This is a thought that has been sticking with me since Seth andI last visited Gaylord for Memorial Day... 
We went to church and I was a Eucharistic Minister. I was lucky enough to get to serve for the line where my family was sitting. I was ministering the Body of Christ and my mom, dad and Seth came forward.  I always pray to be humble and servantly when I give others Christ. I am incredibly honored to be the vessel of Christ in this ministry. 

I know I have ministered before with Seth in church but this time I really took notice of exactly what was happening. Seth came forward and reverenced the Eucharist with a bow, and then I looked into his eyes and said, "The Body of Christ." And he looked at the Body and said, "Amen." As I offered the Eucharist to Seth and he received it, I took in that moment. Here I was offering our Savior to Seth. I was the vessel to Christ for Seth in such a real way. 

Seth and i have talked about how we are called to help each other to reach salvation. God has placed us together to help one another and grow together in our faith and journey to Heaven. In that moment I fully glimpsed the magnitude of what we are undertaking and the grace that we can offer one another. I am to be a channel of Grace from God to Seth and he is likewise to be that for me. 

I was so very aware of Christ in our midst, of how Christ is to be placed at the center of our relationship. How if we keep Christ in our hearts and marriage we will be stronger and granted more graces to make it through this life and into the next. I almost felt like in that moment i not only offered Christ to Seth but in my heart offered myself as well. 

It was a truly beautiful, grace-filled moment. And it has popped into my head many times since then as just a reminder of how lucky we are and how God has great plans for us. 

God has a wonderful plan for all of us and sometimes it is just noticed the intricate intimacy in an otherwise everyday moment that speaks the massive volume of moments that God has prepared for us here on Earth.

This looked like a fun break...entertaining.

1: Type in "[your name] needs" in the Google search: 
"Amy needs some helping drinking apparently"

2: Type in "[your name] looks like" in Google search: 
"Amy looks like she's about to sneeze."

3: Type in "[your name] does" in Google search:
"Amy does it again."

4: Type in "[your name] hates" in Google search:
What Amy hates: Bamboo, mylar balloons, polyester dinner napkins, hot sauce, homemade soaps, high-fiving, gourds, futons and constipation."

5: Type in "[your name] goes" or "..has gone" in Google search:
"Amy Goes to Oz."

6: Type in "[your name] loves" in Google search:
"Amy loves books."

7: Type in "[your name] eats" in Google search:
"Amy eats Eggman..."

8: Type in "[your name] will" in Google search:
"Amy will you marry me?'

Awww....what a cute ending...

  Okay so I am incredibly annoyed with Livejournal..I was writing a beautiful post all about my life the past three weeks...and the pizza was done so I had to go and I logged out...thinking of the autosave draft deal...yes you guessed it...didn't work...didn't save...all the writing and thinking and loveliness...gone...grr. and it was written in red for Pentcost too....Screw you LJ.

 

Remember, O gracious
Virgin Mary, that never was
it known that anyone who
fled to thy protection, implored thy
help or sought thy intercession was
left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,
I fly to thee,
O Virgin of Virgins and
my Mother; to thee I
come, before thee I kneel,
sinful and sorrowful;
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions, but
in thy mercy, hear and answer me.
Amen.

I have taken this prayer (which I wish I knew by heart but will soon) and posted it in places I see often. My desk at school, my car dashboard, my mirror at home, etc.
I will see it and remember to pray, to ask Mary my mother to pray for us. I will cling to God to comfort me, to Jesus to walk beside me (or carry me) and to the Spirit to grant me peace, understanding and patience.

 Genesis 2:21-25....

Why do you keep running through my brain? God help me to understand: Spirit grant me patience, wisdom and peace....

 From one of my favorite songs:

"You could've bowed out gracefully
But you didn't
You knew enough to know
To leave well enough alone
But you wouldn't
I drive myself crazy
Tryin' to stay out of my own way
The messes that I make
But my secrets are so safe
The only one who gets me
Yeah, you get me
It's amazing to me

How every day
Every day, every day
You save my life"

From day one until forever...

