Examination, ordination, and a visit from our parents

Yesterday afternoon I dropped my parents off at the airport. It was a big deal - watching them walk through those industrial-sized sliding glass doors, suitcases in hand. Not only did it signal the last time that I'd get to see them for a long time, but it symbolized the end of a four-week stretch of time that was loaded with significance.

At the beginning of March, we successfully passed our classical exams. To be honest, the best word to describe our experience is anticlimatic. I'm not exactly sure what I expected to happen. But I'm pretty sure that what I wanted to have happen isn't what ended up happening. We got questions that didn't challenge us all that much, and because of that, we didn't feel like we got the opportunity to share who we were or how we thought about things, and that left us all feeling disappointed. That being said, after it was all said and done, Dave, myself, and Chelsey (our dear friend who was also examined that day) were welcomed into the minister by Classis BC-NW. Everyone stood up, applauded, and the prayed over us. Even though it was anticlimatic, the smiles, handshakes, and hearty congratulations from our new colleagues is what I want to remember most.
Our ordination service took place a couple weeks later. The best word to describe our experience of that is "overwhelming". It was overwhelming partly because it's a lot of work to plan a worship service. We also wanted to do a dinner afterward, and neither of us have a lot of practice in providing food for a large group of people. (Thankfully no one left hungry.) But it wasn't just the planning that was overwhelming; it was the thing itself. Ever since coming to Victoria, I've been wondering when it's going to hit me. I've been wondering when the reality of our decision, our move, and our new work would finally sink in. Well, our ordination has made this all very real to me. It felt so official. And it has left me sad and scared and excited and grateful.

Both sets of our parents were able to spend some time with us these past few weeks. They wanted to attend the ordination service, so Tony and Lori came out the week before, Ted and Sara were here the week after, and everyone was here the weekend of. Everyone stayed with us! It was convenient to be in the same place, but also a bit cramped. Our guest room is spacious but we only have one, so Dave and I created a third bedroom by setting up our tent on the back porch. It was cold, but adventurous. I'm glad we experimented with sleeping outside in March, but I doubt we'll do it again.

It was special that they could be here. We ate good food. We took long walks. We explored the city. This is us on top of Mount Douglas. It's wasn't the clearest of days, but the view, as always, was great.
Like I said, we said good-bye just yesterday. Fridays are the day of the week that Dave and I take off, and as I write this, I feel really glad for that. It's been a loaded couple of weeks, and I'm in need of the down time.