I have received so many good wishes from people in person, over the phone, and over facebook.  I am so thankful for all of the people in my life who have taken the time to wish me well on another successful 25th year of life.

I tend to be a reflective person during times like these, and I can’t help but really appreciate all that has happened these past 365 days.  My coworker BD even commented this week that I have “come a long way” since this time last year.  Boy, is she right.  Things tend to work themselves out over the course of time and over my last (gasp!) 34 years of life I have never really followed a direct route on the journey of life.  College, the seminary, law enforcement, back to education, back to religious life…everything certainly has a reason for happening….cliche time!  I suppose my life has never followed any logical progression and I am so happy that is the case – I would most definitely not have the perspective I hold today had I not traversed an alternative path.

Relationships gained and lost.  Jobs begun and homes bought and sold.  I would not undo it for the world, pain included.  I have so much to be thankful for on my birthday.  This morning, LC woke me with the tune of “Happy Birthday” and presented me with a slew of gifts.  Later today I am going to the Kennedy Center to see him perform in his first concert of the year.  Afterward we have dinner reservations a La Perla in Georgetown.  It is going to be a nice day complete with awesome weather!  Tomorrow, he and I are both taking off from work and he is treating me to a spa treatment with an 80 minute massage to start.  Let the pampering begin!

Today I am very thankful for the gift of life and all the blessings it has brought me.

So, a day of surprises…let’s see how it goes!  I am so excited!

Just to think what one phone call could bring – and end.

Wednesday is LC’s birthday and Sunday is mine.  I have purchased some things for him already, other things still being worked out but we are going to the spa on Monday (I am taking off!) and we are both getting massages…his idea!  Afterwards, I am planning something special but because he is an avid reader of this blog I will save specifics for a recap entry the next day!

Until then I need to keep planning and thinking to the future.

Yesterday I had an opportunity to visit with a community in New Jersey to witness and participate in the celebration of three new deacons added to the Catholic Church. It was a lovely opportunity (I’ve been using the word ‘lovely’ quite often recently…don’t know why) to see a friend, MRB, who I last saw as I was on staff at The Catholic University of America here in DC back in 2001. MRB is a transitional deacon to be ordained to the priesthood some time in December. He currently serves as Chancellor of his diocese, a pretty big position if you ask me! I was also able to meet up with a few bishops with whom I have only spoken on the phone – that was fun! This weekend offered me an opportunity to network and even meet some local Baltimore clergy who came down for the celebration. It was fun!

Making the drive back yesterday, I thought of my own pending ordination to the Catholic Priesthood next Sunday, October 4th, on the Feast of Saint Francis. My family is driving down for that and we will have many clergy coming in from around the country to celebrate…but over 11 years as a Franciscan Friar makes this date even more special. As I look to another Franciscan community that is more inclusive and will soon hopefully be admitted to full membership, I now turn back once again to my Franciscan roots as a source of strength and identity. This week will be one of preparations and prayer as I move closer to ordinations – something I thought was once impossible having left the Roman church in 2004. A short time after that I found the Independent Catholic Movement, a community of hundreds of thousands of people around the world who are Catholic but look to the church as an inclusive and welcoming community, free of restrictions on those who wish to participate and join in membership. We are not a restrictive community, but one that embraces. As I look to the local American Catholics for support in ministry and service to others, I will look to the future of the Church as it is now unfolding. A future of hope and optimism, free of barriers to love and free of institutional discrimination.

But, first, I have to move the couch.

The weather was very cooperative, not too sunny and not too humid.  It did not rain and the water level was high enough to create a nice current that LC and I enjoyed without too much paddling…although we did have to do our fair share of arm work and maneuvering around rocks and trees that popped up in our path – that was the fun part!

There were 16 of us, plus a guide.  By the end of the journey, especially during the tasting, we all got to know one another fairly well.  LC and I were the only same-sex couple there but no one seemed to mind.  In fact, they gave LC the nickname “appetizer” because he was ALWAYS eating.  We packed a hearty lunch that he most definitely enjoyed while I handled the paddling…it was quite comical.  I left without a nickname, so that’s a good thing!

During the tasting we enjoyed six different wines and then was able to choose one of those six for a full glass.  We developed a really good rapport with our winery rep that the tastings were generous and the “one” glass we were privileged to have ended up being two…or three for some of us! 

After this long day adventure, LC and I made a stop at an historic restaurant in downtown Leesburg for dinner and it was such a lovely night together!  He had the swordfish and I ordered the lamb shank and for dinner we shared a scoop of ice cream.  We ate outside on the patio next to the fountain and it was just so enjoyable – and we talked nonstop the entire dinner.  I felt like we were on our first date, there were so many things we were sharing with one another.  Truly, a memorable weekend!

