Tim runs the 5K at NCAA Div.III Track Nationals in Lisle, IL, on May 27, 2006. {He is sixth from the right, in maroon, with #13 on his hip.}

Tim chilling at Track Nationals 

Tim's Spring Track, 2006

It's difficult to believe, but track season has swooshed by us, and Tim is home and taking a couple of weeks off of running. It was a successful season in many ways, and a difficult one as well.
The Successes:

• He ran strong the whole season, and grew in character, by God's grace.
  
• He won his conference 10K
• He qualified for Nationals in both the 5K and the 10K
• He was a repeat All American in the 10K

The difficulties:
He was ill in January, and just never felt "well" again. This resulted in one of those seasons where he met few of his running goals, and learned a lot about fortitude and patience. He had several instances of collapsing and losing consciousness following races, which culminated in a colapse during the 5K at Nationals (his final race of the season) and resulted in his first DNF (did not finish) ever. He is currently seeing medical professionals here at home to make sure there is nothing going on medically, and we are hopeful that rest and home cooking will do him a world of good.

Tim ran well, studied well, and is a joy to have back home for the summer. He is working again as an undergraduate student at Los Alamos National Laboratory for our dear friend David Lawrence, acting director of the Center for Space Science and Exploration. Tim hopes to be inspired there this summer with an idea for next year's senior engineering design project.

Update on Benjamin

Wonder of wonders, Ben is graduating next month from Hillsdale College with a degree in classical studies. It now appears that he will be attending the Indiana University (Bloomington) in the fall on an Instructor Assistantship, working on his Masters in Latin, with the possiblity of continuing on for his PhD. He is particularly interested in the early church fathers, Roman poetry, and authorship issues. So, he has found a way to stay on a college campus, and keep being a student for 2-5 more years! :-) We are , of course, pleased with how well he has done, and pray for God's continued guidance as he seeks to find the calling God has placed on his life.
You can read more about Ben's future home and field of study here: http://www.indiana.edu/~classics/

Dave entering one of many lava-tube tunels/caves in El Malpais. 

Chris on top of the El Morro formation. 

Dave and Chris' Very Cool Adventure

February brought what we are affectionately calling "Dave and Chris' VERY Cool Adventure"-- a camping trip in 40 mph winds in Western New Mexico. The two of us had a lovely 4-day adventure in our pop-up camper (with two ceramic heaters and two down comforters), and toured the El Malpais National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/elma/) , El Morro National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/elmo/), and Bluewater Lake State Park (http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/emnrd/parks/Bluewater.htm). We enjoyed hiking lava fields from extinct volcanoes, explaoring, and spending time together (even if we were freezing most of the time!)