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01 September 2015

Hot times in Louisiana

We moved to Louisiana in the end of June, just in time for one of the hottest summers in a long time (of course!). It was in the upper 90's and low 100's, with heat indexes well into the 100's! Within a week of moving to Baton Rouge, Owen went as the doctor on a missions trip with the youth group from Valley, our church in Connecticut. He spent 10 days in El Salvador, occasionally being a doctor, but mostly helping teach football camps and mentoring the local youth (I'll try to find some pictures from Facebook to include, since he didn't take any). During this time, I spent my 30th birthday in New Orleans with some doctors wives I met on our networking sites. The I went up to Shreveport for 4th of July with Alie, Sean, and their kids.

During July, we were both looking for jobs, so we had some free time to explore south Louisiana. We went boating with our neighbors on the Atchfaylaya basin, did a lot of biking (and running for me), did a lot of fishing in different ponds in the area (though not a lot of catching!), went to a hot air balloon festival, and hung out with friends, getting to know our new "home." We also celebrated Owen's 30th birthday with a day at Tickfaw State Park, we fished, had a cookout, he kayaked on a pond with an alligator, and we held baby alligators that some redneck caught!

In August we both finally started working. Owen had already been trying to work with the local ambulance company, but that did not end up working out. He was already doing some work with Pennington Biomedical Research, seeing study research study participants in the clinic there and helping write some articles, so he ended up picking up more hours there. He also started landscaping on Fridays with our friend who started his own landscaping business. I went on a few interviews, none of which felt right, so I declined a few offers. I decided to send an email to a wellness center nearby, part of a local hospital, and just asked if they had any openings in the the nutrition and life coaching that I saw advertised on their sign. Turns out they were just about to post an opening on their website! I immediately knew that was the right place for me. I started part time as a health coach in August (eventually turning full time later in the fall). I also started coaching youth soccer in September, 6-9 year olds, 4 nights a week and Saturday games, and a 3 year olds program! So we both started getting busy.

So that's how we spent our hot southern summer. 
Here's a few pictures to highlight some of our fun times.

30th Birthday dinner in NOLA at a Caribbean restaurant with some fellow "LDW" members
Dessert with a fleur de lis
Boating on the Atchfaylaya with Clint and Paula


Some great summer storm clouds


At the pool with Alie


Feet in the Mississippi River

Lots of big spiders, bugs, and snakes
Serious rain and flooded streets
Beautiful sunset and clouds with Owen shooting his bow
Post first 50 miler with Clint
Tickfaw State Park, there was a big alligator in there!
Those redneck guys caught these baby alligators (later put them back)





Ascension Balloon Festival




The balloon from Connecticut!