 

 Oh dear its been forever since I posted anything. But that doesn't mean that my life has been on hold, in fact it is almost the opposite! My life is full of changes and plans and thinkings!

I don't think anyone who reads this doesn't know but just in case...I am engaged. And I couldn't be happier! I cannot even begin to describe how lucky I am to be marrying Seth. He is more than I ever thought I was worthy of and in many ways not the "prince" I imagined. BUT he is so much better and makes me into such a better person. We I beleive will be unstopable! So a lot of my time has been spent planning/researching the wedding, or spending time with our familes or each other. 

He is still near Detroit so it can be rough but Alltel is making out good on the deal. :P (I actually switched plans so they aren't really raking me over any coals.) But that makes it all the better when we see each other-its like a mini-celebration each time.

And today I checked his blog and found the following:  Seth's Blog...and got all all glowy and giggly after school. What I did to deserve that I don't know but it sure made my day. It was reassuring to me as we have been discussing marriage and its highs and lows and all that's connected with families and money and eternal salvation, etc. (Big stuff here Maynard). I got some fantastic advice from my principal who said that I have to be at peace with marrying the man he is right now-today-not the man he is going to be-what if he never gets to be that man I imagine or "want' him to become...I am happy with him right now? And with this weekend's homily (Props to Fr. Jim) and lots of soul searching these past two weeks I can say Yes to that question. 

So to anyone reading this, "I love Seth Wm. Peters and would marry him tomorrow with all my heart, mind and soul at peace!" Hmmm....I just love that. I love him.

In other news I will be helping Brad and Megs move this weekend. And Seth is coming into town to do yard work for Carol. I am hiring him out so if you need any manual labor, cleaning, decorating or tedious/meticulous tasks done please contact me. :)

Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 15 weird, random things, facts, habits, or goals about yourself.  At the end, choose 10 people to be tagged listing their names and why you chose them.  Don't forget to leave them a comment (you're it) and to read your blog.  You can't tag the person who tagged you.  Since you can't tag me back, let me know when you've posted your blog so I can see your answers.

#1. Random: I think I would really like to attend at least one monster truck rally~see Gravedigger and other huge wheeled trucks jump cars and blow fire out their exhusts...yep would like to do it once. That must be the Northern Michigan coming out in me.

#2. Fact: I wear a toe ring on my right index toe that my Aunt Colleen gave me. Emily, Aunt Colleen and I all have matching ones and its our little "girls club" thing I guess.

#3. Random: I really like to watch Jack Hanna and Jeff Corwin. I love how they interact with animals and are so funny. If Jeff Corwin asked me out Seth would have to fight for me. :)

#4. Goal: I want to go whale watching before I leave this glorious earth.

#5. Fact: I love watching Sesame Street even today. Sometimes I You Tube clips for comfort. I love to sing the songs too.

#6. Random: I would totally dig my life being set to a soundtrack, I really want to be the girl in the fairytale princess movie....thanks to Seth my dreams are coming true...Ahhh..but I really do sometimes dance instead of walk to places while I whistle, hum, or sing.

#7. Fact: In the first grade I had eye surgery for a Lazy Eye. Don't worry I am pretty much over it and still have the duck the eye doctor sent me for good luck.

#8. Goal: I want to learn to speak Polish and visit Poland.

#9. Goal: At least once I want to be the lead actress in a play.

#10. Fact: There is a special place in my heart for Ireland and always will be. I consider myself Irish by proxy and love the time I spent there and those who were with me on the journey. It was a huge growing point in my life and each St. Patty's Day I will celebrate the memories I have of the Emerald Isle.

#11. Random: I own and proudly wear many silly and fun underpants. There is a special joy in knowing my undies say "Don't touch my buns" and have a hamburger on them or are bright pink with polka dots under my serious teacher outfit on a cold winter day.

