Merry Christmas!

As I write, I am thankful that we were able to escape the Midwestern blizzard to spend Christmas with my family in Oregon. We did leave a day late and the weather was already questionable, but we made it. We return to Lincoln tomorrow and will be able to spend time with at least some of Brian's family this week.

Reflecting on the past year, it has certainly been a year of transition. The biggest change was in our location as Brian graduated from chiropractic school in Iowa and we moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. We spent much time deliberating where we should move to and it ended up being a straightforward decision as I was offered a job teaching microbiology at Southeast Community College in Lincoln. I started there in July and two quarters later I find that the position is a good fit for me. My students and coworkers make the time spent at work worthwhile, although I do wish for freer schedule to spend more time with Clara.

While Clara and I moved to Lincoln in July, Brian had to remain in Iowa to finish remodeling our house. As we should have expected, based on all of our previous experiences with the house, it took longer than expected. But, the return on all of Brian's hard work ended up being worth it. The house turned out beautifully and sold after 5 days on the market for more than we were asking. In the current housing market, we are certainly thankful for that.

Once the house was sold, I was glad that Brian could come and join us permanently. Functioning as a single parent was pretty exhausting, especially considering that by the time the house was sold, I had made it through the first trimester of pregnancy with baby number 2. I have to say that the best part of being in Nebraska is being close enough to visit family on the weekends. Clara loves the farm and helping Grandpa feed the cows and horse. This year Brian was able to help with harvest and Clara even "helped."

Baby number two is expected to be a girl and her due date is March 16. We're all looking forward to her arrival. Clara is probably the most excited. I have been trying to relax and enjoy this pregnancy more than I did with Clara. This next quarter while I'm teaching my two hour lectures, my thoughts by the end are likely to be "why stand when you can sit?" I'll be taking the Spring quarter off from teaching. My coworkers joke with me that women in China immediately return to work, but the early days with Clara left a deep impression that I will need all of my energy for a couple of months to take care of baby and Clara.

Brian has decided to open his own practice and has been searching for the right location to lease. He is close to making a decision and hopes to be open for business before baby arrives. Starting a business is an interesting process filled with all kinds of learning opportunities. Sometimes the process is rather daunting as we are not sure exactly the best way to proceed. Just as with remodeling our house though, we have faith and a vision for how we would like to see the end product. I have great confidence in Brian's skills as a chiropractor and his abilities to make a positive difference in his patients' lives.

This brings you up-to-date with the happenings of our lives. We certainly miss our friends in Iowa, but we are happy with the decisions that have led to where we are currently. We hope that the past year has gone well for each of you and that the year ahead holds much promise. If you need an updated address for us, please leave a comment or send us an e-mail.