a new picture, finally!

Tonight was Marcus' ordination, and it was a nice evening. By the time we were able to take this picture the service was over and he had greeted everyone at the back of the church, and the pressure was on for him to "get to the party" in the room across the hall where everyone was noshing. Being the good guy that he is, he had his priorities straight and took the time for posing!

For all the traveling entailed by this trip, it has been an amazingly good time. It was wonderful to see my friends in Indy, whom I hadn't seen since we all left St. Louis in '99, and they had triplets! Tim was on late shift last night, so after the kids went to bed Jody and I stayed up for a while and had good conversation and catching up over wine. The intervening years melted away in a heartbeat, a true measure of enduring friendship, I think.

Here in Elkhart I'm also staying with friends from St. Louis days, and it's been wonderful to catch up with them, too. Gretchen and I had traveled together on a tour to Israel and Egypt eight years ago, so we've had fun reminiscing about that as well as sharing what's happening in the present. This trip has been a tonic. Nostalgic, too, since I lived in Indiana for six years once upon a time, and driving these roads evokes memories. Tomorrow I will begin to wend my way toward home, with one more stop.

Looking forward to being home where I can actually be in touch!