Welcome to the Club

Sunday, August 31, marked my official entry into the 30-somethings club. The day itself was pretty low-key: mini-golf, dinner out, and cake at home. Today, we celebrated with a picnic at Maymont Park with some dear friends who came to celebrate the day with us. It was a lot of fun! Thanks to all who sent birthday greetings from afar and those who wished them in person!

Addiction?

My name is Naomi, and I have an addiction--to the library! I absolutely LOVE going to the library and usually wind up there once a week, generally under the pretense of checking out books for Brennan. But we all know that I tend to wind up bringing home more books for me than for Brennan. It's gotten to the point where I've started to bring one of our cloth grocery bags because I've got so many books that I can't possibly carry them all without dropping them, plus I'm pushing Brennan in his stroller and juggling all the paraphernalia that goes along with bringing a baby out in public. I love books and I want Brennan to grow up loving books as well. I think it becomes a problem, though, when I check out way more books than I can possibly read in the time allotted to me and when I have multiple books on my bookshelves at home that I want to read but am trying to plow through the books I've gotten from the library that have a due date attached to them. So many books, so little time. Sigh. But, hey, if I'm going to have an addiction to something, why not the library? Because at least it's free.

Playdate

Brennan had his second playdate yesterday with his friend Isabelle, who just so happens to share the exact same birthday as Brennan! He really does seem to enjoy being around other babies and is getting way more interactive when he is around other kids. Since he's not in daycare or anything like that, I love to take the opportunity to introduce him to other kids so he can make some new friends and have some new experiences. He and Isabelle enjoyed touching each other's faces, hair, and ears, but then they quickly settled into playing and watching each other. It was a good time!

Eight Months Old!

Our little boy is eight months old today! Still no teeth, but I think they're getting close (John has jokingly called me "Chicken Little" in regards to the whole teething thing because I get so sincere that his teeth are about to break through and it winds up being a false alarm). He's not crawling yet, but his favored method of getting around is rolling. Boy, does he ever roll! He's been trying all kinds of new foods and tasting some juice out of a sippy cup. Today, he just tried a cut-up spaghetti noodle to begin the whole new phase of finger foods and trying some foods that actually require chewing. As much fun as it is to make his baby food right now (and as much as he loves eating his pureed fruits and veggies), it will be nice when he gets to the point of feeding himself and eating things that are not pureed. That day will probably come way too soon!

Finally Teething

After three months of thinking that Brennan is teething, we finally think we're getting the real deal now. He's been chewing everything in sight, even more than before. His fingers are particularly tasty to him. He's also not too keen on having anyone touch his gums and they are finally starting to look white. With all of this teething fun, I decided to get him some teething biscuits and he sure had fun with them!

During his biscuit eating session...

And after the biscuit eating session! I think these will be a special occasion treat...

Yay for Grandma!

My mom came to visit us for several days--all the way from Phoenix! It was her first time seeing Brennan since April, and boy, has he changed a lot! Unfortunately, my dad couldn't get the time off, so he'll have to wait until Christmas for some Brennan-loving. We had a ton of fun showing her around Richmond and she and I got to do girly things like shopping. Brennan had a blast with her, and I know the feeling was mutual! It was a great visit, and I am already looking forward to Christmas when we'll all be together again (Dad included this time)!

Brennan and Grandma Prechel at Tredegar Iron Works

The Italian Garden at Maymont Park, most likely my new favorite spot in all of Richmond.

A waterfall in the Japanese Garden at Maymont Park

John helping Brennan climb a tree at Maymont

My dad occasionally sends Brennan "big money" to put in his bank. He's learning about saving early! Here, he's getting some help from Grandma to put the money in the bank instead of his mouth.

One last shot of Grandma Prechel and Brennan

New Things

Brennan and I just got back from a walk in the park again. I really love going to the park. Brennan is perfectly content to ride in his stroller and I get some good exercise by pushing him around. He also seems happy to just look at everything as it goes by, but we do stop and check out the geese. Some geese came out of the water right by where we stopped to look at them. It was like they were saying hello to him!

As I was walking, I let my mind wander and began thinking of all the new things that have happened in the last few months. The biggest new thing of all is Brennan entering our world and all the new that comes with having a baby in the house. Everything is new to him and he's enjoying learning and exploring the things that make up his world. It's fun to watch him discover new things and take pride in doing things that we take for granted (standing up, for one example).

