And so it begins...

The second semester of my freshman year of college, that is. :P

Classes begin on Tuesday, as tomorrow...well, today, lol (Monday) is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

I am not sure how I feel about it all. I am hoping my classes will be good, and I really hope they will be better than last semester. -___-

I know that I will really have to work in my French class. I am hoping it will not take me long to brush up on my French skills, rusty after being neglected and unused for an entire summer and semester. :/ But hard work is required for mastery of the language. As far as I can tell, the class I am in is approximately at the level of my senior year of high school French class. Only more challenging, probably. Of course, if I need help, I know I can always get tutoring or something. I can do this! God help me.

I am also taking a Latin 101 class. You would think this would help with my French somehow. ;) I am looking forward to greatly adding to my smatterings of Latin knowledge, which is just that -- some words here and there, from singing many, many songs in Latin and being a Catholic interested in such things. I know nothing of verb conjugation, grammar, or anything in Latin, so this will be interesting! xD

Wednesday evening I leave with some other students as part of Loyola Students for Life/Campus Ministry's trip to the March for Life 2010 in Washington, D.C. I've never been before, so I hope it will be a great experience! Please pray for a safe trip both ways and for safe days there. :)

I am struggling again, somewhat similar to the beginning of the year, with homesickness. 5 weeks at home and now I feel weird being back here, as much as I like certain aspects of being here. Somehow, there is grace in this. Lord, train my eyes that they might see Thy workings in all things. Amen.

I also recently stumbled across more info on the disaster in Haiti - to be honest I haven't paid attention that closely, knowing without too many facts that the suffering and damage are profound. I hurt anyway. But this was more with regards to damage to the Church there, and my heart broke even more and tears welled up in my eyes.

The historic cathedral in Port au Prince has been destroyed, the archbishop and the chancery staff have died in the disaster. The seminary has been destroyed – the seminarians and their instructors have died. Catholic schools, hospitals and orphanages have been destroyed.

*taken from Will You Hear the Cry of the Poor in Haiti?

Oh, God, how You must weep! In Your Passion You suffer and weep with Your people of Haiti.

How cruel Mother Nature, cast into disharmony since the Fall, can be. Especially to the world's poorest! Oh, Satan, see the pain thou hast wrought? As much as my heart weeps, I pray and I rest in thinking upon the words of the Blessed Virgin at Fátima:

"In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph."

Amen. (so be it)