Camdenton, Missouri (okay, Roach...)

Julia Pfeiffer Burns National Park, CA

Julia Pfeiffer Burns National Park, CA

Julia Pfeiffer Burns National Park, CA

Good friend - Matt Knorr

More friends - Hannah, Aaron and Matt

Joint good-bye party at church (with the Children's Ministry Pastor)

Scott Bermingham (tech director @ church / friend) and me

Good-bye BBQ: Girls from Bible Study--Amy V., Bethanie, and Amy D.

Wonderful friends (who did the BBQ for me): Mike and Nan Madding

With Dad on my 25th birthday (El Paso, TX)

My apartment building on the left (MTC--Missionary Training Center--Missouri)


Where I take a shower and do laundry--lots of fun!


View of Lake of the Ozarks (on campus)

The lake...

My apartment (312--door on the left)

So, I'm still in denial about the name here... I can't really call it a city or a town; it's Roach, but the nearby town is Camdenton, and that just sounds so much better. :)

Let me back up... I left Atascadero at the beginning of August; my mom and I drove to El Paso, TX, where my parents live. I spent a little over one week there, during which time I celebrated my 25th birthday. Hard to believe--a quarter of a century! Okay, maybe it's not that big of a milestone, but there's something about 25 that feels significant.

Mom and I drove out here to Missouri and arrived exactly one week ago. I have actually lived on this campus before, but I guess I had forgotten the reality of tiny apartments, heat and humidity, dirt roads, and walking to the "Wash House" to take a shower and do laundry. It was a bit of a shock, and I am still trying to adjust. We had pretty heavy rain for a few days, and that created MUCK, as they call it here. Lugging my computer back and forth to class in pouring rain on a dirt road is definitely a stretch for the old attitude. :)

I had two days of orientation, and then today was our first day of classes. My schedule is basically this: 8 AM to 12 PM--Class; 2:30 to 5 PM (Mon.-Wed.)--Work Detail. In addition, I have a one-hour discipleship session once a week, and we're all encouraged to get involved in a local church and a local outreach.

I can't say that the transition is easy. I struggle with new places and new people. I really miss Atascadero--especially the church and everyone I came to love there. I know it will take some time to settle in here, and I would appreciate your prayers as I endeavor to persevere.