Hello stage!

So this is 'blogging.' It has been a long while since I've seen most of you. We (husband Jason, son Jack, dogs Abou, Ross, and yes...PITA is still with me!) are currently in the White Mountains of NH. I am an environmental regional planner with a nonprofit in the Lakes Region and Jason works for WMNF.

It is wonderful being close to my family for the first time since High School - they are in Northern Maine. Jason is slowly adapting to the northeast winters - he is a proud Tennesseean. Jack joined us Sept. of 2006 and has been sheer joy ever since. Spring fever has hit with a vengeance and cabin fever may be right behind it if we have any more snow. The snowshoeing has been great, but we're ready to plant, or at least see something other than white. soon.

I'm currently solo parenting (hence email searching for a work document) as Jason is at a Forest Service conference in Columbus. He picked a great time to go as Jack was inflicted with the flu last week. Apparently the vaccine didn't do the job this time. He has thankfully made a robust recovery and is once again running at full speed.

I attached a few photos of life in the mountains and a recent trip to visit Jen & Sean (from Stage 07) in DC. We'd love to have visitors. The maple syrup will soon be running - yum. Think spring everyone!

T'hella fraskoom

Erica/Ourika

Hi, all. Just got the urge to post a brief update here on the blog.

Check out my new freelance writing website at www.twosignatures.com. I don't much keep up on my personal blog anymore (karenmart.blogspot.com), as the freelancing keeps me pretty busy. If anyone needs to hire a writer, gimme a buzz!

Things are well in Columbus. Steve and I are still together, and planning a 10 day trip to San Francisco for vacation this summer. Yea! Can't wait to go back there. My friend Melanie is getting married on the beach where I used to do yoga, so we'll attend the ceremony. We also plan to hit wine country, possibly Monterey, and definitely the Tahoe/Reno area to visit friends.

Hope y'all are doing great!

Karen

Life in a nutshell: after many terrific years in Chicago, we have just moved to Somerville, MA. After having a baby (Helena Delfina, aka: Lanie, Monkey Baby, or "Little Face With Big Cheeks") we wanted to be nearer to my family. I am about to start a job in development at Harvard. Javier works for a construction management firm in Boston, and is a great Papa.

Recently, Shannon (Scibilia) Skally was visiting from MN (with her adorable baby boy Leif) and by pure chance, we ran into Julie Wolf. Remember how that sort of thing used to happen in Morocco all the time, when you'd run into another volunteer in a souk bus station in the middle of nowhere?

Hope everyone is doing well. Look us up if you come to Boston.

Pretty much everywhere, actually. D.C., Dominica (Eastern Caribbean), Jordan, San Francisco, Mauritania, Romania, and now back to Cowlumbus, OH. Dang, I'm tired!!!!!

Here's a pic of me and Steve (been together almost 2 years now). As you can see, I still have a big mouth and I still tie one on every so often. Some things never change.

Check out my personal blog at http://karenmart.blogspot.com, including links to my Yahoo! photo page and my personal homepage. Lately, the blog consists mostly of shots of my five nephews and one niece (Jacob and Sierra pictured at right; ain't they cute?) No knee-biters of my own...that I know of....Looking forward to hearing what everyone is up to!--Karen Martin

Can you believe it's been nearly 10 years since we met? Please use this blog as a space to post news of yourself, upload photos, and share ideas about get-togethers. You can post your own discussion thread or comment on other posts. I look forward to hearing from you, and please spread the word to other Morocco RPCV's about this blog!

I have just completed my doctorate at the University of Virginia and accepted a faculty position at Fairfield University's Educational Technology program. I'll be living close to NYC so I'd be happy to get together with anyone who's up there!