Post-Harry Post

I am back into reality, seeing as how I have finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

It's quite a thing for me, because I've spent so much time with Harry these last years...I wrote my college thesis about these books...I've waited and waited to read the end, and now I finally have. It was a wonderful ending, pulling together all the loose ends (every single one), and completing the series. The scope of the whole series comes into focus in this one book, and you can see how all the other books have just been set-up for the final chapters. It's astounding, and a wonderful work of fiction.

In other news, we spent the afternoon at Covenant getting some details worked out. Teaching this year is out of the picture...at least it is for this semester...but instead I will take classes to renew my teaching license. I'm excited about being a student again, and the challenge to organize my time will be good for me.

As for the cost...I have to go work on that issue now. More updates on the way.

Personality Profile

Home Again, Home Again

Well, we made it home. It took much longer than expected, but we saw some new country and helped family out to boot.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=Colorado+Springs,+Colorado&daddr=Quinter,+Kansas+to:Toronto,+Kansas+to:Cassville,+Missouri+to:Savannah,+Hardin,+Tennessee,+United+States+to:Ringgold,+Georgia&mrcr=4&mra=pi&sll=37.07142,-96.533695&sspn=17.714922,29.619141&ie=UTF8&ll=37.579413,-90.878906&spn=17.59373,29.619141&z=5&om=1

If you click on the link, you will see our approximate route. Exeptions: we never took an interstate (except for the 30 miles between Oakley and Quinter), and we didn't veer south into Alabama.

It was really neat to see new country, especially the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, but I think I am ready for the Interstates again for a long while. Unless we take into account that the back roads simply take more time!

Now we are home. We have A's (my sister-in-law) car with us because we couldn't figure out how to get her car, the moving truck, and the minivan down here with only two drivers (A and J, my mother-in-law). So...here we are with two cars.

Work is...work. I am still on the hunt for other work, but I haven't heard anything. That's part of my quest today.

And I am in Harry Potter Land. The 7th and final installment is flipping its pages by my eyes as they read. It's different than I expected but so, so good! I am only about 200 pages from the end and savoring every word.

Keep in touch. I miss you all, my family who live too far away.

Gulf Shores

This blog is primarily for my family and friends who know me to keep up with me. However, others might read it. So here is some family cuteness for you!

Here is a photo of most of my family at Gulf Shores, Alabama:
From the left are my brother-in-law, my mom, my dad, my sister, our good friend D, and my aunt. They are toasting the upcoming sunset and eating Maija's fresh-made pico de gallo. Yum!

My friend C (D's wife) is a very skilled photographer and a good blogger. Here is a super photo that she took of the sand dunes in front of our very cool beach house:

And one more photo, this one of the very cute beach house:

When I find a scanner I will post some of my photos from the trip. I am behind the times and only have a film camera.

In the meantime, here is a good thing to read.

Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. --Psalm 65:4-7

Kansas Sunsets

We are in Kansas.

After a 19 hour drive yesterday, we finally made it.

I'm still a little road weary and tired, so I can't think of anything else to say. But we are here. The weather is good -- the heat is down because it rained earlier, and the sunset last night while we were driving was so beautiful.

Counting Down Gulf Shores

9: Number of Adults

2: Little Girls

96: Amount of Eggs Bought and Consumed

2: Packages of Oreos eaten

3: Number of Times I, Personally, Went into Town

7: Days We Spent on the Beach

4: Number of Bedrooms

6: Number of Hours We Drove to Get to Gulf Shores

Coming Home

It's always hard to come home from a vacation, don't you think? Especially when I've been looking forward to a family vacation for so long. I've gotten spoiled by living in a beach house with my family for a whole week, and coming back home. But we had a wonderful visit with our friends from Florida, Beth and Eddie.

Eddie was Ian's third groomsman. They were roommates in college for a semester, but they also worked the grounds crew together for work study, and also ran on the cross country team together. They have a lot in common and it was nice to have their company for a couple days.

Coming up: We are driving to Quinter, Kansas, where Ian's parents live, for a few days there. I will leave early and drive on to Colorado, where my parents and family live, and Ian will join me later in the week. It will be good to be together again, and it is nice to have something else to look forward to.