An answered prayer for a nutritionist

I prayed for a job at a community agency in the field of Nutrition that no one except Travis, not even my internship director, thought I had the qualifications or experience to get. Not only did I land the part-time job, but I have been able to work in a place that needs Jesus like none other. God has blessed me with opportunities to show love and compassion to a population in need. The icing on the cake is that this week they have asked if I will consider going full-time in January. God has answered my prayer above and beyond the desires of my heart.

Living through the storm

The beauty that once was our neighborhood is no longer. The beauty of fall seems to have vanished in the midst of the events surrounding October 12th. There are changing colors, but, sadly, the branches are broken and lie on the ground, though many branches remain attached to the trees that they once inhabitted. The trees have undergone much destruction and it is a wonder if our neighborhoods will ever be restored. The wreckage remains. Some were without electricity for days and others will remain without electricity until Saturday, sources say. Our water supply was deemed unsafe, and boiling has been advised.

We were fortunate enough to regain power 36 hours after the storm. It is amazing what a blessing electricity can be, when such a service ceases one realizes they have taken it for granted. Many in our area have been reaching out to one another. God bless Buffalo and the efforts of the lovely people from Pennsylvania who have been our help in time of need. The Lord has been faithful and protected us through the storm.

What are the reasons that you go to a particular church?

Travis and I went to Michigan for the weekend. We reunited with old friends and went off-roading all day Saturday. The off-roading park was nearly entirely made up of sand dunes and it was a blast impressing Travis with my off-roading "skills." If you were there you know that Test Hill is huge and I took it. Travis even encouraged me to SLOW DOWN. If you know Travis, you know that those words are rarely considered a part of his vocabulary and in a place with little rules regarding one's automotive conduct, I was shocked. Is my husband rubbing off on me? :)

Jordan and Jessica invited us to join them at their church service the next day. We attended Riverview Church, an exciting place to be on Sunday morning with its ultra-contemporary worship service, the vision and aroma of multiple flavored coffees in the foyer, and the hip crowd it drew. If you're interested, http://eriv.net

I had forgotten what it was like to worship with a large group of people, most of whom were younger than age 35. I got the impression that no one tells their bass player or drummer to take it down a notch. It was extremely different from our usual quiet Sunday experience of hymns/praise songs, the doxology, the Lord's prayer, and a service filled with and geared for elderly men and women. The pastor at Riverview appeared on the stage wearing roughed up denim pants, cool kicks, and an American Eagle shirt, with the sort of mic that pop bands use so that their hands will be available to dance up a storm. The message delivered concerned the needs of a man and a woman in a marriage relationship, based on various scripture including Adam and Eve in Old Testament times. He was a dynamic speaker, who never failed to keep my attention. The topic was extremely relevant to our hearts, and, obviously, spoke directly to our current circumstance.

There are few, if any, differences in the doctrine of these two churches. It is quite fascinating that the two experiences can appear so different.

What are the reasons that you go to a particular church? What are the important qualities you look for?

Weekend at Letchworth State Park

We had an amazing weekend. We stayed with our friends at
their family's cottage. We spent the next day at the park.

Overlooking the Middle Falls at Letchworth State Park.
Posing for a shot with our friends, Philip and Annie.

Interesting...Annie looks scared.

At the park.

 

Two and a half weeks 'til autumn

Summer is nearing its end. It became apparent this weekend when we realized we hadn't run the air conditioner at all and it was quite cold in our apartment. We even resorted to locating our cozy throws! It was cool, rainy, and humid. Where did summer go? It was beautiful. This weekend we hope to get in at least one last summer hike!

Zoar Valley Creekwalk

Another NY adventure:

This creekwalk was amazing! I have never felt more deserving of dinner. It was about a six mile walk but when you are walking (and balancing) on rocks, it seems you tire more quickly than with your average six mile walk!


Walking through the creek (crick : O )



We jumped into a pool near a waterfall.

 

Jon took Dana to be his beautiful wife!

We enjoyed our visit to NV. It was nice to be back with the people we love, seeing old friends and family. The wedding was wonderful. The best part was seeing the love Dana and Jon have for one another.


 

Orange Passion

The Completion of the 2005-2006 Internship at UB

Tuesday was the last day of the internship. The director opened a bottle of champagne and at last we could visit with each other and talk about something else besides the grant project and the assignments we were working on! It was wonderful! It's amazing how close you can become with people who share your interests and have traveled along a similar path to your own. This year has been an amazing experience. I have grown from a shy nutrition student to a confident future dietitian! If I would have known what this year held for Travis and I before leaving Nevada, I don't know if I would have come. Now that I can see how much my life has changed, I wouldn't have had it any other way!

 

4 days left, but who's counting?

I am almost done with the internship! Today was my last day of supervised practice. All that remains are a training weekend and about 20 more hours of work on a grant project promoting the health of adolescents in Western NY.

-Michelle Slagle, Future Dietitian

Jordan's Bachelor Party Weekend...

Travis loves hangin' with these great guys. There is always plenty of fun to be had, fire, and let's just say it's never too tidy. They have entitled it a "Redneck Weekend." Maybe you can see why. Gearheads eat your heart out! We are disappointed that we won't be making it to Jordan's Wedding. He and Jonathan are getting married within a day of one another.

Taking care of Jordan's Bronco, with cans of white paint, that is. Travis, doin' what he loves best.
Andrew, that's hot! Looks like an advertisement for GMC, and like too much fun with a single pickup and one enormous puddle.

Smile, Luke and Jordan.

"If I were a painter, And could paint a memory..." - Lee Alexander / J.C. Hopkins

Life is beautiful. I love discovering new places with my husband. Here is our view of Lake Erie on Saturday night from our table. We had seafood at Hideaway Bay Restaurant in Silver Creek, NY. Definitely not Lake Tahoe. A worthwhile substitute? Sure. :)

Travis, braving the mighty Atlantic in a miniscule kayak.





Michelle pointing out our campsite (that's right, it is out in the middle of the Atlantic!)

So we went to Boston over the 4th of July weekend. Kayaked out to an island in the Boston Harbor and camped for two days. The above sign pretty much sums up the countryside that we drove through. Gorgeous though, and lots of really neat history. 

At the feet of Jesus

Today was one of those days, when I thought it was off to the right start. Time in the Word with my husband, prayer, and a balanced breakfast (speaking from the perspective of a soon-to-be dietitian.)

It's interesting how one thing can go wrong and I am crushed. I am in pieces because of something someone says or does. Is it my pride? Is it lack of humility?

Obviously the opinions of others I respect and look up to matter to me. I try to keep my heart focused on the things that are most important. I failed today. I let the world get me down, when I should have been looking at my Jesus.

Our Friends in Buffalo

Here is a picture Michelle took of Philip, Annie, and Cole.

Testing 1,2,3

Hey, cool. Now we can keep up with our old friends on blogger.com. Shout out to Alan Lo. Woohooo!