From Hogwarts to Jeff Foxworthy

These last few days have been especially full so I thought I'd offer some highlights:

• Halloween was blast hanging out with the Jesuit Volunteers Corp members of Detroit. Harry Potter was the costume of choice this year (see photo above)
  
• There seems to be a making of a band among the four novices in my ministry group. We've been asked to perform a Hawaiian Luao at the nursing home and this week to fill in for the choir director at the all school mass. There also seems to be a making of a reality tv show since the late night practices have gotten more tense with sarcastic comments leading to the occasional tussle....just kidding....well kind of. I'll keep you updated on further developments ;)
  
• I pulled a Jeff Foxworthy and decided to go head to head with the smartest math student in the 5th grade class (and probably the entire school). While it seemed like a good idea at the time to do a multiplication table timed quiz, i ended up losing by 10 seconds. Staying true to Foxworthy, I stood in front of the class and said, "My name is Adam Mescher and I am NOT smarter than a fifth grader."
• On a more academically positive note, to the appreciation of my housemates i have put some of my A+ math homework scores from the 5th grade on the refrigerator (believe it or not i do actually teach some of the time ;)
  
• Over the picture perfect weekend we enjoyed some glorious autumn football scrimmages in the backyard
• Mom's collarbone surgery went well, alright mom!
  
• Just heard that mom and pops might be able to visit after thanksgiving. This is extra special since this will be their first thanksgiving without any of their kiddies and my first ever thanksgiving away from home (finally growing up i guess).
  
• This is a great segway to mention that my visitation restrictions expire after Thanksgiving. So if you're passing through or interested in stopping by we would gladly put you up!
  
• The nursing home votes were tallied from the pumpkin decoration contest and our Hawaiian Pumpkin beauty was one of the finalists.
  
• Being all-time quarterback with the 4th graders at recess
  
• When I felt like part of the cool crowd when one of the staff at the school invited me to have lunch with them in the teacher's lounge.
• 4 birthdays this month in the house which means plenty of hilarious skits and delicious desserts (yes mom, i'm running more to counter the calories)
  
• Community Creative prayer has been boomtastic lately as well as most of the guys' homilies.
  
• Tried my first yoga class partly to prevent injuries for my running as well as for meditative reasons and found it even more enjoyable and tiring than i imagined.
  
• Three guys considering applying to the Jesuits visited last weekend and one of them had visited El Salvador which led to a long and exciting conversation about the 20th anniversary of the Jesuits killlings which we will honor on November 16th of this month. More info at: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Martyrs/UCA/index.html
  
• finally some awesome care packages have arrived in the form of :
  
• #1 two Boston College/Jesuit t-shirts (my brother can sense when my old tees are fraying)
  
• #2 letters, photos and preschool art projects from JoJo and the Glafckes
• #3 another round of brownies from mom for the house (even with her broken collarbone)
  
• #4 and my favorite and the famous Bay Bakery cookies for Halloween from grandma gloria
  

THANKS SO MUCH AND EVERY GOOD BLESSING TO YOU AND YOURS