#12. Fact: I love leaving little notes or small gifts for people to brighten their day, I am a Hallmark junkie and love to affirm those around me.

#13. Goal: To camp on Isle Royale... preferably in my pink tent.

#14. Fact: I don't lock the bathroom door when I shower because I fear that something will happen, I will fall and in the time it would take for a door to be unlocked I would already by dead by drowning in an inch of water.

#15. Random: Honeysuckle is one of my favorite smells and I will have one in my yard someday.


There you go my randomness is done. I am supposed to tag ten others.,,,lets see...

1. Seth (not that you will do it)
2. Megs (yours would be funny)
3. Jessica (you probably will do it)
4. Emily (I would be interested in your answers)
5. Dominic (always entertaining)
6. Becca (you need a break from med school)
7. Pierce (possibility for humor)
8. Abby (that is wishful thinking)
9. Brad (even more far out)
10.Nicky! (interest is peaked...)

So last week for Valentine's Day my little Ben brought in cookies for a treat. The cookies had chocolate frosting on them and he knew that Nuala had given up chocolate for Lent so he made his mom make her a vanilla frosting one! That was my PM class and we have been talking about Lent a lot but I thought it was quite sweet and considerate none the less.

Last night at conferences my little Adam who is in the AM class said he made chocolate chip cookies for snack today and then told me that he made one with just peanuts for Hannah because her mom doesn't like her to have chocolate. Now the Hannah situation is much more on the down low then the Nuala Lent one so I was totally impressed!!

I love love LOVE how my students take into account the needs of their classmates! Can you imagine what a difference we could make if we all thought like Ben and Adam and just took a moment to do a little thing to make the day of someone else brighter and help them on their journey?

Oh if only the world was all kindergartners!

I just realized that I hate bridges, well okay I knew that, but I never realized that my most bestest moment ever when Seth and I kissed and started our new relationship was ON A BRIDGE! Any psych people want to analyze that? How is it that my place of biggest fear now be linked to my most memorable moment? And no its not because I am scared of being in love with this boy. I would marry him tomorrow so very willingly! Maybe it's because with him I feel confident and know I can face anything with courage...yeah that is what I will believe! It is a bit of a paradox. Like most of life I have figured out.

1. Find the nearest book you're reading.
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Locate the fifth sentence on that page.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.


"Even the most patient husband, listening with affection and gratitude, has little idea of the nature of this unique suffering.
    On the other hand, what person can fathom the depths of joy that attend motherhood in its glories? Can anyone who is not a mother imagine the delights that come from the mere existence of of one's offspring-not to mention the return of a smile, the earnest gifts or even the smallest of fulfilled expectations." --"The Authentic Catholic Woman" by Genevieve Kineke 

This was my Christmas gift from Seth's godfather-Uncle Leroy. I should have already finished it, bu alas life gets in the way. This chapter is about motherhood.

I tag whoever would like to do it....but lets pick....Rachel, Lala, Laura, Becca and Kara

I do love a good snow day! I was pleasantly awakened at 6:10am, yes my friends pleasantly, to Sue from work bringing me good tidings of a day off. I did have to break my rule of staying home on a snow day because I had to get some documents off my computer at school to work on at home as I have Variety Show practice the rest of the week. So today was the day. I waited until the sun had melted most of the yucky slippery stuff away. Then I drove in, worked for a bit and came back home. I am making some dinner, I called my Mommy, shoveled the yard-ugh..but now am cuddled up with a blanket awaiting a night of relaxing. I also slept in and took my shower this afternoon-what a luxury and what a gift!

So what is new in the life of Amy....hmmm.. I am awaiting this weekend as I am going on retreat! I am headed once again to Steubenville for the youth minister's retreat. But I have so much more to pray and reflect upon this year and to be thankful for while I am there.

