Ride the Red Train!

We took a family trip to Pittsburgh yesterday, so that Brian could network with a fellow Ross grad at Heinz. Pittsburgh is such a neat city. From the dramatic geographically and the distinct neighborhoods to the historic-yet-hip feel, it made a fun day trip. While we were there, we stopped at Point State Park right in downtown Pittsburgh to look around and snap a few photos.

Then Brian had his meeting while Laura drove around the city attempting to calm an antsy two-year-old who wanted OUT of the car while trying to find a spot to nurse Ezra without getting a traffic ticket-turn-misdemeanor. Poor Felix, we never got to stretch our legs during Dad's meeting, since parking's a beast downtown.

Afterward, we went to the Duquesne Incline to "ride the RED TRAIN!!!!!!!!". It's a steep little train car that goes up and down this supa-steep incline from along the Monongahela River to Mount Washington south of downtown Pittsburgh. It's adorable, and thrilling for little boys. But they didn't take debit card, so I rode the down with the little ones while Brian drove around trying to figure out how get cash without the atm fee. Anyhow, it was very fun!

Now that we've been to Pittsburgh, Felix can't stop talking about the place. When he sees airplanes, he says they're heading there. Trucks too--all of them. And just about every day during lunch he lets me know that it's, "Lunch time, Potty time, Nap time! And... after we Go.. To.. Pittsburgh!!!" I'm not sure what the obsession is all about, but it's funny. Perhaps it's a premonition?

Outdoors

Felix got a stern talkin' to for pushing him over. But, I have to admit, he's so cute when he cries.

ASL

Felix still uses his signs sometimes, especially when he really wants something. ("Pwease?" [rubs belly]. That's funny because 'please' is really just rubbing a small circle on your chest, but since Felix is usually trying to beg for something edible, it's that much more appropriate that he's rubbing his belly, haha!)


He also asks Ezra, "Do you want milk?" [pumps fist] when he's crying sometimes. What a good teacher.


Today he came up to the attic (bedroom/office) to show me that he loves me:

Soo cute! I'd signed that to him a few times, but I didn't think he'd be returning the gesture for a while, because it takes a bit of dexterity. I love that sign, because my grandpa and mom used it all the time when I was growing up as they said Bye. It's handy when someone's pulling out of the driveway, or if you're standing at the door. It can be used alone or in conjunction with yelling "I LOVE YOU!" Both are effective. How great is ASL? It allows you to express love with your hands and mouth at the same time. Double whammy.

And maybe it will even come in handy when my little boys are walking into the elementary school, and I'm not allowed to say those words aloud in public anymore. But let's not think about that sad thought. In fact, I think I'm going to kick up the hugs and kisses at home and in public in anticipation of that inevitible day. Gotta get 'em in while I can!

Going to the OHIO

We're off! Tomorrow morning we'll pack up our lives and go to Akron for an extended visit with my family. Don't get this confused with moving in with my family. That would require moving boxes (we're just using suitcases), changing our address (we'll be pretending we still live in MI), and humbling ourselves and facing reality (nope).

So here's to my mom for putting up with us for the next few weeks! (Or months? We'll see how long this job search takes.)

A note on the job search: Brian's dream is to work as an Assistant Brand Manager at a major Consumer Packaged Goods company (like Kellogg's, General Mills, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, etc...). That means he'd like to market everyday products to you all.

His background is a little non-traditional (undergrad in Music, experience in music retail, dual degree in Music and Business, and an internship in Marketing at Steinway & Sons), and CPG Brand Management is notoriously hard to break into. Combine those factors with a frigid economy, and you see why we're in month eleven of our job hunt!

We've considered conceding Brian's dreams to the reality of bills and rent. Maybe we could find a lower-level job at a CPG company (like an Analyst position), or a Marketing job at a smaller-name or non-CPG company? We've finally started to apply for some jobs like that, but we haven't been having much more luck than with the "dream" jobs and companies. It's hard to get your application noticed, among the hundreds, without a current empoyee's name in your cover letter, so Brian has been networking like crazy at like every company ever. This helps him get a decent number of phone interviews, which almost always leads to a fly-back interview, which almost always leads to rejection...

Days have turned into months, and now semesters, and we're seeing just how bare-bones our budget can get so that we don't have to start spending our savings. So now summer's drawing to a close, and we've decided to move Brian's job-searching headquarters to my Mom's house.

