Sweet T and Sweet Seattle

We had a full visit but somehow it wasn't too full. We relaxed a lot and spent really good time together. We looked for apartments, had a fun visit to Target, played some frisbee, went to dinner IN a movie theater (and saw The Usual Suspects which was awesome), we grilled dinner on a beach, and went park-hopping. Luckily, every day that he was here the weather was absolutely perfect - mid-50s and sunny. These pictures are just from our last day when we went to Kerry Park and Discovery Park. We had such a great visit and, of course, it was so hard to see him go again.

One of the best views of the city - Kerry Park in Queen Anne.

Mt. Rainier from Kerry Park

What a charmer.

I love this one of us at Kerry Park.

Then we went on to Discovery Park which is on the western side of the city. It's a park full of hiking trails and beautiful beaches. This is T! In a tree!

So precious on the North Shore

Flexing on the beach. Typical.

Beautiful beach

I was having a talk with a rock

A rock I found that sea barnacles had grown on

Delicious crab
These guys were everywhere - paddling on surfboards

It's sunny! He's digging for shells

Our collection of shells

So many seagulls!

He's so handsome...

And I am so strong...Like Zeus with my lightening bolt.

Fierce in a teepee

Jumping on rocks

Admiring the splendor

T really likes this photo of me - he did a good job snapping shots

This is what we saw after we finished collecting a billion shells...good thing to note.

Stunning view of Mt. Rainier from the South Shore

The doctor is [in]

Our practicum format this term is different than it was in the Fall. While we still continue to meet for two hours a week with the same group of peers and leaders as we did last term, we have an additional component this time around. Added to our practicum agenda is another weekly, two hour meeting in "quads" - we meet with three peers from our practicum group. During this time, we participate in counseling each other. Madness!

Today was my quad's first meeting. How it works is this: we commit to counseling one of the students in that group for the rest of the semester, however, you cannot counsel the person that will counsel you. During our two hours, two pairs of client/counselors have one session each (for 30-40 minutes) and the other two students observe the session and then give feedback to the student who was the counselor. The next week, the other two pairs of client/counselors have one session each and receive feedback. Therefore, it works out that I will counsel the same student six times this term.

Not only was today the first time our quad met, but I actually ended up doing my first session as a counselor as well. It was so terrifying! My Practicum Facilitator put it well: the first few times are like being in a golf lesson and trying to remember all of the things your instructor told you to do when you get up to the tee - straighten your elbow, bend your knees, turn with your shoulders, use your wrists... When you approach the tee, though, it's almost impossible to remember all of that information while trying to actually perform well! I definitely was aware of this while our session was in progress today - I had a million things going through my mind about what I should or should not do, my body language, how awkward it was, what my observers were thinking, and how I was probably a failure of a counselor.

It's just amazing how different it is to talk so conceptually about a therapeutic encounter than to actually experience a therapeutic encounter. This is one of the things I love so much about Mars Hill is how hands-on it is. How better to learn than to just do? Then to get feedback on what you did? What a concept! And not only do we get immediate feedback from our peers during the two hours, but we also are required to record the sessions in which we counsel someone and then playback a part of the session for our one-on-one meetings with our Practicum Facilitators! While, yes, it's absolutely terrifying and humiliating, I can only imagine how wonderfully invaluable this learning process will be.

Another different component of this term's practicum is that we have to counsel someone in front of our big practicum group - about 10 people - twice. And for whatever reason, I volunteered to be one of the first two to do it next week. So I will have a "session" with one of my peers while my entire practicum group observes, and will then give me feedback. It sounds so crazy - and it is!

Jet lag is a beeotch

It's 7:15 and I've already been up for over an hour. I went to bed around 8:30 last night. Time zones are from the devil. So why not make the best of the situation and blog, right?

FYI, my classes for this upcoming semester are as follows:

• First Year Practicum II (meeting with the same leader and group as last semester but with a different format)
• New Testament Genre
• Marriage and Family
• History and Therapeutic Perspectives

Another FYI, I got straight A's in my first semester of grad school - HUZZAH! (Well, two A-minuses but who's counting? You better not be...) Below are a couple of pictures I took from the all-nighter that my roomies and I pulled before our last papers were due:

The picnic that Dana and I set up in my room

The healthy snacks we made to keep us awake (accompanied by several cups of coffee and, later, cereal): apples, cheese, and bananas. Yum!