At the YM retreat last year I finally finally finally gave up myself truly to God and his plan. It was there that I discovered I was still holding on to this dream world and didn't see myself as doing God's work yet...and I turned that around and flipped my thinking.  My prayer turned into "Give my heart  to whom I need to love," and not "Put that man in my path..." I realized it wasn't so much a man but anyone who I could love and doing it willingly and singly with assurance that God was with me and I was doing his work here on earth. It was a turning point for me... as I wrote in my LJ last year when I returned..."At any rate I have a renewed flame of joy, love and service. I am trying to let the love of God be the love of my life. My name means "beloved" and I want to embrace that fully."  See my post on Feb.5. 2007.

And I was rewarded for my prayers and my faith....well not rewarded I guess from God's eyes as this was his plan but I know I was given the best gift ever! I am so honored to have my kindred spirit as my beloved one forever! I am so in love with that boy!! Yesterday was International Hug day and our 8th anniversary of our friendship..do any AQ friends remember our announcement at Wege at lunch? And this weekend we had a mini-retreat of sorts as we took the day to focus on our relationship and how we will face the world together married. We learned about communication differences by gender, conflict resolution skills and the "work" of marriage. I learned a lot about not being so opposed to conflict, I am not the biggest fan of it you know...

But now I am so ready to make this next commitment to Seth and to God. I am so confident that he is the one for me and I can't wait to give him my yes when he asks me to marry him.....mmmm...I get all smiley and glowy and gushy just thinking about it. I imagine it like Mary saying "Yes" to having Jesus....Yes God I accept what you have planned for me willingly and with a happy and full heart.

So there you have it. As I pray this weekend and retreat (and turn up the heat in my hotel room to have a "tropical oasis"!) I will have a whole new future to pray about. Its amazing, absolutely amazing to think about how one year can change your life and where you are in it....thank you God for a wonderfully delightful year full of surprises and love!

Here it is the long awaited end of year/new year quizes! I will hopefully LJ cut them for you all and your reading pleasure...I always think it won't work but it usually does-computers are genius!


And now for the flip side...
So there you go...a good hour wasted unless you count the reflection time which is fabulous!

So Val, Rachel and I went to see "August Rush" last night and it was a fabulous movie! At the closing scene I felt as if I had just listened to the best symphony ever and was spent! It reminded me of symphony nights at AQ when we would get the $5 tickets to see the GR Symphony play....and how the music would create an emotional satisfaction as you listened and watched them play. I love that "sigh' that happens as I exhale all the emotion in a completeness as the final chord dies off.

So if you love music and are a bit romantic and like to escape into the notes, chords and rhythm....see "August Rush."  (If you are in GR Woodland is playing it for $3.50!)

I got home and I put in my Christmas CD from Seth-a compilation of his favorite classical pieces, and I listened to Adagio for Strings...and escaped again. I fell asleep with that contented sigh of the last notes drifting in my head...ah the music...can you hear it?

 I am blown away by how I have been blessed!

Seth and I were recollecting 2007 last night and one thing I noticed is that many people have commented on how I have grown in the last year. It finally all became apparent to me last night as I thought about the past 365 days.

I started last year out with the youth minister's retreat at Steubenville, and it was a definite turning spot, a transforming part of my faith journey. I finally abandoned myself up to God. I "offered it up" as I like to say and thus became a more confident single person. I gave my strengths and my weaknesses up to God. I offered my whole self and truly turned a page-deepening my faith.

I pray I will continue to be able to do that-to offer it up and say to God you have the control. I am here to do your will, your work, in your time...I am your joyful, loving servant.

And in becoming courageously, confidently subordinate to God (which is a glorious paradox and not a contradiction) I think in turn I became a woman ready to understand love. True love-how my loving a man can be a Christlike, life-giving, church building action. In learning to give myself up to God I learned to give myself to someone as a partner, how to love with my whole being. And once I gave myself over to God-He then took my gift and gave it to someone else-to my dear one-My Seth.

