yes, we're here!

Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon and the orchards will be in blossom, and the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And the whistle in the summer barley in the Lower fields. And eating the first of the strawberries with cream. 

Do you remember the taste of strawberries?
-Tolkien

It's been over two weeks now since we landed in Seattle

and tasted strawberries again.

Jet lag, a tough trip, sickness, and exhausted minds and bodies from all that went before

left us very thankful for the loving welcome of family and for time to rest and be quiet.

Mark and his sister on a hike at Wallace Falls

Amy pulls out her watercolors

We've enjoyed time outdoors in some beautiful Seattle sunshine

breathing deeply of the cool, dry air.

Mark found and bought a car which we plan to drive cross-country in coming weeks

while Elise and Amy are studying a drivers manual in anticipation of learning to drive.

We've made intrepid forays into American grocery stores, 

stocked with more food options than seems believable.

Mark and Michael doing minor repairs to our 'new' Taurus

 Amy and Elise (below) flew to the east coast days after landing here,

where sweet friends cared for them,

(THANK YOU, G family!!)

and took them to the Student Orientation and Registration session

at the university they will attend this fall.

(They were gone just 5 days, and are back in Seattle again with us now!)

Thanks for the photo of Amy and Elise at Orientation, MEG! 

And Michael's been enjoying good cousin-time.

They've done some r/c building together, and went for a maiden flight this afternoon.

 Now that we've had time to rest, and to acclimatize back into American culture,

we're looking forward to spending time with more family and friends here in the NW.  

For any of you in the area who would like to get together, let's do it soon!