“Trust Allah, and tie up your camel.”

- hand-lettered sign at the entrance to the Fifth Squadron airbase, Skardu, Pakistan*

Though it’s not Allah we trust in and we don’t drive a camel, we couldn't agree more. The first year we lived here one of our guests stole a mini-caribeener off of our husky puppy's collar while having dinner in our home. We learned a lot that year (we lost more than the mini-caribeener). And still carry those lessons with us. Our professional lives mirror our personal lives. For the past 9 years we have strived in our work with youth, here in the Jiu Valley and throughout Romania, to develop social capital: the social networks and moral norms that promote cooperation for mutual benefit.

*From “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time” by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin.

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, SWEET JULIA!

For our cousin and our niece, Julia Abigail Kirchmaier, on her first birthday. Happy birthday sweetest girl. We love you and we miss you terribly.
Aunt Brandi, Uncle Dana & Cousin Briana

Happy Birthday and "Bonjour ma Cousine" ("Hello my Cousin") video:

"Little Red Caboose" video with special gymnastics:

Julia's Birthday Album (compiled by Briana and Brandi):

Little Red Caboose - The Laurie Berkner Band
Julia – Chris Rea
Old MacDonald Had a Farm – Parker Bent (for Uncle Greg)
Bam Bam – Father Goose
Little Pumpkin – David Levene and Judy J
Little Red Caboose – Elizabeth Mitchell & Lisa Loeb
By and By – Father Goose
Flying Machine - Father Goose (with Sheryl Crow & Dan Zanes)
Bonjour ma Cousine – Petit Ours Brun
Free Little Bird – Elizabeth Mitchell & Lisa Loeb
Happy Birthday Julia – Lunchbox & Friends (hope this one doesn’t creep you out…Briana was insistent)