Connected

This past month has felt wonderfully full of life.  Spending time with our Portland friends, hosting out of town friends and family, and taking advantage of the fantastic weather by tackling whatever Portland has to offer us has been a blast even with the meltdowns for pushing it too far.  It's been worth it.  I still have these pangs of missing Munich life and the experiences I hoped to have but didn't get a chance to and then I quickly shift to how blessed and almost magical it feels to live in a town that we feel so connected in through such amazing friends.  I love our Beast of a house and the daydreams it provides of seeing our kids grow here for however long.  With the recent development of my parents moving in to the apartment on the first floor of our home this Fall really brings me back to the summer of 2008 when it became crystal clear that I did want to have children after observing my parents with friends' grandchildren.  Now I get to continue to observe my parents enjoy my kids.  Life is good.  I am still in this phase with 3 young kids that an asterisk is needed whenever I say that.  I really do believe life is good but man it's hard.  

Hanging with our good friends the Glumbiks.  12 year old Ty was a ring bearer in our wedding.  I used to babysit them when they were even younger than the twins are now.  Paul reminds me quite a bit of how Ty looked at his age.

I used to babysit Luke and his older sister too and now he just finished his first babysitting stint of our kids so we could go out with his parents.  Very cool.

 Took the kids to open play time at an indoor soccer facility.  Huge hit. Lily's dream now is to be a goalie.  Just need to gently tell her that setting up all these cones is not actually allowed.

 Pizza makin' night.  Chefs hat, apron, and cook gloves on.

 Lily and Liana.  I hope to have many more of these over the years.

 Lots of family bike rides.  The twins are super comfortable on balance bikes now.

 Friends from Munich visiting.  Have our own little Biker gang going.

Hike with another set of 2.5 year old boy/girl twins.  Old NM friend who now lives in Portland.

 Grand Floral Parade.

 Elise trying out chop sticks while dressed Karate Kid style.

 Elise just walked up to Paul and put her arm around him to pose for this pic.  Choked up just looking at it.