I put Ephesians 3:20 at the bottom of this post because God has so often provided beyond our expectations this year! Our first six months were spent resting and readjusting to America in Indiana with my family. It was a blessing to be able to take so much time off and spend it at home! Dylan even found a part-time tutoring job while we were there so we were able to save a bit. Then, amazingly, we both got accepted into the same university for grad school, both with full scholarships that will enable us to finish without debts.Definitely the best thing that could have happened!
We moved to DC in June and immediately found a church nearby with a small group meeting across the street from us. Restoration church is very gospel focused and we've been challenged and inspired by many of the friends we've made there.
We both worked outside of classes this year, Dylan as a student teacher and me as a graduate assistant. Thankfully (as we don't have a car), the schools Dylan has been assigned to teach in have been accessible by public transport from our apartment. He even got to work with the teacher named Best Teacher in DC for 2013! My graduate assistantship led to working at a non-profit law firm (PILPG) that is involved in international conflict resolution and negotiation efforts. I was asked to play a bigger role in that organization in 2015, which is very exciting!
The best thing about being in school again is the vacation schedule - we were able to take a little over two weeks to visit both our families over the holidays, mine in Indiana and Dylan's in Thailand (photo)! It was a wonderful break after the stress of the semester, and great to do a bit of traveling. We're looking forward to our families visiting us in DC this year!
We enter 2015 in some trepidation of the coming semester - both of us will be working roughly 40 hours a week as well as attending classes. Dylan will be finishing up his degree and looking for a full-time teaching job in the fall. I'll be continuing work and studies over the summer and into next year. But, God is faithful and we are looking forward to what he has in store for us!
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21