Grace Under Pressure

I've always believed that I respond well when put under pressure. That belief has certainly been put to the test during the last few weeks.

Here's a snapshot of our life right now:

- The business (restaurant) in Texas has required two impromptu trips to deal with management/staffing
- We are wrapping up a house we are renovating/flipping
- Got a call from our adoption agency couple weeks back that we will be traveling to Taiwan a month earlier than we thought to pick up Ehren
- Doing our best to get Ehrens's room put together and acquire requisite baby paraphernalia (see previous item)
- My dad's house in Texas closed- requiring coordination of estate sale, etc.

Here's the question of the week- How do you respond when you're unexpectedly forced into a completely new setting, new circumstances, new people and everyone Is looking to you for answers, solutions....leadership? Or to put a finer point on it, it's Sunday morning, there's a diner full of customers, you're kitchen staff just lost four people in the past few days(including your head cook), one of the remaining cooks called in "sick", the city's flooding from 9 inches of rain and a roof leak just collapsed the ceiling over a table.

What to do? About the time the ceiling collapsed on a customer's table, I had to laugh. It was either that or break down crying, and noone wants to see a grown man weep while trying to enjoy a western omelette.

Back in My Prime

I used to be amazing at birthdays. I was raised in a family where birthdays were a big deal and gift giving was modeled well. So in turn I would always do a great job loving on the people who are important to me on their birthday. And if you ever told me you never had a party or birthdays were never a big deal - Watch Out!

When Joshua turned 18 I set up a small gift everyday for 18 days leading up to his birthday. Then on his birthday I got someone to cover his shift without his knowledge and surprised him by being at his house when he got home from work.

I had a roommate in college who was lucky enough to have her birthday at the beginning of the year that we lived together (because by the end I wouldn't have gotten her a card). I had a random student show up and drive her on a scavenger hunt that ended with a surprise party at Chuck-E-Cheese where she said she had always wanted to have a party as a child.

I was the person who listened to what people said all year waiting to hear the perfect "I wish I had..." so that it was waiting for them on their birthday. I set the bar high for birthdays.

Recently I had a friend mention that she was doing a birthday surprise for her husband that would make me proud and I realized: I haven't done birthdays justice in years. Joshua and I have made a decision to basically skip gift giving at birthdays and Christmas to each other and I'm starting to think that decision may not be the best. I miss giving surprises and pulling off the impossible and the look on the other person's face when it is just what they wanted. I'm not sure how I'm going to revive this talent but I'll have the skill back up and running before Ehren knows any different.

Going to Taiwan - Take One!

In one hour I get to head to airport to pick up Joshua. He has been in Texas for 2.5 weeks dealing with restaurant issues and I am so glad to get him home. Number One: I miss him! Number Two: We have a lot to do!

I've been reading through our old blog posts from 2008 before our trip to Europe and thinking about how much prep we did for that trip. Here we are with a trip to Taiwan looming in our future and we haven't done anything to think about it. Plus, at the end of the trip to Taiwan we don't just have memories, we have our son.

We aren't going to do a "nursery" per say but we do want to put together a room that sort of matches so we should probably get on that. We also need to learn/acquire cloth diapers since we have decided not to spend the money or the room in landfills on 2 years worth of diapers. Luckily we've had people give us lots of other baby accouterments so we aren't totally unprepared but we are far from ready. Then on top of all the baby prep there's the actual travel in a country which Rick Steve's has probably never been. Most of the couchsurfers don't speak English so we're gonna be pushing it a little bit with that type of lodging. Plus we have to pack for 2 adults and an infant.

It will all work out but when there is a chance we could be leaving in October I think the end of August is a slow start on this one. Expect updates here on "nursery" and travel progress.

Keep us honest Internet!

Getting Rid of "It"

August 2nd the beard came off. The original plan was that he was going to shave it off for the first court date for Ehren. However, Monday August 2nd we got a call about a small restaurant crisis in Texas and Joshua couldn't deal with all the stress with that thing on his face. So instead of commemorating a good day the beard came off on a day of crisis.

I couldn't be happier!

Patiently Waiting

So the good news is that our court date couldn't have gone smoother. The birthmother showed. The file was deemed complete. Now we just wait for the judge to rule. That will be his "first decree" and then there is a waiting period where the birthmother can change her mind and then we get the "final decree" which officially makes the adoption legal in Taiwan. Then we make an appointment to get his travel visa and immigration papers and we head to Taiwan.

Seems so simple and you'd think we'd be heading out next month but you have to remember we are dealing with 2 governments. Because the court appearance went so well we have our finger crossed to travel in the middle of November. No promises though!

In other news Joshua has been in Texas for a week and a half. There was a small restaurant crisis that is slowly resolving itself and I'm hoping he gets to come home next week. Right now, I'm living the single parent life with "Austin the Boy" and I am NOT a fan. Yesterday traffic was horrible and it took me 2 hours to pick him up from school. TWO HOURS! Then I had to get him fed and run to a client meeting where he sat and did his homework while I talked market trends with a seller client.

It's gonna be a hard 4 days for me, but the poor kid. I'm probably the meanest adult he knows and he's stuck with me alone for 4 days. Hopefully we'll both be stronger on the other side but I can tell you one thing: This 3rd grader will know how to make his own lunch by Friday.

JULY

I just want to go on record as saying that Joshua was supposed to be in charge of the blog this month. Poor showing Fykes! So now I've got a moment before bed and my work is at a place that everything can keep until tomorrow so let's catch up. How've you been?

We have been vacillating between crazy and our life is awesome. Joshua has been building "The Shed." We've been to Texas twice to meet with the managers of Town & Country Cafe to get them on track for the new plan for "The Restaurant." We've been underwhelmed by everything but the okra in "The Garden." And we are slowly acquiring cloth diapers and nursery supplies for "The Kid." Speaking of...we got new pictures today and measurements and info. Turns out he is eating at 9:30pm, 1am and 4:30am and cries all the time. They also categorized him as "Obstinate sometimes." I wish I could post the photos online but if you care to see just email me and I'll send them that way.

So that's the short story of July. We have our first court date in Taiwan (where a proxy stands in for us) on August 16th so in case you don't see us again before then send some prayers our way on the 15th so the judge is happy and content and can see what a great family this is.

Oh did I forget to mention "The Thing" on Joshua's face? My Bad!

The Disney World of Waterparks

Last week we went to Texas and it was one of the most fun trips I've had in a while. We started at a friend's wedding just outside of Houston and I'm not one to be excited about going to Houston. I'm actually the one that says "Why???" when people tell me they are moving to Houston. I know that may be very ignorant of me but I fill my brain with plenty of other things so I don't feel the need to educate myself on the positive attributes of Houston. Plus, hating things is so much easier.

So we got my friend off and married in what I hope is the last bridesmaid dress I have to wear. Then we high tailed it to the Hill Country with the already married friends. And the next day we had on more clothes than our newly married friends, but maybe not much. I was telling someone today about the amazing tubing, waterslides, lazy rivers and wave pools at Schlitterbahn and the first thing she asked me was "so how does that work?" and she waved her hand up and down her body. Yep! We walked around all day barefooted and in just our bathing suits. Then we got to head back to my parents house totally exhausted and grill dinner on their patio.

I know it doesn't sound that exciting but combining great friends with my parents with Texas with an epic summer experience I couldn't have asked for a better trip.