Appetizers

Crostini with diced tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil

Stuffed mushrooms

Deviled….er, resurrection-themed eggs

Entrees

Baked Ham with a honey mustard glaze

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with mozzarella cheese, spinach, and sun dried tomatoes

Grilled Spring Vegetables

Roasted Asparagus

Grilled Fennel

Dessert

Carrot Cupcakes

Ricotta Cheesecake with freshly whipped cream and sliced strawberries

There was certainly plenty of food and we had lots of laughs and fun.  The night flew right by and it was no earlier than midnight when LC and I finally settled down for the night.  It was truly a special Easter celebration with friends who have become family.  Alleluia!

Tomorrow is back to work, a 4-day work week and I don’t even get Thursday off when the rest of DC will be shut down for Emancipation Day.  After the last ten days off from work, I can look back and see the very productive week I had.  Remodeling, painting, cleaning, cooking, purging, relaxing, I did it all.  Now that I split my time between the Cheverly house and the condo in DC, I must make the very best of my time at both places so I am as productive as I can be.

Spring break is over and the morning after means its time to get back to work.  Let the fun begin!

I can’t believe how quickly I was able to get yesterday’s work done. I started early at 8am with a cup of coffee and a dream – how romantic!  I emptied the bedroom in about a half hour and then taped around the ceiling edge and window frames.  That took longer than the actual painting but helped make things go so much easier and neater, that is for sure!  No real hiccups in the process as we bought plenty of paint and supplies a few days ago.  Today we are going out to grab an area rug or two for the floor and the artwork will get put up once I find the right things to add to my new space – I certainly don’t want personal photos since there are plenty of those around the common areas of the house.  I spent last week replacing some photos that just needed to go and others that had done their time on display.  Photo rotation was fun since I had a chance to find photos that I had forgotten about!  Oh, those days when I had hair!

Today I don’t know what came over me.  The love of painting? Um, no.  Maybe it was just the freshness a coat of paint provides.  I have gone through so many changes within the last few months both personally and professionally that maybe I feel as if I need to re-brand myself.  The house that existed months ago exists in a new (and improved) way today and I need to reflect that.  Certainly the outside has shown that change and LC has spent hours planting flowers and gardening.  This weekend we planted an herb garden with oregano, chives, tarragon, basil, and parsley. OK, LC planted the garden and I raked leaves…but we were doing both tasks together in spirit.

The new paint and the new exterior make a big impact personally where a while ago I was not sure if I even could stay in this house.  Well, that has changed.  Until LC and I find a place we can call our ‘own’ (we are looking) rather than splitting our week between the condo and this house, time has shown me that a new look, coupled with patience and some hard work, transforms this house into a home.  Slowly, both the condo and the house are beginning to reflect both of us…more on that later – I think my paint has dried and its time to find something else on which to throw a layer of paint!  Watch out, squirrels!

But the important thing is that I was able to leave the school at a reasonable time, almost close to 4pm, and went to the condo for a nap.  When LC got home from work, we took a walk around the cherry blossoms and were treated to phenomenal winds that were quite comical.  The intensity of the winds were shifting things and people because they were so strong and people were just not able to brace themselves for the tremendous gusts that whipped across the tidal basin.  The cherry blossoms were absolutely beautiful and just one day left to their peak time ends prompts another visit today to see the parade and downtown celebrations that will be taking place.

Last night we stopped at an Indian restaurant for a quick meal before making our way to Cheverly where I ended up falling asleep in the recliner – nothing unusual about that – and awoke this morning to freshly made french toast.  How sweet was that?

Today, LC is officiating at a mock trial competition at George Mason University while I do errands, including grocery shopping for next Sunday’s Easter Dinner with friends and a trip to Williams Sonoma to buy myself a treat…maybe a new cake pan, or something else that is nice and I can use this week.  Sometimes it is important to treat yourself…and that is certainly on my agenda today!

This week completes the bedroom makeover, so pictures will be forthcoming – of the entire process.  It is lovely, if I say so myself!

Well, break is here and I am off to do errands that will usher in this time split between relaxing and work projects.  Spring cleaning, storage purging, and house organizing are all on the agenda…what fun!  I really can’t wait.   Seriously….I can’t….I love doing it!  How bad can that be?

My body felt it, I was exhausted.  I started to “crash” and needed to get energized…so I drove to the gym and had a good one-hour workout with cardio and some weights.  After coming home from the gym and making some dinner, I threw a load of laundry in the wash and finished the hard copy of my staff performance evaluations and will enter them into the computer tomorrow after work when the office is quiet.

Reflecting on this weekend in Orlando and my first day back home, I can’t say enough how blessed I am.  The opportunity to travel, the opportunity to work in a challenging and rewarding school, the life-giving relationship I am in with LC, the lovely home in which I live and the great family and friends that I have surrounding me, I really can’t complain.

The first day back is the realization for me that I have much for which to be thankful.