Goodbye

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” Dr Seuss. I find it hard to leave Bellingham after 9 years. It seems as if I have been here longer- but in a good way. Northshore Veterinary Hospital is a unique environment - I have had many clients comment that it seems like we have a lot of fun and they would like to work here also. I will miss everyone there, and really have to give Kim Barron, DVM, a big thank you for hiring me. I have never worked with more dedicated and talented people, that have inspired me to push myself further.
Bellingham is a collection of people who want to live here, not have to live here. I will miss all my friends next year and extend an open invitation to visit Norway- the skiing is excellent.

Heritage

In the United States most people are of mixed ancestry- and I am no exception. I am 1/2 French and 1/2 Norwegian (with perhaps a smattering of other nationalities- but none that my living relatives will admit to)
My mother was born in Paris, and I visited often as a child. She moved to the United States after marrying my father. I grew up speaking french (not well) and traveling to France regularly to visit cousins and my grandparents. Now it is time for me to look at the other side of the family tree- my father (Paul Kraabel) is from Norwegian stock. My great grandfather immigrated to North Dakota in the late 1800's from Lillihammer Norway. Between 1825 and 1925, more than 800,000 Norwegians immigrated to North America—about one-third of Norway's population with the majority immigrating to the USA, and lesser numbers immigrating to Canada. With the exception of Ireland, no single country contributed a larger percentage of its population to the United States than Norway.

Packing up

It has been a nearly a year (August 2009) since Peter convinced me that moving to Norway for a year would be a great adventure. Right now it is a great pain in the *ss, as we pack up our belongings for storage, sell our house, arrange the endless last minute details. But enough whining.

We will be in Elverum, Norway, approximately 90 k from Oslo, near the Swedish border, 61 degrees north. The kids and I arrive August 11th: the season will be fall despite what the calender says. Conlon and Juliette will start school August 16th. They are none too happy to start school much earlier than they would here in Bellingham. They will attend a elverumskolen ( a "middle" school for grades 7 - 10). with instruction Norwegian.