Friends. How are you?

I always feel like after I post a semi-successful post (like an embarrassing OBGYN visit) and receive many more views than normal, I experiencethis kind of funk where I don't want to write another post because how could I ever top awkward-naked-stories?

But, here I am mostly because of my blogging life coach, Hannah and because she added me to a facebook group for Catholic bloggers and I do not want to be a fraud.

So let's just keep it simple as I sashay back into blogging.

I'm Caitlin, I've lived in 4 states in the past 2 years and am currently occupying space in CO with CA license plates (middle finger count: 4). I've been married for almost a year (what) and am finally getting the hang of folding boxer briefs and fitted sheets.

My husband and I both work for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students in Colorado; he is the Associate Video Producer (qué importante) and I am a Digital Campus Missionary. I get to the use the internet all day for work!

This is the casual-hand-on-torso-engagement photo my mom wanted 14 months ago but never got

I'm lactose intolerant, fructose intolerant, looking to be a better writer, looking for a friend who is also starting some infertility treatment, need some help to revamp this blog design (halp) also just excited to make more internet friends!

I knew there would be a lot of perks to moving to Berkeley and being a missionary here.

1. I would be with John. That's the main one.
2. Berkeley is a cool place.
3. Our offsite retreats and planning weekends take place in Napa Valley.

Game changer.

It takes a lot of get FOCUS onto a campus, but it takes even more effort to get it into a diocese or a state that's new. Getting FOCUS to CA took literally 15 years. One of the main reasons why there are even missionaries out here is because of Judy Barrett.

Judy and her late husband Jim own a winery called Chateau Montelena. In 1976 there was a wine tasting in Paris, now called "The Judgement of Paris" and no American wine had ever won the competition, or taken seriously, but the Barrett's entered their chardonnay and it won a blind taste test and won the whole dang thing. They basically put Napa on the map. Also there is a movie about it, which is grossly fictionalized says Judy.

Anyway, they are amazing people. They love FOCUS and Judy is our Berkeley Mom. She has a sweatshirt to prove it.


She just loves us. And we are so grateful since we don't know a lot of people out here and we are desperately missing our family and friends. It was such a gift to be in a home and not a barely unpacked apartment.

She gave us strength for the journey and I am so grateful.

I'm back in Ave Maria, FL at Ave Maria University (which is situated on Ave Maria Blvd) for my second round of FOCUS training.

I'm not linking up this week because it's Thursday and I'm cheating and writing this now, so unfortunately my blog view count will remain at a meager 4 and not the rowdy 30 it sometimes does when I link up with Conversion Diary.

I'm numbering this because I'm assuming I will write many more posts with this title.

Planning ahead.

I saw Swan Lake on St. Valentine's day! The whole night was crazy and stressful and I felt like such a mom. Our group was 13 (!!) strong and we all had to get on the city bus and ride into downtown Pittsburgh and then find the theater. Also, one of the students, Alex, was talking to another student about her birthday and she said, "Date, Month, 1995".

1995.

I don't even remember what the date and the month were because I was shocked at how recent that sounded. 1995? I mean, I was born in '90 so I'm not that much older than her, but 5 whole years seems like a lot.

Essentially there were a lot of freshman in the group and, God bless freshman, but they were all just flirting the whole time. Like, poking and hair pulling. For real. So by the end of the night they were all calling me "Mom" but whatever I just care about their hearts and their souls and no one died.

But the ballet was beautiful and it was great to hang out with more students and get face time with some of the more elusive ones.

My only issue with the ballet was that the bad guy, Von Rothbart looked like Greg from the Old Gregg youtube video. He's like swamp monster...the video is inapprops so don't watch it.

Old Gregg:




Von Rothbart (this is from the NY performance, the PA one didn't have horns, he had a ginger mane):

To Do Updates
A little while back I posted a To Do post and now I'm going to update you all because I need some accountability in my life.

1. Stop being afraid of St. Therese
This one is hard. The good news is that she is everywhere. And a student (Alex, born in 1995) will occasionally text me St. T quotes, which is nice and thoughtful and makes me cry because I'm a big fat sap.

2. CHARTING
So, I'm doing this! I've only missed one day of taking my temperature. Also, to clarify, you don't have to take your temperature vaginally which, for some reason, I thought you had to! So once I read that orally is fine then I jumped all over this charting train. I'm sure you all already knew that, but, whatever I didn't.

3. Planking
Booo. So I haven't been doing a good job with this. I blame it on my own lack of self control and maybe the worst cramps I've ever had. But, I'm through that so now it's back to planking.

4. Cook things
I baked bread! I'm also going to be more adventurous in the future so get excited.

Have a great Monday!

I love Sundays. I love them especially now that I am a missionary and not in school. No more are Sundays full of panic and hasty attempts at homework, now I sleep and go to a late Mass and pray and (apparently) bake bread.

Crystal (one of my teammates here) gave me a recipe for a whole wheat free-form loaf that doesn't have milk or anything. She said, "it's easy!" and I was like, okay let's try it.

I know, you might be thinking back to the post where I regaled you with a "recipe" for cereal bars. Don't worry, I actually can read a recipe and operate an oven.

Finished product:

So a million years ago I wrote a post for this blog that I created and then I abandoned said blog for five months.

I created this blog on a whim, and then that whim was deflated but I would like to inflate it (re-inflate it?)

My friend Hannah recently started a super cute personal blog, but hers is very exciting because she is married and also pregnant. I am neither of those.

BUT before you click away or close this window just give me a quick chance.

I am a recent college grad (Praise Jesus) and working as a FOCUS missionary at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. I found out I was moving here in December, and moved on January 9. So it's been a little crazy. I finally decided that I want to be able to recount what my life is like right now, and a blog seems like a pretty easy way to make that happen.

And then years from now when I'm old and grey I can look back on my youth and laugh. That's what technology is all about.

Fotos!