So, what are you doing after you graduate?

Okay, here's part 1 of the latest news.

First of all, I have an answer to the all-too-frequent question, "What are you going to do after you graduate?" I will be heading back to good old Sonoma and going on Young Life staff there. It is at least a 2 year commitment to complete the training, and then we'll see what happens after that. Our area director, Debbie, is one of my favorite people in the world, and I'm really excited to be working with her. Plus, she needs help--currently she is the only staff member in our whole area, and that is a BIG job. It is a paid position, but I need to raise the majority of my own support (yay for ministry jobs!).

I'm excited about this step for a lot of reasons. First of all, although God has been sending more art opportunities my way than I know what to do with (more on that later), it's going to be awhile before I can depend solely on my artwork for a living. So I'd have to find some kind of job anyways, and I'd much rather be doing something I'm passionate about (kids, camp, youth ministry, messy games, etc.) than working at Safeway or something. Secondly, it's a flexible job that will allow me to continue to build my art career on the side. Thirdly, I'll get to continue my education, meet incredible people, hang out with junior high and high schoolers, and get paid for it! Woot!

Finally, I have felt strongly called to Sonoma for a long time. I love that town, I love the people, I love the schools, the teachers, the bajillion "____ and Wine" festivals. My roots are there and, as much as I love APU and have had an INCREDIBLE college experience, I'm ready to invest in a community that isn't going to disappear after a semester. I want to dig in to that town, go to the football games and band concerts, help plan the Young Life banquets, do the car washes, all that good stuff!

It really feels like this is the right thing to do, a good next step. God even worked out a roommate situation for me, so I won't have to live with my parents! (I love them dearly, but it would feel like a step backward). My good friend Wendi, who is a teacher at my old elementary school and goes to our church, will be moving to Sonoma in May (when I graduate--how perfect is that!) and needs a roommate. Glory be!

So! That's enough for one post--more to come later!