I can’t believe it has been so long. Blogging is a funny thing. Sometimes I want everything to be out there, sometimes I don’t want to put anything. I think that when things get crazy I just need some time to process.
That being said, things have not been so crazy lately. A little crazy, yes, but not too crazy.
I made a list of things I think I need to write about, so I will go in that order.
We had a great Thanksgiving. We headed to Des Moines the Sunday before and made it back the Sunday after. It was our first trip in our minivan and things went pretty well. The biggest difference in taking the minivan instead of our car (other than the gas mileage) is that in our minivan there is no third seat in the middle row, so we can’t sit with the kids. Normally one of us is sitting in the back seat the whole time.
We had a great time in Des Moines. Before we left our friends Sarah, Kevin & Samuel stayed with us for a few days. Aside from leaving our house cleaner than we usually leave it, they also prepared some great meals for us before they left, which was definitely a great surprise to come home to. Coming back from Des Moines is always a little challenging for the kids and it was nice to be able to devote a little more time to them to help them settle back into the daily routine.
For Christmas we are making the kids a set of playstands. It is going OK so far and tonight we are going to put the first one together. I am a little nervous because I know that things will not be perfectly flush and level, but I am excited to have a finished product.
There was some good commentary on NPR about James Kim. Since becoming a parent touching stories like this get to me a lot more than they used to. I heard this Saturday morning on the way to get an oil change and I almost started to cry. I think that having a wife and kids of my own has allowed me to love and connect like never before.
Speaking of my wife and kids:
Mari is doing well. She still likes: getting up early, shoes, taking things in and out of bags. She is liking more and more: playing with Andrew, reading books, talking, running. She is definitely fun to have around. I usually get a good hour with her in the morning before Andrew wakes up, which I really enjoy.
Andrew is still Andrew. His enthusiasm for things appears to be growing. He understands more about the world than ever before, which makes him want things differently than before. He likes to eat out, to go out alone with people other than his parents (which he does not do very often), and to do things. His excitement with these things has seemed a little different lately than it used to be.
Susan is about thirty-one weeks pregnant now and things continue to progress well. She has had to watch her carbs lately, which is a challenge. Now that we are in the third trimester, protein is all the rage. Objectively, I would say that she is understandably tired. I think I would be two if I had to stay home with two kids all day, nurse, and be pregnant.
I am doing fine. I am really excited for the coming year, as I think that 2007 will be a great time with a lot of challenging growth. It can be a little stressful, but there will be some fun changes.
Our house is still for sale. We haven’t had a showing since before Thanksgiving, and I think that we may as well settle into Cincinnati for the winter and hope to see an increase in the Spring. The good thing is that we are really in no hurry to move. There is no reason why we need to move anytime soon.
I think that’s it. If you made it this far, you have a better attention span than I do. I will try to write more often.
