We were able to visit the original church that St. Francis used when he began his order. We also saw the rose garden which was where Francis threw himself into the thorn bush to avoid temptation. When he fell onto the bush, the thorns turned to roses. We also saw the Basilica of St. Francis where, where we had mass upstairs from the tomb of St. Francis, as well as the Basilica of St. Clare (and her incorrupt body).

For lunch most of us had pizza and pasta from little pizzarias or ristorantes in the area. This was usually followed by at least 2 servings of gelato. At night we would wander the streets and pop into little shops here and there. The city is so small that often times we would stumble on other members of our group who were exploring on there own as well. The trip as been so wonderful so far, and I am sure that the beach that lies ahead will only be better! More to come, friends...