Mighty, Minnie, and maybe a Mickey

What do these three words have in common... a mouse at the end of it. Yes friends, we here at the PULSE house have had some new friends.... or whatever you might call them. Mice. But don't be nervous because we've actually already caught two of them. Even a house full of 8 women can find a way to buy some traps and set them! :) Even if we did have to call our fathers to ask which traps we wanted. We have a chalkboard on the wall and every morning I turn to check if another one was caught.

It's been a pretty uneventful week so far. Work at Union Project is really great and the community that I've surrounded myself with is even better. We eat dinner every night together-- kind of like when I was little!! We talk about our days, our highs and lows, what we have to do this week, when we will be leaving for a PULSE fair at a college or when visitors are coming over. A lot of things-- but one thing we love happens to be those dinners. It's a time of love, of sharing, of community. What we've all come to realized as what PULSE is for many of us.

Weekend full of love, laughter and stronger friendships...

I think as I sit in the living room with my cup of tea and blanket wrapped around me, I feel the fall weather upon me. I know this because I can turn the tv on at any time during the weekend and Football is on, I can walk out the house with a mug of coffee and feel content, I can wear a few layers and not sweat or freeze to death! It is definitely fall weather. I love fall weather. I love everything that comes with it, but I am struggling a little bit because for the past few years, I was blessed to experience fall weather at Bluffton. A place that I love. A place where at moments notice I could find someone to laugh, hug, cry, sing, smile, and walk about the campus with. It was home. I'm adjusting to Bluffton not being "home" anymore. It's more of a challenge than I expected because I not only left Bluffton, but I left people I love.

This weekend was one that was filled with laughter. On Saturday, Laura, Abbi and I ventured out to Southside to register Laura for the "Great Race" which was happening this weekend. We needed to make sure she got her number for the race, but we also just wanted to explore the city. Sometimes... its a bit difficult to catch the buses on the weekend because they only run every few hours. So.. we ran to the bus stop because we didn't want to miss the bus, only to have to sit for 20 minutes for the next one! We made it to our destination and started to pinpoint places that we have already been, but didn't realize where they were. After we made it home with some delicious Rita's (which I will take everyone i know who comes to Pitt there for dessert) we had some friends over for game night!!! :) Friends, talks, food and the Game of Life! What a great weekend!

This morning was Laura's race and 5 housemates took to the bus and early morning with a sign for Laura! We barely made it downtown because of the detours, but we made it with a few minutes to spare. When we saw her run by we were screaming with excitement and come to find out she was the 11th woman to cross the finish line. Dang Laura!! She was rocking!! With a 10k down... we took our shot at walking a few miles to the "favorite restaurant" in Pitt called Pamela's. Our lovely President raves about these pancakes! Food was delicious.

A few things I love about the city..
1. Free things.
2. Delicious food
3. Transportation--even though it can be frustrating.
4. The PULSE house and "family"

I miss home frequently... but I love that I'm learning a lot about myself and the people I'm with!

Keep Peace.

A Weekly post...

I'm afraid that this is going to be what happens when life gets busy... posts might begin to slow down. This past week has been a good one and a testing one. It is about that point in time when I start to miss home, when I start to miss people I love alot, but also the point in time when I've started to fit in! I really do love Pittsburgh! I love the excitement of my placement, the spirit that my house mates have about change, the love that I get from people all around me. So, it's been a good week but also one that has tested why I'm here.

This weekend half of the house got to go on a church retreat (I wanted to go, but needed to work at Union Project) anyway, it was a test of keeping myself busy! Maggie and I had most of the house to ourselves so we spent a lot of the time together!! From going to Penguins Practices, to grocery shopping, it was an Anna and Maggie sort of weekend! Maggie is a Pittsburgh sports fan born and bred, but I am one that tries to stick it to her every chance i get, esp. with the Steelers.... so it was actually fun watching Maggie at a Pens game... she was crazy-- but I can easily see why, the Pens are fun to watch!! :)

I would love to have visitors if you are ever in Pittsburgh!! :) I have a lot to show people because I really love this city!!

Sending lots and lots of love!

A fake reality....

A phrase my sister (whom I've yet to talk to while being in Pittsburgh--come on Pawsey, is does Illinois not have phones.) Just kidding. I guess they go both ways...

but anyway-- a fake reality. What in the world is that? A place in life where you might have a job, place to stay and food, but also a place where you don't have to pay for bills, heating, water, etc... well, sister- i think we both live in a "fake reality" now. Beth and I are on grocery duty this week and we just returned from Giant Eagle with bags of food and only a little worry of what we spent. Sure we have a budget as a house, but that budget is just for food, stipend, and transportation. A pretty sweet deal. I think that this reality for me is a pretty good decision.

Today is Wednesday- which means we have seminar this afternoon... we are (i think) going over communication and what it means for each individual. It has been a lot of small things that we've been going over, but is also something that is quite important for a house full of women.

:) Something that i've realized within the past few days... we all like to spend time together, but we also like to spend time together in the Kitchen sitting at the table. It's one of my favorite things so far. Whether we are entertaining the people that are on dish duty for the evening, or if we are just sitting drinking, milk, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, we are laughing and talking.

Community Living-- I could get use to this! :)

Seek out Peace-
Anna

So I Live with 7 women

that are amazing... but also are on their own journey.

If you find time, its fun to read what they think about Pittsburgh! :)
Dill, Maggie, and Abbi are just a few! :)

Sending all my love to you.

A place to call "home"

and people that I will grow to love.....

I never thought it would have been in Pittsburgh, Pa, but stranger things could happen! :)
xo

Union Project!

unionproject.org

look it up. I am going to be working here for the next 11 months!! It's a sweet organization!! :)

Can you tell that I started work and I'm really pumped about it??!?!

Can't wait to dive deeper into the Union Project and everything they have ready for me.... it's going to be a really really great year!

xoxo


Search for your Peace,
Ap

The Word Became Flesh...

So throughout this entire week of Orientation on the City of Pittsburgh, PULSE, our individual selves, placements and faith, something that we have been discussing has been how we as Christians are going to go out into this city, into our placements and spread the incredible news of our God. The scripture, the love, the greatness of it all. How can we spend our year in Pittsburgh as someone that was called to follow Christ?

On Friday we dove into John chapter 1 a bit, and by a bit, I mean it was just skimming the incredibleness of this chapter!

The Word Became Flesh

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood[a] it.

6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.[b]

10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,[c] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

As we read through this section of John, Chris (our Director of PULSE) also printed out verse 14 in The Message version...

14The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.

Moved into Neighborhoods with a one-of-a-kind glory. Just what the 8 of us did on Sunday.... we moved into a new neighborhood ready to "make a difference!" Ready to start something new that will bring frustration, challenges, but will also bring love, laughter, friendships, and hope!

Tomorrow I get to see Devon and Kristen at Pittsburgh Mennonite Church!! I cannot wait! It is like another part of this adventure is falling into place...

Find your Peace,
Anna

A prayer of patience....

Sometimes, I think I'll need this more this year than anything....


Lord, teach me to be patient - with life, with people,and with myself. I sometimes try to hurry things along too much, and I push for answers before the time is right. Teach me to trust Your sense of timing rather than my ownand to surrender my will to Your greater and wiser plan. Help me let life unfold slowly, like the small rosebud whose petals unravel bit by bit, and remind me that in hurrying the bloom along, I destroy the bud and much of the beauty therein.

Instead, let me wait for all to unfold in its own time. Each moment and state of growth contains a loveliness. Teach me to slow down enough to appreciate life and all it holds. Amen.