Here is Lloyd with Claire. She has been a Papa’s girl for almost two years now. What a special relationship!

On Saturday evening, we served first meal out of 330 RT: roast beef, boiled baby red potatoes, fresh stir-fry asparagus, mushrooms, onions, garlic and peppers, and fresh green salad with dressing. Mmmmm…….Kristin&Curt, Emma and Clarie, Kim&Paul and Marley, were able to join us for this first meal. The stove/oven/ electric outlets for crock-pot actually work! Wow. We are so thankful for this small space that we can enjoy and share with others:

And then, a pic of Emma and Claire with their fun big lips from CVS. What a sight! When Marley and Eden are just abit older, maybe they will be able to join the fun:)

www.backprint.com/estf.asp?PID=bp%18yG&EVENTID=41848&PWD=&BIB=1581

and

www.backprint.com/estf.asp?PID=bp%18yG&EVENTID=41848&PWD=&BIB=1580

If you are unable to access the photos by using the addresses above, try the official Grand Rapids Marathon website, which is www.grandrapidsmarathon.com. Click on the link for photos. Lloyd’s bib number was 1580 and mine was 1581.

We were so fired up to run this marathon. The 2 days before were entirely energizing with Nick and Jess’ surprise arrival to GR from Denver, the huge breakfast that Curt and Kristin made for everyone, the visit to the apple orchard to purchase pumpkins for a group pumpkin carving event, and supper out with everyone to celebrate Lloyd’s pending graduation which will take place Dec. 19th in Minneapolis. It was so wonderful to have all our kids and grand-kids together in one place at one time. The fall colors and crisp sunny weather were great companions also.

OK, he’s #14!

We’re just back from a long litany of afternoon errands together after a morning of seperate tracks. Lloyd spent the morning in his doctoral dungeon with Boston (she loves to cuddle at his feet), doing edits for publication of his final paper, while I left the house early at 6AM while still dark and ran to the Neil Smith Trail access off of NW 66th St. in Johnston, to hook up with 3 running friends. While Lloyd slaved away in the dungeon, my friends and I ran 14-16 miles together on trails, in crisp cool fall weather accented by huge groves of red sumac. Absolutely invigorating! After the run, I showered, brought some supper to/visited one of my Sophie Seeker friends who recently had surgery, and worked on design for a fused glass piece. Around noon, Lloyd and I shared some soup for lunch, took Boston on a long walk, and then embarked on errands. When we got back home from errands, we made a mutual decision that Lloyd would go mow the grass while I posted. When we’re both done, we’re planning to have an easy supper: Baked potatoes with toppings. This is one of our favorite meals and we have it about once a week. After eating supper, we have a stack of movies to choose from: “Jarhead”, “Why Did I Get Married”? , “Becasue of Winn-Dixie”, “The Brave One”, and “I think I Love My Wife” (with Chris Rock….we really enjoy him). These movies are all part of the Dudley collection, which we are have free access to. One of our “errands” today, was to stop by the Dudley household to deliver a birthday card/present to Julius Jr. who is eight years old today. While visiting there, we stocked up on a few movies for the rest of the weekend. Beats BlockBuster!

OK, so what have we been up to over the past two weeks??

#We’ve spent much time at Childserve and also Pine Rest. Many meetings/appointment for both of us. We both continue to realize that God blesses the time that we spend with people at both of these organizations. We are both blessed to have work that uses our gifts and abilities to the max.

#We went to hear John Roberts Jr., Chief Justice of the US, speak at Drake University this past Thursday. He spoke as part of the Opperman lecture series and gave a delightful talk about how technology impacts the work of lawyers.

#On Wednesday evening, we hosted our dear friends, John and Sue VanDyk overnight. They were on their way back to Sioux Center from Southern Illinois, where they had attended a conference and had been visiting some of their adult children. We had a delightful supper and evening with John and Sue, and then also breakfast the next AM before they continued on their way.

#We made our traditional AUTUMN SOUP last night. This was our 5th year of making this soup. I do believe it is Lloyd’s all-time favorite. It features fall veggies like turnips and parsnips and has a great colorful presentation. We added Kielbasa this year, for extra flavor. Mmmmmm………..we chopped and chopped together yesterday early evening, and by 8:30PM the soup was well-cooked and ready to set in the garage for packaging this AM. We usually give small containers of this soup away to several others, and then also enjoy it ourselves into late fall.

