Two paths diverged in a yellow wood...

...and we took the one that leads to Colorado!

Daniel and I have been tentatively planning on something like this since we got married, or even before. We wanted to spend a couple of years in Harrisonburg, long enough to transition to post-college life and for Daniel to finish seminary. Then, our sense was that we should go somewhere else for a while. To see a new part of the world, to stretch ourselves by going beyond our current social context, and basically just to have new experiences. We felt confident that spending some time in an unfamiliar place would be good for us, even as we felt confident that we will eventually move back to Harrisonburg.

In December of 2014, we applied to be leaders for the Service Adventure program with Mennonite Mission Network (website here), and in March, we accepted a position as house leaders in Colorado Springs. The term for leaders is two years, while the term for participants is 10 months, so we'll be there for two program cycles.

Our responsibilities involve living in the house, coordinating things like meals and worship nights, and basically mentoring these 18-year-olds as they adjust to life in a new place and work in full-time volunteer placements.

We'll have the option to work or volunteer part-time outside of our role as house leaders. (The leader role is one part-time position which the two of us are splitting.) Park View Federal Credit Union, Daniel's employer for the past two years, has made arrangements for Daniel to continue working remotely on a half-time basis. (Because Daniel does most of his work over the phone already, this is a reasonable option.) This is an obvious blessing, in part for the added stability of knowing one of us already has a job, and in large part because Daniel loves his job and will be happy to continue doing it.

I'm planning to take a break from teaching violin. I may take it up again in January, but I'd like to spend the fall season exploring some other interests. I would love to work in the nonprofit sector, especially with sustainable food systems. Specifically, I've had some conversation with Pike's Peak Urban Gardens, an organization that is doing lots of exciting things in the Colorado Springs community. I'm planning to intern with them and learn as much as possible about their work.

We're leaving Harrisonburg on July 19, and on July 22, we'll begin orientation in Colorado Springs with our fellow leaders and the director of Service Adventure. Our participants (at this point, three young women) will arrive August 7: one from North Carolina, one from Kansas, and one from Germany.

We intend to keep our family, friends, and Harrisonburg community updated as much as possible. As sad as it will be to say goodbye to Harrisonburg, I'm so excited to get to know Colorado Springs and our new friends there. In the meantime, please pray for us and for our future housemates!