1st Entry in Cleveland!

After many weeks of cold, bone-chilling wind, Bay Village has decided to let the sunshine in! Brian was able to get the video camera to cooperate, so I decided to tape a tour of the house and of Sam's newest progression. Speaking of progression, here is the low-down on the fam...

Brian has become the stay-at-home Dad of the year! He and Sam spend most of their days having one syllable word conversations and conquering the art of standing alone. He has many a mom smiling as they see him walking the stroller around the neighborhood. He gets Alex to and from school, mom to and from the bus, and Sam to and from couches. His newest challenge is reading (and understanding) "Jesus The Christ". He was called to be the gospel doctrine teacher and has received many compliments after just one class. He is still working hard and the gym and his biceps reflect it!

Alex has made many friends in the neighborhood and is learning about the struggles of Middle School. Brian taught her the method behind good photography and you can find her behind a camera most afternoons. One of her pottery pieces from school was selected to be in the art exhibit- she did a seal playing on ice. We will have the opportunity to go to the exhibit next monday- we are so proud. She has taken on the goal of reading the Book of Mormon 30 minutes everyday.

Sam is attempting to walk. She has been successful in one step, three times. She is very eager to progress and most days she succeeds in wearing Brian out. She is finally sleeping through the night . She is eating lots of new food and just learned how much fun it is to go on a family bike ride.

I am enjoying work more and more each day. I have been assigned some very interesting projects and find reward in accomplishing new tasks. Even though I enjoy work the weekends can't come fast enough. I have tried to make the house as much like "home"as possible and can't wait for more warm weather for hikes and family bike rides.

We are all homesick and struggling, but smiling and growing stronger each day. We miss and love our friends and family!


Hey all, we are having problems getting the video to post. We will keep working on it, but it looks like for the next little while, it will have to be just pictures. So here's one to wet your palette for now. This was Mesia's first batch of Cindy's sugar cookies. They turned out awesome! However, if I were to judge on who the deadliest warrior in the kitchen is--based on the collateral damage of flower, dough, and icing around the kitchen vs. amount of cookies successfully baked...I'd have to say the cookies beat the crap out of my wife. I should have taken a picture of her after, next time I will, but take my word for it, Mesia got hit with a highly dangerous icing-shrapnel loaded grenade thrown by the little icing people. I say the cookies are the deadliest warrior this go round. But here's the end result...