Christmas in St. Louis

Quick Trip

After Dave's wedding (see below), I drove to Florida to see my family. It was a really good trip. We basically had two "get-togethers" and so since I didn't have to drive all over the place to see people, it made for a more relaxing time. I had some good conversations with my family and enjoyed seeing them. Unfortunately, Trish and Roxy did not go on the trip and everyone missed them severely; especially me.
Leah, Ken, Jonathan
This is my brother Ken, his wife Leah, and nephew Jonathan. Also, Leah is pregnant and is due March 4th, the same day Roxy was due.

Presenting the McLaughlins

My friend Dave that I grew quite fond of while we were both in the Navy in Japan got married on December 16, 2006 in Savannah, Georgia to Erin Pozorski. I was honored to be a groomsmen. I was edged out as best man, by another dear friend from the Navy, Kyle Swanson. I am so happy for Dave. I believe he is going to live a much happier and fulfilled life with Erin. The wedding went well and I think fun was had by all. I also got the chance to get to know Dave's immediate family who I stayed two nights with in Dave's newly purchased home. By the way, Savannah has an awesome downtown that is full of character.
Paul, Dave, and Kyle

Jingle

This morning we did the Jingle Bell 5K with some friends. The run (not really a race) is downtown. Lots of people dressed up (as in costumes). Thanks to Karen for bringing the antlers. Roxy actually fell asleep during the race. We ran took the bus down together and then walked back and had some coffee. Good times.

Sarino's Trip

Trish's oldest sister Jen and her husband Jason visited us over the Thanksgiving weekend. We were very thankful they came to spend the holiday with us. We really enjoyed their company and the chance to show them around Seattle. They seemed to love it. We tried talking them into moving here. They were tempted.

Of note, we saw the Bodies Exhibit which is a fascinating look at the anatomy of preserved human bodies. We also saw the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. No pictures allowed at either place though. We ate our Thanksgiving meal at the Clark's home. Besides that, we mainly did the free sightseeing stuff.

Proud Hubby

Trish ran the Seattle half marathon (13.1 miles). Obviously, that is quite a physical feat. One that she doesn't plan on doing again any time soon. I don't blame her. She ran most of it with her friend Jenn Clark. After hitting up Krispy Kreme (the race started at 7:30 am), Mr. Clark and I drove around to three spots on the course to cheer them on.

Proof

In case you were doubting the legitimacy of my last post, check out this video clip.

Brag

I just wanted to take a second and brag about how smart Roxy is. By the way, she is 20 months now.
Today, the waitress asked Roxy her name and she answered (correctly).
Roxy has a toy that counts to ten upon each hitting of the buttons and this morning after hitting the seven button she said 8, 9, 10 on her own.
She does summersaults on command (except in front of company).
Today Roxy had her friend Jocie over and about an hour after she left, Roxy said, "Jocie back," out of the blue.
She likes to say, "mama, (or dada) where are you?"
I was carrying her outside today and she started shrieking. I told her to stop and she said, "outside." As to say I can shriek outside. See, she gets told to use her inside voice a lot.

My pumpkin

We went to the pumpkin patch with some friends. Pictures tell the story...

Working Man

In my recently infrequent posts, I have failed to mention that I got a job. Well I did! I guess the best generic title would be Administrative Assistant, part-time. I started October 17th. The business, PDIC, exports carpet and wallcoverings to SE Asia. We have some exclusive distribution rights for US companies in that area of the world. We're mostly a middle-person.

Right now, I am processing sample and order requests and other various office duties. It is a small office with usually only one or two other people at a time. We also have six offices overseas. I was attracted to the job because of the international business experience (especially Asia), flexible schedule, likeable and successful boss/owner, and the potential growth with the job. With that said, stay tune for a post on what I am beginning to believe is my future vocation.

Quick cute story

I picked Roxy up from her crib this morning, and as I walked away with her in my arms, she waved at the crib and said, "bye-bye sleepy!"

Missionfest

A couple weeks ago I went to the first ever Seattle Missionfest. It was my first mission conference. I didn't attend all of it, but went to a few seminars on business as mission. I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibitors tent. It was an emotional high being around all of these people, ideas, and organizations dedicated to missions. I talked at length with a women who runs the YWAM North Korea Study School here in Washington. It is thrilling to see what God is doing through all these people.

