Dear Friends and Family,

Getting home was the hardest part of the trip. I flew on five airplanes (all packed) within two days. My entire body hurt (still does a little) and I am pretty jet-lagged. They misplaced but later delivered some of my luggage. I got home late Friday night (by Iowa time) and only had the weekend before classes started. I have spent the last few days trying to get unpacked and prepared for the new semester. There is so much catching up to do...

Being home though is wonderful! Rowan is so amazing! He actually grew into his head while I was gone. (It no longer looks way to big for his body.) He has more hair (though still sparse) and is quite mobile. He toddles everywhere and is quite a climber too. He certainly is happy to see me. His face lit up with the greatest look of surprize and delight when he saw me. As expected, he had been quite possessive of me and I am enjoying it.

It is so wonderful to eat home cooked meals again too! With the hectic pace, bad food (no money) and heat of the summer, all my clothes are too baggy. Nice to sleep with company and in my own bed again. Really made me appreciate my home and my family. This weekend my sweeties took me to see "Men in Black." Fun movie -- even more fun with my sweethearts.

So school is gearing up. I am a teaching assistant with two sections for "Human Origins." It looks like it will be fun. The instructor has a good attitude toward teaching and is happy to let us have some creativity in our sections. I did switch which class I am taking. While I was gone they added, "Anthropology and the Body" which, of course, is my subject area. It is Tuesday evenings, so I went to the first class last night. Looks good. Instructor (male) also explicitly has a feminist anthropology perspective. My other two courses are independent studies to work on my dissertation proposal, grant writing and other research projects.

Speaking of which -- "Looking Queer" was recieved by the publisher and is scheduled for release next June. Meanwhile, I have four papers to write in the next month. Two for the Lavender Languages conference and two to finish an incomplete from spring. I also have to prepare a market report for "Looking Queer." Then there are the three collections I am working on... Yes, I have returned to my life.

Meanwhile, Lon got a full time job at the Univ. library in preservation. Pay is good and it includes benefits that will cover Tina and Rowan. Tina is still working through a temp. agency. Troy has quite a full load of classes. And Rowan starts a new day care center on Monday -- one with more activities.

Let me know what you have been up to...
Dawn