shitload of thanks.

We take for granted so many people and things we have in our very rich, very full lives. I'm stuck here, already, as I contemplate these many, many things. How does one begin to express their feelings of gratitude when it all somehow comes out sounding trite? So this Thanksgiving, I focus on our parents, as this year we joined this crazy, gut-wrenching, overwhelmingly joyful group and felt our lives shift in ways we never imagined, could never imagine. We talk about our childhoods more and more now and find there are so many things we had growing up that we so badly want for Liam too. Memories of our parents driving us to school (and subsequently locking them out of the car in the drop-off line because someone didn't want to go to school), our Dads being home from work to take us to Around the Clock, watch MacGyver, and sing along to the Monday night football theme song, our Moms changing their lives and their work schedules to be there with us, to check our homework and provide us with boundaries and rules that we hated at the time, but now understand and appreciate fully. They coached our teams. They made us save our money, showed us what fiscal responsibility was without us ever realizing we were learning something. And then, they let us go. Despite living 4500miles away from them, they support us, never making us feel bad, even though it's clearly very difficult on them. So, at the risk of sounding trite; we appreciate all of their unending love, for shaping us, supporting us unconditionally and being some of the best damn role models new parents could possibly fathom.

On the move...

If it's a verboten item, Liam will scoot all the way across the living room to get it; but put one of his toys out there and he's not going to move an inch. Saving all his energy for computer cords, water bottles, remotes and food. He'll definitely move for food....but then again, what Duchek or Viggiano wouldn't?

Karla Visits, V4

Per usual, we had a great time when Karla visited. Liam was not really 'having a great time' the first 36 hours of Karla's visit. And, he let her know about it, by screaming in her face anytime she came near him. Luckily, for all of us, he got over it, and soon was as amused by Karla as we always are. The visit was relaxed; we took a drive to Germany and made a visit to the pumpkin farm. We ate raclette, had a fire and strolled around Zurich. Karla & I went out a few nights & I was all; what is this outside world people move around in after 8pm?

The Europe is Not Biased.

Can't you tell? This guy was left in our mailbox the other week, despite the fact that we have a sign on said mailbox which says kindly in German; "please don't put any bullshit mail in this box." Or, something like that. Clearly, people listen.

This is literally the only US election coverage I have been forcibly subjected to in the past few months, and it highly amused me. We will not be attending this event (pause for your shock to pass), but perhaps if I made Joe a sign stating: "the stone *ages* were probably neat!" (I'm racking my brain for funny 'moving backwards' slogans for protest signs, but I keep getting stuck on slavery related ideas, and clearly, that's just not funny) he could be the one rogue protestor in our highly liberal society...