I had put the possibility of us away. I grieved it, and offered that as well. I went though the sting of the disappointment of giving up my wish and my romantic sappy human dream-a fairy tale that I could get caught up in; to open myself up to the plan of God-where I can find true contentment and joy. And I had no idea when I did that I would be given back  a hundred fold-God so graciously in return gave me the greatest gift ever-my best friend as my love.

I now look forward to this future I had wished for, planned for and dreamed of-fairy tales do come true; they just look differently than the movies. My future holds so much possibility-opportunities for joy and love. I've learned the importance of being subordinate to a plan that is not only  my own.

And I am blessed to have a man who loves me dearly-who truly honors me. When I am with Seth I experience another wonderful paradox-humbly honored. I truly believe Seth respects, cares and loves me as God does. And I know Seth is also dedicated to me and my well-being. He is also called to be subordinate to a plan other than his own and has jumped so freely and whole-heartedly into this relationship. He trusts God as Joseph did, I have to be the luckiest girl in the world to be blessed with such a man of God.

I pray I can become a woman of grace; a wife who loves, cares, nurtures, strengthens and compromises for the good, the betterment, the God plan-not my plan. I pray that together we become more like Mary and Joseph. May Christ stay as the head of our relationship-may we be models of holiness, love and joy. May Seth and I answer the call to serve God and each other. May we unite ourselves to each other and bless each other-for when you bless someone you offer them the gift of your whole self. I have learned to give my all to another, to offer all I can for the betterment of that person in the greatest love.

God thank you for making my life so rich-so full of blessings! Thank you for my beloved Seth. Bless us Lord in your grace that we may continue to abandon ourselves to you firstly and then to each other-may we be Christ to one another. Thank you for love-the greatest gift.

Comment and I will assign you a letter. Then list 10 things you like starting with that letter. 

Lala thanks for the "K." It was harder than I thought it would be.

1. Korrin~my neighbor from Gaylord, Emily's best friend and basically my second little sister
2. Katie-Lou~my cousin who is 15 years younger than me that I babysat and helped to rear basically. She is a doll-even though she is a middle schooler now-shutters in pain. I am almost like her aunt...
3. Kapusta~Gotta love that Sweet and Sour Cabbage! Yummy!
4. Kindergarten~You gotta love it to teach it well.
5. Kielbasa~Thank God all these Polish foods start with K.
6. Karen~MY MOMMY!! I LOVE HER!
7. Kangaroo~Seems like an interesting animal, maybe I will get to see one in Australia while at World Youth Day next year
8. Killarny~Really anywhere in Ireland, but this one started with K.
9. Keri~My bestest friend from high school
10. Kindred Spirit~I am so lucky to have Seth in my life!

So I am sitting in Auburn Hills awaiting going to the movie and then going out this evening with Seth. He mentioned that I have not updated in a long time. Sorry peeps this is one of the things that goes when I get busy...  I am busy.

But I have decided to post a brief update. So here's my life in a nutshell.

School is good-well my kids are good I have some interesting parents this year that are challenging me. But I hope to grow from all their craziness. I have some really great kids this year and do love teaching.

Youth group is going well. We have almost doubled our size from about 10 regulars to 20 which is very nice. I still enjoy being able to serve the youth.

Joe has moved in and is a great guy. I am enjoying getting to know him. Rachel has been gone a lot with trainings and I really miss her being around. :(  She is a pretty sweet roomie and friend!

Seth is amazingly fantastic! I am so very much in love and could gush for about ten years about how excited I am about our future, how happy I am ever day when I think of him or talk to him, how much I miss him when I am in GR and he is in AH. Etc, etc. etc. I AM SO IN LOVE!

