19 October 2014

Fall at Michigan State

Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year. I love the beauty of the trees turning colours. It was different in the Netherlands, and I've missed it.

The following pictures I took while I was walking through MSU give a glimpse of some of the beauty of this season.

02 October 2014

One large adventure

Much to my delight, Matthijs has now been here a week. It's been an adventure.

For me it's been hard at times. I'm super glad he's here, but i find it hard to figure out a healthy balance for work, especially since I didn't have to have balance when he wasn't here (No one used to care if I worked at 9 am or 9 pm or every moment in between). And i don't know how to sort out how our relationship will get affected by my being the one going to work now. What does that mean for household chores and expectations? And how do I ask and expect stuff from Matthijs in a way that's realistic, recognizing it's rather hard adjusting to a new country? And what does the role of a pastor's husband even look like?!? Perhaps it might help if I knew what the role of pastor looked like....

So that's the less fun part of the adventure.

The real fun has been had in the adventures Matthijs and I have undertaken together. Even my normal life is more of a fun adventure because Matthijs is here!

Yesterday was the big trip to the Secretary of State. For those unfamiliar with Michigan, this is where you get a driver's license. Without studying, Matthijs managed to pass the test and get his learning permit, which means he can practice driving with anyone who's had a license for awhile. We went driving together tonight. It went well: i.e., the car stayed on the road, no thing/one got hit, I didn't get stressed out in the passenger seat, Matthijs seemed fairly relaxed, and our relationship is doing fine, as far as I can tell. Matthijs practicing driving is definitely going to be the great adventure of this month....

Matthijs also agreed to join me in playing broomball with church and campus edge folks. Running around after a large plastic ball with a fake broom, in sneakers on ice, isn't my immediate idea of fun, but Matthijs said he would if I would, so....
It was actually lots of fun, minus the sore back/ behind for 4 days.

And what else? We've had people over already, despite not having enough furniture (because hospitality is about welcoming people and not first about having our act together). And we've been exploring our new neighborhood.

Stay tuned for more adventures.
And hopefully some pictures. Not because the adventures are so photo worthy, but because I get to experience fall here again, and the colours are even more beautiful than I remember.