Saturday, September 20, 2008

Back to life, back to reality!

So I'm back in Dubuque after a summer away in Wisconsin. Over all it was a nice summer, but challenging to be away from home so much. After CPE was over in early August I was home for a few days and then off to visit family. I spent a week with my parents and then took my nephew Ethan home on the train after a month with grandma and grandpa. I was at my sister's for a few days and then I headed back west. I stayed with friends in Fargo for a couple of days and then we met Mike for camping and the MN Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, MN over Labor Day weekend.



Mike with the Washing Wenches at Ren Fest!

Me writing my Endorsement Essay while camping

It's good to be home. Mike seems happy to have me back and I'm beginning to feel settled. School started the 2nd with Prolog week (Our first week of school is always a week long 1.0 credit class) and then regular classes began September 8th. After two weeks of class I'm starting to get back into the routine of things. I'm doing work study in the Library again for 10 hours a week. I'm also still in partnership with a local congregation as a Youth Ministry consultant 10 hours a month. So I'm keeping busy for sure. So far the biggest challenge this year is Hebrew! My brain doesn't want to go right to left and the letters are very foreign, but I'm taking it as a challenge and hoping things will improve if I work hard.

Endorsement (see the post from May about the seminary process - recently updated!) is coming sometime in the next few months. We're still awaiting details. I'm excited about taking the next step in the process. We also just had an informational meeting about Internship. I'm really looking forward to Internship and both Mike and I are thinking of it as an adventure. We're open to going anywhere and focused on finding the best Internship fit possible. Of course the assignments won't be made until next spring so we have a lot of time before then to wait and get nervous.

It's great to be back at Wartburg! The fun of seminary is that you take the journey with your class, but meet other classes along the way. The Senior's from last year are off being pastors at their first call. In their place we have a new Senior class, back from their Internships. The Middlers from last year are busy with Internship now and we have a brand new Junior class. So the campus is full of new faces and new friends to make. What fun! Well I should go study Hebrew so TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)

Susan Haukaas <><

9/16/2008 - 8 years of marriage to my favorite red head!