The past three days, I thought I would never make it to this weekend feeling better. I prayed and prayed and had a million others praying for me, too. Yet still, even this morning I was feeling the remnant of what may have been the flu. On the car ride home, I felt like I was being baked in a sauna. After sluggishly taking an hour to drag my belongings up the stairs to my room (which my middle sister has decided to take over, even though she has her own room), I got into the car and headed to the bank to begin the weekend home routine: Bank, Pick-up Lizzie, Shopping, Home, Make things. Except this time, we weren't going shopping until AFTER we helped set up for the reception.
Who's getting married? you ask. A nun. Yep, finally. After so many years of postulancy, noviate, and temporary vows, she'll finally be saying the big YES to JC in front of SO. MANY. PEOPLE. I can't even begin to express my excitement except by taking it step by step. So let's start with the reception set-up.
The moment I walk into my alma mater, I no sooner bump into the Provincial Superior (AKA head sister of the sisters in the USA). I once again introduce myself and then get put to work. Now you must keep in mind that my seven (and a half) year old sister is with me. I was worried that she might be more in the way than of any help, but alas, her old best friend, my high school principal, took her under wing. While I was dry-mopping the Chapel (ahhh...my little piece of Heaven) floor, my little sis (and big sis) were hanging hangars up in the hallway. Once our task there was finished, we headed down to the "Student" Dining Room to set up tables, chairs and place settings. Right away, another one of my closest big sisters took my littlest sis under wing and put her to work. Perfect. She wasn't a bother to anyone and I was truly shown the closeness of our sisterhood. While my little sis was off counting chairs and forks and knives and spoons and anything else the sisters could find for her to count, I was standing shoeless on a table hanging leaves. Yep, leaves. I was counting ceiling tiles and hanging leaves with one of my closest sisters, my retreat group leader from Senior year. When we finally got the job done, I hopped down and she wrapped her arm around me.
"Isn't this exciting? Gosh, I'm so glad you still fit perfectly in the crook of my arms. I love you and can't wait for your day."
Talk about me being ready to burst. If that didn't do it, the next few lines from the sisters who I never met before sure did. Aside from being told how much I was loved by my closest sisters, and being hugged and thanked a million more times (seriously, it never gets old and I love it), my little sister's new best friend, linked my arm as we walked out of the building together.
"Becky (there it is again), did you ever think of being a religious. I mean, I think you'd make a beautiful sister."
Tears filled up in my eyes, most likely more so from the fact that I was still an isty bitsy sick, but none the less. I placed my hand in hers and told her, "Yes, I have actually. I've been openly discerning for five years now."
"Oh honey, I knew it."
I either wear my heart on my sleeve or these sisters have some type of vocation radar. I couldn't contain my joy as it grew as the night went on. I set to working on my sister's "wedding" gift while carrying on a conversation with a few of the other sisters on Facebook. Yep, back on Facebook again. While the conversations started out as exclaiming our excitement for tomorrow's festivities, they ended up hoping and planning for the day when I can finally say my own YES to the big JC!! Oh how much I love Him!
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