tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723174219160445152011-07-30T08:21:46.042-07:00The adventures of a couple on a tour of the United States after 5 years living abroad in the United Kingdom.A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-86138481253590258362010-10-18T17:58:00.000-07:002010-10-18T18:07:48.017-07:00

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

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-78536350698229464412010-09-21T18:18:00.000-07:002010-09-21T18:29:24.077-07:00

Well, classes have started at Gordon-Conwell. The content is most interesting. The professors are inspiring (most of these guys are The World Expert in their field). It's all a bit humbling - my fellow students are from all over the world, some are operating in their 4th or 5th language. Some of my fellow students are coming from impressively hefty backgrounds, too (like, a college professor

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-2356332334981759762010-08-31T14:43:00.000-07:002010-08-31T14:56:19.433-07:00

It has been a long time since the last post. I had thought to add one last comment in July once we moved in to our new home in Massachusetts. However, June, July, and August have turned out to be three of the more difficult months of our lives so far. So I think I might pick back up again for a while.We had housing plans fall through at the very last minute at the beginning of July. We

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-37317273015769106782010-05-24T11:45:00.000-07:002010-05-24T11:57:56.851-07:00

Fort Wayne, IN.3 countries, 29 states, over 10,000 miles by car, about 14 weeks on the move. Talk about a re-entry experience. From Idaho we drove across Montana (getting snowed on in one memorable mountain pass) into North Dakota (which welcomed us with the heaviest rain I think I have ever attempted to drive through - but now I've been in all 48 of the lower states). North Dakota surprised

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-16791160072847620102010-05-19T16:54:00.001-07:002010-05-19T17:04:13.634-07:00

Today is our last day in northern Idaho. This has been a great time - we had the opportunity to meet and spend some time with the family of one of our co-workers (he is currently serving in Estonia) and have finally had the time to explore an area of the country that we've only ever visited on the way to somewhere else in the past. Well, I suppose we are visiting on the way to somewhere else

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-24343016239778573912010-05-13T15:55:00.000-07:002010-05-13T16:12:15.640-07:00

Ah, Eastern Washington. Well, not as far east as, say, Spokane. It's been a more laid back week, primarily because we've been in the same place since last Saturday afternoon. We've managed to visit our two favorite area locations - Barracuda Coffee (twice so far!) and the Mongolian BBQ (now under new ownership). Great coffee, and spicy noodles. Yummy.We've had another glass replacement on

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-49507350592315577622010-05-10T14:19:00.000-07:002010-05-10T14:32:29.152-07:00

Saturday we reached another major milestone in the MegaTransect as we departed Seattle and began the long journey east towards Boston. We enjoyed a good-weather day getting out of Seattle, but ran into unexpected rain on the desert side of the mountains. On the plus side, that means Washington's eastern desert is all in bloom and looking quite spectacular.This week we're staying put in

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-61217206964022445182010-05-06T18:05:00.000-07:002010-05-06T18:18:58.108-07:00

The drive north from Portland was great, primarily because it was so short relative to our previous month's marathon driving days. We enjoyed time in Olympia and Auburn catching up with supporters, family, and friends. And now we are in Seattle.Seattle is a really cool city. The people that live in and around Seattle are cool. We're staying with one of AMI's trustees and his family (who are

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-79443459931981217292010-05-01T22:19:00.000-07:002010-05-01T22:34:07.621-07:00

Portland, OR. This is a really cool city. We're staying with and catching up with some friends who used to be a part of AMI (and still are, really) and now work with a downtown church in Portland. In an interesting change, they also live right downtown in the city center, in what is known as the 'Pearl District.' It's a fascinating area, with lots of local restaurants, coffee shops, pubs (not

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-74609635746125904062010-04-30T11:54:00.000-07:002010-04-30T12:04:29.559-07:00

San Francisco is a neat city. After the extreme hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, San Francisco feels laid back and relaxed. Of course, there is never a lack of interesting things to explore in L.A. - we managed to drop in at the Getty Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits. We enjoyed a supper at an Ethiopian restaurant. The main point of our visit, though, was to reconnect with Team Armes.

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-20173938640181587332010-04-26T19:14:00.000-07:002010-04-26T19:15:16.941-07:00

North Hollywood, CAWow, Arizona was so cool! I think that AZ is going to be the official back-up plan for retirement. I think we could get on quite well there, despite the present kooky politics. Arizona currently holds the place as the most interesting surprise of our trip. Sunday we enjoyed another amazing drive through AZ, inadvertently stumbling upon Joshua Tree National Forest (we drove

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-73344223957670489052010-04-23T21:41:00.000-07:002010-04-23T21:48:07.710-07:00

Tucson, AZ sits in between some really significant mountains. Not just big hills - mountains! Today we set off with my cousin and did a 10-mile round trip to a local summit. We started off in the desert - cactus, sand, rocks - and climbed to a peak covered in pines and snow. A great day, although a bit stiff this evening. We climbed over 3/4 of a mile in altitude. That's hard on the knees

