Well into the spring semester, I've now started the next big project through Campus Ministry - planning the spring break immersion trip! Tentatively, I will be leading a group of 10 students with 2 other chaperones to Navajo Nation in southeastern Utah. I was put into contact with the office of service at USC, and they have been making a trip like this for years. Needless to say, I've crafted quite a few emails asking for their contacts and itineraries so I can work off of their format. While this is all good, I can't tell you how many times I've tried calling contacts, and numbers don't have answering machines or are disconnected! Emails? naw..... they use P.O. Boxes...... Regardless, since USC has done this trip for years for a much larger group, I know that our school will be able to handle it as well.
This past week the LA JVs have been offered so much free food and of course, we graciously accepted! For one of the events, the Jesuits in East LA invited about 15 of us JVs over for dinner. In my mind, I had envisioned a quiet dinner around a giant table in their house as they asked us about our work. Instead, we had brats, beers, watched football, and had a lot of laughs! Fr. Greg Boyle (of Homeboy Industires and author of Tattoos on the Heart) made a mean orange chicken dish and some of the best chocolate chip cookies too. Of many conversation topics, one was how celebrating the sacraments doesn't always go as expected. I realized I had the perfect example and I shared (at my baptism I believe I've been told?) how upon hearing the priest say "Do you reject Satan? and all his evil works?," Uncle Casey responded with, "YEP! I HATE THE GUY!" or something of the sort. As usual, Casey always knows how to draw a big laugh!
So starting this upcoming weekend is ReO, or reorientation, for JVC and we get to head all the way upstate to San Jose for the 5 day retreat. It will be a time to reflect at the halfway point of my experience, reconnect with others in the JV southwest region, and enjoy the fresh air and freetime outside of LA!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Christmas Break and Into the New Year!
Sorry to all my readers that it has been over a month since my last entry! Due to my lack of writing, there is now a lot to cover in this post!
One of the perks of working at a high school is I had the same Christmas break as I did when I was a student - 2 weeks! For the first part of my break, I flew down to Little Rock to see Melissa and her family. We went to her cousin's wedding, hiked around Mt. Magazine, and ate at the world famous Chicken-to-Go in her hometown. Melissa has made many trips up to Chicago to see me and my family, so I was very happy to be able to do the same for her.
The second part of my trip was spending 3 days in Chicago with my family and Erin and Aunt Mary. Although there was no snow on the ground, we made it feel like Christmas with plenty of game playing, story telling, and a wonderful Christmas eve dinner followed by presents around the tree.
The third part of the trip was then flying to LAS VEGAS BABY! This trip was sooooo much fun. My family rented a house off the Strip where extended family, Melissa, and Andrew's girlfriend Chrissy spent the week. We all took turns cooking dinner and festivities included a pool tournament and a talent show! Unfortunately, my rendition of the Utah County Song did not take the cake.
I think the whole family found a new passion in Pai Gow (or however it's spelled....) Poker. Being a little shy to risk my money, I spent the first couple of days placing five-cent bets at the slots. Then, I finally worked up the courage to sit down at a table, risk a bit more money, and play the $10 minimun bet. I sat down at the table, announced myself as a newbie to Vegas and to Pai Gow, and eagerly awaited my first hand. When I pulled it up, I wasn't sure what a good hand was, but my dad and brother's reaction told me that I had something good, and sure enough I won $30 on my first hand! However, this celebration was short lived as in the rush of the excitement of the win, I promply got a bloody nose and bled all over my luck-laden card playing hands.... game over.... Thank goodness I didn't win any more money though because who knows what medical emergency would have arisen!
This Christmas break was just what I needed though. It was so refreshing to spend time with my parents, brother, Melissa, Chrissy, and all of my extended family on both the Lee and Carnahan side. To wrap up this post, the following are brief memories and inside jokes with everyone who stayed in the house on my vacation:
Dad: IGUALMENTE!
Mom: "Erin, I want you to have a special Christmas and let's start it off with this awesome first gift!" Erin replies, "Uh, Aunt Abby, there's nothing in here...."
Andrew: aren't you proud of my inquisitiveness to the dealer about if the chips were made of clay?!
Casey: BEER ON THE WALL
Amy: late night hangouts around the island in the kitchen
Molly: that orange vodka.... whew!
Beau: don't worry, I couldn't hear you on the roller coaster!
Melissa: you made a great conceited, rich, and aloof woman ...i think you have a career in the soaps
Chrissy: thumb to the forehead!
Tim: thanks for offering me the chance to beat you in pool best out of three..... of five.... of seven.....
Katie: Chicken with peach and prunes... so delish!
Johnny: watching you with Casey at the Price is Right - is your left ear deaf from his cheering?
Grandma: I always knew you had a tenedor in your pocket ;)
One of the perks of working at a high school is I had the same Christmas break as I did when I was a student - 2 weeks! For the first part of my break, I flew down to Little Rock to see Melissa and her family. We went to her cousin's wedding, hiked around Mt. Magazine, and ate at the world famous Chicken-to-Go in her hometown. Melissa has made many trips up to Chicago to see me and my family, so I was very happy to be able to do the same for her.
The second part of my trip was spending 3 days in Chicago with my family and Erin and Aunt Mary. Although there was no snow on the ground, we made it feel like Christmas with plenty of game playing, story telling, and a wonderful Christmas eve dinner followed by presents around the tree.
The third part of the trip was then flying to LAS VEGAS BABY! This trip was sooooo much fun. My family rented a house off the Strip where extended family, Melissa, and Andrew's girlfriend Chrissy spent the week. We all took turns cooking dinner and festivities included a pool tournament and a talent show! Unfortunately, my rendition of the Utah County Song did not take the cake.
I think the whole family found a new passion in Pai Gow (or however it's spelled....) Poker. Being a little shy to risk my money, I spent the first couple of days placing five-cent bets at the slots. Then, I finally worked up the courage to sit down at a table, risk a bit more money, and play the $10 minimun bet. I sat down at the table, announced myself as a newbie to Vegas and to Pai Gow, and eagerly awaited my first hand. When I pulled it up, I wasn't sure what a good hand was, but my dad and brother's reaction told me that I had something good, and sure enough I won $30 on my first hand! However, this celebration was short lived as in the rush of the excitement of the win, I promply got a bloody nose and bled all over my luck-laden card playing hands.... game over.... Thank goodness I didn't win any more money though because who knows what medical emergency would have arisen!
This Christmas break was just what I needed though. It was so refreshing to spend time with my parents, brother, Melissa, Chrissy, and all of my extended family on both the Lee and Carnahan side. To wrap up this post, the following are brief memories and inside jokes with everyone who stayed in the house on my vacation:
Dad: IGUALMENTE!
Mom: "Erin, I want you to have a special Christmas and let's start it off with this awesome first gift!" Erin replies, "Uh, Aunt Abby, there's nothing in here...."
Andrew: aren't you proud of my inquisitiveness to the dealer about if the chips were made of clay?!
Casey: BEER ON THE WALL
Amy: late night hangouts around the island in the kitchen
Molly: that orange vodka.... whew!
Beau: don't worry, I couldn't hear you on the roller coaster!
Melissa: you made a great conceited, rich, and aloof woman ...i think you have a career in the soaps
Chrissy: thumb to the forehead!
Tim: thanks for offering me the chance to beat you in pool best out of three..... of five.... of seven.....
Katie: Chicken with peach and prunes... so delish!
Johnny: watching you with Casey at the Price is Right - is your left ear deaf from his cheering?
Grandma: I always knew you had a tenedor in your pocket ;)
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