Another new thing has been our move to Virginia. I just have to say that I really, really like Virginia and living in Richmond. We live in a good neighborhood where the people are friendly and we've actually met several of our neighbors. I enjoy being in a place that has seasons. We are experiencing some seriously perfect weather today, too. So much so that we have our air conditioner off and have the windows open to allow the fabulous breeze to air out the house. That may sound like a small thing, but after living in Orlando for the past five summers and needing to have the AC going non-stop from April to October, this is a real treat!

Another new thing is that I have gone back to work part-time. I am doing part-time HR work on a temporary basis. It's decent work, but a bit challenging because my background is not in HR. The hours are fantastic and the pay is better than I could have ever dreamed of for a part-time position. It was definitely a blessing to get this job and we are hoping that it turns into a permanent position.

We've had a lot of new things pop up for us. Some have been challenging and others have been welcome changes. All in all, as I look at these things, I find myself at a place of contentment. While things can be crazy and messy at times, it's all good. I'm embracing the new things, challenges and all.

New Trick

Brennan learned a new trick, one that he gets really excited about. I would like you to believe that he did this all by himself, but alas. He got some help with standing up from Mama. He is pretty proud, though, of being able to stand by himself (with assistance from the couch and no hands from Mama and Daddy). And he's been standing at the couch for several minutes before getting tired and falling down. Our little boy is growing up quickly!

It's Noisy in Here!

I begin this post with a big sigh. Brennan is finally quiet--with the help of a pacifier and his activity mat. Lately, he has begun crying and screaming when he is not being held. So much so that his voice actually sounds hoarse. We can sometimes put him down and he'll be okay, but only if we stay within about two feet of him. Anything further (even if he can still see us) is enough to bring on the wailing. We certainly enjoy holding him, but let's be realistic. It's impossible for one or the other of us to be holding him all day long. But doing those other things that we do without our extra appendage becomes stressful when the background music becomes the sound of an upset child.

Now, we are first-time parents and have never had to deal with separation anxiety stuff before. This is definitely a trying time for us! Sure, Brennan has had his moments and afternoons before where he got upset when he wasn't being held. But nothing has ever lasted this long before and to this intensity. We're pretty sure he's not sick. He's sleeping well and eating decently. No fever and no other strange behavior. Maybe he's finally cutting teeth? Or maybe he just really is having a hard time with having Mama and Daddy not in his immediate vicinity.

I did have one very small victory today, though. I was actually able to put Brennan on the living room floor and made brownies. He could still see me and hear me, and I could still see and hear him. He was occupied with some toys and he even looked up and smiled at me. It lasted long enough for me to get them mixed up, but the tears came just as I was getting things cleaned up. I'll take those small victories when I can get them!

We really do want Brennan to feel safe and secure and to know that when we leave him, even for just a moment or two, we'll always come back to him. But it is difficult to weather this storm. I try to remind myself that this too shall pass, but it's hard to remember that after enduring hours of endless crying and screaming with pauses only for sleeping and eating.

He's still quiet. The pacifier has fallen out of his mouth and he is engaged in playing with some hanging toys with his feet. Esther is laying nearby and that is helping occupy him as well. I'm enjoying my brief moments of silence when I can get them. It's an all-too precious commodity these days!

Mini-Break!

We had a wild and crazy and wonderful weekend down in Newport News, VA. Several very dear friends also live in Virginia, and we were finally able to arrange a time for all of us to gather together for some much needed fellowship. The wild and crazy part is that we had nine adults and five children under the age of five!

On Saturday, we got to spend some time at Bluebird Gap Farm where we all could enjoy seeing different farm animals, the kids could feed said animals, and the kids could run wild on the playground.

Brennan and I got to meet Data, a retired Thoroughbred racehorse.

Brennan really enjoyed the swing, but he liked it even more when Daddy played with him!

Peacocks just roamed around the grounds.

The next day, we enjoyed some time at the beach. Since it was pretty hot outside, the water felt really good! Brennan did not like the feeling of cold when we first got in the water, but as soon as he adjusted, he loved splashing around and didn't really mind it when a wave splashed him.

