Laziness...or something

Hello everyone. Once again, I have been neglecting all of you through the blog...sorry.

We had a wonderful time in Montana with our families. We drove straight through from Cleveland to Billings and back again, 29 hours with only stops for gas and potty breaks. What a haul, but so worth it! It's amazing to see how big this country truly is. I think I had "America the Beautiful" in my head the entire drive.

We were there 2 full weeks seeing my family and John's. We visited our favorite restaurants in Billings and Manhattan, celebrated the 4th of July, went boating, camping, hiking, had a tea party, and generally visited. It was so fun to be with my nieces, they are growing up so fast. They really bonded with John (mostly bouncing on the trampoline) which was so great to see. They love their Uncle John!

Since we've been home, it's been a bit of a whirlwind. Two weeks back and John was off to Salamanca, Spain. He left Saturday and will be home Sunday. I really hate being alone but it is getting easier. I should probably get used to it, as hopefully he will be traveling for interviews this spring. That's something you all can pray for! I have been sewing and crocheting to keep myself occupied while he's gone. I made a shirt for John, a dress and am crocheting a cardigan for myself. Cleveland Orchestra Chorus rehearsals begin in about 3 weeks and we already have some of the music. I was asked to be part of the smaller Chamber Ensemble, which is great but means more music and rehearsals. We are doing Brahms German Requiem, one of Bach's Missas, and a Vaughn Williams women only piece this fall. We have 10 Christmas concerts scheduled, as well.

That's all for now. See you here again soon!