Little girl on the flying trapeze

I'm special

This morning Charlotte and Grandma Cindy wallked me (Kristi) to work. We walked past a daycare with a playground. Charlotte was looking longingly at it and asked if she could play on it. I tried to explain that it was for the kids who go to that daycare. I apparently chose the wrong words when I said, "Well, that playground is for the special kids who belong to that daycare." (or something like that)

Charlotte replied "But I'm a special kid!"

Indeed.

Home sweet Duluth

Sorry that I was neglectful in following up with more pictures like I said I would. For those of you who were guessing, we went to Duluth!!! We love Duluth. It was our first home after we got married, the first place we really had a life together, and so it feels like we belong there. We have amazing friends up there and it seemed so natural to jump back in to hanging out with them. Of course, lots has happened since we last saw everyone three years ago. Everyone's kids have grown like weeds! The babies (like Charlotte) are now three year olds, and the toddlers from back then are starting kindergarten!!!! Where has the time gone?!?!
So anyway, our trip was wonderful. Lots of time spent with good friends, some time jumping on the rocks along Lake Superior, trips to old favorite restaurants (and a few new ones too), a visit to the medical school and the doctor who delivered Charlotte, watching the aerial lift bridge go up, and of course an ice cream cone down by the lake. It was a time of relaxation and rejuvenation for our family. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Charlotte and her friend Silas, both three. Silas' parents, Josh and Joy, were Charlotte's first daycare when we lived in Duluth.

Charlotte, Silas, and Miren (1), cuddling and jumping on the couch.

No trip to Duluth is complete without a visit to Hawk Ridge. We didn't really see any birds this time though.

We got two tickets for the same thing in one day, separated by only a few hours. Our license plate tabs were expired (which we knew about and were in the process of getting new tabs) and we got pulled over one morning in Duluth. Fair enough, we were breaking the law. But then a few hours later, parked in a public lot in Canal Park we got a second ticket. We couldn't explain to the officer that we had already gotten one ticket that morning because we weren't at the car when the ticket was written. We are appealing the second one.

Here we are, happily enjoying Canal Park, not knowing what was awaiting us back at the car.

Daddy and Charlotte being goofy.

"Daddy, would you like to go swimming?"

What nice smiling faces!

The whole family! It's been a long time since we took a picture with all three of us.

Yum!

Family portrait.

Last time we were here, Charlotte was a tiny baby.

See you next time Duluth!

Just a teaser

We went somewhere. Can you guess where?

More pictures to follow...

Africa

Just a brief post as I've been thinking about some things a lot recently. Most of you probably know that we plan to live and work in Africa long term after finishing residency. God has given us an incredible desire to serve in this way, and He often breaks our hearts for the people with whom we will live. Even though our current life and work situation keeps us busy and thinking about things far removed from Africa, God brings us reminders of why He has asked us to do something against the mainstream.

There is a young woman who is only a few years younger than us named Katie. I do not know her personally, but have been following her story for some time through her writing. She went to Uganda shortly after graduating from high school, expecting to stay only for a year. But God changed her in mighty ways during that year, and she could never return to be the same person before she went to Uganda. She now lives in Uganda permanently and has taken 14 girls (and counting) in to be her daughters. She started and runs a sponsorship program and feeding program (which feeds >1,200 children daily), provides basic medical care (despite no formal training), opens her home to the lowest and least of society, and serves in every way she thinks Jesus would have served. She is, quite literally, the hands and feet of Jesus. When she writes, she pours out her heart and says some of the most moving and convicting things I have ever read. I am left humbled, heartbroken, and challenged each time. She reminds me why God has asked us to move to Africa, why we will leave our families and friends, why we will work harder than we do in residency and yet be so much more fulfilled by our lives and work than we could be here. She reminds me that although the problems are so much larger than we are, we CAN and we WILL make a difference, one person at a time.

I encourage you to read Katie's writing here. But be prepared. She does not write to provide interesting stories. She writes to bring truth and reality to our content and complacent world, to open our eyes to the injustices of the world, to remind us what Jesus actually meant with His message, and to stir us to action to bring His message of eternal life and healing. If you truly let her words penetrate your heart, you will never be the same.

"Down by the Riverside" Concert in the Park

"Cheese!"

Sportin' Grandma's shades

Rockin' with "Whitey," yes, that's her unfortunately named puppy.

Break-dancing moves

Unfortunately Momma had to be at work all night so wasn't able to join us, but here are some pictures to enjoy in between admissions, Momma! Next year we'll all go. - Char & Daddy

Fish stories

Had a rare morning off today which I wisely spent getting up stinkin' early to flog the water. This 15" ranbow pulled out of the Middle Branch of Whitewater River on a caddis-fly put a smile on my face.


This one, not so much.

What the heck is wrong with this deer!? He's scaring away all the trout!

Sorry no Charlotte pictures :(