transitions.

I graduated from my summer internship of CPE and have three months of self-reflection and a cheap pen to show for it. I enjoyed my time at the care center and senior apartment buildings. At the beginning of the summer, I’ll admit, I was scared of old people, not quite sure how to interact or be their chaplain. Fellow group members, conversation, and trial and error worked wonders and now I came to enjoy their company. I actually miss my Friday morning Bible study crew and my “favorites” at the nursing home.

Directly following the pomp and circumstance that was my graduation ceremony, I drove for home and there remained for two wonderful weeks. Family, friends, relaxing, and preparing for my upcoming year-long internship was all that the agenda contained. A few highlights included:

• A day in Chicago. My sister, five cousins of ours, and myself took the train from Harvard to the last stop in downtown Chicago for the day. We walked everywhere, seeing the sculptures at Millinium Park, sitting by the side of Lake Michigan, eating deep dish pizza, and shopping State Street. We also frequented Sears for the bathroom facilities.
• Cookouts! Love me a good cookout with fruit salad and eating outside.
• Bowling, campfires, and otherwise hanging out with both new and old friends. It was great to catch up, eat giant marshmallows, bowl between our legs, and watch movies together.

• My home congregation of East Koshkonong Lutheran celebrated its 165th anniversary this past Sunday.  The service was held outside where the sun the shining and the weather was perfect. It was also great to hear my grandpa tell me afterwards, “I was so proud of you.” He also told me he liked my blue sweater.

It was a beautiful drive to Dawson today with green fields on either side of Hwy. 212. I was greeted by members of Grace Lutheran at the church building and then we taxied to my apartment building and unloaded my car within minutes with so many hands to help. The staff of the church and a few members of my internship committee treated me to dinner at the only restaurant in town that isn’t also a drinking establishment. I returned to the apartment amid reminders to “let us know if you need anything!” and have grown tired of unpacking. More time for that tomorrow after my first day as an intern at Grace Lutheran.

* Seventeen gnomes is an approximation. I have not yet had time to explore the gnome garden but will eagerly report back findings once the exploration has taken place.

… a shout out to Mark Gieseke, for whom I thank for the title of this blog, “There’s no place like gnome.” Who doesn’t enjoy a hilarious play on words?