A Scary Thought for Everyone Who is 29

I have no idea where this came from but I just realized that when you celebrate your birthday you are celebrating the end of your year not the beginning.

When Ehren turns one he will have finished one whole year on earth.

It means I haven't really been 30 I've just been working on my 31st year.

Gives this so much more meaning for me.

One Month as a Family of 3.5

Feels like forever since we were lying on a beach in Thailand. At the same time it seems like we just got home with the cutest kid ever made in Taiwan.

Since being home Joshua has started up 4 architecture projects, I've gotten 3 new clients and Austin has irreparably hurt her back (although she is recovering). Then there is the kid with the biggest grin and cutest dimple who now eats "solid" food, can roll and pull himself along the floor and no longer fits in the first round of clothes we had for him.

You want to know the crazy thing? We have been home one month and already Joshua caught me staring at a map last night figuring out where we want to go next. 2011 will be a domestic year since we were abroad in 2010 so that means it's easier for some of you to join us for a week or two.

I'm thinking New England in the fall. Lobster? Leaves?

Start that saving account now!

Chores Are Just a Bit More Fun

Just When We Were Getting a Handle

Our bodies were just adjusting to the little bursts of sleep we get and we were figuring out how to do our work routine while juggling Ehren and then yesterday we hit a snag.

Austin jumped up on the couch, screamed and now we have a pretty hurt puppy. The vet ended the exam with "well the good news is she isn't paralyzed" however, I watched her do her tests and Austin stopped reacting to some of them about halfway down her back. The short story is she still has reflexes in her back legs but her brain has lost control of them because of a ruptured disc around L4 in her spine. We are still hoping that she will recover with some medicine but if not we have to decide if we want to pay for surgery and the chances of the issue recurring are huge.

For now she can't walk at all and we have to carry her outside and keep her in her crate. So one of us carries a kid and the other carries a dog. We aren't outfitting her for the wagon she can roll herself around in yet but the mental image does make us giggle a little bit. Hopefully it won't come to that because I think the giggles would all disappear. For now we are just waiting to see and this is the extent of her day.

And it Begins

As of yesterday Ehren is no longer a static baby. He isn't crawling yet (thank God), but he now scoots as far as he can get which will take him off his playmat and into the dining room if we aren't paying attention. I have no doubt he would make it under the table if we would let him. Yesterday Joshua set him down to play and then sat on the couch to do a bit of work on his computer. Not two minutes later he jumps because "something" grabbed his foot. And of course it was our son who had wiggled his way 3 feet from where he was placed, chewing on his foot.

This is about to get interesting.

In other news he loves to have his picture taken. I'm sure this was a talent fostered by the nannies at Hannah's Hope. Here's the photo progression.

TOTALLY UNAWARE:

REALIZES THERE'S A CAMERA

AND POSE

Birthday Celebration

Today I (Joshua) turned 31 years old. And to celebrate, we partied it up took Ehren on his first trip to the park. The weather has been great here this week, so we're soaking up as much sun and warmth as we can before it turns cold.

I can't believe it's already been a year since I turned 30. So much has happened in the last year it felt like I just skipped being 30 and went straight to 31. In less than two weeks it will be one year since my dad died. During that year I spent as much time traveling as I did at home. I've been stretched, beat up, disappointed, pushed to my limits in every way, excited, encouraged, supported and loved. I can't think of a better way to end the last year than to become a father.

We've been back home one week and life has taken a huge turn all at once. Our family has adopted a new member and he is amazing. All-consuming, but amazing.

Now We All Match!