Knees Out November: Let's Clarify

It has been pointed out to me that there needs to be some clarification about Knees Out November. Knees out does not mean you have to show your knees, and on the flip side it does not mean you can't show your knees. Long skirt or short skirt it is up to your discretion. However a good rule of thumb is that when you are standing straight and your arms are relaxed at your side your skirt or dress should go passed your fingertips. One request from the men has also been please watch how tight your skirts are. If you are wearing a tight form-fitted skirt, it is basically like you are not wearing anything. Marilyn Monroe said, "Your clothes should be tight enough to show you are women, but loose enough to show you're a lady."

Wise words from our famous friend, however this is probably the only peace of fashion advice we should take from her. Loose flowing skirts are more fun to wear anyway! Twirl factor...enough said. Another tip is sitting "like a lady" I know it is a revolutionary idea, especially in this day and age, but if you are wearing a skirt or a dress please ladies for all the is good keep your knees together! Sitting criss cross applesauce is out, unless you are rocking a maxi!

My last point I want to make is for all you lovely ladies out there who don't own dresses or skirts, or who can't because of work or sports or something. We don't want to leave you out! The whole point of this project is to help you feel beautiful! So I challenge you to this! Wear a skirt once or twice a week, wake up early and do your hair, work out, or don't use your mirror! Do something that is going to make you feel beautiful because you ARE! I know I know for some of you I am just some random person so what does it really mean, but I can tell you that the people around you think you are beautiful inside and out. Because you are. So now go and put a smile on that face, take on the world! I believe in you, you should too!

This One's For the Girls

November is a beautiful month of turkey and stuffing, leaves falling, and men not shaving their beards. This year however we are doing something for us girls. Knees OUT November. I know silly name right, but let me tell you what it means. For all of November we will be wearing dresses and skirts! Why, you may ask? Because women in this day and age don't feel good about themselves and there is something about putting on a dress that makes you feel good about yourself!

No one explains it better then Notre Dame professor, Linda Przybyszewski. She teaches a class called a Nation of Slobs. This class basically teaches men and women the art of dressing, an art form that she thinks we have lost. Click Here to watch her explain!

So now that we know why, what are the rules?
1) Pajamas don't count
2) Working out does not count
3) You can wear tights or leggings under you dress or skirt (please stay warm!)
4) Wear skirts and dresses that are long enough to cover everything (Ladies you know what I am talking about!)
5) express your own style! Wearing dresses and dressing modestly does not mean we have to wear a potato sack everyday...I don't even think I own a potato sack. Learn to express yourself through what you are wearing!

So This is my challenge to all of you! Join me this month! Wear dresses and skirts and feel good about yourself!

From Russia With Love

It has been about a month since I have returned from Russia, and I think I've finally processed everything that happened. It was a wild ride that changed a lot about how I view the world. I had a lot of preconceived ideas about what Russia was.  I thought that the Russian language sounded similar to German, that Russia was all Siberia, that everything "cool" is Russia was in the West, and that everything there was super "manly." Absolutely none of these ideas are correct.

Russia is a beautiful country, where the women wear long dresses and use fans, where there are flower gardens around every corner, and where drinking tea could be an olympic sport. Russia has a sense of culture that we have lost in the United States.  Where we rush, rush, rush, people in Russia know how to relax. Each meal lasts an hour, and afternoon chi (What the Russian's call tea) is not to be skipped! I got the feeling that because they had a lack of beauty under communism they appreciate it more now. The most beautiful thing about Russia however, is the people.

I met one women who knew almost every kind of plant we walked by and taught us which ones we could eat, and which ones make really good tea! Another women, told us all about her conversion while working at the hospital, and made really good biscotti! Each person I met was so full of life and had such a joy about them, that I did not want to be anywhere else. I had the privilege to attend and speak at the Far East Young Adult Conference, in Khabarovsk. It was at this conference that I was able to make a lot of friends and really begin to experience Russia. I got to lead a bi-lingual small group bible study, where I got close with Merri. Merri is a college student at the University in Khabarovsk and could speak English about as much as I speak Russian...which is basically nothing. Yet over the course of the week we became really good friends.  We learned that friendship can grow anywhere even  when you don't know the language. 

