First Week of School

this picture is from my first day of school – before i left for kindergarten. i am the kindergartner on the right. my 1st grade neighbor, paul, is on the left. being a kindergartner is exactly how i felt tuesday. as i walked out the door i said to jean, "don't make me go!" i walked to the bus stop. waited for the bus. the playlist on my ipod was perfect for the journey. it was a playlist called, "seattle." i made it for sam and me to listen to on our plane ride, but we never listened to it. it was perfect for the morning ["gabriel's oboe" from the mission, "the journey begins" from everest, "chomolunga" from everest, "vertigo," "beautiful day," and so many other good journeying songs].

i nearly got off too early to make my first bus transfer. at first i felt like a little kid not knowing the ins and outs of public transportation. i told jean later i felt like my name should be on my underwear and all of my things. i felt so unsure. , but i quickly learned to trust the bus time schedule and route map i made. by the end of the week i felt like a public transportation veteran.

it's been a tiring week. very tiring. orientation each morning through afternoon, tuesday through thursday, then classes tuesday and wednesday evening, and a vesper service at the school thursday evening. i also did an inspection wednesday morning, and three yesterday. then a neighborhood dinner friday evening with some school students and spouses. last night as we walked out the door to go to the dinner i told jean i was so tired i wanted to cry. the dinner was a good time of conversation. it was the first time since moving here that i've felt i could just be myself with a group of people. i was glad we went.

the amount of reading we have to do for classes is unfathomable. yet, i know it is all for a good reason – the disruption and reconstruction of me. hopefully the disruption and reconstruction of us. this morning there is a convocation service to welcome the incoming students into the community of the school. our parents have been here for two weeks and fly out this evening. i am going to miss my mom. it has been good for us to sit and casually talk together and not feel rushed by time as we talk on the phone. but, next week will be a more normal week. just our family in our house. a regular week with normal classes and not much extra school "stuff" thrown in.

we went to a church last Sunday that was good. the people were actually friendly, the children's ministry staff were very welcoming, and the pastor was excellent. he even introduced himself to jean's dad as we were off dropping the kids to their classes. after the service while we were getting the kids the pastor said to be sure to bring us over to meet him. we met him. he's a very gracious and interested man in person. i felt like it was a place that i felt at home. the church has a nazarene foundation, which the traditional nazarene church has some conflicting doctrinal beliefs from how i was raised. i think jean wants to keep looking just to be sure we haven't "settled" without trying many and knowing we've really found the right one.

happy trails!