A Belle in Boston

For the first time in 3 years, I’m finally getting to see TRUE fall!!! It’s my favorite season and one that I have truly missed since coming back from Germany. The leaves are already turning up here in New England and the air is crisp with the promise of many cooler days ahead. I’m trying to prepare my Florida blood for what is coming after fall. I haven’t had a truly frigid winter since ’08 and I’ve heard that up here, winter lasts longer than it did in Germany. For now, there’s my favorite season to look forward to! Although there’s no Herbstmesse here, there is the Topsfield Fair that I’ve heard terrific things about and I hope that we can get a group of GCTSers and head over there for that.

I think I did OK on my Greek quiz, although there’s another one coming up next Monday, followed by an exam the following Monday….Oy vey. No, that’s not Greek..that’s Yiddish, but I don’t know the term for “AUGH!” in Greek just yet.

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Graduate school is different in so many ways from undergrad. To begin with, in undergrad, I don’t think I ever opened a book. And if I did, it was probably a play I had to read or a script I had to memorize. And I certainly never studied on a Friday night.

We have a large amount of homework in Greek due on Monday. I’ve decided that Sundays are truly going to be a day of rest–which means that I will have to do studying on Fridays & Saturdays. That tradition began tonight with Devon and me sitting in our dorm lounge, Greek books opened, and asking questions like “So a Greek question mark looks like the English semi-colon, right?” (Right!) We wrote the alphabet, the vowels, talked about the two different sigmas, did a plethora of Greek vocab, and finally at 10:30pm, we had to stop. Our brains were fried and it was getting to the point where we knew if we continued, it would be painful…or more painful. Instead, we popped in “Madea’s Class Reunion” and watched with Stephani & Stephani’s roommate, Brittanie.

It really does feel like we are one big family here at GCTS and I love it. I am going to soak up as much as I can of graduate school because I know that in 3 years when I’m done, I’ll be longing for the days of living in one place with all of my friends.

Tomorrow will involve more studying and an at-home Greek quiz and then more Greek homework for Monday. Did I mention I DO have 3 other classes to prepare for? Pacing. That’s really what it’s all about.

Anyways, it’s now 1am and I’m getting up at 8 to go to the gym w/Stephani & Devon so we can get a head start on studying asap.

Goodnight 🙂

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In the last week, I have been introduced to some pretty amazing new friends. I was a bit worried that there really wouldn’t be anyone here my age, but there are a lot of 27-30 somethings here and living in the dorms, too! A group of us–Lizzie (roomie), April, Devon, & Stephani–have formed a prayer group that meets in me & Lizzie’s room on Sunday night’s at 9. We have come to find out that all of us have had quite the journey getting to where we are. I never, ever thought that what happened to me almost 2 years ago would be used here at school. But it just goes to show you that God will use and can use anything to get us where He wants us.

I don’t know how to summarize the last 6 days other than to say that I am overwhelmed with the wonderful friendships and bonds that have formed in merely a week’s time. In fact, I still can’t believe it’s only been a week. I feel like I’ve known these people forever.

Of course, a lot of this is a little reminiscent of under grad being in the dorms. It’s so nice to take a study break and wander down the hall to a friend’s room or sit on my bed and laugh heartily while hearing about the day’s events.

And living here in this area is out of this world!! I don’t live so close to Boston, really. When we go off campus, it’s usually to Beverly or Salem. Today we ventured over to Rockport which is probably the cutest little town I’ve seen this side of the US! We got coffee and studied at a little German cafe that overlooked the harbor (or harbah as it’s so commonly called here!!).

Financially, it has been rough. God provides and He’s not taken aback by any of this and I know I was brought here for a reason and that He will provide what I need.

Oh yeah–Greek. Well, I’ve just started, but I was able to translate the word “elder” from Greek to English. It spells “Presboteros” which is where Presbyterian comes from. Yeah!!!

Ok, now I must get back to reading.

Until next time!

