hello from jersey

A few years ago I spent three months in South Africa and kept a blog while I was there to report back to my friends and family in the states about life on the other side of the atlantic. About a month ago I made another big move. This time I didn't move across the atlantic but I got close. And although Princeton has wifi on every corner and making a phone call doesn't cost a dollar a minute, I thought that this blog might be a good way to stay connected with all of you who are more than a reasonable drive away. 

Six weeks ago I lived in Waco, Texas. I was sleeping on a friend's couch while I finished my last days as a Baylor student and scrambled to finish up the last few touches for my wedding. Since then I've graduated, finished my graduate assistantship, got married, honeymooned, drove across the whole united states (I wish that was an exaggeration), moved into my first home with my husband, found a new job and learned how to make a delicious curried coconut lentil soup... and it's not even October yet! 

The only august/september that might rival this one was in the fall of 1994 when I began first grade at Belmar Elementary. The list of changes was not nearly as impressive as the one above, but becoming a full-time student was change enough for me. I didn't get to watch Barney after coming home from half-day kindergarten; I had new fears (like the kid sitting next to me who puked all over my teacher on the first day of school) and to top it all off, I had to sit at a desk. My mom tells horrible stories of me screaming, kicking and fighting as she and my brother drug me into my classroom every morning for several weeks. 

Thankfully this transition was not nearly as traumatic.

Becoming a wife has been wonderful. I'm convinced that there is nothing better than being a newlywed (expect for the major increase in 'espn' time on our television). I tried to elaborate on my love for married life but it got gushy and embarrassing pretty fast. :)

Becoming a New Jersey resident has been strangely pleasant. I still don't understand why you can't turn left at most stop lights, why you must exit the highway on bizarre "jug-handles" rather than convenient underpasses, why the price of lentils (and all other groceries) is double or triple here and especially why no one has a disposal in their kitchen sink. Equally surprising is the ideal fall weather, the woods and running trail right behind our apartment, the abundance of local produce and farmers markets and the ease of making new friends.



Un-becoming a student has been liberating! Although I still find myself quizzing Chris on his Greek vocabulary and editing papers for his theology courses, I cannot describe how beautiful it is that I don't have to put in the hours and hours it takes to be a student. I come home from work, I do my house-wifey things (which I love) and I am continually shocked that I don't have a pile of research left to read or more data to graph each evening. 

A song we used to sing in South Africa went through many names for God-- all the "Jehova ones." The line that sticks with me is about Jehova Jireh which means the Lord, my provider. I have been praying for many months that God would provide good housing, jobs to make ends meet, a new church home and meaningful friendships. God has faithfully and lovingly answered our prayers.

-Brigid