In the air, back home, and birthdays.

So many things happening!  What an exciting time.

We had a wonderful vacation.  Warm weather, excellent people, good food, and all that.  On our last day in Florida we saw some fun things.  We saw an amazing tree we were told is called a Banyan tree.  This tree had vines that grow from the branches toward the ground, grow together and become a solid mass, hit the ground and root.  Then, the tree does this over and over, and all the newly rooted parts grow together, and are incorporated into the trunk of the tree.  Amazingly big, and very strange looking.  It was cool.  Jeff and Anna climbed it.

Speaking of Jeff, it is great to have such wonderful friends.  Jeff and Jan are close like family, and so are their kids.  nice to have such wonderful friends and role models.  Jan thinks so too.

On Saturday morning, our last day in Florida, we decided to go para-sailing.  The wind was strong, and so they said it was a bad idea to take Jan in the boat, so Wendy VERY graciously said she’d stay on shore.  Anna and I were set to go up, and because she’s eight years old, we said she could choose the height to which we went.  She chose the highest possible.  After we got into the boat, they told us three people could go up, so Jan L. came with us.  After they inflated the sail, they let 1,200 feet of rope out.  The driver of the boat pulled us far, far up, and then let us float down before pulling us up again.  I am willing to bet we were 500 feet in the air.  I took Jeff’s camera up, and I hope to have those pictures soon, but in the mean time, Jeff took a few from the (badly tossed about by the big big waves) boat below.  The wind was strong enough that we were blown around like a kite.  It was totally awesome.

Our flight home was better than on time – it left ten minutes early and arrived home twenty minutes early.  While that part was great, Jan was not asleep, as he was on the flight down.  He was understandably frustrated and grumpy about being on our laps the whole time, but really he wasn’t bad, and Jeff and Jan (five rows behind us) said they didn’t hear him at all.  He’s been terribly tired all day today because he didn’t nap at all yesterday.  Overall I would say this was a good experience for him, even if I’m likely biased because it was a good experience for me and for Wendy….

Jan is one year old today.  It is amazing and very hard to believe.  This has been a big year for many reasons, and it seems we’re muddling our way through with a child.  Wendy is great with him, we have excellent role models in our families and friends, and a wealth of support to help us along.  I can’t imagine how someone could child-rear as a solo-parent, or without a faith community.  Thanks a lot to everyone who has been so great, we owe you a lot.