Spinning

What a week!

I have tried to post every week, and with maybe one other exception I have been able to do it. This week I had to delay my post a couple of days because I didn't have a moment to do it.

A week ago I had my last couple of days of language training. I took my language assessment and got the score I needed despite a performance that was not my best and a room that was too hot because it lacked air conditioning. It feels good and strange to be done with my language training and to start other functional training. It's a burden lifted because you can't ever escape the weight of language proficiency weighing over you every minute of every day until you get the score you need. But since I would still like to speak it when I need it, I did the crazy but sensible thing and have already arranged for an hour or so of language training every day for about a month before I head out.

I like my new training and have signed up for some additional courses that will help me. I'm probably a little crazy to sign up for even more training, but I want to learn as much as I can, whatever might help, and I need to fill up my time since my family will be away with relatives for a while.

I love being with my family and it kills me inside to have even a few days away from them. Luckily, I was able to spend the 4th of July weekend with my family and my wife's family for a reunion. I even got to see some of my own siblings and their families and my parents. I really love being around them too and being apart from them is definitely the hardest part of my job.

I almost didn't get my family out when they were supposed to go. We had some problems with the travel arrangements and tickets (long story) and there was one early morning false start, hours of phone calls during breaks at work, and a nail-biting finish. Prayers were answered and we're very grateful for people who were there to help at critical points.

We had a fun holiday spending time with family. We saw fireworks, did sparklers, went on water slides, ran a 5K, (and beat the time I wanted to beat), and had a good time in Utah.

The week went so fast and had so many stressful and crazy elements and late nights and early mornings and changes that my head is still spinning.