Well… I’ve been here for 24 hours and am enjoying it thus far. The local Thrivent rep has a guesthouse of sorts in their basement and it’s easier for the synod to house us there (read: less expensive) than putting us up in hotels and actually gives us a homebase. They’re reimbursing us for food (we’re eating relatively cheaply anyway) and the owners of the house asked us if we wouldn’t mind feeding their cat while they’re gone. 🙂 (Guess what our answer was to that!) They actually have two outdoor ones (I think the smaller one is theirs too). The first one I saw is a tabby patch kitten (who looks like the next cat I want to adopt would look like) and the second one is a calico patch kitty named Katze. (I know… really original.) As good Lutherans do, Katze and I had a long talk about Lutheran theology last night which involved me telling her my thoughts on the use of the means of grace and her rubbing and nuzzling my hands. 🙂 (VERY happy Jen.)

The flight was OK despite the screaming brats in front of me. (Their parents weren’t even trying to keep their kids quiet.) The drive to Redwood Falls was long because I was nervous but also trying to sleep. Everyone here is so nice — Minnesotans are a lot like Canadians in that way. We ran into one of our classmates (who was assigned here last spring and has been a pastor here for a year) and we’re going to try and get together with him and his wife tomorrow and/or do church with them on Sunday. We start interviewing at the first church on Sunday afternoon and we have 4 total.

Anywho… keep us in prayer. The good news is that I’m really loving this area and I’m really excited about this process.