Jim's New Job: Next Stop, Colorado Springs!

I haven't posted in a while, and this seems like as good a reason as any: I have a job! It's been a year since I left my p/t assistantship at Indiana University, where I worked for 3 1/2 years, and 6 months since we left Bloomington, IN, in January to move to Durham, NC. During that time I've applied to over 35 jobs in my field...and received 35 denials (I had a p/t job this spring at Foster's Market, a fun restaurant/coffee shop/bakery in Durham). It has been a challenging year to say the least - God has stretched and grown our faith. On the other hand, because I was not been working, I made great progress on my dissertation and finished in time to graduate in May with my doctorate (EdD).

Perhaps God was waiting for me to actually finish and graduate, because exactly one month later I had a job! We will be moving to Colorado Springs, CO, in early August, where I will work with Development Associates International. Founded in the 1990s, DAI is a Christian organization that focuses on leader development in the majority world through education, mentoring, and networking. I will be the assistant director of their MA in Organizational Leadership program, which is a 3-year, cohort-based, part-time program for leaders in the majority world. It is currently offered in conjunction with 17 partner institutions (with two more partnerships in the works) and at the moment is serving approximately 850 students in over 40 cohorts. I am very excited to begin! 

Below are pictures of my activities during my 2-day visit to DAI for the interview in early June. I stayed with Tim and Sandee Shuman, good friends from BFA days (they served there for many years, Tim as the executive director). Tim now works in the ACSI home office in the Springs. It was wonderful to be with them! On a free morning, I took a walk through Garden of the Gods - so beautiful and close to town.

Summertime visit to Granddad & Nonna's house, part 1

A big cheer for a summertime holiday in Wheaton at Granddad & Nonna's house! We flew from RDU to ORD for a two week visit (interrupted during the 2nd week by 4 days in Colorado to house-hunt...more coming on that...). It was great to be back together after 6 months since our Christmas visit. The weather in Wheaton was beautiful, with some crazy thunderstorms thrown in, and we loved being able to be outside and relax at home. 

Timo's highlights: eating watermelon; sleeping in a crib (instead of a pack and play like at home); starting to creep a bit and pull himself up to knees and to standing; banging on the toy music table; staring at his older cousin David

Gemma's highlights: hugs and hugs from Nonna; showing off her gymnastics moves; going up & down the tree house ladder; play-time with cousin Elsie

Jim's highlights: clearing out bushes and trees with Dad in the backyard; fixing up some huge salads for dinner; opportunity to hang out with Wheaton friends; extended family cook-out for Father's Day

Jul's highlights: walks in the neighborhood; hearing the chimes from Edman Chapel; morning snack/lunch at Blackberry Market in Glen Ellyn; seeing the smiles on our kids' faces as they played with their grandparents

Eating watermelon is always a joyful occasion!

Nonna made date-chocolate-chip cookie dough and Gemma carefully placed chocolate chips on top before baking. Then we all had a tea party in the playhouse outside!

One morning we spent time with Pete & Jennifer and 3 year-old Hayden. A sweet, crazy time to get caught up on life - and chow down on Blackberry Market cinnamon rolls.

this is pure Hayden!!

Hayden graciously let Gemma ride his balance bike, and tried to give her a few pointers

Rachel's birthday morning party!

We had a lovely morning at Lake Michie last Sunday - a birthday party for Rachel with a bit of early-Father's Day mixed in. Presents and huge salad bar lunch and a quick canoe in the lake. (...before we all zipped home in time for kids' naps. And our own.)

Yes, would you like a bite of Grandpa's lunch?

Gemma and Asher both very excitedly and bravely experienced their first canoe rides! Gemma hunkered down in the center of the canoe and held on to the cross bar.
 

A relaxing afternoon

Sunday afternoon spent at Grandpa and Jaja's house, that is! Starting it off with lunch on the deck (delicious chicken fajitas and black beans & rice. Even Timo enjoyed the beans!).

smiling at Jaja across the table

Gemma was so excited to be around 1406 for the afternoon that she took a very short nap and then awoke yelling, "Jaja! Jaja!" So, on to a coloring session with Grandpa it was.

Later in the afternoon we went down to Oval Park to check out the "Neighborhood Olympics" (Watts Hillandale versus Trinity Park neighborhoods) and their Kid's Decathlon. We were a little Gemma joined up for a couple of events: discus (e.g. frisbee), javelin (e.g. bamboo 'spear'), shot put (e.g. small ball), and a running race.

Kids crossing the field to go line up for the running race

Gemma was in the 'under 5' category, and didn't quite understand how to stand in line and how to start racing off around the track with everyone. But she was very brave and quite focused, and got lots of applause at the finish!

Meanwhile, Timo sat at Grandpa's feet and enjoyed a few bites of grass. (Check out those lovely chubby arms!)
 

Weekend highlights

Memorial Day Weekend highlights: being outside! and homemade food! (yes, we're a week behind here...)

A walk through the neighborhood and down the trail to Northgate Park (in which Gemma insisted on taking 'baby' in her stroller, as well). We love that we are within walking distance of 3 different parks - more actually, but so far we've only been to these three. And right now the weather has been lovely, not too hot yet to prevent us from being out during the day.

And the next day was homemade pizza (with homemade dough and sauce). Gemma spent a very happy 30 minutes playing with a ball of dough (see pic below) while I was making the pizza and forming rolls from the leftover dough. She poked it and pounded it and rolled it and snuck little bites and spilled flour on the floor and had a grand time.

Oh, and the pizza tasted pretty good, too.