Experiencing Advent

As a Catholic, we are currently deep in the Advent season.  It is a season all about waiting, the anticipation of Christ being born, Mary's anxiety/excitement/fear/happiness.  For some reason, that stream of emotions truly resounds with me this year.  I was realizing, today, it was approximately nine months ago that I was just initiating this journey, with accepting this offer, the dream was conceived,  and now I am ready to birth my new life.  I am yet unsure of what that will be like.  People can talk until they are blue in the face about what is coming.  I can read books, research, observe but in the end whatever new life is midwifed from the process will be nothing like I expected.  This next week will be saying goodbyes to people, this time to the community I have been so intentionally building with my fellow lay missioners for the last ten weeks.  There may be screams and wailing, we are a no epidural sorta crowd, but in the end, the result will no doubt be beautiful.

I will not draw this birthing analogy out any further.  To begin with, it was weak and I don't want to traumatize the faint of heart by the analogy of my new life being birthed.  :)

The next few weeks will be filled with goodbyes, so blogs may be sparse.  So, I will leave you with some pictures of my recent adventures.

 

In my string of goodbyes, I went to Philadelphia to visit Becca and then we drove to State College to see Drew and Clair.  Becca is most likely my cousin, as her maiden name is my grandmother's maiden name.  She, Clair, and I were all Border Servant Corps volunteers (we allowed Drew to marry in to the group).

 

This was our mini-birthday celebration for Debbie, our orientation leader.  We made her a candy card and had cupcakes.

 

This is my Emily - aka the best thing I have ever found on craigslist aka my former roommate who adopted me over Thanksgiving.  At this point on the Hudson, they stretched a chain across during the Revolutionary war to prevent British boats from passing.

 

This is the battle of Saratoga Monument in Saratoga Springs, NY.  I am the puffy red figure in the middle with the two Koella men (Emily's dad and brother).

 

Lake Champlain in Burlington, VT.

 

With Emily in snowy Randolph, VT.  Those coats were like half a sleeping bag... Especially, because mine was her dad's :)

 

There is a Buddhist monastery in Carmel, NY (30 minutes North of where I am staying).  I figured, I should get the Buddha's blessing before heading to a Buddhist Country.  That is one big Buddha.

 

For our most recent community dinner, I made croissant rolls.  My favorite three year old helped.  Unfortunately, my favorite six year old was doing his homework when we took the pictures but both kids did a great job (fine bakers in the making).