Daddy introduced Brennan to the sand, and he had a blast playing in it!

It was a great gathering of people, and we are already looking forward to the next time we can all get together! Now that we are all living in the same state, it will certainly be easier! Now for a couple other random photos from the weekend...

Uncle Chris Lane and his five "nieces" and "nephews"

Just in case you forget what our family looks like...

A Boy and His Balloon, Part 2

We felt really, really bad when Brennan's balloon popped. I mean, he loved playing with it and only had it for about half an hour before it met the popcorn ceiling. Today, Brennan and I went out to the park for a walk and some time in the baby swing. When we got home, Daddy had a surprise waiting for Brennan in his room--an Elmo balloon! It was love at first sight! He grabbed onto the string and had a blast bouncing it around and laughing super hard. We'll be keeping a close eye on this one in the hopes that he'll get much more enjoyment out of this one than his first one.

Brennan is also 7 months old today! It's definitely hard to believe that it's already been seven months since he entered our lives. He's just such a great kid!

Highlights at age seven months:
1. He's been sleeping about 11 hours (sometimes longer) straight at night! What a treat!
2. The only food he's tried that he really doesn't like is papaya. He doesn't really care for peas, either, but I just discovered a great way to get him to eat them. I mix peas, sweet potato, and carrots together. It sounds gross but he gobbles the whole bowl up!
3. No teeth yet. We've thought he's been teething for the past three months. All the signs are there, just no sign of those pearly whites!
4. He's a moving machine. I plop him on the floor for some tummy time to build those crawling muscles, and the next thing I know, he's rolled halfway across the room!
5. Bathtime is SO much more fun now that he's sitting up by himself. He loves the water and starts splashing as soon as he gets in the tub. The downside is that Mama gets way wetter than before!

A Boy and His Balloon

We ventured out to Chick-fil-A for lunch today, and a very nice lady there gave Brennan a balloon that was left over from a birthday party. The kid LOVED it! He grabbed onto the string and held on for dear life. He was enthralled by bouncing it up and down and just laughed and laughed. We managed to get a couple pictures of him and his balloon before it met an untimely demise at the hands of the popcorn ceiling in his bedroom. This picture doesn't do justice to the balloon-love that Brennan demonstrated earlier (he just gets super serious whenever the camera comes out!). We'll definitely look forward to the day when he gets to play with another balloon--and we'll be extra diligent around those pesky popcorn ceilings!

On Our Nightstand

A regular feature in our newsletter used to be "On Our Nightstand," where we would take the opportunity to share some books that we had read recently that we were impacted by. That feature got pushed to the side as other things came up that needed to be included instead. So, we (I) decided to revive this feature on the blog, particularly since I love reading (see the Storytime entry below). Without further ado, here's a list of some books that we've read that we want to pass along to you, our faithful blog readers!

1. Red Moon Rising: How 24/7 Prayer is Awakening a Generation by Peter Greig and Dave Roberts
2. The Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne
3. Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughs on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller
4. Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman
5. Anything by Lynn Austin or Tracie Peterson

Preserve the good name of Brennan!

I encourage all our readers out there to make a stand for the sanctity of our son's name by boycotting the soon-to-be-released movie "Step Brothers".

Naomi and I were very careful to choose a name that was unique, had a good sound to it, fit well with Downer and, last but not least, would be hard to make fun of. That latter stipulation eliminated these options:
Debbie (if it had been a girl) -- thanks to Saturday Night Live
Stan -- put it with the last name
Pat -- see above
Prima -- would only work if she was a first born and destined to become an opera singer.
and any combination of first and middle names that would create initials of BAD, SAD, MAD, BED or DED (among others).

Anyway, we thought Brennan met all of the above criteria, and was unlikely to be soured by any TV show or misbehaving celebrity. But then along came Will Ferrell to play a character named Brennan Huff, in what is sure to be the latest of his ridiculously over-the-top roles. I just hope this doesn't become one of his more memorable roles.

So we ask you to do your part to spare us from a future of, "Brennan? Like the Will Ferrell movie?" We much prefer, "Brennan. Like the author", because then we get to tell people about "The Ragamuffin Gospel" and other good books.