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Classes haven’t started yet so when someone asks me “how’s seminary life?” I respond with “So easy!” haha. I’m enjoying every last second of this week because next week, I may not get a chance to come up for air very much.
Yesterday, we sat in orientation for 4 hrs…yes 4 hrs. We heard from every professor and learned (pretty much) everything a/b life on campus. I’ve met some pretty great people. One of my favorite things is sitting at lunch or dinner and discussing with someone what they’re studying and/or what they’d like to do after seminary. As for myself, I would love to go back to Europe and love on the people over there. But who knows? I may end up in Massachusetts for the rest of my life and I’d be fine w/that.
Dorm life is definitely interesting. Not in a bad way. I never thought at 31 1/2 yrs old I’d be living in a dorm room again and sharing a communal kitchen, but hey, God works in whatever way He can! The best part is that I’m not the only 30 something in the dorms. In fact, most of my friends on the hall and on campus are between the ages of 26-34.
On Monday, classes start. I will be taking: Basic Greek 1, Old Testament Survey, Systematic Theology 1, and The Church to the Reformation. I’ve had to already start reading the Old Testament and am in the middle of Genesis. I forgot how much drama took place in that book!!
The main thing a/b Gordon-Conwell is that it is pretty much like the Harvard of seminaries. I will be working my butt off but the thing is–God wouldn’t have brought me here if He didn’t know I could do it. As we newbies have all been saying “With God ALL things are possible” Even Basic Greek 1….
I must close now and get back to Genesis. I’m at the part where Jacob just stole Esau’s birthright….dun dun dun!!!!
More later 🙂

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We got to Boston at 11pm on Friday night.
We slept in until 11am on Saturday. We needed it!
Saturday afternoon we spent exploring the North Shore and had some pretty amazing lobster and clam chowder.
Sunday we went into Boston and went to church at Park Street Church in downtown. We also ate at the oldest restaurant in the States called The Olde Union Oyster House. YUM.
Today I moved into the dorms and began life as a graduate student.
Obviously, I want to write more but I’m fading fast & we have to be at breakfast at 7am tomorrow.
More later… 🙂

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We pulled out of the driveway this morning at 8am. The car was packed to the rim! I relinquished last night and only brought 2 seasons of Friends, 2 Seasons of The Office, and five movies. I mean, really, when will I actually have time to watch everything?!

We stopped and had a picnic lunch at a rest stop in South Carolina and then had a craving for ice cream at Chick-fil-a. One last stop at the tacky South of the Border for gas & a potty break…wow, there are no words to describe that place…yikes! We got to Richmond at 6:30 and went to Outback for dinner. On the way up, I was checking Facebook and my old suite mate from PBA, Camberly, told me she lived in Richmond and would I want to get together? YES ABSOLUTELY! I hadn’t seen Camberly since graduation in 2002. We had a great time catching up at Starbucks!

It’s now 11pm and we are getting up early tomorrow morning. We’re stopping for breakfast in DC and meeting up w/Ashley at the Cracker Barrel. We should get to Boston/Danvers around 5 or 6.

And now…sleep 🙂

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This was the question my dad asked me tonight as I was organizing my dvds on the kitchen counter and placing them into a big box.

“Yes,” I responded, without even batting an eye.

I have a lot of movies. A lot. I didn’t realize it until I was re-packing them into that box tonight. I have all 10 seasons of Friends, four seasons of The Office, two seasons of Frasier, and two seasons of The Golden Girls. The others are all movies, mostly Christmas and romantic comedies and musicals. Will I watch them all this year? Well, probably not. I guess it’s just nice to know I have them there incase I need to relax 🙂

Dad’s other question was “Will there be room for your mother and I in the car? Or will we just be packing knapsacks to carry?”
Dad, you are quite funny. There will be room for all your stuff. I don’t think in the end I’ll be taking as much as we all thought.

Two more nights in Florida. Thursday we will be in Richmond, VA and Friday we will be in Boston!!

Please pray Earl doesn’t ruin our travel plans…..

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