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-54844910297597800182010-04-23T21:38:00.000-07:002010-04-23T21:40:11.793-07:00

Leaving Scotland and returning to the USA via our MegaTransect is great in so many ways. It’s so great, I’m hoping that we’re not setting ourselves up for some kind of crash when we reach the Boston area and have to settle down for a while. The past 5 years have been a steady stream of new and stimulating experiences. Now we’re travelling across the USA, engaging and being engaged in an

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-30506599795215111712010-04-19T20:43:00.000-07:002010-04-19T20:54:02.945-07:00

This is the best time of year to be in Oklahoma - the landscape is green and vibrant and even colorful. The spring rains are keeping things cooled down. By July, Oklahoma will be brown and crispy and stinkin' hot. Tulsa was surprisingly encouraging, affirming, and exciting for us to visit. Once again, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but what I got surprised me in all kinds of positive ways

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-34966654477465858282010-04-18T13:29:00.000-07:002010-04-18T13:46:37.824-07:00

Back in Tulsa after 14 years. Tulsa a changed a bit since we lived here. Actually, it has changed a lot. It's a little bit freaky to drive around on streets that I used to be familiar with and not recognize anything! At least there's still Braum's Ice Cream and gas is cheaper here than we've seen anyplace else in the USA.It's been great to reconnect with some old friends here - we're meeting

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-28302892594714386332010-04-18T13:19:00.000-07:002010-04-18T13:28:58.072-07:00

I don't know what I was expecting, but New Orleans was somehow not what I expected. It was better. New Orleans has a distinct character for a US city. The history of the place has given it a unique flavor in all kinds of ways. The food in New Orleans is great! Spicy, interesting variety, and of course heavy on the seafood. The architecture of New Orleans has its own flavor as well, with

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-4616410244374529532010-04-13T18:03:00.000-07:002010-04-13T18:18:36.022-07:00

Today we came to a major turning point in the MegaTransect. After a pleasant drive north up the Florida Turnpike (Why can't PA's Turnpike get its act together and be more like the FL Turnpike?) we arrived at I-10, and turned left. We'll be traveling along I-10 for quite some time.Despite all of my griping about Florida highway driving and my fears that it would be stinking hot, we enjoyed a

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-87057795544768589732010-04-10T20:15:00.000-07:002010-04-10T20:26:29.200-07:00

Tonight I'm relaxing in the A/C after an enjoyable gathering in Miami Springs, FL. It's been an eventful couple of days, as we've been on the move every day since leaving PA on Tuesday. Thursday evening we had a most enjoyable evening on Harkers Island in North Carolina, including a nice fire pit and s'mores. Later that night, we enjoyed a big American-style thunderstorm. Aberdeen likes its

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-72036200948596869822010-04-07T20:07:00.000-07:002010-04-07T20:25:28.766-07:00

I've got to start this by praising West Virginians for their intelligent and sensible speed limits. Interestingly, most people even seem to obey them. Other states could learn a few things from West Virginia, I'm thinking. Their roads have more twists and turns than the PA Turnpike, yet somehow they are in significantly better repair. Speaking of repair - rather than blocking off miles and

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-71877435131312940942010-04-05T11:30:00.000-07:002010-04-05T11:33:35.802-07:00

5 AprilToday I’m enjoying the wonders of both technology and warm Spring weather as I type this on the front porch swing at my parents’ home in Grove City, PA. It’s been a great Easter celebration with my family – the feasting has been nearly continuous from Saturday through to lunch today. We enjoyed celebrating Easter at the East Main Presbyterian Church in Grove City. I have to say that I

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-86018771895930228162010-04-01T18:14:00.001-07:002010-04-01T18:27:52.596-07:00

OK, false alarm. Western PA has skipped Spring and gone straight into summer. Today it was well over 70(F). I wore shorts today while washing and waxing the car - the first time I think my legs have seen direct sunlight in 5 years. Tonight we've got the windows open and can hear the peep toads peeping away in the local wetlands.This week I have encountered some especially amusing 'downs'

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-68427229073296204312010-03-29T08:56:00.000-07:002010-03-29T09:05:14.465-07:00

So much for the nice sunny warm weather. I suppose it is March in Western PA, after all! Amy and I have now all but wrapped the Pennsylvania leg of the MegaTransect. We have enjoyed an excellent week connecting and reconnecting with our Johnstown Team. Sunday morning we spoke at a church that was planted by a number of the folks we worked closely with back when I served as a youth director in

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-17292016289632788162010-03-24T11:05:00.000-07:002010-03-24T11:24:55.369-07:00