Yesterday Mike and Helen and Seth and I attending Halloween at Greenfield Village and it was absolutely perfect! There was just enough spook and mystery to be halloweeny without scaring the crap out of me. Jack-o-lanterns like HUNDREDS of them lined all the walkways giving a great glow to the world. We trick or treated, saw the Headless Horseman, and drank hot cider. Even the misty rain provided atmosphere! I went as Dorthy and Seth was my scarecrow-we were a hit of course so darn cute and all.  We heard the best telling of the Tell Tale Heart EVER! It was a magical night-simply a blast and a half.
On the ride home as Seth and I were nodding our heads from being tired and trying to stay in the conversation Helen remarked what a wonderful night it was. Mike said, " Next time we need to bring kids." Helen kinda peers back at us nodding off, heads on each other's shoulders and says, "We did."  :)  Of course Seth and I just ate it all up and were in our element, but the cool thing was that really everyone there-no matter their age-was once again a child. The mood was such and fun was had by all and imaginations were being used and an energy of joyful youth was pouring from the gates.  What a marvelous evening!

I am excited to go the the Irish Pub tonight and see this band...it should be good. Seth gets bonus points for tying in Ireland into our first date. And he got bonus points for the flowers I received upon my arrival. I have caught a good one friends.

Until next time...I remain your joy-filled, sunshiney and generally bouncy Amy.

"For the first three people that reply to me and re-post this challenge - I will send you something groovy.

It might be something I've made, or something cool from my hidden stash of fabulousity, it might be a mix CD - or a rubber duck, a book I think you will enjoy, or something else that is awesome.

Whatever it is, I promise that I will get it to you in 365 days or less. (I will need your snail mail if you're not local).

The only thing you need to do in order to participate is to be one of the first three to reply to this, AND post this very same thing on YOUR live journal - cause its fun to give people stuff."

So tonight was our Family Open House at school. I was walking out and saw one of my families from last year-who I loved and their son is a doll and we totally bonded-and they asked about my summer and I told them I was busy but it was good. And the dad said, "You look really good." ( I did not tell him that it was the glow from being in love with the man who is my bestest friend but know that is what it was!) So I asked about their summer. They said it was very spiritual and then Mrs. asked for my prayers. She says, "My sister is a teacher and she has breast cancer, the outlook is good but we would love it if you would pray for us all and for her." And then the Mr. says, "You are closer to God then we will ever be."

OH....I just wanted to hug them right there and I shook my head and said "You just gotta pray and ask Him to be with you."

But the fact that they said that was a definite happy thought for the day. I hope I am close to God-I want Him to be my driving force, my center and my strength.

This helps me to keep striving.


Second Happy Thought: Happily Ever Afters!

Okay I just have to write these down! I have two major issues (okay probably not major, major) but I have thought about them in the past two days a lot. So I have been watching MTV because they are doing a America's Next Top Model Marathon-I love that show! And so they are doing the seasons in completion-I have been enjoying it and I can do other things while watching it..anywho I am getting off track.

Annoyance 1:
So the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) are tonight. Which bothers me because I know that MTV and these awards are not known for their tact, respect, and morality. AND they are doing them from Vegas on a SUNDAY.  Really MTV did you have to pick Sunday and corrupt a day that was given for relaxing, praising and giving something back to God And now teens everywhere will have sexuality pushed in their faces along with awful language, inappropriate humor, etc. GRRR!

Annoyance 2:
So because I have been watching MTV I am also watching their commercials and there is a current Trojan commercial that I despise! So this "hot" girl is at the bar and all the men are depicted as pigs-nice guys right?- and so these pigs are trying to pick up said hottie and the music is something about trying harder and then the pig goes to the condom machine and gets a Trojan-and just like that he turns into a man! He heads back to he hottie and she is now oh-so-interested! WHAT!! So first all men are pigs and they only want to get us women in their beds...all women apparently are pruds who will not give them this desire so they finally give into a condom and then all is well?!?!?! 

Let me tell you that man is still a pig. If he only wants that woman because she is a great lay. And I don't think I am entirely happy with the girl either-so if the man buys a condom then its okay that you just met him at a bar-why not have sex??!?!!

AHHHHH!! It just makes me so mad. It makes women and men look like animals who can't think and feel anything but this sexual desire and makes that okay.

I just want to puke each time I see it.