back to your regularly scheduled program

i know that i've spent way too much blog space on non-family topics of late. i guess the combination of the presidential election and the financial crisis brings out the political philosopher in me. :-)

the good news is that the news from home is... mostly good.

• n continues to excel in school, routinely ringing up quiz and test scores in the 90+ range; it's still a socially-challenging place to be for her, but it looks like she'll be going to the homecoming dance tomorrow night -- her first high school dance.

• we hear from b fairly often, enough to know that she has a number of friends and is doing well enough in school. she is part of the intervarsity campus fellowship, and still finds time to tutor in harlem and enjoy new york city.

• m is considering getting a job outside of the home, and wears a number of hats in the ministries of the bridge. she recently celebrated her birthday and her christian birthday, and she and i are getting ready to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary in less than a week -- praise God!

• i just got back from california, where i spent a few days with my covenant group. we meet at least once a year to share, pray, encourage, and challenge one another, in the hope that we can help each other grow in Jesus and be faithful until the end. what a privilege it is to have that kind of partnership!

perhaps it's not a surprise given the turmoil in the financial markets, but we haven't been able to sell our home. we're not unhappy with this house, but were hoping to move into renton to be closer to the core of our church and immerse ourselves in the city. looks like that's not going to be possible right now, short of a miracle -- which we've been asking for. i honestly thought God was leading us in this direction. but maybe he just wanted us to clean and fix up this place so that others can come for a visit! on that front, montreal friends (and former iv staff partners) p and j will be coming next month with baby tj in tow -- whoo hoo!