My BIG Arrival

So today I finally got to training today! Memphis is a beautiful place and my accommodations are more than I need. My roommate is from New York, also young and friendly. The day began early around 4am with a crying child because her space had been invaded in the bed. After moving the sleepy invader to his bed she went back to sleep. I stayed awake till around 0530 then caught about and hour nap before jumping up to shower and frantically finish packing! Around 0745 we headed for the airport. We all crammed into the car and made the desperate journey through 0800 traffic between Katy and the rest of the world. Got checked in and then stood in the security line that stretched from the body scanners (scary) to the entry doors to the terminal (WHAT?! Fo' real!). I had a terribly uneventful flight from Houston to Memphis. My seat partner was also a PCA member from Colorado Springs, we chatted about his Tim Keller book The Reason for God. His church is starting an evangelical training course called Christianity Explored, and he is tweaking the material with some of Tim's ideas about witnessing. I found it a good sign that he was my seat companion. Once in Memphis, with my 70+ pounds of luggage, I snatched up a man to help me carry it around till I found a trolley. Turns out I had grabbed a fellow trainee to help me. He then began to sweep up all the other trainees' luggage and lug it to the trolley. After standing in the Memphis heat for  about 45 minutes our hotel shuttle picked us up and got us to some air conditioning. I got checked in and hauled up the enormous amount of luggage to my new home. I then spent the next 3 hours unpacking and organizing my store of goodies (SURPRISE!!! I didn't forget anything, or haven't realized it yet!). I am constrained to a small microwave and an even tinier mini fridge to live off of for the next three weeks. I packed lots of uncle ben's rice and peanut butter. Went down to the lobby later and met more of my training class and ordered pizza with a fella named Eugene from New Jersey. I opted not to go out to dinner with some of my comrades as they were going out for BBQ and I am trying to spend conservatively. Has anyone heard of Marlowe's BBQ with the pink limo? You call them to pick you up, and they show up in a pink limo...Folk's, I've seen it all. I ate more of my lunch pizza for dinner, and it will probably be lunch tomorrow too. There is only enough room in the mini fridge for a small jelly container, a personal soda bottle, 2 small gladware containers, and maybe a public school lunch sized milk carton...and I have to share that crazy tiny space (yes, Fo' real!!). I have no pictures from today except one that mom took as we headed out the door this morning. With pizza crumbs in my bed, and a sigh of sadness for missing family, friends, and Gigi, I bid you good evening and happy travels!

P.S. I have a double bed, which is fabulous!!!!!! (past 6 months spent sharing a twin with the dog)