When you think about what movie to see this weekend, go to Batman so that our choice of Brennan won't come back to haunt us and become the equivalent of, say, "Ricky Bobby Downer", "Mugatu Downer" or "Ron Burgundy Downer".

We thank you. And Brennan thanks you.

Funny Uncle Brent!

Uncle Brent sure got Brennan to laugh hard! His little laugh is definitely the best sound in the world!

Newport News Day

We decided to trek down to Newport News for the day on Saturday to visit with friends. Brennan got to hang out with Uncle Brent and Aunt Wendy, and meet Aunt Liz and Sydney and Savannah (Uncle Kevin was sadly absent due to being out of town for the day). We had some great hang out time, got to experience the beach, and ate at a GREAT restaurant called Cheddar's. Fun day!

Brennan experiencing the sand. He thought it was kind of fun!

It took a little while for him to get used to the water. He really did not like sitting in the shallow end with the waves splashing up by him. We took him out a little ways, and he LOVED it! Splashing was the greatest thing in the world, and he even discovered the joy of kicking his legs a little bit!

He loved hanging out with Uncle Brent and Aunt Wendy!

Tired Boy!

Brennan didn't sleep nearly as much as he needed (and usually does) during his afternoon nap today. This was the result! A VERY tired and cranky boy and a brief nap after dinner! I think he'll have an early bedtime tonight!

More Birthday Wishes

Another special birthday shout out to Grandma Downer!

Ladies and Gentleman...we have a rocker!

This is one of Brennan's new things to do as he entertains himself...

This a Daddy and Boy moment shared just before Daddy headed off to work. And yes, the wet patch on Brennan's shirt is indeed drool. The kid is a drool factory! He soaks through his clothes rather quickly. We sometimes wonder how one little boy can produce so much drool.

Special Birthday Wishes

A very special birthday shout out to Grandma Prechel!

First Haircut

Brennan was born with quite a bit of hair and it has really started to fill in noticeably lately. But the hair that he was born with has gotten quite long. So much so that at times he looked like he had a comb-over and at other times it looked like he had a pony tail. So, we decided that he needed his first haircut this morning. Daddy did a great job trimming up the really long pieces. Brennan did great too, and didn't cry at all. He just had fun looking around at all the stuff in the bathroom and then enjoyed holding my can of mousse. The picture above is Brennan post-haircut. You can't really tell in the picture since his hair is so light. He's a true blond!

Storytime

Those that know me know that I love to read. I've always loved to read. Most of my memories growing up involved books rather than playing with toys. Through the years, my love for books and reading has grown. Now, as a mother, it's my desire to see Brennan develop a love for books as well. I read him books every day and look forward to the day when he'll show some excitement about listening to stories and eventually being able to read books by himself.

It was so exciting for me to learn that the local library offered a storytime for infants called Lapsit Lambs. Brennan and I have been there twice and it's been great. We do music and movement, sing nursery rhymes, and read a story. Then, after storytime is over, the library lady who organizes it brings out a big bucket of toys so the babies can play and the parents can have time to talk. I love going to storytime in part because it's good for Brennan, but also because it gets me around other moms of young children, something that I've really been wanting ever since we moved to Richmond. Everyone I've met there so far has been really great and it's nice for me to have other women to chat with who are in the same phase of life. Plus, Brennan seems to enjoy going and looking at the other kids (playing and actually interacting with other kids may come a little later). This is definitely going to be a new weekly ritual!

Pool Time!

We went to Pocahontas State Park yesterday on the holiday and spent the afternoon at their pool area. It was the perfect way to spend a hot day. It was also Brennan's first time in a pool. He wasn't too sure about it at first, but learned to at least tolerate it. Once he gets the hang of splashing I'm sure he'll enjoy it much more.

Working on his tan ... gotta look good for the ladies.

First Week

Well, Brennan and I are surviving our first week where John is on his regularly scheduled shift of 2pm-10pm. It's definitely nice to have him home in the morning, but very strange to not have him home in the evening. Our big meal of the day is now at lunchtime. Brennan's bedtime routine now falls solely to me. So far, everything has been going smoothly and we are falling in to a new routine as we adjust to this different schedule during the workweek.

