Summer 2020 :: The "Nun Run" Part Two

Good morning! I'm back this week to share the next stop on last summer's Nun Run. After leaving Gower, we continued our trip to Valparaiso, Nebraska to visit the Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  I have visited this convent three times in the past, for my three uncles very first Masses following their ordinations, but the last time was back in 2008 so it had been 12 years!

On our way there we stopped at a sushi restaurant for dinner (and played some "close your eyes and guess how many *insert items* are in the room" inspired by Shawn Spencer in Psych lol).

                                                        A picture on our way to the Carmel 

   

The Chapel at the Carmel was so beautiful!

After Mass, we were able to visit one of the sisters through the turn and she told us her vocation story which was so inspirational. Also, we noticed a young lady who, after Mass, entered into the Carmel!

When I was a baby, on our very first visit, the nuns let my parents send me through the turn to hold. I've been told that, after they passed me around for a bit, while visiting with our family though the cloister grille in the visit room, my mom heard them giggling on the other side of the turn and, instead of sending me back, they just sent my shoes. I love their sense of humor! 

 

Visiting the Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph was such a rewarding experience and to see just how much the sisters give up for our Lord is so uplifting. 

Patriotic Berry Pie

Can you believe it's July already?!? I just don't know where the months go anymore... They are flying by faster than ever! I'm really trying to slow down and enjoy these summer days with everyone home. I've had a little help from the weather this week... With temps reaching ridiculously hot up here in the North Idaho, most of our scheduled plans and activities have been canceled due to the dangerous heat wave! We are just praying that this isn't followed by more wildfires and smoke... 

We just celebrated a couple birthdays in June! I'm hoping to share pictures sometime, but I happened to run across these from our America loving oldest son's 20th birthday last year and thought they are perfect to share now, with the 4th of July coming up this weekend!  

He had requested "Berry Pie!" instead of birthday cake, after an afternoon rafting with friends, and I ended up surprising him with a couple Patriotic Berry Pies! It was quick and easy to make with the help of Red Hills Fruit Company Tart Cherry Filling, Blueberry Filling and some refrigerated pie crusts. 

After assembling the pies, I brushed the crust with an egg wash and sprinkled on some sugar before popping them in the oven. 

The berries bubbled over a bit, so it didn't turn out as pretty as it looked before going in the oven, but the birthday boy loved them just the same! 

If you are looking for other ideas for the 4th of July you can find many more in the archives! 

4th of July Handprint Flags

Star Spangled Berry Cake

Molly McIntire: An American Girl Birthday Party

6 Patriotic Treats for the 4th of July

Summer 2020 :: The "Nun Run" Part One

Now that golf season has ended, and now that I have a lot of free time while I recover from my knee surgery, I can start back up on the posts!  You can find my past posts here: written by Twinkle Toes.

Last summer a group of us girls from St. Joan's went on a "Nun Run" with one of our amazing priests. Our first stop was a visit to the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles at the Abbey of Our Lady of Ephesus in Gower, MO. We started the trip off with 5:30 AM Confession and Mass at our church before heading to the airport to catch our flight.  

 

I have now been able to fly with two of my siblings for their first flights! She loved it! Especially the turbulence (not something I'm a particular fan of). I didn't get many pictures during the flight (mainly because I was asleep for most of it) but it was so cool descending into Kansas City. 

When we reached Gower, one of the sisters (Sister Grace) showed us our rooms and made sure we were all settled in. Waking up early the next morning was hard, especially with the time change (4:45 Central Time is 2:45 Pacific Time), but after a few days we got used to it.

Our Daily Schedule at Gower:

4:45 Wake up
5:05 Matins and Private Prayer
7:10 Lauds, Prime, and Breakfast
8:45 Work (We mainly worked in the garden.)
10:50 Terce, Mass, Sext, Lunch
2:15 Exposition, None, Free time/Rosary
5:30 Vespers then Supper
6:45 Work
8:00 Compline, then bed

A picture from during Compline

After Compline is the Grand Silence (no talking) which goes until after Prime the next morning.

The nuns gave us a tour of their sewing studio during our final day at Gower and showed us how to make vestments and altar linens.

Emily and I happen to have the same godparents (small world!) so we took a quick picture together to send to our godmother.

While we were at Gower, we were able to see one of my close friends (the girl in the middle).

The singing at Gower was amazing! I've grown up listening to their CDs at home and to hear them in person was even more beautiful!

 

After Matins, we had some free time in the morning before Lauds which gave us time to say some private 

prayers and enjoy the sunrise each morning.

I loved every moment of our visit to Gower! From praying the Divine Office to working along side the sisters in the garden, every moment will be cherished! The amount of time spent with Our Lord in the Chapel was absolutely amazing and it helped me grow in devotion to Christ and our Blessed Virgin Mary. 

St. Joseph's Day

In March we put together our annual St. Joseph's Altar but I never got around to sharing the pictures. I thought I'd post them today in honor of the feast of St. Joseph the Worker! 

My husband and our oldest daughter are actually across the country over at Christendom College in Virginia (!!!) with our older boys! They flew over yesterday and will fly back home on Tuesday. Our other teens are off painting weapons and building armor for their upcoming "Joan the Maid" play... That just leaves me home with the four youngest. We are organizing bedrooms and getting our Saturday chores done! I also printed out a coloring page from Liturgy of the Home and will come up with a little treat for them to enjoy as we read about dear St. Joseph. Happy feast day! 

 

O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, to work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, having death always before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch St. Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and in death.

 

St. Joseph, patron of workers, a happy death, and the Universal Church, pray for us!