I’m not even done with my first graduate program and already I’m considering another program! This comes along with a lot of excitement and a lot of hesitancy, as much as I know it will be great for me and great for Lindsey and my future but… Do I really want to start another program, commit more money and years to education, spend more nights studying, commute to classes, etc? It’s going to be a sacrifice and it’s not going to be easy but I think I’m getting closer and closer to being ready to accept the cost of it.

The program I’m looking into is the Marriage and Family Therapy degree, and specifically I’m checking out Vanguard University. I know a few people who have gone through the program and they highly recommend it and I feel comfortable with everything that I know about it. Part of me feels like I should be investigating a lot of other schools because that seems like prudent and responsible thing to do but another part of me feels so comfortable with just moving ahead with Vanguard and trusting that.

Being a therapist would give me the career that I never thought I would have. I’m not a achieving or driven person and I never thought that I would have a career, most of my jobs so far have been relatively temporary jobs that have felt significant and enjoyable to me. The idea of working one job for 30 years seemed impossible and unattractive to me but I think spending those years being with and helping people would bring that significance and enjoyment that I’ve been looking for.

Nothing is for sure but for now that seems to be where I’m going. Fall 2013 is coming soon!

This Friday we move into a new apartment, our second home and a home to men. Emerson is an all male dorm at Biola University. All male except for Lindsey of course, so we are accepting suggestions for what her title should be. So far we’re thinking “the First Lady of Emerson” could work.

I can’t believe that it’s already time to move and to start a new job, summer is over! It was incredible (as I’m sure Lindsey will tell you over there —>) but I’m so excited to begin my life as the RD of Emerson and for the RAs to come back and then all the men a couple weeks after that. August is going to be a busy month getting ready for classes to start so I might disappear for a few weeks but I promise I’ll be back. This Monday I start my first day so I’ll have a much better idea of what lies ahead of me whatever it I’m sure it will be exciting and exhausting.

What a dream come true.

I can’t believe it’s already here…a whole new semester.  It brings with it all sorts of hopes, desires and anxieties.  It means I’m back to juggling all the different parts of my life again, parts that I love but just a few too many at once.  I’ll only be taking two classes this semester so it shouldn’t be too much time in the classroom but its the reading that really take up your time.  I’ll have individual and group spiritual direction to do this semester.  ResLife work in Tradewinds and then of course web work with Scott.

I’m really looking forward to my class about group direction because it seems like a skill and a practice that will be really valuable and relavent in the future.  Individual direction is incredible and I would love to be able to do that for the rest of my life but at this time there really isn’t enough understanding of and desire for it to make it a career (well, I suppose there is but its just not out there for the taking one has to find it).  Group direction, however, has a lot more flexibility and the benefit of being a group activity so people are more comfortable with trying it out.  It easily blends with the many kinds of small groups that Christians today already know and are comfortable with.  I see it as a really beneficial skill to be trained in and one that I will be able to use for the rest of my life.

Now I just have to find a group who will let me practice on them…

Last night we got home from a Thanksgiving voyage to Amarillo, Texas.  We left Tuesday night around 6:30 and drove all through the night to get to Texas sometime around noon (but to be honest I really didnt know what time it was at any point during the trip).  Andrew, Mallory and I had tried to make the drive out there once before by leaving after work and driving all night…that time we ended up stopping at a hotel before we had even made it out of California, so although I was positive I wasn’t completely confident we could do it this time either.  But we did.  And it was pretty easy.

When we got there we went to go pick up our numbers and shirts for the Amarillo Turkey Trot.  This Turkey Trot is the reason I started running not necessarily because I wanted to try and get some amazing time or that I want to be a “runner” but really because I knew if I didn’t run at all I would probably pass out somewhere along the side of the course.  The race started at 8:30 am Thanksgiving morning and let me tell you, driving all night, losing two hours to time change and then waking up to 20 degree weather were probably not the best conditions for a run but they do make it an unforgettable experience.  The air was so cold my lungs were aching almost instantly but I finished, did well for myself, and felt fine afterwards which is really all I can hope for.

Margie made us an incredible Thanksgiving dinner, seriously delicious.

Friday morning Andrew, Bob and I got up early to go hunting.  I know right?!  Hunting!?  I’ve never been hunting before and didn’t really know how I would feel about it.  I guess I was glad it was hunting for foul and not some sort of furry faced sad eyed mammal.  The continuum is fish, birds and fur for me and it’s really a half step to birds and thirty steps to fur.  Anyway, we started off with some turkey hunting which involes sitting in a blind and waititng for a turkey to come by and making the most of your one shot.  As you can see above, I made the most of it.  Immediately afterweards, I received a graphic introduction to internal turkey anatomy…yikes.  Then we went on to quail hunting which was awesome.

I know it’s not super hunter of me but the best part of the hunting were the dogs.  Bird dogs are incredible.  The way they run endlessly and can sniff out the birds and then once they find them they freeze and point towards the birds so we could flush out the quail and try to get one.  It was more active than turkey hunting and the interactions with the dogs were just fun.

Saturday we just saw the sights and had a blast with the wonderful people who live in Amarillo.  The three best parts of the trip: 3) everyone who lives in Amarillo 2) adventuring with the Raes 1) being with Lindsey while she got to see the town and people that have been such a blessing to me.

Sunday…we drove through four states and every kind of weather you could imagine.  I’m done with driving for a while.