marigold Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 10 hours ago, Spem in alium said: Good weekend! Birthday here in the convent. Next week, half the community will be away at retreats, on holiday, and at a Catholic festival for youth. It will be a tremendously quiet house! And it's finally happening...I've started becoming unable to help calling people "Sister". I did it with a friend the other week. Today I was about to call my grandmother "Sister", but it kind of went like, "Thanks, Sis-Grandma". Are you looking forward to a peaceful house, or not so much? I often have to stop myself from saying the traditional response when someone calls for me. On the other hand, cusswords have made an amazing comeback in my vocabulary in the short time I've been out of the monastery. Some habits are easier than others, I guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted November 28, 2015 Author Share Posted November 28, 2015 5 hours ago, marigold said: Are you looking forward to a peaceful house, or not so much? I often have to stop myself from saying the traditional response when someone calls for me. On the other hand, cusswords have made an amazing comeback in my vocabulary in the short time I've been out of the monastery. Some habits are easier than others, I guess... Well, the noisy Sisters are staying home, so I don't know how much peace we'll have I will miss them all, but I suppose I am looking forward to more quiet around. Ahaha! Usually I'm okay with it, but sometimes it just comes out. I haven't yet called my brother or my father or any of my male friends "Sister", so I think I'm doing pretty well...at the moment. I had a beautiful weekend. To celebrate my birthday, I went for Mass and dinner on Saturday night with my family. It was so meaningful to pray and receive Jesus with them. I felt so incredibly blessed to be able to welcome in the new liturgical year, the Year of Mercy, together. They have been so loving and supportive of me on my journey. But it was also bittersweet, as this will likely be the last birthday celebration I'll really have with them. And I was full of joy to see my brother at Mass, receiving Jesus in the Eucharist and praying. I'm not entirely sure where he's at, but I continue to pray that he will come back totally to the Church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 Just got a workout chasing a lizard around my Sister's bedroom. Fun times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charbel Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 6 hours ago, Spem in alium said: Just got a workout chasing a lizard around my Sister's bedroom. Fun times! I had a lizard in my house once. Cat got to the little guy before anyone else could. Needless to say, he was very proud of himself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 There have been so many lizards joining us! I think they try to escape the hot weather for a time and so come inside, but then forget how to go out again. One of my sisters feeds the lizards on our veranda. She told me they like bread and butter and particular kinds of meat. I am looking forward to Christmas and the following days. Dec 24 and 25 will be with my sisters -- it will be a joy to be with them, but maybe also sad in a way not to be with my family. However, on the 27th Dec (Feast of the Holy Family, and my anniversary of entrance) my family will be visiting and I will be going home with them for all of January. I'm so excited for that, but at the same time also interested to see how it will sit with me. I've been home throughout the year for short visits, and while I love being with them and while they're truly the greatest family I could ever have wished for, there is a real difference now. I am a different person, and I guess my psychological needs have changed or become more evident. My whole daily schedule is different. So it will be interesting to have a change, good to have some time with them, and good to note how it will affect me. I'm very glad I have the opportunity to be with my family for a longer period before I progress in formation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marigold Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 It will be interesting for sure! Does the visit have a particular 'reason' other than spending time with family? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 9 hours ago, marigold said: It will be interesting for sure! Does the visit have a particular 'reason' other than spending time with family? I think that's the main reason, yes. After I come back from the visit, I pray that I'll be moving to the next step in my formation. Contact wit my family will become more limited, so it's really going to be the last time I'll see them for a longer period, and maybe even the last time I'll go home, before I begin novitiate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marigold Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 4 hours ago, Spem in alium said: I think that's the main reason, yes. After I come back from the visit, I pray that I'll be moving to the next step in my formation. Contact wit my family will become more limited, so it's really going to be the last time I'll see them for a longer period, and maybe even the last time I'll go home, before I begin novitiate. So it'll be really special! I was going to say 'bittersweet' but obviously I don't know your family situation - perhaps more bitter or more sweet! It goes without saying, but I hope you really enjoy it - there's a special atmosphere when you're on 'borrowed time' And I hope you get to move into the novitiate!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 4 hours ago, marigold said: So it'll be really special! I was going to say 'bittersweet' but obviously I don't know your family situation - perhaps more bitter or more sweet! It goes without saying, but I hope you really enjoy it - there's a special atmosphere when you're on 'borrowed time' And I hope you get to move into the novitiate!! Definitely special! I think bittersweet is the right word Not too sure yet about the mixture of bitterness and sweetness, though! I think I will enjoy it, and I know my family is looking forward to it. Sisters invited my family over on the Feast of the Holy Family to connect and to take me home. When I talked to my mum first about it, she was saying, "Oh, I'm not sure we can make it, but we'll see". I just said to her, "Well, we were thinking I could go home that day", and she immediately said, "YES! We'll be there!!!" Thank you God willing, and depending on my study, I will move into novitiate sometime next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vee Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 2 hours ago, Spem in alium said: Sisters invited my family over on the Feast of the Holy Family to connect and to take me home. When I talked to my mum first about it, she was saying, "Oh, I'm not sure we can make it, but we'll see". I just said to her, "Well, we were thinking I could go home that day", and she immediately said, "YES! We'll be there!!!" aaaawwwwwwww!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 Yes, it was so cute! She went straight from saying, "Oh, I'll have to talk to Dad and let you know", to "Oh yes we'll be there! We can't wait!" My sisters have really been looking after me this week after my surgery. I had all my wisdom teeth removed! I actually am really amazed at their kindness, particularly of our oldest sister - she dropped what she was doing and offered to cook me food, and actually took over my cooking responsibility for Wednesday so that I could rest. They are really supportive of me that I'm getting this time away with my family. I know I will really miss them, though. A month seems so long but I know it will just fly by and I'll probably be wishing for more time with the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share Posted December 19, 2015 It took us two days, but the convent is all decorated for Christmas! My favourite part is a small table display in our community area. We put a few glowing trees (one even revolves) around our statue of the Blessed Mother and our empty manger. I even have a little baby tree for my room. I'm going to be spending much of this week packing -- to go home, but also because I'm moving to another room in the convent. We have a sister being transferred to our house who needs disability access, and my room has that, so I'm getting shifted to our small guest room. I don't mind moving, but I definitely didn't realise how much stuff I had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadaTeTurbe Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Can we have a picture of your Christmas decorations, if the other sisters agree ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share Posted December 20, 2015 55 minutes ago, NadaTeTurbe said: Can we have a picture of your Christmas decorations, if the other sisters agree ? I'll ask them Sister responsible for the decorations set up a beautiful table which has a scene of the Flight into Egypt. It's lovely. My parents visited today to drop off a very generous Christmas gift for us as well as a separate gift for me. They visited while my superior was away, and she joked that they came to try and steal me when she wasn't here I told my sisters that I had joked with my parents that I would be "gift-wrapped" when they visit on our feast day, as it's the day I begin my time with them. One of my sisters said that when she was transferred overseas, the sisters in her new convent decided to gift-wrap her as a present for the Provinicial, so they put her in a box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Exciting news! I am being interviewed tomorrow about my vocation for a Catholic newsletter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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