Another highlight was talking with Steve Saint. He was one of the plenary speakers. He is quite famous in the missionary world. His father was a martyr in Ecuador. It is probably the most "famous" martyr story of modern times because of the eventual evangelical success with the targeted tribe. A movie, End of the Spear, was recently out about it. Anyway, I went to church and school with the family so I know them from back in Florida. So it was interesting seeing him after probably thirteen years on the other side of the country.

Wee busy

I'm still here. So last week I was in class about 35 hours and I read about 700 pages that week as well. I had Spirituality of Leadership II, a two-credit intensive format class. It was an incredible time, but very exhausting. I hope I can implement what I've learned. Hopefully it is embedded in my unconscious.

Check us out

Click to see us. Find our face and click it!

The Dark Side

Waxy

In case you were wondering, hot wax spilt on the back of your hand doesn't hurt as bad as you'd think - shocking though!

Cute

We think Roxy sounds quite cute sometimes... click

Two Years

I have been blogging for two years today. That's 245 posts. Thanks for any interest you've shown: it keeps me doing it.

Year-and-a-half

Saturday Roxy turned 18 months. We didn't celebrate, but we did celebrate our friend Brian's birthday while we were at the MHGS Fall retreat. We shared a cabin for two nights with the Pendergast and Clark families. So back to Roxy... she is such a big, smart girl. She is learning new words everyday, drinking out of a cup, eating with a fork, throwing away garbage, and for the big news (drum roll...) she pooped in the toilet on Monday and peed on Tuesday. Shout out to Trish for her patience during these major events. I missed both of the events, but I did take pictures of the remains (available upon request).

Catching Up

We went to Quest church the past two Sundays. After church one time we went to Greenlake, a popular urban lake, with the Pendergast family. They have this fun, huge wading pool next to the lake.

Sam and I took Roxy and Jocie for a stroll to Kinnear park near our home. There are quite a few small parks around our neighborhood. Hopefully we'll make trips there on a regular basis.

We stayed overnight in downtown Portland last weekend. We explored downtown, ate at some local restaurants, and visited a park.

The is the Int'l Rose Test Garden in Portland. As you can see, it is beautiful.

We ended up going to Multnomah Falls because Roxy fell asleep in the car on the way to the zoo and we didn't want to wake her so we drove here. It is 620 feet tall and the second tallest year-round waterfall in the States.

Back-to-School

I'm behind on what I would like to be posting, but soon enough. Anyway, I started back to school today after a five week break. It didn't seem like much of a break since moving took up so much time and energy. This semester I am taking New Testament Genre, Prayer, Spirituality of Leadership II, and Human Growth and Development. I wish I had more time to blog about school. I am so tired... good night!

Blackberry

A wonderful bonus to our new home is that right across the street there are tons of wild blackberries. We've made blackberry cobbler, blackberry crisp, blackberry pancakes, blackberry syrup... oh yea! Sometimes I take Roxy out there for a fresh snack.

I have fond memories of picking blackberries on my dad's property back in the days so it is quite nostalgic for me now. My best friend Nathan and I used to make a pouch with the front of our shirt and put them in there. On this side of the country, the blackberries seem more like vines than the bushes we had in FL.

Rzechula

I've known Matt for a decade now. We met in Fort Worth when I attended JSMI Bible School. Him and his ex-wife were my best friends there. Matt's family lives an hour north of here so we had a chance to hang out during his visit. His brother took us to Ruth's Chris, a famous steakhouse. My meal was probably $75. Free food... good times. Matt and I explored downtown for a while and he spent one night with us. It is always great to catch up with old friends.

Mt. Pilchuck

Thanks to Jenn Clark for putting together a fun-filled camping trip. We spent one night at Gold Basin, a beautiful campground only an hour away, with the Clark, Sinclair, and Penergast families. The highlight of the trip for me was a hike the guys took to the top of Mt. Pilchuck (thanks to the ladies for watching the kiddos). We hiked 3 miles and 2000 ft to a shack at the top where there was a 360 degree view of the surrounding sea, lakes, snow-capped peaks, rivers, and snow patches.

Inhome & Online

We've been in our new home a week now, and today we got internet service. So I haven't spent much time on the net and, as you can see, blogging. Actually, I haven't done much of anything not related to moving or taking care of Roxy the last 18 days. Oh wait, we did go hiking and camping one night with some friends (that will be the next post). And I promise some pics of the condo once it is in order. We still have a little painting and organizing to do. Despite, we had some friends over last night for an enjoyable evening.

