The Holiday Letter

At midnight on January 1, 2008, Nick and Teresa selected individual paper balloons as gifts from our hosts in Thailand. We wrote our wishes for the coming year on the balloons, lit the tail of the balloons, let them fill with hot air, and released them to the sky. At liftoff, the crowd of onlookers cheered as our balloons sailed above the Thai island beach, carrying our prayers of intention, release, and hope with the night breeze.

Just a few days later we ironically crashed a scooter on the island which resulted in serious injuries including to T's foot. It was scary, but we grew closer from learning how to handle emergencies and to take better care of each other. Back in Hokkaido, Teresa balanced over a dozen schools, from elementary to a nursing college all while standing on one leg. Try all that while speaking Japanese! We kept busy to stay warm.

In the spring and summer Teresa had more opportunity to sing publicly, especially for the G8 Summit events. The resulting album distributed 5000 CD's! Meanwhile, Nick worked 3 jobs, 7 days a week, but also had the chance to be a ski guide for a couple months.

This spring we also experienced the sudden passing of Nick's Uncle Joseph Jr. and Grandpa Joe, who will be remembered for his sweet personality and impressive dancing skills. He passed away a few weeks after his son. They will be missed.

We were lucky to be surrounded by family for support during so many challenges. In April, Teresa's adventurous mother Mary met us in Osaka, in central Japan. We took a whirlwind week of touring the ancient cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara. Along the way we stayed in a Zen monastery, rafted down a river, visited many (many!) historic temples, and sampled a lot of food. Then the three of us rode the Shinkansen Bullet train southbound to Hiroshima, where we witnessed to the Peace Memorial Museum. This was a soul-changing experience, and we are eternally grateful for the gracious locals and generous-spirited people who developed this museum. During the week in our home in Hokkaido, Mom visited schools, hiked in the mountains, experienced a Japanese spa, and slept in our tatami room. It was a wonderful visit.

Later that month, we took the opportunity to revisit the museum of our favorite Japanese artist, Goto Sumio. Many of his beautiful paintings depict the ancient cities which we'd just visited in Kyoto and Osaka. While sitting in front of one of the most stunning paintings of the famous "Golden Pavilion", Nick proposed and Teresa accepted. We will happily wed in August of 2009 in Omaha.

And more good news. This summer we both turned 30! Nick's June birthday was celebrated with a long weekend slumber party and a picnic in the local lavender fields. Teresa's birthday was spent dancing in the Furano Bellybutton Parade, receiving one final Tea Ceremony tutorial from my sensei, packing the apartment, and saying goodbye. A group of several dozen friends and colleagues waved off our early-morning bus out of Furano. Our arms were full of gifts and eyes full of tears. It was an extremely challenging year, sometimes very painful, but also rewarding and lovely.

On our way home we stopped in Taipei, Taiwan for a one-day layover. We managed to visit several places including a myriad of open-air markets selling everything from trendy clothing to chicken feet. We'd love to visit Taipei again! After we arrived in Omaha we had only a week to unpack/repack, celebrate an engagement/welcome home/ happy birthday party, and then drive a moving van up to Minnesota, where Nick accepted the invitation to attend Hamline Law School in St. Paul. Much to our relief, our home in St. Paul is efficient and lovely, and only a few blocks from Nick's school. Nick began class orientation just 9 days after we returned to America.

In September Teresa's dear brother Chris married Melisa, and a wonderful party commenced in October. Melisa's family has welcomed Chris with open arms, and we are so grateful for their stability, and happiness. Blessings to their new lives together.

Nick worked as a law clerk this semester. In October Teresa started her new job at the University of Minnesota, with the Department of General Medicine and the Program in Health Disparities Research. This job seems to be a great fit, as she is supporting health research for many of the populations in which she worked in social services in her 20's.

We've enjoyed moving back to the USA. We were especially pleased to share Thanksgiving in Madison, hosted by Nick's brother Ben and sister-in-law Kat. With Nick and Teresa's parents in attendance, it was a nice blending of families! We love exploring Minnesota. The state fair, the renaissance festival, our college campus, and camping on the St. Croix River made it an Autumn to remember. Teresa sings in a church choir and Nick volunteers for the Minnesota Justice Foundation. We hope to build a future here for years to come.

Over the winter holidays we will visit Teresa's new goddaughter at our friends' home in the Netherlands. We'll likely venture into the cold for a crisp Belgian beer in Brussels and some dark chocolate in Germany. And of course, there is cheese.

Once again, we send hopeful wishes aloft in the night sky. We are so grateful for a bountiful, creative, love-filled life. May all of you have a happy holiday season. Thank you for your friendship and support this year and every year. May the light shine in each of your hearts, as we pray that light and peace will reign in this world.

In Love and Gratitude,
Teresa and Nick

What *Not* to Wear

I'm not sure if this is "against the rules", but I'm gonna post some pics of the dresses I'm not going to wear for my wedding. Some girlfriends took me out wedding dress shopping, and although this is a process many women might greet with excitement, I was more than a little uncomfortable. It's funny being a bride. There are so many expectations placed upon me and .... I'm not sure what to do with it all. I find myself constantly explaining (to store clerks, to friends, to the lady at the makeup counter) that I'm not "that kind of bride" and that I'm trying to be cool about this whole thing. No stress, right? It's about the relationship; it's not about the wedding. Maybe I'll just wear jeans. Blah, blah, blah. Obviously, my need to tell this to everybody that I meet isn't a good sign. At least I can laugh at myself.

This was the first wedding dress I'd ever tried on; note the terrified expression on my face.