Another great thing about Russia is the Russian Orthodox Church. I knew almost nothing about this church when I left for Russia, but their love of Icons and beautiful churches is incredible. Every church is full of icons and gold edging. It is simply beautiful with the candles and choirs. My favorite part however was learning about the similarities and differences between our two churches. For those of you who don't know the Russia Orthodox church has all of the same sacraments as the Roman Catholic Church, however they do not follow our Pope. At one time we tried to come back together, but things did not really work out. The Roman Catholic Church says it is ok for Catholics to receive communion in the Russian church and that people from the Russian Church can receive communion in  the Roman Church, however the Russian church prefers that neither happens. My favorite fun fact about the Russian Orthodox Church is that Anastasia is actually a Saint in their church. Her and her entire family were the first killed under communism. The entire family was Russian Orthodox, and after their family was killed the communists went after Russian and Roman priests, religious, and eventually the people. Anastasia and her family are upheld as martyrs for the faith.  I will never be able to watch the movie Anastasia in the same way. 

Well now that I have given you a quick overview of my travels in Russia, I will leave you with this. Russia is a beautiful country full of beautiful people and a rich culture. Russia has seen the worst of people but I pray that they now see the best of people. Please keep Russia in your prayers. 
From Russia With Love 

New York, New York

            It has been almost a month since Spring Break and I am still reveling at how blessed I was to go on this trip!  I was privileged to help lead a mission trip to New York City with FOCUS Missions. Myself and four other missionaries took six young women to work with three different religious orders in one incredible city.

          I was blessed to travel with an incredible young women from Wayne named Jaicee! I was so blessed to be able to share this trip with her!

Jaicee and I at the airport at 6AM ready to head to the East Coast. 

Once we got to New York, Jaicee and I braved the public transportation system. We jumped on a bus and then the subway.  We ended up getting on the correct train going the wrong direction and we knew that this trip was going to be an adventure. Eventually we made our way to the Sheen Center, named for Archbishop Fulton Sheen who was a bishop of New York and is on his way to becoming a Saint! The center was beautiful as it was designed as a center for creating Catholic culture specifically in the arts. Because of this there was an art gallery and a concert hall in the building.

This is the view from the roof of the Sheen Center. It was truly beautiful. 

          The first full day we were there we stumbled upon a beautiful church with a soup kitchen in need of help! Though it was not planned we ended up helping out and meeting lots of wonderful people!

Above is our entire group with a couple of men we met at the soup kitchen. 

We ended up helping out at this church several times through out the week as the theme of the week quickly became doing things completely unplanned.  The Holy Spirit was 100% guiding this trip and we quickly learned that we should just do what He asks!

Through out the week we were able to visit many incredible churches.  None was more incredible than the perpetual adoration church we found not too far from Central Park. It was a wonderful place to stop in and pray after a hard day's work. Possibly the most beautiful part was the relics that were there. My favorite was that of St. Anne. 

This beautiful statue of St. Anne and the child Mary were near St. Anne's relic. It was my favorite place in the church. 

As well as seeing churches we got to do a little bit of site-seeing. We were able to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (from land), all 5 boroughs, and my personal favorite Central Park. Go figure the farm girl in me would love the one place in the city that is all about nature! We had the chance to take a long walk in the park, and even though there was still snow on the ground I loved every second of it! 

The lovely ladies I was with while exploring the park. 

(The very first picture in the entry is also from Central Park. It is the big lake that is at the center of the park.)

