FOCUS Training cont.

Things are up and running for FOCUS training at Ave Maria! All the first years and returning staff arrived last night. I was a little worried it would be so overwhelming to have everyone here, over 300 people, but I really feel like we're one big family and last night it was like I was meeting my brothers and sisters! Maybe that's a taste of what Heaven will be like...

We are loving being at Ave Maria. We forget that not everyone loves it as much as we do! Today someone suggested we move inside because it was hot and humid and to tell the truth, I was enjoying the warm weather! So far I love feeling hot, but we'll see how long that lasts!

 I also love the rain. Here is the view from our door room. I love how in the afternoons you can see the storms rolling in, and then the rain comes! Even if you're outside it's not too bad, because you dry off easily after the rain stops because it's so hot.

Here is an enormously large grasshopper enjoying the rain

Yesterday we had a fun day. We started off at The Bean, the coffee house in town. When we lived here we frequented this place often and the breakfast burritos were one of our favorite items. 

Then we took our teammate from last year, Stacey, into Naples. We wanted to show her some of our favorite places, as well as spend some time together for the last time! She is entering the convent in August with the Nashville Dominicans and I plan to write many letters, but it may be a long time until we see her again!

We went to the Pier and then drove around 5th Avenue before going back to Ave Maria

Then Tyler and I spent the rest of the day working. I helped the HR department with the paperwork for the first year missionaries and Tyler carried luggage into the dorms and greeted people. After dinner we all went to the Oratory for praise and worship with adoration and then everyone headed over to the Queen Mary Pub for drinks. They will make a lot of money this summer because that is the only place to buy a drink here...and missionaries enjoy doing that!

Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi celebrating the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. We celebrated with a procession around the piazza after Mass.  It's so inspiring to be around other people who are striving to grow in their faith! We're excited for the first week of classes to begin and see what the Lord has in store for us all!