This past week has gone by slowly in anticipation of Marc's return ... 4.5 weeks doesn't sound that long to be apart, but when you miss someone it feels pretty long. I am glad it will be soon over.

At least Marc sounds like he is happy in Addis, compared to while he was in Cairo. He has been able to do more running and is more familiar with where things are as well as what to expect in Addis after our month-long stay there in January. He has written a nice account of his running experience in Addis on the CAC website.

This past Saturday, I continued working on vinyl siding with other volunteers on the Habitat house, and we got it very close to being done by the time I left at noon (I certainly hope it's done so I'll get to do something different next time!) This house has more angles and strange shapes than any other I've worked on before, which makes measuring and cutting the vinyl panels tricky -- precision is key in siding, as are balance and making sure the scaffolding is stable & secure :P We had a good crew out Sat AM, most of whom I worked with also had prior experience so it was easy to jump straight into work.

Our church has already started making plans and turning the wheels for our annual Alternative Christmas Market, and I've agreed to help with the publicity again this year. Now that the church has a new wing, there are opportunities to expand the market, but it also adds confusion. Still, the ACM is always something to look forward to during the holiday season, and I am sure that it will continue to be a success. This year we are likely to (finally) have a website devoted to publicizing the event, which I think will help a lot.

I went on a quick 26-hour beach trip with two friends Sunday afternoon to Carolina Beach (about a 2.5 hr drive away), which was a refreshing break from being stuck inland. Having spent quite a bit of time by the sea in Singapore (especially during my sailing years), I miss listening to the waves, the smell of the salt and the feel of the sand between my toes. I got up early Monday morning to catch the sunrise and then went for a jog before continuing on my beach-bumming activities the rest of the morning. The car rides down to and back from the beach were also good opportunities to have great conversations with Tim (a former house-mate, and also one of the photographers at our wedding).

~ Shuwen