We're Back!

If anyone is still actually reading this blog, you may have noticed a wee slow down in posting here! Things have been busy in Edinburgh these past few months...traveling, working, studying, hanging out with friends (new and old) and getting involved in some stuff at our church.

Joe has been busy preparing conference papers, working on some things for (hopeful) publication (including translating an article from French to English--I'm impressed!), tutoring two courses at the University, teaching a course online for a school back in the US, and (somehow) finding time to work on his dissertation. In the midst of all this, he's treasurer of the post grad committee and did a fabulous job organizing and helping with some events for the new students and is organizing a post graduate conference here in Edinburgh for November. I don't know how he is managing all of this, but he's still finding time for friends and his crazy wife.

I've been busy too (though, not as busy as all that). Work has gotten busier with each passing month and I am excited about some new things I am doing. I am still working with adolescents and their families, but am also getting to develop (and implement) a new service for caregivers in the child protection process, am working on some program evaluation of a service that is being considered for use in the young adult prison, and organizing an agency wide (across Scotland) forum for practitioners. I'm also getting ready to deliver a presentation at a meeting of the Scottish chapter of a major organization and will soon be taking on a student to supervise for the next few months. I'm excited about all of these opportunities because I am getting to use some of my skills in some new ways and am definitely learning and developing a ton professionally. Outside of work, I've been volunteering at church one night a week to prepare a meal for folks and am really enjoying that. I got to do some things to help welcome new families and had a great time getting to help others (in a small way) settle into life here in Edinburgh.

Somehow even though our work is keeping us really busy, we have enjoyed some fun times with friends--playing poker, dancing, book clubs, dinners, nights out at the symphony, etc. We even managed to take two trips! We've had a lot of really great times over these past few months, and I am sad that I have been doing such a poor job of documenting it.

All that to say: I haven't abandoned the blog, really (though, I have thought about it) and hopefully you'll be happy to know that I have spent several hours this morning writing and uploading pictures for...20 blog posts (twenty!!)!! So, watch this space (as they say here in Scotland) and see some more about what we've been up to!