Trip in Review

Riding with cousin Jonathan
I am back from Florida. Mission accomplished! When I say mission, I am insinuating there was a lot of work involved, it was no vacation. Besides a few times, any time I was away from Roxy, I was working on a school paper. So a lot of driving around in my bright blue PT Cruiser rental car to visit with people. I still didn't get to see everybody I wanted, sorry. I do always put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure I see everyone and that no one gets there feelings hurt because I didn't see them or spend enough time with them. I'm trying to get over that, but it does make me feel a little guilt, a little sadness. So all I did was visit with people which I am glad to do and especially glad for my family and friends to be around Roxy. It was well worth the trip just to be in the presence of my family and friends.

Overall Roxy did well on the flights, but it was a tiresome experience for me to keep her happy. I drove with my mom and Roxy to Atlanta to see Drew and then to North Carolina to see my mom's parents for a couple days. They have a home in the mountains on a golf course. It is so peaceful and beautiful. I wish all my family lived there instead. I had forgotten just how hot it is in Florida. I would be outside in the shade and still sweat.

Upon arrival home in Seattle at 11 p.m., I had to do a 10 page paper due the next day. So after constant work on it with four hours sleep one night and two the next, I turned it in... late. Now though, I have a five week break from school.
Hangin' with Great Great Grandmother

Peterka

One of the highlights of my trip home was being able to see an old friend, Andrew Peterka. We met in Japan where we had the exact same job in the Navy, and more importantly, where we were part of the same Christian community, the Hospitality House. Drew had a small wedding on June 8th and then on July 21st in Atlanta they had a celebration time with a larger group at his new in-laws. It was great catching up and reminiscing and meeting his bride. She seems wonderful and I am so happy for Drew. Also, he scored in the in-law department. Good people.

1110 W Howe

So we did get the condo. YEAH! We're what you call first-time-home-buyers. It was a time consuming, learning process. I can't wait till we're settled in. Anyway, it is 2 bedroom, 1.75 bath, 1007 s/f, 1st floor of a 13 unit building, and in West Queen Anne. I'll tell you more if you ask, but describing it any more seems like it would be a bore. I'll post pictures once we're moved in...

Offerings

So we decided to buy a condo. We can get our payment to be as much as rent would probably be so why not invest! So our first attempt: condo on market two days - we offer asking price with seller paying closing cost - we don't get accepted because someone else offered $10,000 over asking, paid cash, and did not require an inspection. The second one we wanted didn't work out either, but I'll spare the details. And, as of this moment we are waiting to hear back on an offer for a condo in Queen Anne (a neighborhood directly north of downtown Seattle). I'll tell you all about it if we get it. It's been on the market a whole week so hopefully we have a better chance.

In a related story...

This morning I took Roxy to daycare at 9 a.m. At about 10:30 I searched the whole house for a folder that had a bunch of house buying paperwork. Well, I finally realized I probably left it on top of the minivan last night. Sure enough, I get to the five-lane road in front of our complex and see a few pages. Forty-five minutes later after walking about a three block radius, an intersecting street, and both sides of the busy streets, I recovered individually 30 of 32 pages. Not exactly an enjoyable experience!

So I am leaving tomorrow for Florida with Roxy for twelve days. Trish can't go since she has a new job. I'll post all about it when I can. Of note, I am going to Andrew Peterka's "marriage celebration" in Atlanta. He got married June 8th and since it was a small wedding they are having this celebration for others to "celebrate."

Translator please?

Roxy is quite the talker. Click video. Do you think she is trying to communicate something, enjoys hearing her own voice, imitating, or what?

Just relaxing

We had an enjoyable 4th of July. We had some friends over for swimming and lunch and then went to some other friends for some good potluck eatin'. After putting Roxy to bed, we watched fireworks from our balcony. It was a different firework experience, but interesting. Our apartment is on a hill so we have a good view of the surrounding suburbs. We didn't get the close up effect, but we watched three big shows and dozens of individual's firework pretty much simultaneously. They last well over an hour so we actually got bored.

Laughable

Here is a video clip for your viewing pleasure. And another one.

