Update

It’s been a long time since my last post.  Brief update:  Finished a marathon in Pittsburgh 3:59:42 (right under the 4:00:00 goal mark)  It was a blast to train with my buddy Josiah from seminary and I’ve really learned to love running.  Finished out the first year at the seminary, twas lovely.  I miss Virginia.  Spent a couple of weeks in Colorado with the family.  Ran the Bolder Boulder again.

Now I’m in San Diego.  I just started my Clinical Pastoral Education.  Translation:  CPE is a 400 hour certification.  I am paying the Vitas Hospice Network to allow me to be a “Chaplain in Training” to hospice, clinic, and hospital patients.  I will spend 1 day a week with a group or 7 people doing the same program and refining our skills and discussing our perceptions of pastoral care. I’ll blog more about this later.

I moved into the Hawthorn House, a Christian community of people living together.  I live downstairs with Brooke, Jason, and their two kids Paige and Matty-boy (he’s a bit of a super hero) and Tasha (the dog.)  Upstairs there is an apartment of guys just out of college and in the backyard another house with three people.  I’m viewing summer as a bit of an experiment in discernment around how living can work differently…Sharing meals, resources, and conversation seems like a small thing.  Still it is already making a difference in the quality of my days.

I flew home last weekend for my sister’ wedding.  She looked beautiful, and he grinned the whole time.  I was happy to be able to help the priest navigate a confusing ceremony.  Spending the last night with her friends from San Antonio and some of my friends from High School dancing in lo-Do was great.  I’m still adjusting to having a “brother-in-law.”  I said those words for the first time last night and it was confusing…but I’m super excited to have Corey in the family.