Touching base and keeping you in the loop

Wow - another whirlwind week has passed us by! I can't believe how quickly time is passing. I think stateside, I might be blogging, but once per week (maybe twice if I can manage). There is just so much going on with the wedding, starting my job again, seeing friends & family, and getting the house ready to live in again. Amy and I still haven't found my can-opener! I really wanted some tuna fish... alas.

The past week has been really busy, but VERY productive. I've nearly completed a 2 page letter and 4 page newsletter to send to supporters, Amy and I had TWO pre-marital counseling sessions, and I ran 3 miles for the first time since college.

I've been running to try and stay in shape some. The lifestyle here in America is really different and I walk a LOT less here than when I was in Russia. I feel like my health lies in the balance sometimes. I've already been up 7 lbs since I've been home (that's 3.5 kilo for any non Americans out there), but I'm clinging to only being 3 lbs heavier than Russia. The biggest reason for the health kick is that my back never hurt in Russia and today is the second day with the intense knot in my lower back. So I gotta do what it takes to get rid of that!

So about running. I started off with 1 mile 3 times a week. And then after 5 times, I jumped up to 2 miles. Well, after the first week - I cut 1.5 minutes from my 2 mile! It's still nothing to write home about, but I'm really excited to be active regarding my health.

Amy and I are planning to run a 5k race on the 4th of July... she'll kick my butt, but it'll be fun to run a race.

Flushing Drinking Water

I hope this isn't too uncouth, but I was at the Michigan Union today and I (clears throat) used the facilities. I noticed that the urinal flushes 1 gallon of water and that the toilet flushes 3 gallons. I was amazed at how much good water we use here in America for something like flushing a toilet. When I visited Amy in Kenya there wasn't even running water and certainly not for drinking. It just really amazes me the privileges that we have here. I'm learning about how to have my eyes open to how different our lives are here and to appreciate what we have.

I'm not sad that we have this access and that we are so blessed, I just want to appreciate how much we've been given just by the nature of our birth into this country and to recognize that there are so many that don't have these things.

I also miss some of the simplicity of life and want to figure out how to lay claim to it a bit more here.

Meetings...

I go to lots of meetings now. It's a good thing. But I'd forgotten about being in them. Sitting there listening to people talk and they always go longer than they should. Gotta figure out how to help people end meetings on time.

Who's that singing solo?

Amy and I headed up north yesterday to visit my parents in my hometown (Bellaire, MI) I can't believe how beautiful it is up here. It is so peaceful. The sound of frogs croaking in the marsh and the wind rustling in the trees is so relaxing. There is hardly any light when it's dark and I SO enjoy the DEEP sleep that I experience here in my childhood home. I miss being here and the true relaxation that I experience here. Thanks mom and dad for choosing a paradise in which to raise the children!

On Saturday, dad sang in his barbershop chorus. It was INCREDIBLE. There were about 40 guys singing in incredible harmony. Dad's also in a quartet and sings the very difficult baritone part. It's basically the invisible part that blends the other voices together. I was so AMAZED at the afterglow when dad sang a SOLO! Usually the baritone's don't have a solo part and he was SO good! I was really proud. I'll post some pictures if they turn out!

First day of Work

Whoa. I was not prepared for how much changed in the year I was gone. Almost all for the good, but so much change. And really I think I wasn't prepared for how much I would forget. Not the really important or basic things, but acronyms and names and where buildings are on campus. Not to mention that some buildings are just, well, missing. Or new ones are being built.

I am glad to be back for the year that Amy and I are establishing our marriage, and excited to reconnect with work friends and to make a difference in people's lives once more here in Ann Arbor.