Christ, Coffee, and Cornfields

  It has been an interesting year or so, to say the least. I mean this not so much in regards to my own life this time, but in the grand scheme of things. America has become a very volatile place. It's heartbreaking to see how much everyone is attacking everyone and their mother over any little statement or fad or perceived issue. You can't take a drink of coffee anymore without offending someone.   Everyone knows about the so-called "war on women." Don't get me wrong; I am very thankful for the women who peacefully fought to give females equal rights, and every woman should be able to reach her greatest potential without being discriminated against. But gosh, this whole agenda has turned into some monstrous attempt to bury femininity! I don't think that was the original intent, but that's what's happening. Whatever men can do, women can do better, right?   That isn't the point.   I've heard a quote that basically says that women weren...

  Want to know a secret? I struggle with confidence. A lot. Blame it on the stresses of nursing school or deep seeded trust issues or just a general feeling of not being good enough, but being confident in myself and my abilities is a real problem for me. I have this facade of confidence most of the time because overall I'm a positive person....except when it comes to me.   I've been mulling over this issue for awhile, especially now that essentially all I have left in nursing school is my preceptor hours and two days of class with as many tests. Basically, the only way I can not pass nursing school is if I kill someone, break HIPAA, not adhere to rules I've been following all year, or bomb these two tests. From what I understand, it's really really hard to fail this last little chunk of nursing school. But what do I do? Start to majorly worry that I won't pass those tests and all my work will be for nothing and I won't be able to graduate and my life will be ...

  If there's one thing that I've learned during our engagement, it's that life flies by way more quickly than we realize. We thought that our 14 and a half month engagement would drag on forever and ever, and in some ways it felt that way, but for the most part it has gone by super quickly! All of the sudden we are less than 3 months away from our wedding and we're bustling around putting final details in place. I think that in general we look at life like it will last forever, but it flies by before our eyes and suddenly the things we've been looking toward are here and gone.   There have been so many instances in my life lately that have caused me to reflect on the (fruit of the) virtue of patience and working to take the time to slow down. Obviously, being engaged is a big proponent of that. This part of my vocation is only a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things, and it is a very unique and special time. It is absolutely one of the most special ti...

  I don't think I ever fully realized until yesterday how much I appreciate that Jordan and I share our Catholic Faith. Ever since we started our relationship, faith has been central so it isn't that I never noticed the importance or didn't appreciate it; believe me, I am beyond thankful for it! But Jordan said something yesterday that was very simple but it spoke straight into my heart.   We were sitting in his truck when he said, "Tomorrow is Transfiguration Sunday!"   Yep. That's it. All he did was mention that today is a major feast in the Church. It sounds like a really simple exchange, but it made me realize just how important sharing our Faith is. One could say it transfigured my outlook on the subject.   I have always felt like a nut or a nerd because I love my faith and know a fair amount about it. Nobody in high school shared my excitement when an awesome saint's feast day would come up, very few made the effort to go to Mass on Holy Days,...

  NFP. Natural Family Planning. Mucus. Sympto Thermal. Creighton. Basal temp. Charting. Sex. Abstain. Babies. Lots of words get thrown around along with the topic of NFP, or Natural Family Planning. What is it, and why would it be important to Jordan and me when we aren't even married yet?   There are so many reasons that Jordan and I practice and believe in NFP. I could talk and talk about it, but I'll just touch on a few main reasons we do it. First, though, let me give a general overview of what NFP actually is because it is widely misunderstood.   Natural Family Planning is a method of guiding married couples' physical intimacy that focuses on the signs a woman's body gives throughout her cycle so that together they can choose to participate in the marital act during appropriate times for their intentions of having a child. It also is used to forge a stronger bond between the husband and wife by encouraging communication and other ways of intimacy (spiritual, em...

  I was on my way to the library today when I passed a lemonade stand run by a boy about 10 years old. Growing up, my siblings and I used to have lemonade stands or sell sweet corn during the summer and it always made our day to have people stop and buy from us. With that in mind, I went to that stand after my library stop and got a cup.   This young man running the stand was very sweet and I could tell he was so excited to have a customer. He stood up to pour me a glass and we made small talk for a little while. It really tugged at my heartstrings to see him sitting on the side of the road, and it brought me back to when I was in his shoes. I decided that I would be customer to him just as so many were to me. I hoped that I could bring some joy to him. As it turns out, he ended up giving me a whole lot more than just a delicious glass of lemonade.   He gave me hope for the world, and he brought joy to my heart.   Cliche, I know. But lately, especially today, I...

  Jordan and I just celebrated our first year anniversary last week. We're both in awe of all the blessings and trials we've been given to walk through together during that time and are very much looking forward to many more years together (soon as a married couple)! Many of you know that most of our year together has been as an engaged couple, which is so much fun, but we will definitely be the first to tell you that a long engagement is not easy. At all . A 14 and a half month engagement was necessary to our life situation, but it certainly isn't something we would suggest to anyone.   Engagement is an interesting period of life. It's so much fun, but is also filled with lots of frustration if you're choosing to be chaste. Jordan and I are saving sex for marriage, and while it is easily the best decision we've made (besides following Christ, of course), it is also the most difficult. We've had to endure teasing and unwanted lessons about what to do or no...