Other random notes of interest: I'm enjoying being on the blog now. While I enjoy the fact that Brennan is discovering his world, I am decidedly not enjoying the fact that he has now learned that I have glasses and hair, both of which he attempts to grab every chance he gets. Brennan is doing GREAT with sitting up (for long stretches at a time!). We are looking forward to going to Pocahontas State Park tomorrow to go swimming and enjoy the great outdoors. We are excited about taking Brennan to a fireworks display tomorrow night, but are unsure of whether he will like all the noise. Maybe we'll be watching this year's display from the car?


Since he was nicely decked out in his Minnesota Twins onesie today, I had to capture the moment. I've been discovering that Brennan is usually all smiles until the camera comes out. Then, he will smile for a second and turn his head away, or he puts on this super serious face. Oh, well. I'll keep trying to get more smiley boy photos!

Another Day in the Life

Brennan just had his six-month check-up this morning, weighing in at 18 lbs., 4 oz. and measuring 27 1/4 inches long. He's a big boy! He got more vaccinations, too, which was not so fun. Today was his second time in his new high chair, and he's adjusting well to sitting up at the table and eating with us. The picture above is Brennan pre-lunch (with a special shout out to Aunt Debbie Lager for the great moose bib!). Post-lunch (or after any meal, really) is a LOT more messy! Especially since he likes reaching for the spoon or hitting my spoon with the spoon that he gets to hold. It's great fun finding remnants of his meals all over him throughout the day...

Sitting Boy!

I've been working with Brennan on sitting up by himself. He's been getting better, but has still been pretty tipsy. Until today! He actually sat by himself on our bed for a little bit before he toppled over. I captured some of the excitement on video. He let loose with some pretty great facial expressions as he discovered the joy of sitting.

Happy Half-Birthday to Brennan!

It's hard to believe our little boy is already six months old! He's changed so much, and is a lot of fun to be around. We enjoy watching him learn new things and try new foods. So far, the boy has tried (and appears to like) rice cereal, bananas, apples, carrots, pears, peaches, sweet potatoes, and peas. I'm excited about all the new foods I have waiting in the wings for him to try since these have been such a big hit!

Highlights for his six-month mark: rolling over tons, eating lots of solids, trying to sit up on his own, and teething (none yet, but all the signs are there!). He grows more interested in his surroundings every day, including watching the cat and sometimes trying to pet her and reaching for the camera and remote control! We love having him around!

Happy half-birthday to you!
Happy half-birthday to you!
Happy half-birthday, dear Brennan!
Happy half-birthday to you!

Oh, and a special happy birthday to Auntie Sara Heutinck, who is celebrating her real birthday today!

The Joy of Esther

Now that Brennan is interacting with his world more, he's discovering the joy of Esther. Esther has done well thus far with tolerating his intrusion into her perfect world. In our house, Brennan has his space and Esther has her space. She doesn't interact with him often and tends to steer clear of him when she deems it necessary to be in the same room as him (i.e. when she wants to be around us, but we're with the baby). She has recently started hanging around him a little more and has even gone so far as to let him "pet" her. We managed to capture one of the petting sessions on video...