Ketchup

I think this is the longest I've gone without a blog. I am feeling withdraws. I am going to give a quick update. We have big news so read on...
Canada Day
We just got back from Vancouver, Canada where we celebrated Canada Day with some friends. We visited the big festivities at the convention center and stayed over night. Honestly, it wasn't a worthwhile trip. Although, we had an excellent authentic Chinese lunch. Crossing the border took about an hour each way. Trish lost her purse. Roxy had a lot of crabby spells and didn't sleep well. We wished we would have stayed home and relaxed because we are just finishing up a busy spell.
Alki Beach
Friday night needs a mention. We celebrated a friend's, Mark Closson, birthday with surprise at Alki Beach. A beautiful spot across the water from downtown. Mark and his wife Mary have become a good friends. For those who know the magnitude, Mark was my Practicum II partner.

Last week I finished up with classes for the summer. Three more papers to do this month though.

Roxy is still developing so quickly (in my eyes). She seems so smart sometimes. She does about 25 signs now (including poop). She is fun to just watch sometimes. Like last night she was spinning around in her pac-n-play while flailing her arms and babbling loudly. She likes talking on the phone, loves bath time, and LOVES shoes.

Okay, for the big news... Trish got a job at Starbucks Corporate! She is going to be an Admin Assistant for the VP in charge of the benefits. Starbucks is a great company to work for and has lots of perks: lb of coffee a week, 30% store discount, 15% discount on stock, and free drinks while at work.
O' Canada

Happy

When I picked Roxy up after class today at our friends house, she saw me and ran about 15 feet into my arms with a big smile on her face. Melted my heart! She can make us so happy. We have been quite proud of her and showing her sign language ability off to our friends. I think she is up to 17 signs.

Gap

In case you were wondering what Roxy's teeth look like...
Taken by Jenn Clark
Doesn't she look old here? Well, today she is 15 months!

Paul Log

June 2: school, Thai lunch with Trish, all-you-can-eat sushi dinner with Clark/Sinclair families, evening at Closson's house with friends, turn 28

June 3: school, fly to St. Louis

June 4: Cardinals vs. Cubs with Trish (free tickets), meet-up with JM and Jim

June 5: dinner with Don and Jessi

June 6: zoo


June 7: accompany Trish to Lasik surgery, watch Poiseden with Jason

June 8: breakfast with Mark Lanker, lunch with Kim, back to Seattle

Spent lots of time with Trish's family the rest of the time. The Long family was there from Springfield so it was great for everybody seeing Michael and Roxy together.

June

I did not get the job. I am a little disappointed. I am not used to rejection so maybe a little humbling is in order.

Trish is going to St. Louis tomorrow for her cousin's wedding and getting a touch-up on her Lasik surgery. They didn't get it right the first time, but they're (her eyes) are still under warranty. She is taking Roxy and then I am going to fly there Saturday night after class. I am taking Old Testament Genre all day today thru Saturday. We're flying back together on Thursday.

Ghost

I had a load of clean laundry on the floor. In the mix Roxy found what she must have thought was a magic sheet. She put the crib sheet over her head and proceeded to walk fifteen feet straight toward the door. Bonk, her head discovered the sheet wasn't magic after all.

This is the very same sheet Roxy barfed on last night (I washed it first). She threw-up four times Friday night. In case you want a play-by-play, once in a friend's (Jocie) pac-n-play, once in the foyer (thanks for cleaning it up Sam and Tucker), and then twice at home on the bathroom counter. She has been acting okay since except for a lack of appetite. Then last night (Monday) she threw-up at 3 am. As you can tell from the above story she is acting okay though.

In other Roxy news, she is signing more. She does flower, thank you, please, water, bath, and ball. She is also combining sometimes, "more please." I think "uh-oh" is the only word she has added to her vocab (my first word). She babbles a lot though like she is saying multiple sentences and expects a response. It is too cute, especially when she sticks her little tongue in and out while she is "talking." I haven't really been around too many babies so all this is very interesting to me. It feels like she is developing so fast and does the smartest baby things. Like she points to her nose when asked and signs milk when I say it in Korean.

Videos

Check out this video clip for hopefully a good chuckle.

And this viedo clip to be amazed.

Job posting

I applied for a job today. Click on "job" to see the posting. Sounds exciting to me and seems to fit well with my life right now. I was taking a break from school writing and browsed through part-time, non-profit jobs on craigslist. Kind of random, but I came across this posting. So I'll let you know what happens.

Monday Tradition

I have a new tradition. Roxy still goes to day care on Mondays and we are both enjoying this time apart. I found an awesome place to run after I drop Roxy off. After the half-marathon in Nov I have hardly exercised at all and put on about seven pounds. Of course, I am not worried about putting on weight, in fact, I welcome it, but I don't like what it is a symptom of. Anyway, I've started running regularly again and found a beach to make the experience a lot more enjoyable. Let me describe...

Three miles from our home is Picnic Point, my starting point. There are few access points to the shoreline in this area so there are few other people around. It is 60 degrees and the sky is clear. I run on the hard packed sand enmeshed with river rock that absorbs my pounding. On one side I see the Puget Sound. From here it looks like a bay. The water and one-foot waves are comparable to a lake. In the background is a snow capped mountain range. I see a crane at the waters edge and seagulls swooping in the shallow water. On the other side, large rocks ramp up to a railroad track, and beyond that a few million-dollar homes and a reserve lush with tall firs and inhabited by chirping birds. To keep it interesting, I high step over the occasional driftwood and rocks scattered on the shore. I pass by a series of ancient posts in the water that must have held up a dock decades ago. Around a bend a train zooms by and I come to a no trespassing sign protecting a grounded barge that looks as old as the posts I passed and a home that is accessible only by crossing the tracks. I run on the nuetral tracks to skirt by the private property and get a closer look at the mysterious old 150 foot ship. It has vegetation on the top and looks like a monstrous plant pot. I want to press on, but I've been running 25 minutes already. Just to the next bend. I turn around then get to a point where the tide has come up to the railroad rocks. I had to scale the rocks to run on the tracks. Inevitably, a train comes and whistles at me from behind. I rush to the side and in 15 seconds watch the engine fly by up close and personal. Another hundred yards and back to the beach I finish off a beautiful Pacific Northwest run.

Opposites do Attract!

This past Thu-Sat I had my first class this summer, all of which are "intensive" format, Spirituality of Leadership in Org I. It's hard to summarize a course, but I will say I feel it was impacting as well as enjoyable (if you're okay with entering the pain of leadership). Our professor, Ron Carucci, started us off with an interesting definition for leadership, "the ability to disappoint people at a rate they can absorb."

As for the title of this entry, we took the DiSC Classic, a behavioral personality profile test that has been around 41 years. I have an Objective Thinker Pattern. Anyway, Trish took the test at home and without seeing my answers didn't choose a single one the same as me out of 56 possibilities. Needless to say, we were opposites in every category. Her pattern is called Inspirational.

So what does all this mean? I don't know, do you?

I like this story...

Roxy says mama a lot now, and it sounds a lot cuter than dada for some reason. This morning after her daily breakfast of a whole banana and three strawberries, I got her out of her high-chair and she starts pointing and walking towards the bedroom and passionately repeating "mama." After reaching the side of the bed where yesterday morning she found mama sleeping, I told her mama was at work. Apparently she didn't believe me because she kept saying "mama" and looking up at the bed. So I put her up on the bed to quell her disbelief. She still didn't believe me so she lifted up the covers and finally realized mama wasn't there.

Our Mother's Day

We ate lunch with the families of Trish's Mars Hill spouse's group. Also my friends. Eleven adults, four infants (mothers ate free). Then we went to the park on Greenlake for a beautiful, sunny time.

Sam and Carol and Jocelyn: Hooligans

See Roxy at Sam and Carol and Jocelyn: Hooligans.

Moody

Caught on tape: Roxy demonstrates her moodiness. From happy to whiney in no time... Here is the video clip.

Dreaming

Lately my thoughts have been saturated with plans for the near and distant future. I have come across or formulated some ideas that have excited me.

I think I will start with us first coming to Seattle for me to go to MHGS. I felt drawn to the school, it felt so right. I loved and love the vision and emphasis. The school has met my expectations. I applied to the Master of Arts in Christian Studies program, but by the time I registered for classes, I switched over to the Master of Divinity program track because I was attracted to the Global Engagement concentration. I still desire to do foreign missions and this seemed to fit. The MACS is 48-hours and the MDiv is 90-hours.

Now I am considering if that extra 42-hours will best prepare me for my calling. Or, if I could spend that time and money on another degree that would better prepare me for my calling and open up opportunities overseas. I believe missionary work has to be more and more innovative in our postmodern, globalized world. I want to be effective. I want to make a real, significant difference for people’s life, especially the poor and marginalized, not only for eternity, but for the here and now. I want to create communities that foster faith, hope, and love where there is little to be found.

I want to make sure my education is not an excuse for inactivity. However, I do not think it is, but is a means of better preparing me to be an effective change agent. So I have been looking at other options, namely in the Seattle area, and have three on the top of my list:

1) A MBA in Sustainable Business from Bainbridge Graduate Institute, http://www.bgiedu.org/. This is what I am most excited about. Sustainable business as I understand it focuses on social, ecological, and economical wellness as opposed to just profits. I could write about this for a while, but I will write what I believe this degree would prepare and facilitate for me, a hope, a dream. A factory or business in China that trades internationally and would provide its workers with excellent working conditions and treatment, vacation time, and fair wages (this is the opposite of most factories in China). I believe this would open up many evangelistic and humanitarian opportunities. Profits would be used to go back in to the communities where the businesses are located. Part of the dream would be for such a place to serve as a model for others. Also, if and when North Korea opens up, I would love to do such an endeavor there, a place where such a community undertaking would be much needed.
2) A Master of Arts in Organization Design and Renewal from Seattle U., www.seattleu.edu. This is a one-of-a-kind degree program. It is geared more for people to become consultants. It has classes on social responsibility, but that is not the emphasis. I could still do the above, or I thought I could be a “Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant” and help other companies accomplish the above. A problem I see is not being able to let the beneficiaries know it is for the sake of the gospel these things are being done.
3) A MBA in with a concentration in International Business from Argosy U., http://www.argosyu.edu/. This could perhaps open up the same opportunities as BGI. The attraction here is that I could complete it in one year versus two for Seattle U. and BGI, and still have enough Montgomery G.I. Bill to pay for it. Also, it is located one block from MHGS, allowing me to stay close to that community.

There are still so many factors involved in deciding: timing, money, working, family priorities, MHGS is revamping there MACS next year towards something more suited for my desires, etc. I am not one to make rash decisions so my plan right now is to give these thoughts the test of time.

I have come across two businesses that I believe are doing great work around what I am writing about. Pura Vida Coffee, http://www.puravidacoffee.com/, and Ten Thousand Villages, http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/. Both have volunteer opportunities here in Seattle, and I am thinking about doing an internship with Pura Vida if I go this route. Also, I highly recommend buying coffee and international goods from these two companies.

I am still thinking, researching, and praying about how to best serve the North Korean situation. I am willing to help the refugees in China “on the ground” full-time, but I am thinking I could better serve their cause in other ways: advocacy, working to change policies, or perhaps through business. Since they are underground in China, as white people, we might bring unwanted attention to them.

Please dream with and on behalf of me. Please share your counsel or feedback and if you know me well enough, please share with me what you think my gifts, talents, or calling may be. I believe a community can help its members realize their gifts.

Deep Breath

I stayed up till 4 a.m. finishing my last paper for my second semester. Deep breath. Trish gave me a gift certificate to celebrate finishing my first semester, but I just got around to using it today. So I celebrated finishing both. Deep breath. I hope to get some more relaxation this summer, but the twelve books sitting on my desk say "no way."

Roxy Log

• Stood up unassisted first time April 26th - now officially a walker
• Sign language performed with accuracy to date (also understands verbally): more (Roxy's definitions include feed me and give me something else to eat I don't want this), milk, diaper, and done
• Commands audibly recognized: kiss (gives opened-mouth), hug (prefers hugging stuffed animals over us), peek-a-boo (elicits slapping her own face), and unfortunately she does not understand "no" YET
• Words spoken (in which she knows what she is saying): dada (debatable), what's that, cat, dog, duck, sock, and she combines many syllables which sound like sentences but are just baby talk

Boating Break

Classes are over for the semester, and one more paper to turn in. I start back May 18th, but I have a lot of pre-course assignments so no real break. Last night we had a Spring Banquet with the school, and we had a co-worker of Trish watch Roxy. They invited us out on their boat the next day, today. And so it was a lovely, relaxing time for us on Lake Washington with not a cloud in the sky and Mt. Ranier towering in the background. We road to a park, docked, and ate (restaurant) burgers for lunch. We haven't done much outdoor stuff since we've been here so it was a refreshing time.