Time lately feels like it is going warp speed ahead. Despite my utter frustrations with the thesis process and the professors involved, in a week from today I will be defending my thesis to these people. It has not snuck up on me because I have been waiting for it to happen for a month and some days now. I am determined to defend my thesis to the death (figuratively of course) so I do not have to make any further changes and can go forth from now on, meeting the appropriate deadlines.
One thing that has snuck up on me though is Jason's first call process. A few weeks ago, he got a call from the bishop of Montana synod saying she would like him to interview with a two point parish in small town Montana. This town is called Fairfield and is located 20-25 minutes away from the continental divide of the Rocky Mountains. The bigger city in the area is Great Falls which is 40 miles East and the county seat is 20 miles or so north.
Being a city girl, this will be a huge transition for me, but I am more and more excited to start that new adventure, despite the initial anxiety it will cause. Anyway, a week or so later, he got a call from the assistant to the bishop who is currently leading services at the parishes until they hire a full-time pastor (Jason?!) Last Thursday the church council and call committee received Jason's name as a candidate to interview for the pastor position and they called him right away to talk to him and figure out when he could go out for said interview. Jason called them back on Saturday and it looks like we will be heading to Fairfield, MT the last weekend in April for the interview. They are flying me out as well to be a part of the process which I am happy about. I've been told that after the interview, the council and call committee will have a vote about Jason and then will extend the vote a few weeks later to the whole congregation. If they vote yes to hire Jason on as their pastor, they will extend him a call and then things will go from warp speed to chaos.
We are beginning the discussion of when he should start. We are thinking the middle to last part of June, mostly because we will need time to pack up our crap and move it out to the parsonage in Fairfield. I am going to be done with my job at the office at the end of May, probably the week before or the week of graduation, which is on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.
Of course, this is all predicated on the fact that Jason is extended a call to this two point parish in Fairfield, but who am I kidding; they'll love him.
Then after graduation if Jason is extended the call, there is his ordination. And moving. And saying good-bye to my family and friends who are in Minnesota. And the 3-Day walk in August with the weekend before being the wedding of two fantastic friends of ours. And getting a job to pay for student loans and our two dogs. And learning how to garden and crochet (again.) And........... Will I ever get to relax?! Who knows!
So time right now and for the forseeable future is going warp speed ahead captain and I am along for the ride.
