colorado

[picture #1: at horn creek conference center, in the mountains, on a retreat, #2: Bethany, me, Mallory, and Kathryn: roommates, in front of Focus, #3: at the retreat. magic circle (i'm in the pink), #4: in Denver at the Colorado Rockies' baseball game]

i'm taking time this afternoon, time that i shouldn't be taking, but it is important to me to update this blog!
i'm currently between lunch and my internship. we had class this morning 8-1130. actually this is the usual schedule m-f.
things have been wonderful here. the weather, for example...it has been in the 80's and 90's since i arrived 3 1/2 weeks ago...and no humidity- which isn't great for the curls/waves, but as for personal comfort- couldn't be happier.
and have i mentioned our apartments? and our neighborhood. beyond my wildest dreams, if i can say that. if you care to see what i'm talking about, here's a quick tour:

http://www.forrent.com/apartment-community-profile/1015562.php

there was so much more that i was bursting to write about, but i have been distracted by all the bustling people that are constantly around. however, i am not complaining about that. i do get my own space on occasion and the people here are just so much fun, wonderful people to learn alongside, to be encouraged by, to learn from, as well as to laugh with, play with, eat with, and the all-important studying and reading. our professors at the institute keep us p l e n t y busy with hours of work. but again, i am not really complaining. the reading has been fantastic stuff...a couple of my favorites thus far include:

Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The American Leadership Tradition by Marvin Olasky
Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
The Power of Commitment by Scott M. Stanley

So- here is just a brief synopsis of what's going on here with me. i'm sure i have barely scratched the surface but its a start.

oh, and here's my address since i love getting mail...almost a month and still waiting on that experience...

tammy dykstra
870 robbie view dr. apt. 421
colorado springs, co 80920

[peace]

settle

http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001699.cfm

boundless

today
i received my assignment for my internship/practicum for the semester.
the ministry is a branch of focus on the family.
check
it
out.

http://www.boundless.org/2005/aboutus.cfm

fresh air

well well well
i am finally here.
and things are good.
i really couldn't be more pleased regarding all the details of life here.
this apartment is wonderful, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 roommates + me.

mallory is 22, from oklahoma. she just finished her student-teaching and graduated from...i can't remember. she is our extrovert. she's great, a lot of fun, and makes me laugh a lot, which you know i need...she has a brother in town and says that she will have plenty of family and friends visiting over the course of the semester.
bethany shares my room. she 22. she's sweet and an introvert. makes for some good quiet moments in our room for which i am so thankful :) she is from a missionary family that lived and worked in tanzania for quite a few years, though she considers herself to be from east tennessee.
kathryn 23 and is from pennsylvania. she is also quiet and kind. and i think we have deemed her a genius. ha! maybe not quite, but she is a very humble sort of woman who loves to learn, is very responsible, and a hard worker. and she brought this sweet poster of chili peppers, which i love, that is hanging in our dining room.

and our apartment is only minutes from the closest grocery stores, coffee shops, goodwill, etc., most of it between 1/2 mile and a mile away.
oh and by the way, my address is:

870 robbie view apt. 421
colorado springs, co 80920

you should write to me :)