A Very Special Place with Special Friends

We were invited to dinner tonight by one of our most special friends. Her name is Sister Joeine and I know she won't mind me telling you that she is 96 years old and keeps young by doing water aerobics 3 times a week! She has devoted herself to the wonderful, peaceful and beautiful Queen of Angels Monastery in Mt. Angel. The DH won an award recently, and Sister Joeine thought it would be a nice tribute to him to have us share a special dinner with them. (We LOVE visiting and sharing meals and conversation with she and the other Sisters there). They are so special.

They are always so welcoming and happy to see us. (No, lightning doesn't strike when I show up there)! Although as soon as I stepped from the car an unexpected hail storm started pelting us with the little ice nuggets. (Maybe that is even worse than lightening! Yikes, I'll have to ask)!

Much of the monastery (their beautiful home) was destroyed approximately 15 years ago by an earthquake. It was devastating, and took a few years to rebuild.
Isn't the chapel pretty. It's upstairs, so you have a beautiful view of the weather and the outdoors while praying.

That's what we do first, attend Vespers with them in the Chapel. It is a beautiful time of praise and singing and mostly thanking God. They have us "covered" in prayer, the whole world actually. It's kind of comforting to know that, especially when the world is a little crazy.

Usually when we are at Vespers, Sister Joeine has to give me an elbow poke and point to my book to show me that I am looking in the wrong place! She was a teacher and school principal at various schools in the area. She is tiny and precious, but mighty, and I wouldn't want to have made her mad when I was young. (She did get chuckles from some of the kids who "visited" her office on occasion)! She has wonderful memories of the over 80 years she has spent there.

After Vespers, it's downstairs to dinner, and she always has to remind me to hush as we're walking into the dining area, as it is quiet time before the dinner prayer. I have a loud voice, and I laugh a lot. Good grief. You think I'd learn to HUSH! (Just for the record, I'm not sure I know how to hush or talk in my lady-like or "indoor" voice anymore)!

They had a wonderful turkey dinner there tonight, and we got to sit at the center (reserved) table since the DH was the honored guest. We got to go first in the dinner line too. Don't think we're without perks when we go visiting!

It was so nice to see Sr. Joeine, and some of our other sister friends we haven't seen for so long. They are precious, and we are very blessed that they are always so eager to share their life with us. We'll have to make our visits more often, and it's our turn to have Sr. Joeine next time, and she will call me a week ahead to remind me that she can't have dairy.
They filled my heart and calmed my soul.