My little Green Bean

Ok, technically he is not mine per say but he is my nephew. His name is Riley.

chillin' with the guys

"hi"

glad to see uncle nathan

This kid is the greatest and he is "green". My brother and sister-in-law are both environmentally minded and are organizers for the Great Lakes Bioneers. They, originally just my brother, are the cause of my green transformation. They have been raising Riley to have a love of nature and a desire to make a difference. I would say that he is the "greenest" two year old that I have met and am thankful for Jeremy and Erin's influence on him and pray that he continues on this path. I am sure that you will be hearing more about Riley and his many environmental adventures in the future.

Hey Ya'll

As you can see by the title I am trying out my new accent. Well OK its not an accent, I haven't even been down there yet, but more like words and phrases that I stereotypically think that I need to learn since I am moving to the south. I'm gonna be a "fucking Yankee", I apologize for my crude language but I have been told by a multitude of people that I will be called that down there. I suppose that I can accept that. I am a lover not a fighter so I don't think that I will be getting into fights because of someones ignorance and prejudice.
The big day is quickly approaching so my nerves are on edge and getting worse everyday. We pretty much have a place picked out and finalized so that is not an issue, well not that big of an issue. I suppose the next step is to get moved in and settled and start looking for a job for me. I do get a little bit of a mini vacation to see the sites, do some fishing and generally just relax a while. I think that will really help the transition.
We took a big step in the moving process by going through all of our clothes and other junk and deciding what we really, really wanted and what we honestly could do without. About half of the stuff that we decided to get rid of we were able to unload with a yard sale and those that we couldn't we donated to Goodwill. We were able to make some money but not a lot, just enough to make the weekend especially enjoyable. It was a time well spent with good friends. So about two and a half weeks left before we leave and my mind is all a flutter. I will try and post more before I leave but can't promise anything, but do check in to my farewell to Michigan post. I will miss everyone here so very much. I don't want to leave.

My job does have its perks...

Although I can't stand the pollution. Anyway enjoy the pictures until next time. Soon I promise.

Nothing could be finer than South Carolina

"Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken."
- Frank Herbert

Well, it is official we are moving to South Carolina. Eva recently graduated with a degree in Music Education and has been looking for a job. She has applied to many places in Michigan and also in other states like Kentucky, Arizona, Alaska, Maryland and others. She just went down to South Carolina with her brother to go to a teacher fair. They both had applied to teach down there and both had interest in them the day after they submitted their applications. Well, short story even shorter she was offered a few jobs down there and she accepted.

I have to say that I am pretty excited but am scared to death at the same time. I have never lived more than 50 miles away from the town that I grew up in 28 years. It is such an odd thought that I, sorry we, will be moving so far away. I have to say that I am really going to miss it here. Not just the area and the great things to do but also all of my friends that I have here. I am hoping that some of them will want to come and visit us. In the past few years Eva and I have developed a circle of friends that are all amazing people. We won't miss the house but we will miss our neighbors Josh and Kristin and Jason and Christina. The porch parties we had were memorable....at least what I can remember of them. I am going to miss our good friends Joe and Jen too, I hope that they want to come and visit. I don't know what the possibilities are for that since it is hard enough to get them to travel the 5 minutes to our house now. I can't imagine that they will come the 14+ hours down to South Carolina to visit, it would be great if they would but I don't see it happening. Joe and I have been good friends for about two years now. I met him in class, we are both in the same program. I am also going to miss our friends Ben and Heather. For a while we hardly got together but as of late we have been trying harder to get together. Ben has always said that Eva and I are people that he would like to be like but when I think of him and Heather I tend to think that I would like to be like them. I have known Ben longer than Heather and think we have a good connection. We share many of the same beliefs and loves, especially the love of nature and the belief that it should be protected at all costs. I am dissappointed that I haven't known Heather for that long and wish that I could have spent more time with her. She seems like a good match for Ben, she shares many of his ideals, although she has never been camping before and that is a big part of Ben's life. I hear that he is trying to get her initiated though. Both of them are great people and I think some of the "greenest" people that I know. They lead a good life and I like to follow their example.

I will miss them all and my family very much but it isn't as if we are staying down there forever. I can't say that it isn't a possibility but who knows. The change is going to be drastic but I am looking forward to it. We will not be far away from the ocean and also not very far from the mountains. I have already been looking online at the hiking trails and other great outdoor things to go and see. In Columbia they have one of the top ten zoos in the nation and I am definitely going to have to go check that out. I have a great weakness for zoos and try to see as many as I can.

I think that the change will be good for me. After so many years living here and up in Big Rapids I don't think that I have changed much. I have lived through a lot of new experiences but I think that this will send me on my next stage in life and I find it exciting. The sleeper must awaken. I think that this is going to provide many new opportunities for me and Eva and look forward to finding out what those are going to be.

"Where thou art - that- is home." - Emily Dickinson

He who's not busy being born is busy dying - Dylan

I apologize to all of my loyal readers out there that I haven't written a new update in a while. Here is a little something to fill that need that you are all feeling right about now. I found myself busier than I originally thought that I was going to be this weekend. I understand that this isn't a valid excuse but it plays a big part in it.

On friday my friend Joe had a graduation party. Im proud of him for finishing up his degree. It ended up being a later night than I was planning on, having to work in the morning and all but it was a great time. Had a little too much to eat and drink that night.

Saturday I worked in the morning for a few hours. I always enjoy working on the weekend because I get to wake up and enjoy some coffee while watching the sun rise. I may get lucky and see some of the deer and other animals that like to frequent my golf course. At times it seems like you are the only person around for a long ways and at times you actually are the only one. I really enjoy this job but don't agree with the amount of chemicals that they use. Buck Creek runs right through the course and I am sure there is a lot of run off coming off the course. Especially now while it's flooded. Any way that is somthing for another entry.

After work I got to spend some quality time with Eva before she had to run off to get ready for our friend Erika's wedding. I ended up being the usher for the wedding and didn't officially know until a few hours before the service. I had never been an usher before and no one really told me exactly what I was supposed to do. Thank goodness that it was a small wedding. It was a good time which was punctuated by a severe thunderstorm at the end of the ceremony. It was nice that the reception was at the same place as the ceremony so no one had to leave. Fortunately the rain passed by the end of the reception and we got to enjoy a nice evening after reception party at the groom's parent's house. That evening ended up being later than I planned on also. It is also when I became very lonely because Eva left for South Carolina and her teacher fair late that night. She went down with her brother and sister-in-law. She called today and said that it is gorgeous down there. I expect some good pics when she comes back....THREE more days. (sigh)

Slept in really late on sunday. I was going to drive up north to visit my twin sister who was in town from D.C. but got a call in the morning from her to cancel our plans. She was up in T.C. and I would only have an hour or so to visit because I had to come back to go to work at 4. Our boss wanted us to come in and do some extra work because he has a big event coming up on tuesday with a lot of other West Michigan superintendants. Yippee!!!

Yep thats it.....I thought weekends were for relaxing. Ok Ok yes I did a lot of partying but it was busy. What can I say. I really did do a lot.