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July 30, 2006
Let's Recap
Independence Day weekend was at the Lake House with Sister's Inlaws, my parents, and our good friends the Salts.
The next weekend was here in Chattanooga. Sister and her husband joined us Saturday and Sunday.
Tuesday, July 11, we drove to western Kansas. The next day we drove to Colorado and had the rest of that week with my parents.
Sunday, July 16, we drove back to western Kansas. We spent a week in Kansas, though we did rove quite a bit throughout Kansas -- all the way to Wichita.
Monday, July 24, driving halfway to Pennsylvania.
Tuesday, July 25, driving the rest of the way to Pennsylvania.
Wednesday, July 26, driving to Central Pennsylvania and spending the rest of the week there.
Now, Sunday, July 30, driving to Center Hill. My parents are arriving tonight too, after driving from Colorado to Chicago to see Dad's sister and spending the weekend at a Latvian Summer Camp in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Happy Camp starts Thursday, August 3. Sister and Brother in Law arrive Friday night, Aug 4, at 11 pm. Their flight lands at an airport 2 hours away.
The Dude and I leave Monday morning, August 7. Mom and Dad and Sister and Brother in Law leave that afternoon, dropping Sister and Brother in Law back at the airport on their way home to Colorado.
Posted by The Newest Worker at 06:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Where Everybody Knows My Name
It's a terribly easy thing to romanticize the past. I have missed Central Pennsylvania so much, and am remembering the sweetness of Christian fellowship I experienced while I lived here.
My weekly Bible Study. An elder and his wife host it, the elder teaches, and the atmosphere of sharing prayer requests, praying together, and studying scripture together has not changed. The fellowship and brotherly love is still there, and I delighted to be included again, just for an evening.
My friends Mark and Holly. Mark was one of my colleagues and I ended up having dinner at their place once a week and watching TV with Holly while Mark did Something Else (never did know what that was...renovating or something). Anyway, Holly and I watched Survivor together every week. They were good friends and it's been just lovely to have spent time with them again this week.
My church here. They meet in a different place now, but it's the same church and the heart of passionate love for the Savior and for his Body are still there, and people were truly delighted to see me again. It's nice to be remembered and welcomed!
But I was saying that I can romanticize much too easily. My school year was terribly hard here. It's a good school but like all schools has its foibles and blind spots. The weather got me down (though locals said it was an unusually bright winter). And traveling to see the Dude was very wearing--though it was also tough to love him so much and live so far away from him.
The pressure got so high that I had panic attacks. Sometimes once a day. Certainly on Sunday nights when it was time to leave my 'date weekend' with the Dude and head back home. It was tough, and the Lord has been good to me.
Here's a thought. Possibly it's cliche and cheaply touching. But I still think it's a good thought.
It's when the nights are darkest that we can see the welcoming home light all the more clearly.
And that's what those fellowship groups were to me: welcoming home lights. Praise God for them.
Posted by The Newest Worker at 06:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 26, 2006
Steelers Fans Live Here
Last night we had dinner with The Dude's Brother and his new wife...well, wife of 6 months.
We haven't heard from them in a while and had a really nice time. Too bad we live so far apart; regular communication is difficult. But God is gracious. He gives us ways and means, and occasional visits. You know, tonight we met at Eat'n'Park at 9:15 and left at midnight, talking the whole time. Aaaaah.
Today we had lunch with our friends from the Dude's church -- the couple which hosted me every time I visited The Dude during our Courtship year -- and their four kids. What a nice family. I miss them already.
Posted by The Newest Worker at 05:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 24, 2006
Effingham
Tonight we are spending the night in Effingham.
The name makes me giggle.
There's a big (really big!) cross just to the south of I-70 here. It's lit up.
We found a good motel and are going to Pittsburgh tomorrow.
Nothing much more to say from Effingham. It's in Indiana.
Posted by The Newest Worker at 05:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 23, 2006
Kansas Flatlands
It's not really a high, like you get from the breathtaking heart attack beauty of the Rockies, but it's still a quiet beauty, a response to years (centuries? millennia?) of wind and rain and snow blowing all the way in from the Dakotas and all the way to Texas.
It's flat here, but beautiful, and it's been a blessed week of learning about and being with and being immersed in the Work Zone -- with help from my Work Guide The Dude and my SIL the Work Sister.
I miss my family and my childhood home but I am learning about all the places that are also dear to my heart, and wonder of wonders, this place is dear to my heart also, and I didn't even know it.
Posted by The Newest Worker at 08:22 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 13, 2006
Rocky Mountain High
When we got in sight of the mountains, and I saw how clearly you could see trees (you can see every tree on the mountain ridge, even though it's about 20 miles away!), and I saw the familiar bluest-sky-you-ever-saw with the lovely poofy clouds you can see for miles and miles, I cried.
I have missed my Colorado.
It's not humid! I've been sitting on my parents' deck in the heat of the afternoon (the bank said it was 93 degrees today). Outdoors and haven't been dying of heat prostration, because the breeze moves and the heat dissipates so much more readily.
Aaaaah, summer. Aaaaah, Colorado. What a lovely combination.
Posted by The Newest Worker at 08:29 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 10, 2006
Jiggity Jog and Off I Go
So the Dude and I are home from the Lake House. Much fun was had by all. Some of us burned, but not badly. I did not, thanks to 50 spf--which also kept the Dude from tanning at all. Mr. Salt got sore muscles but got back out on the Wake Board and loosened them up again. I learned that Mrs. Salt is afraid of standing in water where she can't see the bottom.
We had our One Year Celebration.
And now we are up laaaate packing for our Journey West. Leaving at 4 am. About 4 hours from now. So I sign off. Stay tuned. I'll update eventually. I know you're all salivating for more.
Posted by The Newest Worker at 11:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack