some thoughts

The last few nights I've spent my time alone without my family for the first time of its existence. Vikki and I both taught Wednesday night at Daniel Morgan Middle School, where we teach every Monday and Wednesday to adults. Our program, Northern Shenandoah Valley Adult Education (NSVAE), is almost exclusively comprised of hispanics - though there are some asian and european immigrants here as well. We have a deal worked out with Roger and Janie Luttrell (my mother and father-in-law) to spend the night with them on Wednesday evenings after class, which requires a twenty to thirty minute drive up highway 81 before we get to Inwood, West Virginia. That works out great because Grammy and Pa Pa get to spend time with Audriana and we get free childcare! =) However, this Thursday I had accidentally scheduled a substitute position for myself so I didn't go up to spend the night in Inwood Wednesday night. Vikki also substituted for NSVAE Thursday night, so Grammy and Pa Pa had double duty two nights in a row. So Vikki spent the night with them again and I am going to work in about an hour or so to sub at John Handley high school.

So, I've been a bachelor of sorts the last two nights. Man, that first night was weird. It was the first time that I've ever had an empty house like that. We live in the basement apartment of some ministry partners of ours, Tom and Lisa Strimple, with whom we reach out to international students at Shenandoah University. But even they were gone on a vacation to Hawaii, from which they returned last night. That empty house....it was sort of lonely and spooky at first. I've always had family, and then college with either roomates or housemates to share my life with - and while temporary, it was weird to be all alone like that. Jael, I can relate more to just wanting conversation like you were saying now...

Anyway - so I also discovered that this blog is now not as useful as I first thought it would be. So, China blocks practically all blogs on the face of the earth, er...cyberspace and none of the Chinese friends with which I hoped to be in touch with can even open this to read it! What's more, probably none of you could read the extremely cool Chinese characters I posted because you don't have Chinese language support installed on your computer. So, that was futile! This blog will now be exclusively for those of you in the western hemisphere with whom we stay in contact. Which, unfortunately for me means no more cool Chinese practice.

Can anyone read this: 再见！

Well, that's Chinese for goodbye in case anyone cares to install Chinese language support. =)