As Summer Flies By...

Our Lady of Snows, pray for us!

Happy Feast of the Dedication of St. Mary Major! One of the reasons why Catholicism is awesome is that we celebrate the dedication of some churches! And Mary, the Theotokos. J It’s great. Don't know much about the feast? Check out this awesome blog that a friend of mine runs!

It’s hard to believe, but that time of year has come. The time when the Steubenville Kroger and Walmart see an increase in sales, when professional carpet cleaning service trucks clean out the rentals in LaBelle, and when students trickle back to The Hill in waves—ResLife, O-Team, new students, and returning students.

Where has the summer gone?

Life just flies by, and it’s an insane ride. Looking back on this summer, I’ve noticed some things I haven’t done (write freelance and try to publish it? Yeah…no, that didn’t happen…Figure out what I’m doing my thesis on this semester? Umm…I’ll get back to you on that J) but even more so the things I have done. I think it’s really important for people to see what they have accomplished. Yes, it’s good to see where we came up short, and to work on those areas. But to look at what we’ve done, and what God has done in us, is extraordinary!

DOCTOR WHO!
I crocheted Doctors 9, 10, and 11 for my older
brother's birthday a few weeks back. Yet another
summer adventure: learning to crochet : ) 

Just reflecting on my own summer, there were so many incredible elements: Beautiful conversations with household sisters and other friends. Outdoor adventures with Jacob. Board games with Jacob. Chicken-sitting for a couple of weeks. Reading Confessions of St. Augustine (awesome, but got to be a bit confusing-trying to explain time and God’s eternity? Yipes!), Love and Responsibility (highly, highly, highly encourage you to pick this up!) and a ton of other books. Having the time to blog here a bit more. Watching Series 1-7 of Doctor Who. Increasing prayer time and just simply enjoying the world around me. Making and eating “summery foods.” Finally getting around to reading more Chesterton (I just started The Ball and the Cross. It’s fabulous!) Celebrating one year of awesomeness as a married couple!!!!! (Our wedding anniversary is this Sunday, and we’re basically celebrating it all week.) And so many other wonderful things…

Some of my textbooks for the fall!!!! SO PUMPED!!!!!!

Thankfully, the summer isn’t over yet-classes don’t start until the end of the month. But, seeing how quickly summer will end is giving me a burst of enthusiasm to work harder on relaxing, learning, playing, and overall enjoying my many summer activities. Though don’t get me wrong, I’m also pumped for classes. My textbooks have been coming in the mail, and I’m so pumped!

Whether you start school in a couple weeks or a month (or out of school), I encourage you to look over the wondrous things that God has worked within you over the summer, and to seize these final days of break with joy and gusto! Let us always rededicate our entire lives to Him, and excitedly embrace every gift that He sends us each day!