Welcome!

Hi! Thanks for visiting our blog!

Well, it'll be a year next month that we've been living here in Iowa. As most of you know, we traveled over 1300 miles last summer, from Washington, to our new apartment in Council Bluffs, IA so Chris can attend Creighton Medical School in Omaha, NE. Council Bluffs is just right over the Missouri River from Omaha, and we actually spend most of our time on that side of the river. http://www.mapquest.com/mq/3-xCU*AMmyUCog

Chris' first year of medical school was just as difficult as he thought it would be. It definitely kept him busy! He attended classes five days per week, all day, and spent his nights studying hard. We tried to get out of the apartment as much as school would allow, and were lucky enough to gain some good friends in the process.

After working a few months at the Starbucks in downtown Omaha, Angela got a job with Planned Parenthood of Nebraska and Council Bluffs. She works as a Health Care Assistant in the Council Bluffs clinic, which basically consists of medical assistant type duties within the clinic. She's very proud of the organization, and its role in the community, but still feels the need to look for new work with better pay. Hopefully something will come up within the organization, but she's also looking elsewhere.

Since Chris' first year ended, the both of us have been very busy. Shortly after the end of the spring semester, Chris traveled to Ghana, Africa for a four-week long medical mission with Global Volunteers. He went with nine other medical students from Creighton, and they all had a great time working in the small village of Senchi Ferry, and traveling around Ghana.

While Chris was gone on his African adventure, Angela stayed home and battled loneliness and horrible weather. Throughout the four weeks he was away there were numerous severe storms and tornados that hit the area, including some parts of Omaha! Our friend Ashley (who's boyfriend was also away) took care of Angela, and let her seek shelter in her basement. It's the season for severe weather here, and the scariest time of the year for us foreigners! We just can't seem to understand how people here can just go about their normal routines while the threat of

getting swept up like Dorothy looms over our heads! Needless to say, it's this time of year that we miss the comfort of home the most. Besides ducking for cover from storms, Angela kept busy with work, and hanging out with friends, and her visit from her best friend Shauna! Shauna came to visit shortly before Chris returned home, and stayed for three nights. We went to the zoo, the Taste of Omaha (a big food festival featuring local restaurants), and ate at some yummy restaurants including the Melting Pot! It was so good to just hang out with the other love of my life, and get some good, quality time together.

Since Chris' return two weeks ago we have just been spending some well-deserved time together, and hanging out with friends. His dad came to visit this last weekend for a bit, and we had a great time. Omaha hosts the College World Series, and we went to one of the games. The game almost got rained out, but the storms seem to pass pretty quickly around here. On Sunday, the three of us went to a barbeque at our friends Bob and Ashley's house, where we played games and ate yummy food with good friends. On Monday and Tuesday, while Angela was working, Chris and his dad got to play raquetball at the Creighton rec center. Other than that we just got to enjoy some great dinners, including one that Angela cooked at the apartment, and just hang out.

This summer, we're looking forward to more family visits from Chris' mom and sisters, and our big move into Omaha. Yep, we're crossing the river, and moving into a three-bedroom duplex that's very close to Creighton, and pretty much everything else we need. Chris begins school again mid-August, and then it's back to the grindstone for him!

Stay tuned for more updates, and pictures!