Happy New Year!

So I'm a little late.
It's a different world, not having internet always at my fingertips. I think it's good for me, though. It makes my time online more productive.

I'm in Massachusetts now--staying in the home of my brother-in-law's brother, his wife, and their seven children. Except the eldest left to go back to TAC on Saturday. I go to my internsihp during the day, and then come home in the evening to a busy household, where a hot meal is being prepared and the table is being set for dinner! I love it. This family has already been so wonderful to me; I am so grateful for their generosity.
After dinner, I join the older children in cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen. Then we generally chat over a cup of tea before I head upstairs to do some studying or work for the next day. Inevitably, the 4 year-old will come in and say goodnight before she goes to bed. Otherwise, I wait for my phone-call from Carolina for Evening Prayers, then turn in after an all-too-brief chat.

It doesn't feel like I'm starting the third week of my clinical rotation tomorrow. These first few weeks went by quickly--probably because of the holidays shortening the actual time spent in the clinic. And last weekend, I did not stay in Massachusetts, so that broke up the timing, as well.

By the way, here are a few pictures of last weekend, which already seems so long ago:

What better way to spend New Year's Eve than standing around and periodically checking bags for food and weapons outside a UNC basketball game--especially if that means watching the second half of the game for FREE! Yep, Colin's got the whole fun-on-a-student-budget figured out!

Then a rousing country-western style New Year's celebration, complete with "specialty drinks," which Colin's friend Patrick insisted on buying for us! Hmmm... some kind of blue liquor in perfectly fine-by-itself champagne. My guess is that they were trying to get rid of some overstock.


And these were the two pictures taken last weekend! It seems that both of us--but especially Colin--are better at taking a lot of pictures of other people, and not necessarily ourselves.

Meanwhile, the weather feels like springtime. I'm not impressed by the supposed "harsh" Massachusetts winters. Although maybe I should save my skepticism until I leave in March!

Eight more weeks, and I'll be headed down to North Carolina!