Hello blogland.

Well, it's Saturday morning, and absolutely gorgeous. I never knew weather could be quite this nice. I got up at 8:30-ish and went for a run in this high 60s weather--low humidity and brilliant sun. I think there's something about perfect weather that permeates your being and just refreshes and rejuvenates your life.

My flight was quite atrocious. Katie and I left New Orleans at 1:30 and got to Houston, where we had a 5-hour layover. So, what do we do? Drink 34-oz of beer each at the Fox Sports Club on an nearly empty stomach. It was fabulous. We were tipsy walking around the airport. I had Chinese for dinner that gave me the worst gas on the plane. Not good for the people around me. :) And the flight to Seattle was nearly five hours. We were in the back seat, so no reclining and they didn't offer a movie. I was so claustrophobic and on the verge of a panic attack near the end!

Yesterday was great. We went sailing with Kate's uncle on this beautiful 36-foot sailboat on Puget Sound. We saw the coastline (?) of Seattle...people sailing...people parasailing...people on ferries...people waving from the docks. It was quite chilly; I needed a fleece. That breezy Seattle air...whew! It was so gorgeous, overall, though.

Today, Katie and I are going to a Seattle Mariners game with Kate's parents. She, incidentally, agreed to babysit some 7-month old for this wedding. So, the entire day, we'll be with her parents, which will be interesting, and different. :) Nothing like family building with people you've known for 24 hours. But, seriously, they're really great--granola, but welcoming and sweet.

So, other than that, things are going OK. I'm anxious about Orientation and ultimately, Anchorage. It's so surreal that I'm in the Pacific Northwest. It's a different way of life up here...beautiful, but really, really different. I don't know if I'll get a chance to go downtown Seattle for the nightlife, which I wanted to. I like big cities. :) But we have a party to go to tonight after going to Seattle.

I hope that I can stay in contact with everyone. The cell phone is acting up, which is fine, if that's God's way of saying I shouldn't use it. :) I look forward to the couple of days of vacation, essentially, before my JV experience. Keep in touch, lovers!