Summer (trips)
Dan started work this week and is enjoying the challenge and stimulation of being busy again. I’m happy that he got full-time shifts for October and that so far he doesn’t have to work any overnight shifts aside from one this Friday. I’m sure he’d welcome thoughts and prayers for job stability and for the wisdom and compassion needed to work with the kids and teens. He says he’s learning a ton already.
I’ve been enjoying cheap flights and free time. I visited my mom and sibs over Labor Day weekend. Two years apart was a long time and it was great to re-connect. They are all getting to be so grown-up. Only two in high school! It felt odd to be in MN again after 3 years, passing each exit on the freeway and reminiscing. Didn’t feel like home. But I’m not sure if Grand Rapids or Chicago would feel like home either.
My next trip was to CA to hang with friends who are all clustered in Northern CA. It felt way too short, but was amazingly relaxing. Hung out with Nan and John in Berkeley and San Francisco. Made me miss movie night sleep-overs in Japan from over a year ago. Stayed with Erica ( :-D ) and Matt in between Modesto and Fresno. Kind of the middle of nowhere. We drove an hour to get to a mall, haha. I’ve really missed her and it’s so nice to be back on the same continent and even in the same time zone!! Someday we’ll be back in the same city. ;-) I wish more good friends from Calvin were closer. Why is America so big? ;-P and why are flights to the other side of it so expensive?! Got to see Melinda for a fun hang-out at a farmer’s market and swap meet near Sacramento and it made me happy to see how she’s doing and see her smile again. Once again, two years on the other side of the planet is a looong time. Last but not least I had amazing fro-yo with Jenni and Eliot and got to talk about life and all the exciting but sometimes overwhelming and confusing changes and decisions. Congrats to the most adorable bride and groom. Seriously gorgeous. Definitely a people-focused trip. I’ll need to go back and be a tourist some other time.
Next trip will be a bit closer. We’re planning on seeing Cassandra and then Matt in Portland! Taking our Sonata out for a road trip. :-). Also, crossing my fingers that Jules will make it down here or vice versa in October. And then it should be Thanksgiving at the Fruehs’ in NJ. Yup, we’re really back. :-)
I’m currently busy organizing myself for school which starts in t minus 10 days. Also remembering/learning how to make healthy yummy food on a budget. Fitting in my last leisurely fiction reading before life gets crazy. Just got an email about a lecture being presented for my program on “Using Surface Electromyography to Study Vocal Hyperfunction” haha. Nope, I have no idea what that is… yet. Who am I kidding… I love that kind of stuff, haha.
