Allergic to....... America?

Growing up in pennsylvania, my allergies usually got really bad twice a year. i'd have several completely miserable days where i'd be sneezing all day long, blowing my nose, wiping snot all over the place,.... you get the picture. it just drains your energy and frustrates you. i'd get the good meds to help me make it through the day.Then i moved to germany. my allergies barely bothered me at all in germany in the 3 and a half years that i was there. i might have had slight sniffles one day, but not even enough to take medication or really be bothered by them. i thought about it and enjoyed the notion of not being tortured twice a year.

.....now i'm back in the US. we're in that spring/summer phase thing with stuff blooming/blossoming and lots of pollen in the air. i don't know what it is, but there's SOMETHING in america that i'm allergic to.

Work today was unbearable. i somehow felt that it would be a rough day, so i took a handkerchief along in my back pocket. i was constantly pulling it out to blow my nose or sneezing all over the place. it was soaked before lunch and i was miserable, wondering if i could go home early because of allergies. i pushed on through the day, wishing it would all be over and wondering what i could get some medication.

Long story short, i called my mom and found out that she had some hidden at home. i'm happy to say that i made it through bible study this evening without snorting loudly, sneezing, or hocking up snot.

i wish i knew exactly what it is that i'm reacting to. or could it just be america?

The Scanning has Begun!!!!

I've been wanting a scanner for a long time and just wasn't able to make a decision about which one to get. right. indecisive. i want to scan all the old pictures that we have laying around, from my immediate family, great great great grandparents, friends and all that good stuff.
long story short, i made a decision and bought a scanner.
I got a Canon Canoscan 4400F online and after receiving it several days ago have started scanning such wonderful pictures as this one.As you can see, being able to put pictures like this online was well worth the investment. i'll be scanning alot more and posting lots online.

Yeah, I'm Movin on Up....

Well folks, my time in Virginia is about to come to an end. As of May 14th, I will be working as a Refugee Case Manager/Social Worker for Lutheran Refugee Services in Lancaster, PA.
I've really really enoyed my time here in virginia with my family, new friends, church and work. when i came back from germany, i figured that i wouldn't stay here very long and didn't make much of an effort of integrating myself or puttin down my roots.
Despite that, I started relaxing in the little amount of time that i wasn't working.
So when the job offer came, the decision was harder than i thought it would be. I didn't give a straight up "yep. i'll take it." it was more like "umm........ i'd like the weekend to think about it."
i had been hoping for a job like this since i got back from germany. i'll be working with refugees, helping them to overcome obstacles to employment, whatever they might be.
i'm really looking forward to starting this new job after spending the last 6 months building steeples and wondering what my next step in life should be. the decision was also hard because i had been toying with the idea of going back to school for a masters in social psychology or international studies. i just don't think i'm the greatest student. :-) change that......... i don't like to study.
my first day of work will be in philadelphia, then it's back to lancaster. it feels strange moving back to lancaster, the place where i spent 20 years of my life.

things have changed. i've changed. i'm shaking just thinking about it.
starting over. again.

oh. did i mention that i wanna buy a house?