(To be honest, it's hard to think that I worked my perfectionistic tail off during high school with my immaculate gpa, perfect attendance at early-morning seminary, intense sports involvement to make it to BYU on scholarship and put myself through undergrad and grad school, marry Mr. Right in the temple, have two perfect babies, and help my husband through the rigors of two master's degrees... all to return home jobless, with a husband and two kids in tow? )

But that's the shortsighted, self-centered way of looking at our situation. In the grand scheme of things, this is a little hiatus in our otherwise pleasant life. A time to refocus on our beliefs, our values, our motives for choices and goals. A time to realize we can't--and never did--do it alone. A time to develop humility and faith. And a time to pray and fast for answers and direction--and the blessing of a "dream" job, in the Lord's time.

You see, the answer we feel we've received is to continue to press forward in our quest for a job that will allow Brian to most fully use his talents, skills, and knowledge, in a field and function that Brian can fell passionate about and rewarded by! So, we've decided this means making some sacrifices, and heading into the unknown for a little while longer, with faith that we will land this evasive job eventually.

This is a trial for us. But since when should we shun opportunities for character development? This life is a time for us to prepare to meet God, and I've got a ways to go... Honestly, my character and faith grow most when I need to stretch and work hard, and sincerely pray for help and guidance because I desparately need it. So, this trial is requiring patience, tears, faith, and earnest prayer. Answers and comfort have come in very subtle but powerful ways, and I have a deep sense of peace about the future that I lose only when I start to feel depressed or angry. We've grown closer as a family through this process, too, and hopefully a little more humble as we've realized how much we truly need the Lord's help!

There are blessings though... the thick silver lining to all of this is all of the time our family is going to be able to spend time with my dear Mom, brothers, and Dad!

Uncle Dan!

We love Uncle Dan. He's the coolest Uncle, who will be adoring and indulging our children for the next 25 years.

He loves us too. So much so that he flew in from New York City one one of his very rare breaks from med school to spend time with us.

It was such a treat to spend a few days with him. The boys can't get enough of him. Brian had a wonderful time talking and playing video games with him. He even answers all of my odd questions about medicine... like, why so many people die of cancer now. (His view: we'd all die of cancer eventually, more or less, if we didn't get other diseases, but in the past they were busy dying of cholera, childbirth, farm accidents, tuberculosis... so they didn't live long enough to develop cancer in the numbers we do today.)

SO, here's some snapshots of our time together!



Please, Dan, will you get a job wherever we end up living? Please, please?

Light Bugs

Magic!

Ezra, Darling...

I love you so, so much...

My sweet, sweet baby boy.

How we're ever going to get you through your infancy, with Felix's toddler-style lovin', is beyond me...

Eat your veggies, my dear. Grow up big and strong.

And I'll keep my back turned if you want to sneak Felix a pinch once in a while...

1,826 Days and Counting

On Friday, July 10th Brian and I marked our 5th Wedding Anniversary!!! We take turns planning the celebration, and this year it was my turn. In the afternoon we drove down to Ohio to visit my fam and snag a free babysitter. (You're the best, mom!)

I packed up nice picnic dinner in one of these jim dandies:

And we headed off for Stan Hywet, where the Ohio Shakespeare Festival was putting on As You Like It.

I've always loved this old, historic mansion. I grew up within walking/biking distance, and have many memories of visiting the house and grounds with friends and family, on field trips, and for choir performances, festivals, etc. My mom even took Brian and me there when he first visited my family for some casual engagement shots.

Good times. So it was the perfect place to return to celebrate our half-decade of matrimonial bliss.

After taking advantage of the complimentary bug spray, we found a picturesque picnic spot by the pond:

And enjoyed dinner:

Then it was time for the show.

The acting was great, and the play itself even better. Wow, Shakespeare was a total genius--the play gave me so much to think about in terms of social dynamics, gender roles, and relationships (man, I'm such a family therapist). I think every time I read or see a Shakespeare play, I appreciate the old Bard a little more.

But I appreciate my Brian even more! I'm so, so, so thankful to be married to such a sweet, funny, intelligent, hard-working, family-loving, gospel-centered, faithful, forgiving, creative, talented, cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute man! He totally meets and exceeds all of my girlie, high school lists of characteristics I hoped for in my "future husband".