Here I am once again at Starbucks, enjoying a beautiful day and a nice gargantuan cup of espresso-based beverage. I am amazed (and not complaining!) at the weather we've been having - Johnstown was never this sunny and unexpectedly warm when we lived here.Last night we met another new child, born to a great couple who share remarkable talents in music. Their daughter is going to have an

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-821346687860227782010-03-22T12:09:00.000-07:002010-03-22T12:21:07.427-07:00

It's been a great weekend in Western PA. After enjoying a great couple of days with my niece over by Pittsburgh, we drove back over to Somerset to visit some old friends up near Central City. It was great to see them. It was also great to see their daughters, whom I remember as teenagers, all grown up and married. We enjoyed partaking of some tasty red meat, some excellent broccoli-cheese

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-3884744671228090262010-03-17T20:18:00.000-07:002010-03-17T20:34:56.379-07:00

17 MarchI'm a little behind in getting this post up, so 'catching up' seems an appropriate title. The weather broke yesterday, and we've been enjoying sunny skies and warm sunshine. Pennsylvania is a beautiful place when the sun is shining! It was especially nice to have sun for our drive to Pittsburgh. We took the winding road route, mostly to skip traffic and roadworks, but also to better

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-35746524187317107562010-03-14T15:49:00.000-07:002010-03-14T15:51:39.139-07:00

14 MarchIt’s been a busy Sunday, reconnecting with Emmanuel Baptist Church, renewing our acquaintance with Hoss’s all-you-can-eat restaurant, and rediscovering what’s happening in the lives of many old friends.The general theme of the last 24 hours has been submersion. First off, submersion in water. On the drive to Johnstown we had to detour around flooded roads and saw more water running

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-59135342522928878092010-03-12T12:13:00.000-08:002010-03-12T12:20:39.762-08:00

12 MarchThe MegaTransect begins! Yesterday we drove across Ohio to Pennsylvania. That's 4 states now in less that 2 weeks! The new(used) car is running well and has a nice 'fun-to-drive' factor that's got us looking forward to the long days ahead on the road.Today we're enjoying some time with my niece, Emily, who is 2 years old and pretty much in charge of the household. We've read stories,

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-91973160890451472852010-03-09T13:17:00.000-08:002010-03-09T13:18:21.261-08:00

March 9, 2010Today the sorting and packing for 3 months on the road begins in earnest. We’ve got the car (although waiting on one specific part and very much hoping it comes in today so that can be finished!), we’ve got the presentations ready to go, and we’ve been able to pretty much find the stuff we need out of storage.Some of the stuff we’ve got in storage has been amusing to come across.

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-88527756190664232822010-03-07T13:24:00.000-08:002010-03-07T13:26:49.765-08:00

7 March, 2010It’s another bright and clear morning here in Indiana. The USA (at least here around Fort Wayne) seems to be rolling out the archetype of March weather for our return: crisp, clear, frosty nights with stars and moon; bright, warm, and unusually dry days. Surely it will rain soon!Last week we were still in Aberdeen, receiving a heart-warming send-off from almost all of our friends

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-67940833334777795492010-03-07T13:22:00.000-08:002010-03-07T13:24:29.815-08:00

5 MarchAhh… Today is a day off. Woke up at 6 AM this morning anyway, but managed to doze until almost 7. Got up to see 6 heron standing together on the front lawn, and then 5 or 6 deer came out and they had an amusing little staring contest.We’ve managed to get the car situation sorted out. After some careful research, thought, and prayer we decided to give the VW a pass – not an easy decision

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-89943399457894416052010-03-07T13:20:00.000-08:002010-03-07T13:22:17.223-08:00

3 March 2010 Today I woke up again at about 4:00 AM and couldn’t get back to sleep. I enjoyed a spectacular sunrise and had a great early-morning jog, but I’d still rather sleep until at least 7:00. Today Amy and I spent the day shopping for a car. I’ve got two real requirements – manual transmission and cruise control. I’d prefer it not be red or yellow. It’s kind of funny how

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-29310942642731179812010-03-07T13:16:00.000-08:002010-03-07T13:19:53.926-08:00

1 March 2010Well, not the first whole day back, as we got up at 4 AM in Aberdeen, flew to Amsterdam, then flew across the southern tip of Greenland (fantastic view of ice and glaciers!) to Chicago. All of our flights and transfers went smoothly, and we even ran into a good friend on our flight to Amsterdam – a nice surprise bonus.Upon getting to our hotel, we asked our shuttle bus driver to

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372317421916044515.post-74462639599699399292010-02-24T13:18:00.000-08:002010-02-24T13:45:20.750-08:00

Greetings Everyone Out There...Partially due to popular demand, partially due to my curiosity about blogs, Amy and I are going to try blogging our way around the USA as we visit our AMI support team, friends, and family after 5 years serving in Scotland. Depending on whether anyone actually seems to be following the posts and/or whether I maintain the interest and time to do something about it,

A and Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314667706133104281noreply@blogger.com0