YAB Weekend

I am coming to the end of a busy, fun-filled weekend. I'm barely hanging on, but I wanted to jot these thoughts down before I got too busy in the buzz of everyday life and put it off, and then never exactly get around to writing about it, because some other cool thing happened (You know how that goes...) I digress...

My weekend was literally kicked off at our Homecoming game on Friday. Spirit Week was fun, and I posted pictures on Facebook, which I think should suffice for that. We played Wellston, and we actually won the game! The final score was 70-49, which I thought was amazing in and of itself. I must say, the game took FOREVER. It wasn't over until about 10:45, which cut the dance short. I was glad that I got in for free (one perk of being a STUCO officer), or else I probably wouldn't have gone. It cost $5 to get into the dance, which I thought was highway robbery. The dance, although short, was loads of fun. I enjoyed some fun times with my friends. After I finally got home, I was out for the count, that's how exhausted I was!

Yesterday (Saturday) was an all-around awesome day! After I got up and around, I headed over to the church to get things set up and ready for me and my fellow YABers. Around 2:00, everyone started showing up. It was exciting because not only would I get to see old friends from last year, but also meet all of the newcomers. After everyone got their things all squared away in the room, we began with some ice breaker-type games to allow everyone to get to know each other better. There were 17 of us, with 5 "veterans" from last year, myself included. Perhaps it's the fact that everyone was getting to know each other all at once, but I honestly feel like this year's group is a much better fit than last year's. Although, my situation was different since I joined in the middle of the year, and everyone already knew and was comfortable with each other. Maybe that had something to do with it, I'm not sure. Anyway, I met so many amazing people this weekend, and made at least 12 new friends. Everyone was so positive and friendly, and I am already looking forward to our next meeting!

Some highlights from YAB:
-We prayed the Stations of the Cross at about 9:15 at night, outside. (For those of you who don't know/forgot, we have outdoor Stations of the Cross, that are illuminated at night.) It was a wonderful, prayerful experience.
-Among the 12 new friends I made, was a girl from St. Mark's in Norman. Last November when I attended the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Kansas city, I was roommates with three girls from St. Mark's. We spent about three days together, but in those three days, we became wonderful friends, as if we had known each other for years. It was sad to say goodbye, because we knew that, from a logistical standpoint, that we wouldn't be able to see each other for probably quite some time, if ever again. Of course, thanks to the Internet, I am able to keep them in my life in a different manner via Facebook. The girl I met this weekend was just as sweet as my roommates were, and I feel that we will be just as good of friends as I was/am with my roomies. Now this is nothing against any of my other friends I met this weekend, but I found it quite interesting that Celeste (my new St. Mark's buddy) is, like me, of Czech heritage! It is such an oddity, and I always am excited when I meet a fellow Czech! You see, these things are just meant to be :)
-Fr. Joe dropped in and gave a nice little talk. While he was there, he gave each of us a medal of Pope Benedict, which was blessed by none other than the Holy Father himself! I attached it to my St. Christopher's medal necklace, which I think is a nice touch.
-I think we had enough food for a small army. The ladies of the church were ever so gracious to provide us with nourishment for the weekend. Everyone ate so much, and there are still gobs of food left over!
-Thanks to me, 16 more people know how to make rosaries! (One guy already knew how to make them.)
-I also got at least five more people interested in making rosaries, and spreading it to others, as well.
-Everyone got to enjoy some relaxation in the "boonies." (LOL)

I really needed this weekend of retreat. I was getting to the point where I was just needing some time to just slow down and take some time for myself, and this weekend was perfect for just that. At the reception for the Marian celebration, (which was wonderful, I might add) I spoke with a wonderful woman. We shared our tales of heartache, for reasons that are different, yet the same. She gave me great insight, and more than anything, a sense of peace. She reminded me to just put it in God's hands, and let His will be done, and it will turn out for the best. Sometimes, one needs someone else to just reinforce what you already know and believe. The thing about the reinforcement though, it helps you to realize that there is truth in your beliefs, and that you are doing the right thing. We shared our stories, smiles, laughter, and a few tears (well, I did). We had a wonderful chat, and I am truly glad that I took the time to visit with her. 

All in all, I believe that it was a wonderful weekend, full of fun, friendship, and faith. It was exactly what I needed to help me regain perspective. Sometimes, in the daily grind of life, one gets so caught up in everything that has to be done, and they become so worn out and burned out that they forget to take the time to truly enjoy the little things that make life worth living. I have another busy week ahead of me, but I think I can do a better job of taking some time out to just enjoy everything a little bit more.