Take it to the next level - ref Flight of the Conchords season2

One thing that we've been missing in Missoula (besides Turkey Hill Iced Tea) is friends. I know I shouldn't put them in the same category, but I really would like a glass of TH. I'd also love to sit down with a friend to talk about life and all it's changes for a few hours while eating a good meal together. Yesterday, our family was invited to a BBQ. It was nice and refreshing to sit down and talk to people. We've been really missing conversations and community, and we both feel a little revived since we got a little bit of both yesterday. Of course we are doing all of this while keeping an eye on Taj. Thankfully, we're not the only ones interrupting sentences to yell "No" to their kid who is just about to take a swipe at another kid with a light saber or gobble down a pile of sand.


Getting involved in a church sooner rather than later has helped. Ironically, friends of ours whom we met in Baltimore just so happen to be best friends with the pastor and his wife of our church here. So getting to know our pastor and other couples has been easier than it might have been. We have hopes of developing deep and lasting friendships over the next year. Having Taj totally changes the process. Let's face it, it's not as easy as it was when we were in school or when we were single and met everyone at the bar. But we are trying to not let it stop us and we are trying to put ourselves out there (without appearing too desperate).


It's been fun to talk to people here in Missoula and find out their stories. Not that we have boring friends, but people here are just into a lot of different things. Things we're not use to seeing in Baltimore. A main theme I see here is sustainability - its a buzz word everywhere but here people are really into it. Everyone has gardens, many have chickens (legal within the city), and a few have goats (not legal yet but working on it). And your possessions are more hip if they are used or recycled. We are both intrigued and Rob loves it since having a goat and chickens has been on a dream list for some years now. BTW homemade goat-milk vanilla ice cream was AMAZING.

Aside from the city farmers (although I doubt they'd use that term) we've met a friend who grew up in Alaska, a guy who used to be a smoke jumper, and a guy that started a non-profit in Nakuru, Kenya. Needless to say, we haven't been bored with who we've been meeting.

This week's highs include:
- Rob going out and trying to spearfish in a local lake
- Rob taking 2 kayaking lessons this week
- Taj being babysat this week, it was a good experience overall
- Celebrating Rob's birthday with a huckleberry pie
- Sarah's morning runs in solitude
- Allowing a spider to build a web on our front window and watching it create a shelter and eat a bug this week.