The past month in 5 key points or fewer:
- I'm settling in at school. It moves at such a fast pace, I'm in disbelief that we're 1/2 way through October. I work with great kids, great families, and wonderful teachers. What I'm most appreciative of is the collegiality I am experiencing. People are very supportive of one another, help where help is needed, laugh and enjoy time together, work well as a group, have common goals and a vision for moving forward. I think us newbies are supported and feel welcomed. I think our wisdom figures are energized and open to new ideas. All of this is very good....very, very, GOOD.
- Mary, one of the Sisters in my community (and one of my educational heroes), and I presented a session together on Using Descriptive Feedback as a Powerful Learning Tool. At the Archdiocesan Teacher's Convention. We had about 140 participants over 2 session. Despite a sleepless evening before, my gut in my throat, and out of WHACK nerves...when I got into the flow with Mary...I thought we did a great job and made a great team. I experienced us to be complimentary in that we come to the same outcome with slightly different strategies...so I think multiple learning styles were reached. People gave us great feedback too!
- St. Francis Day--October 4th--WOO HOO (Need I say more? I'm a Franciscan for gosh sakes!)
- Planning has started for 2 Giving Voice gatherings...what a great transition! The scoop: Giving Voice = group of young women religious across the country...saying, "We are called...we're not alone...let's walk this crazy journey together!" (I've posted a couple times about this...) We have 2 regular gatherings:
The January Gathering--happens every January over Martin Luther King Weekend, in Florida. It is a gathering specifically for women religious who are in their 20s and 30s. GREAT time to be with our own age group, talk about life, and offer support for one another.
The National Conference--happens every other year, usually in summer. This gathering is geared for women religious who are under 50. This year the national conference is at ALVERNO COLLEGE IN MILWAUKEE! WOOOO HOOO.
I am working with some of my GV peeps with planning for both...so I'm very energized and excited about all of this! If you are a young women religious reading this posting, you like to have fun, talk about your reality, call, prayer, community, etc with other folk who get that playing music in the kitchen while you're cooking isn't strange...or that it is ok to leave the house with jeans/shorts on...or there is life after 9:30p.m. :-) PLEASE consider coming to one or both of our gatherings! I'll link the GV website to my blog...all the information is there. Meet new people! Have fun! Pray! Play! Laugh! Discuss! Frolic! It's great...great great!
So those are my highlights...that's where I've been hiding. Hope life is good for all too...
Oh...I'd like to give a shout out (although I hesitate ever using this phrase again) to my friend: Sister Susan Rose Francois, CSJP, who just made her first vows, YESTERDAY! Welcome to Vowed Land!! YAY!!!! (Click on her name...and you can check out her blog too; come to think of it, maybe I should do the same and see if she's posted her big day... :-))
It's 70+ degrees here on this beautiful fall Sunday...I'm going to enjoy it. Peace out....
