Estoy flotando.

Blue door meet Silver car.  Silver car meet Blue door.  First meeting.  Trusting the Lord there are many more to come.
 

 Loving being able to be with family and friends once again in Illinois!

 

Peter Bear is so proud of himself.

 Just like a little boy, he has to get down...

 And then up again! :)

 Took Peter and Carter outside for a picnic.  Carter was being a stinker and refusing to smile for me!

 Playing after lunch in the backyard.

Happy Peter Bear!

 Carter acting more like himself! :)

 They love to climb up and stare out the windows, pointing at anything and everything!

I caught you Carter!!

Much Love.

Estoy disfrutando el tiempo con familia!

Had told myself I was going to take lots of pictures this time during my stay with Regg and Bev Beer.  Lots of pictures. And then I was on the road again today with hardly any.  Thankful I took a few right at the beginning when I got there yesterday, and then a few more using my phone.

 Cooper Graham

 Cooper Graham

 Tucker Dane and his teddy bear

 Ah poor Cooper! So confused at this thing being stuck in his face!

 Bev and I went on a walk with the boys yesterday evening. Cooper napped in the stroller the whole way.  From a distance little Tuck looked so small playing with the stones in the drive.  He helped show me the garden in the backyard.  'helped' in the sense that dad only sometimes had to keep him from walking on top of the plants instead of beside them. :)

 

And then today we all went to the farm.  Local kindergarten classes were taking field trips out to the farm. I tagged along and learned right alongside of them. And then of course shared in the ice cream at the end too.  Of course! ;)

Bev and I.  So thankful for this family. Not only were they brother and sister and friend to me in Mexico, but they are so here in the States as well. So thankful Indiana lies so conveniently in between New York and Illinois!!

Much Love.

Estoy lista.

Had a busy last week. Committing one year to research is hardly enough.  The vast majority of all I've been involved in this past year is at the stage just past abstract submission and acceptance. The stage of oral presentation/poster presentation preparation and manuscript writing.
I did manage to get my CV redone.  Thankfully, the research coordinator helped me a lot with that.

Then in the evenings I got together with individuals seeing as things are about to change soon.  One day I got together with my friend Vero.  We played tennis.  Ate ice cream.  That sort of thing.  I gave her the extra key to my apartment as she may need a place to stay for a bit while I'm out in Illinois.  So I may see her yet again before she returns to Texas.  But not counting on it.  Another night, got together with my fellow research colleagues.  We have gotten together multiple times now, usually at the apartment of the research coordinator, his wife having prepared food for us.  This time was no different.  We just sit around and talk, and slowly work our way from course to course.  I didn't even realize it at the time, but this time she had prepared 4 courses. Salad. Empanada. Main course. Dessert. I didn't realize it because she would allow ample time in between the courses.

Then this weekend was busy in CT as well.  Attended the college graduation of Heidi B. on Saturday.  Then today was able to attend the wedding of two friends.  Unfortunately I'm tired now.  I was tired before I even left CT this afternoon. Stayed long enough to wait 20 min in line at the wedding reception, shake the groom's hand, hug the bride then head for the door.

As I head West tomorrow I had hoped I could work on cutting caffeine from my diet.  I'd like to be able to start residency without a dependency.  Well...it'll definitely take some "working on" as I'm pretty sure I won't be able to start yet tomorrow.

One day at a time.

Much Love.

Estoy estacionandome.

This will be my last week of research at this full-time volunteer capacity.  One thing I will miss is the parking attendant. Her most common facial expression is a blank stare, eyes dull, absolutely no emotion evident, well....unless pure boredom counts.  But then, once in a while, she's all full of surprises!! :)

Last November I got volunteer status at the hospital. A very long and confusing story in itself, but beside the point.  With that volunteer status came free parking right by my building!  Huge blessing as that was about the time winter showed up, but also beside the point.

For weeks I would hand my parking ticket over to the parking attendant and say, "I'm a volunteer."  And for weeks her response was always, "Oh! you're a volunteer?"  As time wore on I began to feel a little awkward at having to continually introduce myself, but her response never changed so I kept on introducing myself.  Until one day, I got my first surprise! I drove up and she beat me to the punch line saying, "you're a volunteer right?" "Yes" I said. "Yes I am!"

I thought we'd had a break through, but the next day I drove up and was greeted with the usual deadpan expression, zero recognition in her face. I handed over my ticket, paused for acknowledgement, but when it didn't come, I offered up the I'm-a-volunteer line just in case. To my surprise, for the second day in a row she broke character to say, "Yea, I know you're a volunteer!"

But that was all I got.  Just those two days. 

No longer needing to establish the fact that 'I am a volunteer' I then changed my daily greeting to the tried and true, "Hi! How are you?" Or its commonly accepted variations. And in response I got nothing.  Perhaps a blank stare on a good day in which she was deeming me worthy of eye contact.  But verbal exchange. Nada.

And so it went on for weeks. My attempts at congeniality denied each evening as I left.  I'll be honest.  I debated the possible futility of trying to attempt a conversation.

And then it happened again.  Without warning, and seemingly without reason she actually responded. Straight out asked me what I did at the hospital all day, every day.  My foot just about slipped off the brake out of shock at her random and complete change of character.  I answered her question and she raised the bar signaling the end of our impromtu conversation.