Here's a list of a few reasons why I love him, just because making a list is so intrinsically fulfilling to me:

• His wacky sense of humor will keep me entertained for the rest of eternity.
• He would walk 10 miles in the heat to save 50 cents.
• He's dedicated to providing for our family through a career that is exciting and fulfilling, and won't sell himself short, even though it means sacrificing right now.
• He listens to me babble on and on when I'm in a philosophical mood. Usually. Or at least he does a good job of fake-listening.
• He plays with my hair.
• He likes jelly bellies, nerds, and mike&ikes. That's so cute.
• He plays the piano like a crazy talented jazz genius. He's got serious mad skillz.
• He wants to have infinity babies with me, and like 6 or 8 of them in this life.
• He despises clutter and disorganization, yet he holds onto school papers like he's gonna try and sell them on ebay, and scatters his clothing like a rock star--He's frugal to a degree I've never before witnessed in any human being, yet he really likes refined food and clothing. (It's our incongruences that make us interesting).
• He always drives the whole way whenever we drive anywhere, as long as I do my duties as navigatress, cheerio-and-toy-and-book-throw-at-kid-er (???), back masseuse, toll ticket holder-oner-to-er/money getter, and snack passer-overer. And English language slaughtererererer.
• He has cute little endearing idiosyncratic habits that I'll refrain from listing, 'cause then they wouldn't seem quite as idiosyncratic. (OK, just one: He wiggles his feet when he's eating something for dinner that he really likes. Ahhhhhhh! SO cute)
• He watches Simpson's on his computer so I won't know, haha :)
• He's a hopeless idealist and pretty much a perfectionist. Just like someone else I know.
• He somehow chose to marry little old me.

Sigh... I think I'm in love.

For eternity.

What Have We Been Up To Lately?

Potty training (with a best friend)

Being super cute

LOVING life!

Dropping off the growth curve... :(

(Skinny, sad baby in a truck...)

And promptly starting the Biggest Winner diet (Laura concoctions like... millet-green bean-lentil-egg yolk-yogurt-banana-brewer's yeast smoothies. [Oh baby, pour me a glass.]
Or on boring days just oatmeal-plum feasts)

"Bike wide wif Mommy"

or Daddy

Strawberry and pea picking with family and Gramma!

And eating TONS of field-fresh baby peas and berries!

Learning to sit!

Being the ideal baby

Spending some quality time with our wonderful neighbors

And loving "feniwy" :D

We've Moved!

To a charming blue house near a park. With a fenced backyard. And the world's best neighbors, who are keenly interested a Brian's job search, and in getting our kids to laugh. (I just want to add that we got a screamin' deal on this sublet due to the decreased demand in this college town in the summer for housing.)

It's a great place to be for the summer, but hopefully we'll be able to move out fairly soon when we find a job!

Felix calls it the "blue home-again" because when Grandma Polly came to visit a while ago, she would always chant, "Home again, home again, jiggity-jig" as we pulled in the parking lot".

Grab Yer Life Boat

Having your toilet explode is a sure-fire cure for mid-week boredom. Strap on your snorkle mask, Felix, we're going swimming!

OK, I'm being overly dramatic. It wasn't that bad.

It was this bad!

jk.

Truth: I went to flush the toilet and it just kept flushing. And flushing. And flushing. And there was no shut off valve thingy down by the floor where there should be such a valve thingy.

So I took off the back of the toilet to mess with some stuff. I guess I messed with the wrong stuff, cuz the next thing I knew there was a geyser shooting water all over the bathroom. It was spraying up with ferocious force to the ceiling and raining back down all over me and everything else in the bathroom. Then the water started pouring out into the hall and our bedroom. Oh man. It's like 6:05 so I have to find the number for the after-hours emergency maintenance service, which takes a little longer. Not a big deal if you jammed a sippy cup valve down your garbage disposal. It is a big deal if Lake Michigan is being siphoned into your apartment at a brisk clip.

So finally the guy arrives to shut off the toilet. (It takes him a couple of trips to his truck to find the right special tool to shut the thing off. Toilet valves are not a cute place to showcase your proprietary designs, Mr. Toilet-maker.) And we're left with a couple of inches of standing water and a bathroom that has become a family-size shower.

Luckily, Woodbury Gardens called a carpet cleaner guy and footed the bill to have our carpet ripped up and padding replaced. Felix had a blast in our apartment-turn-funhouse--climbing through the piles of furniture and running over the undulating sea of carpet, drying out for four days by six of these bad boys:

They're loud. But they're better than the alternative!