I am certainly starting off this semester (and this year) with high hopes. High hopes for continued good grades, for keeping my sanity, for learning to better communicate long-distance (especially with T), and for more joy. After all, I am getting married this year!!! You should look at our wedding website - it's coming along: http://kelseyandt.com/

I'm starting this year off feeling encouraged. T and I had a wonderful meeting with our pastor over the Christmas holidays that was really affirming and reassuring. He pointed out that we have come over such a difficult mountain in our relationship because of how difficult graduate school is for the student and how it can take such a toll on a relationship. Tim told us that during his seminary years, he was astounded at the amount of couples that broke up during their first semester of classes. So, it felt really good to actually hear someone say, "What you guys are doing is hard - really hard. But you've passed through one of the toughest parts." To hear someone acknowledge our challenges as being great (because they certainly felt that way) was comforting. I feel so much more at peace starting this semester because I know that we have done it once; I feel more prepared and more at ease. But I am certainly counting the days till the wedding!

So, maybe jet-lag isn't such a beeotch. Although I think I'd rather be sleeping right now, I've been able to lay in bed and reflect on what the past semester has meant and what the next one promises to bring. There is no way of knowing much because my expectations for last semester were twisted and reshaped, but just to have the expectation of something great, something hopeful, is enough.

One for Christmas!

So, I took pictures before Christmas of our house and the MHGS Christmas party that I have yet to post. I figured Jan. 1st, 2010 was the perfect day to do it - starting the new year off right!

Pretty outfit after getting ready in the bathroom (note: I have a sweet feathery thing in my hair, but it's hard to see).

Part of a set of Christmas cards for sale at the art auction at the MHGS Christmas Party ("You must be shorter than my hand to ride the Heaven Funland Kiddie coaster...No sneaking in on your knees you two! You can't fool me, after all, I am Jesus!")

MHGS lobby decorated for Christmas!

You can't see very much - but the sound is great! MHGS hired the same Starbucks quartet to sing at the party that I posted about a few months ago! They rocked it

This one is for you, Dad! See if you can recognize the song.

The nativity set on the hutch in our living room at the House of Love.

Our Seattle-style Christmas tree! Natalie is so smart - it's a gathered set of branches in a big flower pot with lights and ornaments. So what if it looks like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree? It's awesome!

One for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was so lovely! My roomies and I woke up early and prepared a meal at a church. Later, Dana, Michaela, Nick and I went over to a school friend's house where we had an AMAZING Thanksgiving dinner with 12-15 friends. It was such a lovely night :)

Our video-diary of our early-morning excursion. (push play!)

Criminals in action. (push play!)

Attempt #2 (push play!)

There's Michaela and I getting excited about our dinner! All dressed up later in the evening :)

And apparently I'm not excited about Dana!

Dana, Michael, Natalie, and I (Sadly, we didn't get to spend Turkey Day with Glory because she spent it with her family. GEEZ).

And again - b.e.a.U.tiful

Slacker

I didn't write once in November :-/ That's terrible. You all have no idea what's going on! Mom, Chip, and Papa visited and I didn't even write to tell you about it! Now I'm in the midst of finals and going a little crazy. One paper and one exam Monday, Dec. 7th and two papers due Wednesday, Dec. 9th. Boy oh boy. I hope to write some more soon, but I wanted you to know that I hadn't abandoned the blog. I feel neglectful - poor blog...

Finally! A Long-Awaited Visit from T

So, after almost three months of not seeing this lovely man, I was getting a little crazy. That's a long time! Needless to say, the four short days that he was in Seattle were so wonderful and it was really difficult to let him return to the East Coast. We had a lot of fun: he got to see my school, we registered at the BB&B (!), relaxed and snuggled at my house, took a walk through my neighborhood in the rain, carved pumpkins with my roomies, watched some NC State football, rode the ferry and spent a day on Bainbridge Island, saw a movie, ate good food, went to a park and to Pike Place Market. It was a full couple of days but, again, so highly anticipated and so great to spend time with him.

That's a snail! It was on one of our pumpkins - good thing T was around to snatch it off.

Some of the fun Halloween gifts Mrs. J sent me - SCARY!! (The spider webs and scare crow in front of the mirror).

More scary spider webs!

Before the pumpkin carnage.

Michaela digging in.

Fierce competition at its finest - Dana and Natalie working out their game plan.

I got a little sick.

Look! T is participating in holiday festivities! What a feat!

Nick and Michaela made a spider-web!

T and I made the spider to go in the web!

The following pictures are from our day on Bainbridge Island. It was SO wonderful, beautiful, and peaceful.
Seattle skyline from the ferry.

The ferry ride can be a little windy.

First glimpses of Bainbridge - it was difficult for me to want to leave that little island.

We saw Where the Wild Things Are!

We walked on the docks by the water.

We ate a super delicious meal by the water - along with Pear Cider which was delectible.

We looked cute by the water.

T and I waiting at the bus stop - oh wait! Our SHADOWS waiting at the bus stop!

A lovely view from the coast of the Sculpture Park.

T enjoying the park and ladybugs.

The bugs!

T and I on the coast at the Sculpture Park - the evening of his departure and of our four-year anniversary.