2nd Time in Hospital in Less Than a Week

So, I went to the hospital YET AGAIN this morning. I had an adverse reaction to something I had to drink in the morning. It was one of the worst feelings I've ever experienced. I don't know how to describe it. I was incredibly dizzy, I felt like I was going to die. I honestly started praying to God to please not let me die yet because that would just cause huge emotional burdens on my parents (my wish is to pass on after my parents because I wouldn't want them to experience that kind of pain). Doctors explained that that feeling like I was going to die was part of the reaction, with my anxiety adding onto it. eesh.

Anyway, as a promise to Our Lady of Guadalupe (whom I asked for her intercession), I won't be online blogging or facebook-ing for a month (the facebook thing is for 2 months). I would've usually spent HOURS at the hospital but it seems my prayers to Our Lady were answered because they took me in right away and I was out within the hour.

If I have anything big to announce, I'll have someone update my blog for me... most likely my little sister, if she has time.

Keep me in your prayers because Lord knows I need them right now. :(.

Thanks for reading and see y'all in about a month. God Bless!
.

St. Therese of Lisieux

Ever go through a day where someone's name, or a certain thing, keeps popping up? A couple of days ago it was St. Maria Goretti. Yesterday, it was St. Therese of Lisieux. Well, no, the whole thing has been gradually building up but yesterday her name kept popping up a lot... especially on the Spanish version of ETWN. Even Fr. Alberto Cutie (who I'm a big fan of -- read his book "Real Life, Real Love" if you haven't!) mentioned on his show Hablando Claro Con El Padre Alberto (Speaking Clearly with Fr. Alberto) that she was the one who inspired him to go into his vocation. Also, I did not know that St. Therese suffered anxiety. Right at a time where I'm having this massive sort of enlightment over my illness and everything, her name keeps coming up which leads me to wonder if maybe it's a sign from God to look into her life and how she lived it. I have a lot more to write about this, as well as my huge transformation, later on. I just wanted to jot this down before I forgot (because sometimes I will forget or will go off topic when I write my blogs).

Hope everyone's having a good day. :D As always, thanks for reading and God Bless.
.

Quick Update

I was taken to the Emergency Room of one of the county hospitals on Tuesday a bit after midnight and spent 14 hours there. They thought I had appendicitis but it wasn't the case (thank goodness!). I had a bunch of tests done, including a CT Scan. Anyhoo, for those of y'all who've done a CT Scan -- you know the icky liquid (the contrast) they make you take prior to the exam. That liquid has made me nauseous and totally wrecked havoc on my stomach and digestive system for the first couple of days. It's early Friday morning (18 minutes past midnight) so I don't know how I will be feeling later, but I'm hoping it's all good. Just wanted to give y'all an update because a few people have started worrying. If my friends don't hear from me in 2 days, they go into panic mode. I am fine, just a little scare. No guarantees that I will be on the rest of the weekend but hopefully I will... especially since I have a blog I really want to write. Let's just say that these days that I've been sick have really made me think... and Our Lady of Guadalupe has played a HUGE role in everything that's happened lately. :D When in need, ask for her intercession and she will deliver. Gracias, Madre Santa. :D

I hope y'all are doing well. Thanks for reading and God Bless.
.

Is it Possible To Ask Too Many Saints for their Intercession?

So, I have this slight dilemma. The whole world is my oyster, and I have no idea what to do. On the education front: I had a school I was set to attend this Fall all but, for reasons I will never understand, it fell through. Although I'm VERY disappointed that I won't be attending this particular school, I understand that there HAS to be a reason why I didn't end up going there. As I said to the Lord a few weeks ago when I was praying, I am putting myself completely in his hands, so I know that whatever ends up happening will be for the best. I will also ask St. Thomas Aquinas for his intercession in hopes that he and God guide me to the school I will attend to finish my degree... if I am to finish my Bachelor's degree.

See, it would be done if I only had the one problem... but it's not simple. Is it ever that easy? lol. Not only do I not know what to do in terms of my education, I have NO CLUE what I am to do as a vocation. I am mentally set on becoming a writer but what if it doesn't work out? There are so many things I'd consider doing -- becoming a Religious Studies teacher for elementary school children is getting closer to the top of list -- that I have no clue what direction to go in. I could ask St. Jude Thaddeus (my patron saint) to help since he IS the patron saint of hopeless causes, but I feel bad asking his intercession because I've already asked way too much years ago.