#We continue to RUN. Last weekend, we both entered “Capitol Pursuit”, a classic DSM 10 mile race which starts/ends downtown. We ran 10 miles before the race started, and then hooked up with the race just on time. So we got 20 miles out of the deal, which was our cap-stone “3 weeks-out” long run for the Grand Rapids Marathon on October 19th. We plan to run this GR marathon together. Kristin and Curt are running the 1/2 marathon, so we will get to run the first part of the course with them. FUN!

#We continue to do lots of reading. I’ve been into Kathleen Norris lately, especially her most recent book, “Acedia and Me: A Marriage, Monks and A Writer’s Life”. I’ve also been dabbling ALOT in Gerald May’s work on the integration of mental health and spirituality. Lloyd is reading many management books (of course) and also a recent book by Thomas Friedman, “Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why we need a green revolution and how it can renew America”. Oh, and we’re starting to read poetry to eachother during our morning coffee (very romantic). Today we bought a new book by David Whyte (from Beaverdale Books…….. trying to support our local bookstores) called RIVER FLOW. Great stuff.

#We continue to have lots of coffee break and talk about major questions, like, “What Do I want To Be When I Grow Up” ?????

#We continue to closely follow the presidential campaign.

#My creative juices are flowing

#I’ve started a new journal……..for recording incidents of my disability: “Idiom Dyslexia”. This journal started on 9-26-08, and already 9 butchered idioms/cliches have emerged out of my mouth. When I get a few more recorded, I might decide to post some examples. I’m thinking that Kristin and Kim might want to start a similar journal. Maybe someday, we could compile them in a book. Nature or nurture???? Not sure!!!!!!

Well, that’s all for now. Lloyd just came in, and it’s time to start the baked potatoes.

Our circumstances are stable right now, but our lives (what we think/talk about, our dreams for the future) are anything but. We are eager to see how life might unfold in the future. In the meantime, we are trying to stay centered, let go of obvious (and some not-so-obvious) attachments and remain open to whatever it is that God is going to show us.

After Lloyd’s defense yesterday, we checked into our downtown hotel, and went for a quick visit to REI before going out for supper at Vic’s, one of our favorite restaurants over-looking the river with a sky-line view of downtown Minneapolis. From there, we walked across the river (on a bridge, of course) to the new Guthrie Theater, to see Arther Miller’s play, “A View From the Bridge”. We were both captivated for the entire play. Since it was the play’s first showing at the Guthrie, there were complimentary chocolate bars, and a free glass of champagne for everyone afterwards. Nice. The Guthrie Theater architecture is really fine, and window views over-looking downtown were magnificent. We could see the Metrodome all lit up and remembered starting from there for the Twin Cities Marathon several years ago. We slept in this AM to 7:00, and then went for a 14 mile run together, on beautiful trails that surround Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet. Very very nice. We started the run at Caribou Coffee (shared a cup before we started) and also ended there, where we sat out-doors still sweaty, and each had a full cup. We both agree it was a great weekend.

Lloyd with Jon Conbere, his committee chair, and Alla, one of his committee members. Alla is originally from Ukraine, and was helpful in arranging Lloyd’s Ukraine practicum several years ago.

This picture was taken by a passer-by in front of Vic’s, the restaurant where we ate last night. This is the view we could see from where we sat to eat.

The Guthrie Theater is the building seen in the middle of this picture. We could see it from where we sat at Vic’s. It is about a 1/2 mile walk from the restaurant.

Here are a sprinkling of pics taken in GR (forgot to take the camera along to Hamilton):

Is that a new piercing, Heidi?

The research process began in March when two nonprofit organizations consented to participate in the case study research. By the end of May I had obtained all the data needed from the boards of directors, board chairs and the chief executives of both organizations. The data analysis and writing process began in June and lasted through most of the summer. The writing process primarily took place in our doctoral dungeon (the name of my basement level home office). Throughout the summer my dissertation committee chair read drafts of my work offering needed guidance and advice. Vicki provided me with moral support, encourgement, and an occasional Starbucks to get me through….

