Almost a Month...

So, we haven't had time to tell you specifics about how everything is going... so hopefully I can do some of that tonight.

Kenyon is working at Starbucks. He's finishing up his training this coming week, and after that his hours will be bumped up and he'll be a full-fledged barista. Hopefully, within the month the management will recognize his talent and experience and promote him to shift manager. They've already hinted at this.

I am working hard at the church. I'm in the office Monday through Thursday and get Friday off to be at home. I attend meetings to plan the services and plan the sermons, to plan teaching series and to aid the elders in translation and study. I teach classes on Sunday mornings and Monday nights. I am working on word studies, reading books, helping with the arts and Sunday programming. It's fun. My hand's in everything. I'm learning so much about everything. Love it.

Some random things:

Kenyon's telling me that you all should know that he bought a knife today. Like, a knife. We're proud.

I got my haircut today. I know this sounds small, but in my world, this is huge. Brand new place, brand new stylist, and it turned out ok. Yay.

We have decided to take up watching Lost with the Fulfords. They are huge fans, so we're picking up on all the old episodes as we go. We've watched half a season so far... only two and half more to go by Thursday!

Woot.

Welcomed by the Snow

Bonne journee!

Greetings from New Hampshire, home of the snow storm, the bitter cold, and the live-free-or-die mentality. All is going well; Kenyon spent the week training for his job, I am settled comfortably in at the church, and we're as happy as ever tucked under a roof with the Fulford family.

We endured our first NorEaster (North-Eastern snowstorm) on Monday, when the Fulfords and I were snowed in from work (but worked from home). No tv-watching, snuggling-under-the-covers snow days around here. Since they happen so frequently, everyone's used to working from home. But let's be honest, work is soo different when you're in your pajamas with a kitty curled up on your lap. TOTALLY different. That was Monday for me. Kenyon plowed through the snow later in the day to get to work, though. He's such a champ.

Nothing very different this week to report... just that we're falling in love with this area of the country. People are certainly different here. There is a true spiritual vacuum... it's just not the Bible Belt mentality that we're used to. It's refreshing, almost. It's hard to find a lukewarm Christian here...

We're gearing up for another storm tonight. I need to get to work so I can get home in plenty of time. We miss you all and think about you often. Take care, dear friends!

Long Promised, Much Awaited Post

Finally, I'm making time for an overdue post.

Let me start from the beginning:

After leaving Tennessee, we had a wonderful time in Chicago. We even had time for some touristy things. To the left is Kenyon and I and the "bean" in Millennium Park on Michigan avenue.

On January 1st, we headed out for New Hampshire. In Illinois and Indiana, there was quite a snow storm, so after losing some time the first day, we didn't arrive in NH until late on Wednesday night. We were relieved to be home.

Speaking of home, here is our home:



The main house is the part off to the left, but the chunk of the house over the garage is our special place. See the two small windows between the main house and the space above the garage? That's the hall that connects their bedrooms to our suite. Our suite is LOVELY. A bedroom and storage space and a bathroom... with two sinks! My dream. Behind the two garages on the front of the house, there is a garage around back where Kenyon and I can store a car. The Fulfords take such great care of us.

The Fulford family with whom we are living resides in Amherst, New Hampshire. Wikipedia has a cute little article on it. Christine always talks about how it's similar to the little town on Gilmore Girls. Though Manchester feels more like a Chicago suburb, Amherst is very colonial, with a "common ground," a "meeting house," selectmen who serve instead of a mayor, and family owned businesses instead of big box chains. Quaint and wonderful; refreshing after a fast-paced day in town.

Work is amazing. I officially started at the church on Monday. I'm working at Manchester Christian Church, a wonderful and thriving church truly reaching people in all walks of live in the community. Feel free to check it out here. Manchester reminds me of Bloomington-Normal. All of the businesses and stores that you can think of, a great mall, a Starbucks (where Kenyon works! He starts this coming Monday), and a church that we are taken with.

At the church, I'm able to be involved in so much. I'm on the teaching team, who plans the teaching initiatives and sermon series for the church. I get to help with preliminary research and resources. Love it. I (and Kenyon too) participate in the programming team, also, which plans the artistic and logistical aspects of the Sunday morning services. Kenyon is very involved in these programs. The church even has a cool role for him to be involved in that we've never seen anywhere else. He's going to function as a "producer" for the worship team. Every week, this individual takes the service and nurtures it from creation to fruition. He takes care of the transitions, makes things work with the tech director, and directs things according to the vision and theme laid out by the other teams. SO HIM.

I feel like God formed a special little place in his kingdom with Kenyon's name on it, and then disguised it as my internship, simply to surprise Kenyon with something so wonderful! We're so excited.

Other cool things: WE WERE ABLE TO VOTE IN THE NH PRIMARY! How cool. Here's some pictures from the Obama rally we were able to attend:

Kenyon just reminded me to share that he was able to shake Obama's hand at the rally. We were so close. Cool, huh.

All in all, it's been an exciting week to be here. We are refreshed and excited; ready again to pour into ministry and learn from people of such excellent caliber. We'll try to keep you updated as we get even more settled and involved in different things, both at home and at church. We miss you all, dearly.