Surviving!

I cannot believe I have let this much time go by before updating! I promised myself when we moved out here I'd be very good about updating! I guess life just got the best of me... Since you've last heard from us, I have started my job and I feel like I am beginning to sort of settle in although I have not had the opportunity to intubate or place umbilical lines yet! One thing that is kinda funny to get used to is all the stereotypical Berkeley "au naturale" births! There were some natural births in Gwinnett, but some of the people out here are a little over the top! It makes life interesting and it is always fun to see how different people live life so differently... wow, that was confusing.

Also, after finishing up my second week of work, we had our first visitor arrive! Colby's sister, Elizabeth, came on Wednesday and stayed until Saturday. We squeezed every possible tourist-ish outing in the city and Marin that we possibly could before returning her to the airport on Saturday where we said our good-byes and watched her go through security, took a deep breath, a long swig of our caffeinated drinks and said hello to one of my dearest friends, Michelle, walking through the Arrivals gate! She was able to stay for a whole week, so we were able to take our time with the site seeing! We had a great time with them both (and I am pretty sure I could now qualify to be an official Alcatraz tour guide!) and their visit came at a great time for me when I was really beginning to feel the sting of homesickness. It was strange to have them here, it almost made me feel like I wasn't so far away after all. Now we are looking toward the holidays and trying to make plans... none made yet. Holiday life is hard for a full time nurse...

Although it is tempting to get homesick, we are starting to feel more at home here and have definitely heard the voice of the Lord calling us to serve at First Baptist San Francisco while here. Without getting into all of the historical details, we have been lead here at a very critical time. This summer, the church lost their pastor to health complications and over the several years of his illness, the church's health has been declining too. This is a church that was founded the same year as the gold rush... 160 years ago! Now, they have just had to let go everyone but an (awesome!) new interim pastor and a secretary. We feel that this is the answer we have been looking for Colby to step in. We have waited about a job for Colby because the Lord has blessed us so much with my job, that we thought Colby's time would be better invested in his school work, but we have also prayed for a ministry opportunity for us to both have a chance for "hands on" learning... well, here is our chance! We are not sure how this will all play out, but we've told the pastor that we (mainly Colby) are willing to help and basically see this as Colby's part time "job" although, of course, it will be voluntary work. We are waiting to hear back from him (hopefully this week, or next) about where we could be of the most use.

We are missing home more than ever, but at the same time, feel more confident than ever that God has called us to love and serve this City for a season in our life. Continue to pray for us, that we would receive wisdom and strength from the Lord while keeping a humble spirit!

We love you all... I am posting a few pics of our "tour guide" adventures!

Twobrewers