And finally, today…… a 212 page document emerged from the doctoral dungeon. That document was mailed and emailed to the three dissertation committee members! The work plan is now complete, but the process is not yet over.

The final step in the dissertation process occurs on September 19th. The dissertation committee will be meeting on that day to listen to my dissertation defense and presentation. The committee must decide, in the words of the committee chair, if the work meets their expectations of an “independent scholar”. If they decide, agree and accept my dissertation, I hope to participate in the University of St Thomas commencement activities in December 2008.

I will keep you posted when there is a ….final finally!

#1) For those of you who have not already heard, Salome and Isaiah will be moving to Texas next week. Salome was recently accepted by Texas Wesleyan University (located east side of Ft. Worth) as transfer student from Thomas Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI, for her final two years of law school. There are likely more post-graduation employment opportunities for Salome and current job opportunities for Isaiah in Texas than in Lansing, MI. Thus the pursuit of a transfer. A week ago, Salome and Isaiah did not know where, if at all, they would be moving. Salome had applied to law schools in Las Vegas, Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas. Now they know, and are making plans to leave Lansing on Sunday (August 10) after church, for TX. Pastor Don Dryer and his wife, Joanne, friends of ours (Don used to work as campus pastor for Dordt College, and was colleague of mine in 1992, when I worked part-time for Dordt as Coordinator of International Students) are currently living in Frisco, Texas, about 40-45 minutes north of the University where Salome will be studying law. They have opened their home as initial “home base” for Salome andIsaiah, until they are able to find their own apartment. Joanne “just happens” to have started a new job with real estate, and will be able to help them locate an apartment in a decent area, and in a price range they are able to afford. An interesting detail, is that Don and Joanne’s daughter, Natalie (we remember her as a young girl during our Sioux Center years) married a Nigerian guy named David, this past May. It just happens to be, that Salome and David used to hang out alot together at Dordt. Small world! Please join us in wishing the best to Salome and Isaiah as they settle into new life in TX.

#2) Michael dropped by our house today to coordinate details on the football equipment he needs for this school year. He is about to start school as a SOPHMORE at Valley High School this year. He had a class last year at Valley Southwoods, with Shawn Johnson, who is currently the World Champion for gymnastics. Shawn is currently in Beijing, China, for the Olympics, and everybody in Des Moines is proud of it. Anyways, Michael came to see us about his football aspirations, and we took a quick photo of his recent tattoo. He is still really proud of it, and his family is doing very well:

#3) A very possible record for the Guiness Book of World Records was set in Des Moines, IA, yesterday at the IA State Fair: 8,400 people got free corn dogs at the IA State Fair, and ate the corn dogs at the same time!! 11,000 people WANTED to be part of this, and were present at the Fair Grandstands, but there were not enough corn dogs to go around. Only IOWA We had considered being part of this, but our schedules did not permit.

There are many more things going on in our lives here in Des Moines, but these are three quick updates:)

The rest of these pictures were taken post-Big Creek Picnic, at our house:

!
Wonder what they are talking about???? Bet it’s about management:)

THIS weekend (we just got home), we went to Racine, WI, to visit my parents. My Dad, who has been painfully walking “bone-on-bone”, had recent ankle surgery which involved the fusing of several ankle bones and insertion of numerous pins and plates. He is starting to feel better and sports a bright red cast, with color chosen by 6 year old neighbor girl, Sophie (she visits 807 Perry daily to visit and to get a cookie or piece of candy). He is quite a sight:

Another thing that happenend this weekend, was the “unveiling” of my parent’s new RED phone. We are remiss, because we did not take a picture of their brand new “Juke” ph0ne in red! All of us siblings pitched in to provide them with this phone and a two year Verizon plan. The juke phone came programmed with all important contact numbers with pictures already in the phone, as well as several play-lists for Mom (along with ear-buds) since she walks several miles every am. It was fun to watch her receive several cell phone calls during the lunch we shared at Ivanhoe’s on Main St. in downtown Racine yesterday. We sat outdoors on patio tables, and while waiting for our food, she receieved or made several calls from various states. This will truly be a way for her (and my Dad) to feel connected to their larger family, which is quite geographically scattered.

We will be home this coming weekend, and looking forward to it. First though, a week of paying attention to our work here in Des Moines.