Travels with Jon & Kate Part Two!: Life in Michigan

A small summary of life in Michigan since we moved here almost two months ago....

I began my job as the Andrews University Assistant Student Missions Coordinator. It's been fun. We had a car wash the first week I was to fundraise for the outgoing SMs, and I've been the rest of the time helping the 20 SMs finalize paperwork, as well as starting to plan for the upcoming school year's activities.

First time at Lake Michigan

Jon has been taking summer classes. They're intensives, so classes only last a month. In May he did one 3 credit class (and got an A) and he just finished his June classes and is enjoying a week off before his last intensive classes in July. He's also been working as a grader and researcher for a professor in the MDiv department.

We've tried to take some time to enjoy some hiking and exploring around here, but it's hard. The lake is awesome, warm fresh water and lottsa sand, but Gromit doesn't like the waves, and sand is super hard to hike in. And it's a lot hotter and more humid than we're used to. And there's rattlesnakes. And lots of bugs. And stinging nettle. And poison ivy, oak, and sumac. And unexpected thunderstorms. But other than that it's great :)
We do finally have a hiking backpack ready to go now. We got so used to being able to go hiking in the northwest for hours at a time not needing anything except dog bags. Now we've got a bag with water for us and Gromit, dog bags, bug spray, sunscreen, and zip lock bags for cell phones when it rains. We're getting there.

Backyard

Backyard friends

Memorial Day BBQ

Gromit's happier on shore

Jon by the sign for the old ad building of Emmanuel Missionary College (old AU), where his Grandpa went

Caught in the rain mid hike

Our backyard is pretty awesome. It's not fenced, which in some ways is obviously bad for Gromit, but it means way more wildlife! We regularly have deer, a family of woodchucks, bunnies, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and a turtle roaming our backyard. Plus a very nice mowed section for ball playing. It's a dog's paradise.

Seminary building

Pioneer Memorial Church

We've been able to meet up with some friends who we knew from Walla Walla, so I started a bi-monthly soup and game night for whoever wants to come. We also hung out with some of those people Memorial Day for a BBQ, and tried to get Gromit used to their large goofy lab, which was rough. We tried again last Saturday, this time indoors and off-leash. It was touch and go for a while, Gromit was snappy as usual, but luckily Leo's not the defensive type and eventually they came to an understanding, as long as Leo didn't get too close to Gromit, haha. Then, unexpectedly, Gromit decided to initiate play! Oh my goodness you should've seen Leo spring into action! He went nuts! Like, "YESSSS!!! OH MAN!! FINALLY! I've been waiting for this alll night!!!" It was hilarious. I don't think Gromit had any idea what he was getting in to.

Campus Center- where student missions is

We've also become Costco members for the first time, so that's exciting and adult like, and since we're going to South Bend anyway...we often stop and explore their TWO game stores in town! Yes! It's a bit overwhelming and hard to control ourselves (see picture), but we're trying. We're scoping things out and gearing up for GenCon at the end of July ! Yea!

Entrance to the university

And finally, in other exciting news, thanks to a cheaper cost of living here, some saving on our part, nice parting gifts from people in Oak Harbor and family, moving reimbursements, house deposit, etc., we paid off all our student loans and are debt free! woohoo!