This month feels almost too strange to re-cap! September started with a backpacking trip in the Washington State wilderness and ended in Central Europe. In between were reunions with friends, a huge moment in my ordination process, and receiving my visa only 24 hours before we were due to leave!

I am so grateful for the cities and communities I call home, but it is so hard to say goodbye so often. It’s hard to have my heart in so many places. And despite how this year may look on the outside- I truly am such a homebody at heart. I love to be home! I love simplicity and routine, so while this month was the culmination of months and years of work, I’m also very tired! I’m learning it’s possible to feel both overwhelming gratitude for your life and exhaustion at the same time. It’s been a good month and I’m ready to start settling into my new life in Prague!

A Big Career Step

The main reason I came to Seattle in September was for my final meeting with my CPM (Committee on Preparation for Ministry). After 2.5 years of exams, hurdles, and endless forms, I had to preach and defend my faith statement in front of the committee. It was more stressful than I expected, but I was so relieved that the CPM of the Seattle Presbytery certified me "ready to receive a call!" This means that I’m now allowed to start looking for jobs, pending my graduation next spring. When I get hired, I'll be ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA).

What I'm Reading

I’m not sure how I heard about this book, but I put it on hold at my library months ago and it finally was available right before my camping trip. I downloaded it on my phone and read it bundled up in my sleeping bag in the evenings. I could not have enjoyed this book any more! It was such a delight. What to Say Next is like a high school version of The Rosie Project, another book I adored. It’s got depth and humor with real characters that you can’t help but like. I read through it so fast I wanted to re-read it immediately!

What I'm Learning

 This picture may not look like learning, but I promise it’s very relevant to Czech life! For the first two weeks in the Czech Republic, I’ve been taking a Czech language class every morning of orientation and then in the afternoons we’ve been going on field trips around the city. I’ve learned how to get by in the most basic Czech and am starting to learn about this wonderful country. I’m also learning that most excursions ultimately end up at the pub.

What I'm Watching

I’ve been watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine since it began and this summer, as I waited for my favorite shows to return in the fall, I began re-watching it. This show is one of my favorite comedies and it has been so much fun to re-watch. That being said, I’m ready for my favorite current TV shows to start up again. 

What I'm Thinking About

It has been a really, really hard month watching the Kavanaugh SCOTUS nomination process, particularly after last week with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony hearing. I couldn’t tear myself away from CSPAN and my heart broke for her and for every other person who has been sexually assaulted. It was particularly heartbreaking to remember that this is the story of a 15-year-old girl. I cannot count how many teenage girls I have loved, known, and been. I could write about this for hours, but all I can say here is that I am so deeply troubled by this whole process. I truly hope that the a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land isn’t given to yet another man credibly accused of sexual assault. The women and men of our country deserve better.

Where I Hiked

My parents and I went on a great backpacking trip over Labor Day weekend, the first just the 3 of us have done since my brother was born! We went to the Indian Heaven Wilderness and spent 3 days hiking to beautiful lakes, up mountain tops to see the views of 5 nearby volcanoes (Rainier, Adams, St. Helens, Hood, and Jefferson!), and eating our body weight in huckleberries. It was a great trip!

Where I've Been

Ha! What a month! As you’ve pretty much gathered by this point in the blog post, I’ve been in Seattle, Washington for the first part of the month, then a few hectic days in Atlanta, and then off to Czech Republic to begin language class and orientation. For more on that whole adventure, here’s a full re-cap of the last two weeks in Prague.