Important News

For the last 6 weeks I've been working in La Crosse, Wisconsin along the banks of the Mississippi River (as seen below).

My job involves working in an urgent care center attached to a hospital. I have regular shifts and no overnight call. At first I didn't know if I would enjoy this type of work, but I'm really loving it. The work is fast paced and full of variety. I find I'm having lots of fun on the job, and I enjoy going to work. Consequently (and for many other reasons), I've decided to put down roots. After a few interviews, I was offered the job a couple of weeks ago on a permanent basis, and I just signed my contract last week.

This means I'm moving to Wisconsin, an area of the country that I've come to love. The topography is very reminiscent of the Missouri Ozarks, and I've been enjoying frequent hikes in the bluffs and along the river. The town I'm working in has 3 smaller universities and a similar vibe as Lawrence, Kansas, with lots of unique shops, bookstores, and restaurants (did I mention the homemade ice cream parlor?) . The downtown has many buildings on the national historic registry and has a great riverfront park. Tree-lined neighborhoods have small parks hidden throughout and invite denizens to evening strolls down leafy lanes.

Though (and perhaps because) it is smaller than where I grew up, this area has a great quality of life. The town has a symphony, several theatre companies, minor league sports teams, an airport served by major airlines, an extensive bike (or cross country ski) trail network, multiple state parks within 1 hour drive with tons of hiking/camping, lakes for fishing or watersports within 10 minutes, a local ski hill, a mall, all the big box stores I've grown accustomed to (home depot, best buy, etc.), and the universities which have vital performing arts programs throughout the school year.

Additionally, I've found a church that I like. It is very similar to the church I attend when I'm in KC, and I'm looking forward to becoming involved in a community of believers again (something not really possible with the vagabond lifestyle.)

The move to La Crosse, Wisconsin (as seen above - if you look close enough, you can actually see the hospital where I work) has actually been developing over the last decade ever since I first drove through the town and felt that gentle tug of excitement. I've been all over the country and experienced many great places since then - places that were more beautiful, spectacular, cultured, and sophisticated, but I couldn't get this community out of my head. Each time I visited on a weekend off or a camping trip to the region, I felt like this would someday be home. I just had to wait for the proper timing. I'll give more details in person of how things Providently worked out. For now I don't know fully what is to come, but a new season is beginning.