Um, fairy princess? Ridiculous.


This dress looked better in-person than in photos. It was all Grecian-looking and kindof fun, but really impractical for an outdoor wedding in the heat of Nebraska August.


Pretty on the mannequin, and horrifically ugly on me. I'm giggling because it's just so bad.


Not bad.


This is the fanciest dress I will probably ever wear. It was strikingly beautiful, heavy, and would probably be terribly hot in August.

But look at the cool bustle! You'd bustle it on the just below the hip. Fun.


This dress was bad. Not so ugly on the hanger, but waaay too much for me.


This dress wasn't so bad. Simple. But I didn't buy it.


Of course I won't post pics of the dress that I decide upon (when I finally decide). You'll have to wait for that!

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" reached its 60th Anniversary this week! This is a powerful, challenging and inspiring document. There is probably not one nation on earth currently honoring it - certainly not my own nation - and yet we hold it as an attainable goal. May it be so.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Preamble

Adopted by the United Nations, December 10, 1948

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realisation of this pledge,

Now, therefore,

The General Assembly

Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Articles of the UDHR.

Thanksgiving Pics!

We traveled to Madison, Wisconsin for Thanksgiving weekend to be with family: Ben, Kat, Mary, Rich and Pat. Lots of food, coctails, brisk walks, and more food. It was a lovely time.

What a bountiful spread on Thanksgiving day! Ben and Kat are wonderful hosts.


Oops! The wine froze!


One evening Nick entertained the family with his fiddle, playing Celtic and traditional tunes.


Isn't this a lovely picture of Pat!?

Brothers.

Schickers.



How unlikely!? At the Madison Botanical Gardens, they have a lovely Thai royal pavillion. The craftsmen who came to build the pavillion flew to Chicago, with all the materials, on the last plane allowed to land on 9/11/01 (just as the authorties were becoming aware of the attacks in DC and NYC). Two days later, in moving ceremonies praying for peace and cooperation, people from Thailand and Wisconsin built the pavillion together.


My mom loved this sculpture of tulip leaves.


I loved these grasses!


We celebrated Rich's 60th birthday at the end of this lovely weekend. He is an amazing father!

An Update

Dear Readers,

Goodness, I have been neglectful! Perhaps you might be interested to know what I've been up to; and even if you haven't, I'll record it for myself to read and reflect upon later. This blog isn't an online journal for me (I'm much too private for that!), but I'd rather not treat the blog as only a space for advertisement of my political leanings (as I've been boring you with lately). Apologies all around. (And hooray or Obama!) Now, on to it...

I write to you under a full moon, just before Winter Solstice, on a very cold night. I'm wrapped in an electric blanket and sitting on a generous pleather legal chair at Nick's desk. He's at the library studying for his first law exam which happens tomorrow morning! He's so diligent! I'm listening to a generous stack of CD's from the St. Paul library: Miriam Makeba (in memoriam of the South African woman's recent passing), Ethiopian music (we've many Northern-Africans in our neighborhood and I feel compelled to learn about them), Pete Seeger (because he's been coming up a lot lately in my life, and I'm learning about unions), the King's Singers (which brings back funny memories of another certain men's vocal ensemble), and a couple world music mixes of Soul and Mediterranean music.

Now, to the update. Just for review, we lived in Japan last year but are now in St. Paul. Nick is going to law school at Hamline University.

He was recently accepted into Hamline's business school as well, so in about 3.5 years he'll have a JD and MBA! And after over three hundred (yes, really) applications and months of searching for the right one, I have a job!

I began work at the University of Minnesota in late October, just a couple weeks before the U of M declared a "hiring pause". I'm so grateful to get in just under the wire! The job is really a blessing: in the interview process it was clear I was chosen because of, and not despite of, my breadth of experience and international focus. Employees of the U tend to stay here for decades, even as they might change jobs. The atmosphere is good, the people are good, and the benefits are amazing. Among the benefits, the U of M offers free tuition to any employees, for undergrad or graduate work. It's such a relief to be able to seriously consider grad programs, and know that they are financially possible. I feel very blessed.

Also, we've set a date for our wedding! We will be married on August 7 in Omaha, where our families live. We've booked the park for the ceremony, a fabulous caterer and big reception hall. Things should be pretty simple. It's another blessing that I have several friends and family who were recently married in Omaha, so I can use their research on vendors to make the planning easier. And I feel so blessed with loyal and helpful fam/friends who've offered their assistance. We feel strongly that the point of a wedding, a public one, is to garner the spiritual/emotional support of the community who surrounds and loves us; we're grateful that so much is offered. It's so important to us to enjoy the time with our family and friends; I'm trying to keep the stress to a minimum. Nick is a big help with that, because he's such an easy-going guy with a tendency to plan well (over my procrastination). It will be great.

And in other exciting news, we're off to Europe in a week's time! Over the holidays, Nick and I are going to the Netherlands to visit our friends Adam and Amber and their beautiful child, my godchild, Mary Grace. Christmas will be quiet and simple in their home. Perhaps we'll take some brief trips into Germany to see spas or castles. For New Year's we'll head down to Belgium to sample beer and chocolate and enjoy the architecture. Then Nick and I will spend our final two days in Amsterdam, enjoying the city. It should be a lovely vacation and pre-honeymoon. We're so practiced at traveling together, but every country is a new challenge. Nick is great at negotiating public transportation, reading maps and orienting. I'm great at packing, planning, and keeping us organized along the way. If we can make our way across Asia, where we can't even read the signs, surely we can enjoy Western Europe!