When I was very young, summers seemed to last forever. As an adult, I've accepted that time goes flying by - but now I wonder, will it ever stop surprising and amazing me just how fast the weeks and months pass?
August was a bit of a blur - the final days of our support raising tour. Our goal was to get to 100% of our pledges by the end of August, and thanks to so many of you who have generously committed to partner with us, we received our weekly statement on Septemer 1 and found that we had met that goal!! (Of course, if you still want to contribute financially, it's not too late! We anticipate our budget needs increasing over the next year as we consider taking on some additional roles, responsibilities, and expenses after we return to Kapsowar.) We are now freed up to turn our attention to the many administrative tasks that need to be completed before we return (not fun) and studying for my OB/Gyn oral board exam (even more not fun). But don't worry about us - we've planned plenty of small trips and fun activities to keep up busy!
Here is our report of our August activities. We began the month in Kalamazoo at Alongside (www.alongsidecares.net) at a 2-week program for medical missionaries and their families. Kris and I attended large group sessions with lectures addressing some of the common challenges people and families face while working and serving in a cross-cultural setting, including burnout, conflict management, cross-cultural challenges, and other stressors. We also had small group therapy sessions and individual/couples meetings with a therapist. Dominic attended the kids program, where all the same information was covered but in a kid-friendly way (if you think of it, ask Dominic to describe the amydala sometime. It's worth a laugh!).
I took almost no pictures there because of confidentiality, but let me assure you it was beautiful and a very helpful experience for our family.
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Dominic received a spoon that changes colors with temperature! That kept him entertained for a while!
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From Kalamazoo we were picked up by our good friends Paul and Renae, and stayed with them in Grand Rapids for several nights. We were able to visit with friends from undergrad (Dordt), medical school (Grand Rapids), and even residency (Utah) during that short visit!
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| A warm day at Lake Michigan |
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| Visiting with friends |
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| We ate LOTS of ice cream! |
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| And learned some new (old) games |
From Western Michigan we took a train over to Port Huron, where my Aunt Sonja graciously picked us up in the middle of the night. We stayed with my grandma ("Beppe") for a few days and visited with lots of my dad's extended family (uncles, aunts, and cousins).
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| Bee-keeping lesson |
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| Lots of time by the pool! |
We rented a car in Sarnia with a plan to drive it through Eastern Ontario, on into Quebec, and then down through Vermont to New Hampshire. We made it as far as Toronto when the transmission started to fail...and the only replacement we could get was a Chevy 2500 pickup truck. Four hours of driving and $80 worth of fuel later, we were able to trade that in for a Passat, which *only* had trouble with tire pressure and coolant (actually, lack thereof). But we ultimately made it safely to all of our intended stops.
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| Eating Beaver Tails with cousins in Eastern Ontario |
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| Hiking in New Hampshire |
In all of our travels, we have been so grateful for the hospitality we have received, and for the generosity of our friends and family. We haven't had to stay in a hotel or pay for lodging for a single night!! (Well, of course we paid for our lodging at Alongside as part of that program, but you get what I mean.)
So, we decided to splurge and spend a night on the US side of Niagara Falls...and go to the Rainforest Cafe (a 7-year-old boy's dream...not exactly the same experience for his parents who wondered why the floor was SO sticky, and what else might not be adequately cleaned)...and go on the Maid of the Mist for a close up look at Niagara Falls.
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| Ready to set sail - still pretty dry! |
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| After the boat ride (my phone stayed safely in my bag during the trip, so you'll have to take my word for it - Niagara Falls is magnificent!) |
We wrapped up our trip to Ontario with a family reunion - my parents, along with my brother and sister-in-law, flew over from the west coast and we all enjoyed a few days hanging out together.
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| Have I mentioned that we ate a LOT of ice cream this summer? |
Our first activity in Washington was the Evergreen State Fair, complete with snakes,
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| A bloomin' onion... |
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| ...and a car smashing, fire breathing robot-dragon. |
It's been quite a summer. See you next month!!
