A Homecoming!

...so I'll be traveling back to Michigan in just a few short weeks for the Andrews University Music & Worship Conference (2008), and I'm totally stoked. Although I'm a little embarrassed for having written "stoked."

I'm really excited to see some familiar faces, and eat some familiar food!!!

Thank you, Michigan, for all that you have to offer!

A New Leaf?

So my goal is to start blogging every day. Call it online journaling. Call it whatever. But I need to be better about keeping in touch, and letting people know what's going on. Dena tells me (and is probably right) that it's a little narcissistic to think that the world really cares to see what is going on in our lives on a minute-by-minute basis. O.K. So maybe I'll scale it back to once a week. I suppose that may up the chances of something slightly interesting to read.

So here's today's update: We're doing our taxes! And I think I'm going to get my teaching certification this summer... More on this in the near future...

The Stars at Night Are Big and Bright

The rumors are true. Earlier this year, Dena was invited to interview for the position of Assistant Vice President for Advancement at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. She has since been offered the position, and we have accepted.

Dena will be moving down in late February to begin work March 1, and I'll be joining her as soon as my work and school responsibilities are done for the year here at Andrews (probably sometime between late April and mid June). Next fall, I'll go back to school to earn my teaching certification. In the meantime, I've always dreamed of working at a Starbucks or at the Apple store. We'll see what develops.

We're sad to be saying goodbye to the Midwest for a while, but we're excited about living closer to Dena's sister, Dani, and her husband. And, of course, the opportunity for a new perspective is always exciting.

Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts!

Chicago, the Hard Rock Cafe, and Stanley

Dena and I are in Chicago this weekend, and we just spent some time walking around the city. While we wandered around, we found ourselves in the Hard Rock Hotel lobby. After a tour of some of their rooms, we decided to make our way back to our own. But on the way, we were interrupted by an extremely unorthodox Santa figure named Stanley, who helped us cross the street, wished us happy holidays, and asked (after warning us that some people had been upset by the upcoming question) if we had any change to spare.

What struck me most about our exchange with Stanley was how good it made me feel - not to give to someone who was asking for money - but to treat a person with the dignity they deserve regardless of their appearance.

So whether you have a little or a lot this season, may you connect with another person in a real way, and may relationships be built (or rebuilt) that change lives in positive, meaningful ways. Happy holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Just a quick note to wish all of our friends and family a happy holidays, and happy new year...in jail (for the "It's A Wonderful Life" fans).

Keep on truckin' in the new year!

Yikes!

We have so much fun sometimes, we almost forget to tell OURSELVES about it. With all of the craziness of October in the past, we finally are about finished with home improvements, and we've listed the place with a local realtor. We'll have pictures posted soon, but let's just say, it's a totally different house! So many lessons learned...

If you want to see the place, give us a holler sometime. We're always happy to show off our handiwork.

Busy, Colds, & Fishing

We've had a lot going on the last few weeks. Aside from the general busyness of work and school, we took a weekend to camp and fish with Mom and Dad King. After that trip, we realized how much we like fishing. So this afternoon, although we're both nursing our drippy noses, we're going to hit the lake again. Although this time, Dena will be doing so with her own new fishing pole, just one of the treasures she redeemed with a birthday gift certificate to Lunkers'.