Tonight's Journal Entry

Saturday, June 21, 2008 11:27pm

I’ve been working on the photo albums tonight. I finished up 2007 and started on Brennan pictures. It’s been really fun to reminisce as I sort through photos of his first few months of life. He’s getting so big so fast. I need to remember to cherish these days because they won’t last long. Some days I just can’t wait for him to grow up … to crawl, walk, talk, go to the park, play outside, watch baseball games with him, see him off to school. But these are days, now, to enjoy and soak up. … I regret that I didn’t journal much when he was born. (Actually, I took copious notes during his first few days of life, but since then….) I haven’t taken the time to record the precious moments of the last six months. I haven’t taken the time to write about all the good stuff – how proud I am of him, how much I learn from him, how much he’s changed me. So often this journal is a record of pain, anger and regret. But I regret nothing about Brennan. He’s pure joy. The things he does don’t always make me happy (shrieking, pooping), but his existence brings me joy. He’s just so … adorable, alert, innocent, pure, alive, energetic, curious, inquisitive, happy, responsive, content … all the things I wish I was more of. Not surprisingly, all the stuff in the Bible about being like a child makes a lot more sense to me. How much richer my life would be if I looked at life like Brennan does and related to God like he relates to me. Life is so simple for Brennan. He sleeps, plays and eats. Everything he needs is provided for him. He has no worries, except when he perceives that we are stressed. Each day brings a new discovery (I have a hand. What can I do with it?) Sometimes he just cries out for no apparent reason. Maybe he’s just happy. Maybe he’s just trying out his voice. When was the last time I tried out my voice? When was the last time I contemplated my hands and wondered what I might do with them? When was the last time I thought of a day as a chance to make a new discovery? Fortunately, I can say I do this last one. If I haven’t learned something new, it’s probably been a wasted day. I can also boast that most nights when I lay my head on my pillow I know that I’ll be taken care of. Maybe 8 ½ years of living on support gave me that. God’s always provided, so I can sleep soundly. But what about relating to God in other ways? I trust Him to provide for me, but beyond that…? Brennan always smiles when he sees me and looks for me when he hears my voice. He has times when he wails because neither of us is near enough to him. He loves our presence and loves to be held. Right now two of his favorite things are standing on my lap (with me holding his hands to keep him steady) and having me throw him into the air. I think he loves to feel big and strong and to look me in the eye, face to face. I think he loves the feeling of weightlessness in the moment when his upward flight stops and gravity begins to pull him back down to my waiting arms. He never, ever wonders if I’ll catch him. It has never crossed his mind to doubt it. By contrast, I wonder about God. I wonder if He’ll catch me. So I’m not keen to be thrown into the air. I keep my feet on the ground. I feel weak and don’t look God in the eye. I stay safe. I act like an orphan, unsure of how to approach or relate to this God-Dad. The analogy feels like an ill fit. The imagery has faded for me. Perhaps, though, as I drink in the joy of being a Dad – Brennan’s dad – I’ll pick up some of his cues, and learn the lessons that he longs to teach me. Every day he says to me, without words: “I love you dad. Love God like I love you, and know that God loves you back, even more than you love me. ”

More Brennan Fun

He is definitely a hat kid...

He's working on sitting up by himself...we're expecting that to happen really soon!

He LOVES standing when he's hanging on to our hands. Right after this picture was taken, he and Daddy practiced walking.

Random family shot, just in case you forget what we all look like!

A Walk in the Park

It was a great day to enjoy some beautiful Richmond weather! This afternoon, Brennan and I (Naomi) decided to hit the park for a little while. So, off we went to Deep Run Park, which is not far from our house. We walked around the lake a couple of times, saw some geese and ducks on the lake and up close (there were a lot hanging out by the path and walking across it right in front of us!), and checked out the baby swing. It was Brennan's second time in the swing and he seems to enjoy. He was pretty mellow as I pushed him, but he wasn't crying so I take that as a good sign. All in all, it was really nice to be outside, getting some exercise and enjoying the afternoon out with my boy.

The Leadership Transition

At work I've been going through Franklin-Covey leadership training seminars and they've been really good. During Thursday's session we watched a video of sound bites from Jack Welch. One of the things he said really struck me. It was something to the effect of "becoming a leader is the most important transition you will ever attempt. You will either make it or you won't." This had the sound of truth to it, as I've been learning about leadership over the past two and a half years. Later on he commented on how love for developing the people he led was what made him a good leader. That struck me too, because I believe I am lacking in that area. It also dawned on me that one of the great fallacies in leadership is that we often promote into leadership people that were really good at whatever it is that the people they lead will be doing.

For instance, I was a very good recruiter. (I hope this comes across as confident, not arrogant; I feel that I was good at it and have had many trusted friends agree). So eventually I was picked to lead a team of recruiters. I discovered very quickly that I was not as good at leading recruiters as I was at recruiting. The two roles required very different skill-sets. I don't regret becoming the leader -- not at all. It was an important challenge for me and I do think I got better at it over the two+ years that I led the phone team. I just realize now the extent of the challenge. The more I learn about good leadership, the more I see ways in which I failed to lead the phone team well. Just being a good recruiter wasn't enough to help them become good recruiters. There's so much more to it than that! I needed to help them become good recruiters, yes, but more importantly, I needed to care for them as people, help them develop and grow -- help them be successful in the job they currently had, and in the ones that were yet to come.