Then there's other issues like my anxiety (St. Dymphna helps me with that) and my overall health (Our Lady of Guadalupe is helping me with this one). There's a reason I have so many patron saints (though I usually count on 2 - 3 for most things). This caused me to think... is it possible to ask too many saints for their intercessions? I mean, each saint is a patron of a particular thing. It makes sense to me (and I might be the only one who thinks this way) to ask them depending on what their patronage is. I have to go talk to Fr. Leo about this because I have absolutely no clue. Do we just get one patron saint and go to them for everything (like I used to do with St. Jude)? Is it okay to ask more than one at the same time? If anyone knows the answer to that, please feel free to enlighten me because I haven't gotten the slightest of clues. lol.

Hmm. It's definitely something I will think about after I pray the Rosary tonight. And, speaking of that, I will go eat and then do that before the day ends. As always, thanks for reading and God Bless. :D
.

Picture Special: San Fernando Mission

Today, after Mass and after Fr. Leo made me laugh with his jokes about him not holding Mass on Father's Day until he sees my father there, we drove to the San Fernando Mission in San Fernando, California. Ever since one of my best friends told me about her trip to San Juan Capistrano, I've been curious about visiting the Mission in the San Fernando Valley. Ever since I was a little girl, I've been wanting to go to this Mission. I can clearly remember myself, at age 5 - 7, wondering about how it would look inside and how it would be. Finally, at age 23, I got a chance to visit.

I had an AMAZING time at the Mission. I highly recommend it to anyone who comes to Southern California to tour Mission, or even those who live in the Los Angeles and Santa Clarita Counties that can make their way over to the city of San Fernando. Admission is only $4 per adult and $3.50 for children. It's so peaceful and beautiful. It's almost like you're in another world, thousands of miles away from city life. I honestly felt though as if I were somewhere in Spain, and not California. And, if you're looking for particular holy/prayer cards and other things, you will most likely find it there. Mom bought me a St. Therese of Lisieux prayer card with a piece of cloth that has been touched to her relics. I'm fact, have it in my hand as I type this out.

I took a lot of pictures, though some didn't come out too great because it's hard to take a picture when you're carrying a heavy tote bag on one arm and holding onto a map on the other. I hope y'all enjoy the pictures. You can click on the thumbnails to see bigger versions of the pictures. Once you go to the page where the picture is enlarged, you can click on the magnifying glass on the top right side to get the full version. If you'd like to use any for your own site or blog, please let me know and I can send you bigger versions with smaller (or no) tags.

And now, without further ado, the pictures:


One of the first signs you see before you enter the Mission.


A view of the chapel-of-ease coming out of the gift shop and entering the Mission.


A beautiful fountain in the middle of the Mission.


Statue of St. Francis of Assisi. It's the first thing you see, on your right, as you enter the Mission museum.


Description of and the actual Gregorian chant parchment.


The vestments our beloved Late Pope John Paul II wore, as well as the candle he lit, when he visited the Mission in 1987. It's completely surreal, and beautiful, that I was THAT CLOSE to something the Pope wore, walking the same grounds he walked on his visit.


Friar vestments that date to the time the Mission was built.


The inside of the chapel-of-ease. Sorry it's so blurry, the lights were off and I couldn't use the flash.


Walking on part of El Camino Real within the Mission.


I never found out the name of this rock but it was very interesting nonetheless.


Sign going into the Convento (Convent). They have a lot of different paintings, statues, etc. One of the best places to visit within the Mission.


A replica of the Bishop's Room. I only got part of it because there were bars and I couldn't take pictures of the rest of the room.


Plaque of and the statue of the Child Jesus.


Part of the massive library in the Convento. It smelled so lovely when you walked in. It was like a mix of vanilla and some other flowers.


Wooden Santo Niño de Atocha statue. (Child Jesus of Atocha)


This cross was dedicated to the Native Americans. The inscription reads: "In memory of the 2425 Native Americans who were interred in this cemetery of San Fernando Rey de España between 1797 and 1852. Anno Domini 1997."


Statue of Our Lady of Hope. It's the first thing you see as you walk towards the Bob Hope Memorial Garden. It's a replica of the original that's in Pontmain, France.


Bob Hope's tomb. He is buried here (edit: 9/20/11: and his recently deceased) wife will be buried here in the Bob Hope Memorial Garden at the Mission. You can actually touch it or leave flowers if you'd like.


A plaque outside the chapel-of-ease.

That's all I got, for now. I hope to go back and possibly take video or take more pictures because there was A LOT I didn't take pictures of. I hope you've enjoyed them. 'Til next time, thanks for reading and God Bless. :D
.