And then once again, that was all I got.  Just one day. And it was back to blank-stare, no-emotion.

A few weeks passed, and then one day I drove up and handed over my ticket saying "Hey! How's it goin?" Her response..."How old are you?" Once again my foot about slipped off the brake pedal.  I have since then always put my car in park upon pulling up beside the parking booth.  But this time, the conversation didn't just stop there.  At my response of "28", she expressed surprise thinking that I had been in my 30s.

And there you have it.  After months, we'd finally had a conversation lasting longer than two lines. At her superbly abrupt and spontaneous approach I couldn't even be upset she thought I was in my 30s.  It had me laughing until well on my way home. I still laugh, remembering it.

The time in between her surprises shortened each time, to the point where I would venture to say they might have even been often this past month. Each evening I approach the parking booth with anticipation wondering if I'll be surprised today!

It's my last week, and so far I'm 1 for 1.  :)

Much Love.

Estoy mirando estrellas fugaces.

I celebrated too soon.  Too soon.  My computer decided not to connect again last night.  So I immediately tried what the Geek Squad guy had taught me, and you know what?!?! It didn't work.  So I worked with it and found a solution based on what he had taught me, but altered enough to be considered yet another solution to be listed for the 'network-adapter-not-found' problem.  This list of solutions is getting to be quite extensive.  What concerns me about that, is the fact that it has grown out of necessity.  Every single time a solution has been found, it ceases to be useful.  In other words, each time I or someone else has been able to get the internet to work again, the next time it stopped working, a whole new solution is needed.  No one solution has worked twice. It's almost as if....as if...this computer is learning!!!  It's getting smarter each time. Concerning? If not quite concerning, it is bizarre to say the least. Someone needs to tell this computer that included in that list of possible solutions is 'drop-kick'. ;)

Much Love.

Estoy buscando estrellas.

Ever since returning from Mexico last week my laptop has not been connecting to the internet, citing 'network adapter not found' as the problem. I could get it to work off and on.  Lots of time googling solutions, trying this tactic and that. I finally took it to the Geek Squad giving up my computer for the weekend.  Got it back Sunday night wireless driver reinstalled and mal-ware removed.  Unfortunately there was no change.  I dove into my limited arsenal of computer maintenance once again which only prolonged the inevitable....my return to the Geek Squad. This time was different.  The guy who helped me had never seen the particular problem before, but in the end, not only did he fix the problem, but when it proved to be a successful fix he then taught me step-by-step what he had done!  It's now over 24 hrs later and my computer is still working!  He has my most sincere appreciation and thanks.

Much Love

Estoy echando de menos los gallos.

For a week I let myself sleep without an alarm.  I'd wake up and lay there listening to the roosters announce to the world that another day had dawned. Or maybe they were just hungry and calling for food. Either way...it wouldn't be a morning in Ixtlan without them.  One night I woke up, wide awake. Thinking about getting out of bed I then realized that it was all quiet outside.  No roosters.  No birds.  Dread filled me as I realized that it was probably a long way till the sun would shine.  Checking the clock it was 3:20.  As I laid there and the minutes ticked slowly by I soon heard the first rooster wake up. And with sleep still in his throat his "qui-qui-ri-quí" sounded like he was being both strangled and drowned.  It was Not Pretty. It only lasted a short while then even he decided it was too early and went back to sleep. Now, as I am back to some semblance of a schedule again, my brain protests at the return of the alarm.  I wouldn't quite call myself awake yet as I get behind the wheel these mornings. Makes me realize just how tough it is going to be to remain thankful for my apartment as I start residency.

This past Tuesday was when I returned from Mexico.  In one word to describe my week....every moment had been BEAUTIFUL.  Unfortunately, the week passed just as a moment does...too quickly.  I left Tuesday, my steps steady, but the heart perhaps a bit heavy, burdened by the renewed ache of missing each one of their beautiful faces.  A strong ache now at the blessing of having just been with them, but will soon fade to the constant dull ache that I have come to accept as ever present in my chest.  The price one pays for the richness and blessing of loving people, loving family, in more place than one.

Through the course of Tuesday, my travels found me on a bus. A taxi. A plane. Another plane. Another bus. A train. And finally, I walked the last mile home in the dark cold drizzle of a New York night.  As I got wetter and my duffle bag got heavier with each step, I got increasingly thankful.  I had travelled far.  I had used multiple modes of transportation, and thanks be to travelling mercies, was able to do so in less than 24 hours.  But even moreso than God's protection while travelling, I was thankful that I had been able to leave HOME early that morning, and yet was arriving HOME that evening.  I had encountered more than a few throughout that journey caught somewhere in between. As I sat next to a lady, her entire belongings seemingly next to her on the floor of the Harlem-125th St station, a police officer confronted her about what she was doing there. She had a look of naive desperation like she wasn't sure what was going to happen next, and unsure of what to do if she couldn't stay. A look like she wanted to disappear, and let the world move on without her. I wanted to step in and say she was coming with me. But then my selfishness stopped me. If I invited her home. Where would she sleep? The floor? My bed? And then there'd be tomorrow...what would she do then?  In the end, to my shame, I got on the train alone.  May my Father in Heaven continue to break me of the idea that I am anything more than nothing except for what His grace allows. And I pray that someone stronger than I crossed paths with that soul in the Harlem-125th St station.

Much Love