The trip however was much more then churches and site-seeing. It was a lot of work as well. We worked with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal,  Missionaries of Charity, and the Little Sisters of the Poor. It was very different work at each order, but it gave us a well rounded experience of service.  We worked with everyone from the homeless, to AIDS victims, to the elderly, and everyone in between! It was so beautiful to see the joy and the love that these people had for life! It was truly inspiring. 

Me and some of the girls helping decorate the nursing home we worked at for two days! 

Getting ready for St. Patty's day was fun, and it was a whole new experience decorating in a surgical mask! 

Though the trip is over, the lessons that we learned and the friendships that we made are not. I know that someday I will go back to the city. Until then I will be praying with everything that happened while I was there, and praying for all of the people I met! 

Until next time, 

Carpe Diem 

FOCUS Year Two!

I have been doing a terrible job of updating this blog this year. I am so sorry. Last semester was extremely busy and extremely awesome. We did so much. To catch ya'll up I am going to do a whirl wind tour of last semester via pictures. You ready? Because here we go...

First Let's Start by Introducing this years Team 

From Left to Right: Rachael, Alex, Ben and Me 

 We went on a lot of crazy adventures this past semester. We even went to Colorado and spent some time in the mountains (above) and went to a Wayne State Football Game (right). 

 We got to go to Vala's Pumpkin Patch for Halloween and it was a lot of fun.  Slides, Go-Karts, picking pumpkins...fall does not get better then this.

Right is a picture of us and some students at a Rugby match! Rugby is huge at Wayne and our team is really good.

We also got a chance to go boating down in Bellevue  (Upper left) and go on a beautiful retreat at the Broom Tree Retreat Center in South Dakota (Upper right) 

 We also got the chance to go to Vermillion South Dakota to meet and hear Chris Stefanick talk. He was a great speaker and got us super excited for the FOCUS National Seek Conference.

Every Wednesday Night is Country Night (below) 

And we love to get our dance on.

Above is me and two of my friends from when I was in College at Northwest Missouri State. We all got a chance to meet up at the National SEEK Conference.

We ended this year with an awesome Christmas Party. We made ginger bread houses, wore ugly sweaters, and celebrated in true Christmas Spirit. Now it is second semester and we are ready for the adventure to begin. 

Ave Maria

Greetings from Ave Maria, Florida! For those of you who don't know, I have been in Florida for the past 3 weeks for New Staff Training (NST). NST is a time for all the missionaries from all over the country to get together for a little over a month and learn as much as we can to take back to campus. So far we have learned about the Gospel of John, discernment of spirits, forming good habits, and so much more!

The first thing we do when we get to training, is get put into "colleges." each college has a saint they learn about (Mine is St. Mary Magdalene) as they live and work together. We spend time every week as a college growing in  virtue, learning about leading bible studies, working with others, and all sorts of things for campus! We also have a lot of fun!

This is my college this year after we got second place in the Women's volleyball tournament! 

The next big thing we do is meet your team! All the first years get to find out their placements and the second year and above staff get to plan a fun night of team bonding. So here I am to announce the NEW WAYNE STATE TEAM!! 

From Left to Right: Ben, Molly, Me! 

Alex my team director from last year will also be on our team, but sadly he was unable to be there for placements. Ah the challenges of having lots of awesome kids! Ben's wife Molly will also be joining us in Wayne, though she is not a missionary.  

Training has been a lot of hard work, but I am even more pumped for next year! I can't wait to share with all of you all the adventures that have yet to happen. 

Remember I'm pulling for you, we're all in this together! 

Elizabeth 

End of the Semester

Hello Everyone! The Semester is officially over, all the students are done with finals, the RAs are checking everyone out of the dorms and I am about to head to Omaha for a few weeks! I am excited to announce that I will be back in Wayne next year, and we have an exciting year planned! As it is the end of the year I thought giving you all a funny video to watch would be good! So here is a video I made around Valentines Day! This is how we represent St. Valentine in Wayne America! 

Stay Classy World, Stay Classy 

Elizabeth