The bottom line is, I cannot rest on the abilities I've developed up until now, because they are not sufficient to make me into a great leader. I need to develop a different skill-set to reach that goal -- and that is exactly my goal. Not to be great for my own reputation, but because I believe God would want me to be the best possible leader. I am in that role -- World Access (now Mondial USA) hired me to be a leader because they saw something there. And I think there IS something there. But it is a work in progress. This course is showing me that, and it's humbling. I am keenly aware that I'm in the midst of this huge transition in my life and career and it can still go either way. I need to figure out what will help me to navigate the transition with grace, dignity and success -- for the sake of all those whom I will influence.

World Access & Brennan Pics (as always)

Many people have been asking about my new job and how it's going. So far, I'm really liking it. My experiences at PI really did prepare me well for it in many respects. The aspects of leading a team and providing excellent follow-up/service to people contacting us are transferrable. There's a whole language used in the insurance industry that I have to learn though, and that's taking some time. Just being able to follow along in some conversations and decipher case notes has been a challenge. But I'm picking it up pretty quickly and I feel good about the progress I've been making.

But what will I actually be doing?!?! I'm not selling insurance! World Access is an assistance company, which means that we help people who need some kind of help while traveling. My team specifically deals with medical emergencies for people traveling overseas. We help them get appropriate medical attention and act as a liaison between them and their insurance company. Sometimes we're directing them to local hospitals, sometimes we're monitoring the care they're getting in a country with dubious medical practices. Sometimes we help with evacuations to better hospitals or repatriation to the U.S. Unfortunately, sometimes we're helping families get loved one's bodies back to the States when they've passed away abroad. We work closely with insurance companies (we contract with a lot of them to provide these services) to determine who will pay for everything too, which is why I have to learn the insurance industry lingo.

I like the international focus of it and the opportunity that I and my team have to help people in their hour of dire need.

There may be a missions overlap as well. I've put together a proposal to the marketing department to get into the misions market, providing products tailored to the needs of short- and long-termers. We'll see where that goes.

In other news ... Naomi and I recently celebrated 5 years together and I had my latest birthday. It's fun to celebrate, but I'm SO over being another year older! My one comfort: Naomi will join me in the 30s in just three months! Hasten the day...

Here are some recent Brennan photos to enjoy. He's still a cute one!

Wave to the camera big boy!

Stare blankly into the camera, cutie pie!

Open Wide!

Decked out in Red Sox garb (the socks are Sox too)!

Cool Red Sox bib + rice cereal covered chin

Esther in Narnia + a couple more Brennan photos

This adventure was first posted on my facebook page, but since not everyone sees that, here you go:

Our cat, Esther, recently discovered a portal to an amazing new place -- the ceiling/floor of our new home. I was checking the pipes and drain on the tub in our master bathroom for leaks and Esther managed to get out of the room she was in while the access panel was still removed. She crawled under the tub into the space between the long horizontal wood beams that make up the ceiling of the first floor and the floor of the second. We searched the place high and low until we heard her in the ceiling in Brennan's room and figured out that she'd gotten in there through the hole in the wall. We found out soon enough that she was unhurt and quite happy to be in there exploring. She'd walk around and come to the hole from time to time to look at us. I tried pulling her out by the scruff of her neck, which she didn't like at all. Nor was it successful since she's a wide kitty and it was a narrow hole she got through. I eventually figured she'd come out when she was good and ready. For the time being though, this was kitty heaven -- dark, cozy and out of reach of the humans! After about seven hours she popped out for some food and we managed to secure her while I "closed the wardrobe door". She was not happy about that though and stood at the door wailing on and off for the next few hours. We've deprived her of her adventure now and left her to her usual life of sleeping and eating. Must be rough.

Now some bonus Brennan pics:

Brennan in his Red Sox t-shirt and socks

This might be my new favorite Brennan photo

He loves being lifted high up into the air and then getting attacked with kisses

First Adventures in Solid Food!

As the dust settled on the transition of moving, Brennan began a new transition: solid food! At his four-month check-up, the pediatrician gave us the go-ahead to start Brennan on rice cereal once a day since our BIG boy had doubled his birth weight (he weighed in at a whopping 16 pounds a couple of weeks ago!), holds his head up well, and sits nicely when supported. So, this past Saturday, Brennan's lifelong adventure in solid food began. We managed to capture some of the fun on video.