Teaching. Public school. Teenagers. Day one. WOW. Energy is drained, eyes are heavy, feet are achy, back is sore, and my heart is…HAPPY. It is full. What a journey, what an adventure…

Today, I started my first day of teaching Sports Medicine and Health Care courses at PRHS. I was blessed to start off my morning bright and early at 6:30am, sitting across the table at Vic’s Café with a former Bearcat. This promising athletic training student will begin her college experience today as she drives across the country to the beautiful state of Idaho. We sat, laughing, drinking coffee and eating delightful breakfasts, as we shared excitement, mild anxiety, and some nervousness about our new adventures. It’s crazy to believe I only met this sweet gal two weeks ago. It’s funny how God brings various people into our lives, to teach us, grow us, challenge us, stretch us, and encourage us. I can’t wait to hear about what God does in her life as she transitions into college!

After she left breakfast and we said a quick “see you in January,” I had a few minutes before I needed to leave for school. I flipped my journal open and began to write. But before I wrote my first word, I realized I hadn’t written an entry since June. My last entry was from June 12^th, which was a few days before I made my decision to accept the position at PRHS to serve as Head Athletic Trainer and ROP Instructor for various health care career pathways. I sat down to write a pro’s/con’s list at Linnea’s coffee house in SLO, waiting to have a long list of “cons” to talk myself out of this new offer. I never made it to writing that list. A few phone calls later, lots of prayer, followed by some tears, I came to the decision that this was an opportunity I could not pass up. I love how God did the work of making a “pro/con” list for me…I never wrote a word on either side of my paper. It has stayed blank since the 12th and this morning, I found it again. This morning and even tonight, I am thanking God for leading me here, to this city and to this new job. He has led me through some of the most challenging, scary, sorrowful, and unknown moments of my life thus far (let along the last 6 months), and He has proven himself absolutely worthy of not only my trust, but my life.

I have now lived in Paso Robles as an official resident for three weeks and two days.  As I prepared for this move and fairly radical life change-friends, family, city, church, job-I didn’t think too much about what the actual move would truly feel like. As friends have asked how I’ve been doing and sincerely caring for and about me, I have been overwhelmed at my own process of emotions. While the word “easy” does not seem to fit, this life transition has felt “right.” I used to think a new location never really starts as feeling like “home.” A home is built, it is worn and added to; stones are removed and then replaced and finally find their proper placement. We all have to start somewhere. While I believe these statements to be true, I am also surprised at the comfort, peace, joy, excitement, and even adrenaline I have felt during this transition. It all happened so quickly–the job, the move, and the overwhelming sense of peace in a new place. I absolutely loved my first week and a half working football camp and meeting my new students. I loved decorating my house and am grateful for the visits, cards, and delightful “parent weekend” I have been blessed to have since I moved at the end of July. If I could only use two words to describe my current state, it would be these: blessed and peace-filled. With excitement, anticipation, joy, and hope, I can confidently say Paso Robles is my new home. Cheers!