Home Visit!

Sooo... I've been meaning to post regularly, but that never happens...so y'all are stuck with whenever I think about it. Sorry!

Anyways, I've been back home in St. Louis for a few days now, but the last month or so, I was back in Maryland visiting my family and friends for a few weeks.
I got to see SO many wonderful people while I was there. I'm sure that many of you who are reading this are some of those WONDERFUL people! :) But, seriously, what a beautiful gift it was to be back among my family AND my parish family!

As a former photography student, I speak better with pictures than with words... so I'm going to show you a little overview of my home visit!  :)

My littlest brother, Caleb, made his
First communion the day I after I arrived!

The sunset at a nearby park. 

I went to visit the grotto near Mount Saint Mary's!
SO GORGEOUS!

We went hiking as a family on Mother's day weekend! 

I got to visit Maggie in Alexandria, VA! We met at the
St. Paul Summer Program like 6 years ago...and we've been
best friends ever since! ;)

My family did our annual strawberry picking
and jam making while I was home! YUM!

I was able to make my Visit (Holy Hour) in my home parish's adoration chapel! :) 

I got to bake bread! YUMMMYYY! 

The Sisters from Alexandria came up for an exhibit at my
home parish! What a GREAT weekend!

AND my cousin Curtis was married the day before I left!
(I still can't believe we're old enough for that!) :) 

So those were the highlights of my vacation! There were so many other things besides: Like seeing friends and family and hanging out with my siblings, going to the library, making random ice-cream runs, driving all over creation to meet up with people, LOTS of ice cream and TONZZ of coffee, daily Mass at St. Peter's and St. Joe's, baking, and playing computer tech support for my family, going to the park, and hanging out on my front porch... it was an AMAZING time.

On the day I was supposed to leave it was SO difficult to say goodbye to my family again. I remember not wanting to let go of my parents and my siblings that day, but I knew that even though there was a great family attachment, there was something greater than all of us at work there. As I departed for the airport (with a great deal of teary hugs...) I began to feel a sense of peace. I truly was leaving home to come home.
When I arrived in St. Louis Sr. Rebecca came to pick me up and all sense of loss and sadness drifted away. As we pulled down the convent driveway, I knew I was home. I can't explain it away. I know that it's a great gift that the Lord has given to me and it gives me so much joy and peace knowing that I am where He wants me right now.

I LOVED every minute of being on vacation with my family. It was such a grace-filled trip, but now that I'm back home in St. Louis and I see all of my sisters and co-postulants, the words of the apostles echo in my head, "Lord, it is GOOD that we are here." (Mt. 17:4)

...for indeed it IS good. 

...very good.