Mid Summer Update

I have just completed my 4th week of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). I am here for 11 weeks (in other words until August 14th). The unit is a chance to work on our pastoral skills in the midst of hospital care and crisis. I have 7 "on-calls" where i am the chaplain "on call" for 24 hours. This means i respond to any page i receive. Chaplains are paged for all Code Blue (cardiac Arrests), Trauma Alerts (when an ambulance comes in with someone with serious injuries) and Trauma Code (more severe injuries than an alert). When we are "on call" we stay at the hospital until our shift is over. I have already completed 4 of my "on calls" and only have 3 left to do! July 6th, 13th, and 27th. Outside of on call we are at the hospital from 8:30am to 5pm, monday to friday. I have joined the gym in Spartanburg and get up and go to the gym first before work. The drive to the gym is about 45minutes, the drive to the hospital is only 30 minutes.

As you might know, I am staying in the Simpsonville house. I vaccum and clean up each thursday night before i left for work on Fridays and then i drive from work for the weekend with Rob. With a sale pending on the house in Simpsonville, i have begun my search for the next place to "dwell". The closing on the Simpsonville house is July 29th. Do not worry. When i was accepted into the CPE program here and asked mom and dad about staying in the house, I also called a friend to see "if the house sold" could i stay with her. She has graciously kept the offer open. I am waiting to see if friends have a room for me (so MUCH closer to the hospital)...but, do not worry I do have a place to sleep....

I get to see Rob every weekend (for the entire weekend, now that my "on call" weekends are done!) which has been quite nice! The Moons will be together on Lake Carbondale for the 4th of July.

I finish here August 14th. School starts August 26th. I will go home August 14th and I have a doctor's appt in there somewhere.. Rob and I will head to the mountain shortly thereafter for some time to play up there before school starts..... And then i will officially be a MIDDLER. wahooooooo. begining my second out of three years of school.
Okay, i think those are all the details on what is going on in the Moon World.

Summer Tales

Well, the summer has officially begun! We have received our grades for the semester and I guess it is official. I am now a middler! Seems like the year flew by as I stand on this side of it! I have had 3 glorious weeks to be in Augusta with Rob and to catch up on pleasure reading, knitting, doing some scrapbooks, and baking. It has been nice to catch up and I think I am ready to start up again!
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) begins June 1. This segment of my education for ministry is multi-layered. In CPE we learn about how we, as individuals doing ministry, react and how we can best minister with those around us. In the CPE setting we are exposed to all kinds of pastoral situations. I will be with a group of other seminarians and we will spend time learning about pastoral care and our own pastoral care. This experience should be both rewarding and challenging. I am excited for the 12 weeks. I will be commuting to my CPE site during the week and home on the weekends. I have heard great things about the program I will be participating in. Unfortunately Rob's birthday and our 2nd anniversary fall during my CPE time!!! We will have to be creative! I will finish my CPE term August 21st and head back to the mountain August 24th. School resumes August 26th!
The Fall term consists of Preaching Class, Spirituality Class, Hebrew I, Old Testament in the New Testament, Anglican History, and New Testament II class. Morning Classes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Afternoon classes on Monday, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. This semester on Fridays I will be completely free!!! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers and support!

May 2009

Photos to follow I promise!
It's been a month since the last post, my apologies. What a full month! Rob and I were able to celebrate Mary Cat and Chad's wedding, I went to the Episcopal Relief and Development Network Meeting, and somewhere in the midst of it I finished all of my coursework for my Junior Year of Seminary. WOW. It is hard to believe that the year is over! It is now Graduation week. The seminary graduates on Friday, the College on Sunday. Full days ahead! Rob and I will head home for the summer soon! CPE begins June 1 and lasts until August 24th. Best wishes to you all for the summer!

The rest of April.

Holy Week, Wedding, and a Hair Cut- the quick update.

It's that time of year, when I procrastinate from exams with a bit of blogging. The weather is wonderful and temptation from readings and preparations are great! Well, the birthday was much fun with a visit from Mom and Dagny. Holy Week continued and it was a wonderful triduum with Rob and the rest of the Sewanee Community. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Now, we are in the home stretch of our studies as Juniors. This Tuesday is my big day: an Old Testament Presentation, Greek Presentation, and Ethics Oral Examination. Then Two take home Finals. Phew.

The weather is GORGEOUS, of course.

Yesterday was the day of hair cutting. Every two years my hair grows to the required length of 8inches (it's slow growing hair!) and I chop those locks off for Locks of Love. This year "Pantene's Beautiful Lengths" gets the 8.5inches. WAHOOOOO It's fun being able to give little things. I am still adjusting to appropriate amounts of shampoo!
This summer will hold Clinical Pastoral Education. I will spend 12 weeks in a Level One Trauma center as a chaplain on a team of chaplains. I know that this means i will be on floors visiting patients and families and also taking classes in the hospital to improve my pastoral skills in such situations. The program I will be a part of will start June 1 and end August 21st. I will get to see Rob on the Weekends! From what i hear CPE is both challenging and rewarding. I look forward to the opportunity to grow!

April 7th 2009

Ahhh nothing like snow on the 7th of April! We got an inch of snow! CRAZY! The daffodils that were sooooo happy on Saturday, but not so much this morning.

Erin and Rachel and Andy's Visit

What fun! Erin Cassell and Rachel and Andy Kruspe. It was a glorious sunny day and lots of walking and enjoying good company!

Spring Break

Well, we had a bit of Home Work to do this spring break, but 5 of us from Sewanee went down to Mission on the Bay, Bay St Louis, MS. It was a great 5 day trip of work and fun. So much still to do down there!