Is it Fall already???

Good-bye summer; hello fall.

I know that it is not yet officially fall, but there air is cool and crisp, I’m back in school, and the fun is over! Just kidding, the fun will never be over.

Tomi and I had an amazing summer. We were able to come back to Buffalo in June for Emerson’s baptism (I am the godfather) and spend some quality suburban time at the park with Nate and Angie, Bob and Liz, and Dave Boyce. We went to Boston to visit Johnny Passanese and his girlfriend Juliet, which included a tour of Harvard and some pretty killer crepes. We took our first big vacation together to Spain for 10 days – who knew that so few people would speak English in Barcelona and Madrid? We saw all the historical sites, many of the museums, and of course took siestas and ate dinner at 10:00 or 11:00 pm. We also spent a lot of time together in Harlem, including a bike ride across the George Washington Bridge (check our flickr site for pics) and a trip to the giant public pool.

My trip to Uganda was unbelievable. I lead of team of fourteen on a ten-day trip to work with the students of the LEAD Uganda Program. It is hard for me to put into words just how significant the trip was to all of us who went. It is like we have a whole new family on the other side of the world. The love that was shared between the students and staff and all the people from Forefront Church was truly a remarkable and beautiful thing. I can’t wait to go back - although next time I am really hoping that Tomi can come.

Tomi started her new job last week, and so far it is going very well. It is definitely more in line with her long term career goals as well as here creative gifts and passions. Her new position, as a junior photo rep, allows her to work closely with photographers and agencies. It is a small and well-respected firm. I know she is going to do great!

I have finished all my required courses at Drew Theological, but I still need more credit hours. The great part about this scenario is that I can now take whatever I want. I am currently serving as a Teaching Assistant for two classes taught by Dr. Leonard Sweet, who is an acclaimed author and speaker. I am hoping that this semester will help me to determine if teaching is something I might want to do in the future.

So life is good here in the big apple. Tomi and I would love to hear from all of you. And if you are really feeling like going the extra mile… we LOVE to receive mail (19 East 128th Street #23, New York, NY, 10035).

Much love, Jacob & Tomi.