Boots with the fur

Flo Rida will perform in Rapid on November 1st. I may just have to put on my baggy sweat pants and Reeboks with the straps and check it out.

Foggy sunrise

Some of the trees have started to change color and the mornings have been cool. The afternoons are still warm, but fall is definitely on its way. Yesterday, I caught this sunrise through the lingering fog:

Member of the team

Cross country season is now in full swing. Like track this past spring, I'm a volunteer coach twice a week. Track was a blast even though I hadn't ever worked with youngsters prior. The distance kids got used to seeing me around by the end of the season. And I connected with a couple of the throwers.

As much fun as I had with track, cross country has been an awesome experience. The team is a lot smaller and I coached most of the kids earlier this year. But the absolute best part is the fact the elementary and middle school runners practice with the older kids. I've spent most of my practice time running with kids who weren't born until after I graduated from high school.

Our boys and girls high school teams are actually quite good. One senior boy should challenge for the Class A state title, while a freshman on the girls' side won the state title as an eighth grader last year.

The younger kids, on the other hand, are just learning how to run and to have fun while doing it. I guess I shouldn't be so amazed the younger kids actually listen to and value the pointers I have to offer. About halfway into running a mile-long loop with three boys who recently joined the team, I heard a lot of feet shuffling along the pavement. I stopped them for a moment to demonstrate the difference in sound when I lifted my own feet off the street compared to when I didn't. Not only did they get it, but immediately made their adjustments. There wasn't a shuffle the rest of the way.

Back at the track, Coach Tonya talked about setting goals. The kids and coaches took turns announcing their short- and long-term goals. One of the boys from the earlier run said, while pointing at me, "I want to be like him!"

But the most fulfilling moments of today's practice came from one of the girls. She's awfully shy, but I've tried to make conversation with her (and the other kids, for that matter). Today, she asked me for a hug. And then, right after we concluded our goal-setting conversation, she asked if I could quit my job so I could come to practice more often.

My primary intent with coaching track (and now cross country) was to help out in the community outside of my VISTA work with Habitat. Plus, I love to run, and figured I'd be of some general assistance to the teams. But now it's so much more than that.

The one thing kids around here need, however, is consistency. I not only worry about practicing with them only twice a week, but me eventually leaving Mission. I know it's going to happen and it's something I've thought a lot about. It's hard.

For now though, I'm a member of the team. Today was photo day. The kids were all told yesterday to come to practice today wearing their uniforms. I didn't think anything of it. That is, until Tonya gave me a Todd County sweatshirt to wear in the photo.

Hi, it's me

Everything I've wanted to share as of late is not really fit for publication - yet.

Work has been something else. I didn't know exactly what was in store for me by joining VISTA and moving to Mission. I did learn at PSO, though, that my year of service would look drastically different than other VISTAs' primarily because of where I'd be serving. And I'm thankful for that, because it was something I purposely sought out. I figured if I was going to move away from Alaska for a new challenge, I should go all-out and put myself into a situation I wouldn't have otherwise been able experience.

I found it. And then some. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to elaborate much until I leave next year. In the interim, I'll say the two adjectives that come to mind most often when I think about my job are fulfilling and frustrating.

Coinciding with my work drama is the pleasant surprise of finding the guy I want to be with. Well, being found is probably more accurate. Love really can show up at your doorstep. It just takes some folks (i.e. me) longer to figure shit out.

Sorry for the aloofness. I do have some stories to share; I just need to make time to get them on here. Lord knows I'm a deliberate writer. But, all things considered, life is really, really good.

Our busy summer hosting out-of-town volunteers ended a couple weeks ago. Outside of a church group visiting from Iowa next week, another quiet winter is approaching. I'm helping coach middle and high school cross country, which has been an absolute blast. The Sioux Falls Half Marathon is Sunday morning. I feel my 1:30 goal is attainable even with a cold lurking in the shadows. I have another trail race scheduled near Laramie in October. And I scored tickets to a Nebraska football game.

Yup, it's all good.