Finding some footing

What a crazy adventure this has all turned out to be. Our fears that returning to the USA would plunge us into a mundane malaise have certainly been unfounded. My studies keep me more than occupied - between classroom time, reading, and research I've got about 50 hours a week just on schoolwork. Finding a church community to get plugged into here has been perhaps one of the only things that has been easier than expected in Massachusetts. For this we are thankful!
After much stress, impatience on our part, and not a little fear, Amy has been employed full time. In exactly the position she had hoped to find! It's not 100% ideal - she'll have a substantial commute, but it's almost as good as we could have hoped for.
In what has become a tragic comedy of errors, we still don't have 2 vehicles fully operational even yet. Between waiting for parts and then waiting for the garage to get around to it, I'm starting to sneak late-night looks on auto-trader again. Unbelievable.
To end this post on a positive: New England really is spectacular in the Fall. The neat old homes, the beautiful foliage, and the (finally!) cooler temperatures are a winning combination. For a visit.
Andrew