Year #2 Begins

Hi all! Well, well, well...we survived our 2 week trip back to the US, although there were certainly a couple of mornings where I wasn't sure we would. Overall, it was fantastic, exhausting, tearful, & joyous all mixed together. We secured "Campers of the Season" at Panther Creek Campground our first weekend back, all 30+ of us! We celebrated various birthdays and an anniversary, highlighted by Dr. Daby's toast to his wife and their lives together, a new Chicago Bears jacket for Andy, and Riley discovering a chocolate cake all for him. We spent time with family & friends, both in the Portland area and in Minneapolis & Duluth. We were honored to witness and celebrate the marriage of our friends Steve & Marnie (ah, finally The Faust's). We relaxed on our favorite front porch in Portland, drove Andy's truck, filed our US taxes, checked up on our house, and loaded up on some necessary US food items to bring back with us (Twizzlers, Bisquick, Fruity Pebbles, Mac-n-Chz, Rice-a-Roni, etc). And then we bowled on our last night in town. My heart is still a little tender from leaving, but it does feel good to be back in Melbourne and in Australia in general. What a difference this arrival was to last year's arrival!

We are lucky to be headed off on another Aussie adventure this Thursday - we fly to Alice Springs for a week of exploring central Australia (aka: The Red Centre), and we are even luckier to be meeting up with my Uncle Dennis & Aunt Linda, who arrive tomorrow for a 2 1/2 week Australian vacation.

Thanks to everyone for the many efforts in spending time together while we were home. It was so great to see so many loved ones.

All our love,

Christy & Andy