1992

In June, Lynn and I graduated from Cedarville College.

From June til August, we lived in Muskegon, Michigan and both worked at Maranatha Conference Center. We were both lifeguards, and I directed a program for teenagers (for the third year in a row).

In August we abandoned our plans (a week beforehand) to move to Berrien Springs and attend Andrews University and instead moved to Carol Stream, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago.

Lynn accepted a job as a receptionist and office manager at Carol Stream Community Services Center and I worked part time as an assistant pastor at Fellowship Church of Carol Stream and part time as a librarian at the local public library (just two blocks from our apartment).

In my spare time I tried to write a novel and short stories that would help me be accepted into an MFA program in Creative Writing. Lynn worked on becoming a certified teacher for the state of Illinois.

I cooked big meals with very little health-consciousness. I drove a big rusty rickety black 15 passenger van that said CAROL STREAM BAPTIST CHURCH on the side.

We led activities at our church, spent weekends with our best friend from college, Brendon, and watched Northern Exposure faithfully.

We both read so many books that college seemed like a walk in the park. We dreamed of what would be next. We fought over how much time we should spend with friends. We negotiated over how we would make friends together. We filled our apartment with hand-me-downs from Lynn's generous family.