Tad's Life

Well, I showed you the empty apartment, but we haven't been like that since the first couple of days here. In fact, we are now in danger of having too much stuff. And the normal Hampton clutter took no time at all to infest our living space! What a surprise! Can you imagine?

The latest addition, not in this video, is a microwave that came from the Carters.

Yes, we got to see them already! We made a quick dash over to Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon. It's only a couple-hour drive. Well, it took a bit more to get there. I forgot the atlas, but decided to boldly press on with only my memory of the short-cut we used to take to the east. Needless to say, memory failed me. After wandering for a bit, I had to stop for directions!

We had a wonderful visit with Kate and Paul and the kids. God has blessed them with a beautiful house and perfect neighborhood and their church has always been tremendous, but the transition back, even after 18 months, isn't done. We talked late into the evening about the whole missionary life and experience. Very therapeutic for all four of us! I also got to have breakfast with Paul and Peter, a fellow who just visited Senegal with a team this spring and is planning a return.

We couldn't leave on Thursday until Jonathan was done with a one-day Middle School football camp. The first week back, Jony got to do a soccer camp each morning. That was great for getting him out of the house and doing something in the fresh air. Unfortunately, it was a camp aimed more at younger kids. His skills didn't get excercised much. Still, he says he enjoyed himself. It's fun to be the big guy sometimes!

When we registered Jonathan for school that same first week, we found out that the football program was running this camp for middle school students. He thought he'd give it a try. So Thursday he was out in the sun again with a bunch of guys he didn't know, learning some general football skills. They started with lessons about weight-lifting and the GlenOak system of offense and defense. Then they were out on the field doing drills. I watched the last hour or so. It sure looked like fun!

Fitness has been a theme this last week. We explored the pool and the fitness room that are part of our apartment complex. Tuesday Jony and I went over and used the treadmill and the orbital walker and all that. I even bench pressed some lighter weights. (Yes, I was sore for days.) The next day, Jane and Allison went, too. We all sweated and puffed together. Now if we could just make that a regular routine, we might hold off those extra pounds that American living always seems to bestow on us so quickly.

I'm afraid, though, that in this photo Jonathan may be setting the example of what normal will look like. He had his old friend, Stevie, over for the day on Saturday and they mostly got a lot of thumb exercise.

Well, they did walk a mile to the grocery store and back. Jane was gone with the car and Jonathan wanted to make attaya, the Senegalese tea, for Stevie. He even used a piece of cardboard for a hot pad, just to feel more connected to his memory of "normal" on the roof of the middle school boys' dorm at Dakar Academy.