It has been far too long since I last posted. I'm sorry Michigan family members and friends. I know that not all of you can access photos posted on facebook and flickr. I realized that I never posted about my birthday, or our recent trip to Michigan, our day trip to St. Cloud or our recent trip to Wisconsin or my new website. I guess life and stress have just caught up with me. I will try to address general things now and then get to specific events and photos soon.

Jim is doing really well with his position-- in July he met last year's sales numbers within the first week and is on track to do really well this month too. Later on in the year he is probably going to have to go to Las Vegas for a show for work and is probably one of the few people for whom this is not exciting. He has said to me, "Now I will not be able to say with pride that I have never been to Vegas." Jim isn't interested in gambling and if he was going to go just for the entertainment he would like me to be there with him.

I finally made the decision to resign from my nannying position. I do not have anything lined up at the moment, but the stress and negativity in that household were affecting me emotionally and having negative consequences for my health, which are already disappearing. Jim has already noticed that I am much more filled with joy and peace then I was before this decision was made. I will really miss Liam, but the family and I differed on several important child-rearing issues and ultimately it came down to my wanting to work in a position where I am really needed and fulfilling my purpose. I will not discuss everything having to do with this family on as public a format as this out of respect for Liam. Occasionally I have read friends' and acquaintance's blogs where I have thought-- "Ooh-- that is really juicy, but sharing that may come back and bite them in the butt later."

We are looking for a larger place-- preferably a townhouse for while we are looking for a house. We thought that we had a place to rent lined up, but recently got a phone call from the office saying that because the previous tenant had been there for so long the pipes need to be updated to meet current code restrictions, which means that it wouldn't be ready until after our lease is up here. Our current building is nice-- it is so convenient to town and there are sari shops, a couple non-profits and other businesses on the first floor and restaurants within walking distance and target and grocery stores within biking-distance. However, we think that part of the reason we have been so anxious for a home (aside from that once we have a house we are planning on trying to get pregnant, which we are both eager for) is that this place is limited on space and being up so high is somewhat disconnecting from the neighborhood and from nature.

Jim's old place before we got married was so wonderful-- two bedrooms, laundry room, built in cabinets and shelves with mirrors in the dining room, attic and convenient outside access. We fondly remember sitting in the living room in the fall and carving pumpkins with the screen door open and the rain falling outside. Or hearing the birds in the trees outside as we ate dinner-- everything combined to make it feel like a small house. To then move here to a one-bedroom apartment high up in the air and to add my possessions to the mix has made for some confined feelings. That is not to say that our living space is horrible. we have been able to decorate inexpensively and comfortably. Thankfully our taste in furniture and thrifty natures are in sync. Things like our new TV, our couch and other post-matrimonial purchases has made our home as cozy as this space can be.

We are trying to ride our bikes more, and to go on more long walks, but the humidity of late has made that really difficult. I didn't think it was possible, but MN has even more humidity than MI. The weather gauge on one station regularly classifies the weather as, tropical. The Cities are also an island of heat because of all of the blacktop, so we have tried to get out of town more often.

One thing we are anticipating eagerly is the MN State Fair, which is a BIG DEAL out here. I don't even know of a Michigan State Fair, so we are excited for such an uniquely MN and agri-centered event. The Twin Cities are very urban and have so much culture and modernity, but as we have explored more we have seen how the cities are an island almost separate from the rest of the state. Occasionally we see reports of cattle or horses being stolen, and increasingly reports of people releasing their horses to wander because they are unable to care for them in the current economy.

I will try to update soon with photos and individual posts about trips and events.


Blessings!