The White Pine Stampede

Today is a tough day for me. In eighth grade I volunteered for the first time in my life. I shoveled snow with Susie Redfern and Kara Johnson to cover a road crossing for the white pine stampede. It's a cross country ski race in my hometown. There are typcially 3 races (10K, 20K, and 50K). And I've volunteered every year since, until this year. 21 years. Whoa. This would have been my 22nd year. But I'm in Russia. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be, because this is where G-d wants me to be, but there are often moments when I'd like to be with Amy in Africa (or have her here!)... but today, I want to be in Michigan, standing out in the freezing cold, drinking hot cocoa, and calling out the numbers of the racers crossing the finish line with Eliot and Jason. Bert, Rick, Charles, Shan - miss you all, especially today! It's white here in Siberia and I'm thinking of you all.