After four years in Japan and the experience of biking across SE Asia, we really wondered if we would have major problems re-adjusting to life back in the States. The evidence is in though, and we have been recertified with flying colors.

Consider the evidence pictured and labelled at right. Exihibit A shows Sarah with her grandma holding up one of those enduring symbols of American hominess, an apple pie. In her pursuit of fitting in, Sarah asked grandma to pass on the tradition (and her secret recipe!!). Grandma obliged and one afternoon we went over to Grandma's and learned the process from start to finish. So as not to every let this bit of American identity slip through our fingers Sarah diligently took 5 pages of notes and Dan shot a memory stick full of pictures. The result was perfection and we look foward to sharing our accomplishment with all who ask.

If you were to ask an American what other symbols of nationhood besides apple pie there might be, a likely candidate for top consideration would be that great American pastime, baseball. And while we haven't gone as far as to actually join a team and take part in the organized boredom of a sport where action breaks out once, maybe twice, a game, we do ask you to look at Exihibit B. We joined with 19,877 (according to the 8th inning stretch trivia quiz) others in paying homage to corporate sport in America. The game was at U.S Cellular Field (can a sporting venue be named after anything other than a company these days??) and it really was a lot of fun. Nathan and Nikki (Sarah's brother and wife) joined us with their baby, Joy, and we spent the game being entertained by action on the field and on the huge score board. Actually, I think the most crowd noise was witnessed when a corporate sponsor paid for an animated race on the scoreboard between sausage, pepperoni, and ham pizzas. I sure was glad my pizza sausage came through with the win.

While some may interpret the sarcastic nature of this piece to mean we dislike the States in any way, we want to implore that this is by no means true. In fact, as you can read more about here, we are planning to stay here for at least two more years. Things aren't perfect anywhere, and while some parts of living in the States are not exactly the most exciting it is true that more than where you are, it is what you make of it, that will determine how your overall outlook is based.