Where have we been?

Well, we've been here-- but totally swamped as of late. I am in crunch time for the dissertation. I have been pacing myself, but still have (it seems) so much to do in the next few weeks. My class is going well, but it is also keeping me on my toes at a time when I don't have a lot of energy or effort to spare. Mike has been working like crazy for the handyman connection; he is enjoying it, but the days are LONG.

We can see that things will continue to be overwhelming for a few weeks, but that it should be only for a limited time. We have to keep reminding ourselves that it is normal to be at the end of your rope when you are just getting over an international move, trying to sell a house, finishing a dissertation, starting new jobs, working extra hours, and all the while trying to be perfect parents to two tiny bugs. But of course your reality is your reality-- and you forget sometimes that you might have taken too much on. We are still happy that we've returned to the US, and realize that this transition time would be difficult no matter where we moved, and in that case are so glad to be in Charleston. If nothing else we have dear friends nearby, family relatively close, a mild winter, and if all else fails, the beach.

The boys are a constant joy (well, nearly constant-- if Will could only sleep a bit more at night we'd all be in better shape). James is so sweet to his brother. It is no surprise, Mike and I both have the immense pleasure of wonderful, lifelong relationships with our siblings. I would expect nothing less from James and Will, but still it is so nice to see it develop. The only downside is that James occasionally wants to hug Will too hard. Of course we tell him squashing your brother is not allowed, talk about what is acceptable-- a gentle hug, while all the time Will is laughing uproariously at his big bro. He doesn't mind the squeezing hug, but it is too much for mom.
Will also thinks its great when James plays the "let's jump over the baby" game. Mom is not happy, but Will thinks it is a riot. Will adores James, and truly everything he does. They are sweet together.

James is more of a parrot than ever these days. The questions, comments, commentary NEVER stop. Questions about everything; questions about questions; questions repeating questions that have already been answered in reference to questions from the day before; it is endless, and usually pretty funny. We have two regular babysitters: Christine who comes two mornings a week to watch Will (we call her the personal trainer, as she coached him on crawling for weeks); and Colleen, whom James calls "My Colleen"-- she comes two afternoons a week. I am here working while they are around and I am often laughing at the stream of conversation, especially between Colleen and James. Sorry- no adorable anecdotes come to mind, you will just have to believe me on this one.

Will is the smiley-est bug ever, despite the setbacks of his first fever this week, and his two top teeth, which are troubling him as they make their slow entrance. Since the last post was a pictorial James-fest, I leave you this week with a bit o' Will.

The best laid plans...

we had grand plans this weekend to visit Valdosta, GA, and Waycross, GA on a brief but fun-filled tour of the south. We planned to leave midday Friday and drive to Waycross, to visit cousin Bu's horse farm and talk with him about the timber framer's guild barn project. We were going to stay overnight in Waycross Friday, then drive to Homerville Georgia for the Steedley Family Annual Easter Hunt. It was set up as a grand surprise for the Owens grandparents. But, ahhh... it was not to be. On Friday morning the "band-aid" we'd been using for weeks to help our car's power steering fluid leak failed. We went from "can we make it to Waycross" to "can we make it to the auto shop for repairs". We soon realized that our plans would not happen. We were of course bitterly disappointed to disappoint everyone. One positive note is that James is young enough to just rebound and move on. I worried that all our talk about horses, egg hunts, and seeing family would leave him confused and sad-- but he has not yet put it together that the trip didn't happen.
Now at the end of the weekend we can also see that our little family needed a break. In retrospect it was wise of us to have few obligations this weekend. James has had a small fever with his lingering cold, Will continues to be the teething bugger, and both parents are a little overtired from busy work schedules. We are also eternally grateful that our car did not break down while on the trip, stranding us on the road with two little guys. Or worse, considering this car ailment effects steering capability.
The word on the car, is that with a very kind and competent mechanic, it was still not fixed by 5:30 PM Friday. We are hoping it will be returned by the end of the day Monday without too big a price tag. Our dear friend Eugenia truly saved us by offering an extra family business car-- a delightful old Volvo-- as a loaner for the weekend.
We tried on Sunday to visit our favorite holy man Bert Keller at the Circular Church downtown. After the hours long ordeal of getting everyone dressed in cute clothes and looking presentable... we realized we'd left the lights on the loaner car on overnight and had a dead battery. After finding a neighbor to help and getting that all set we were WAY past time. We'll try again next week, but it is sure to be extra busy.
We finally found a local CSA and will sign up for a share this week, to get fresh local seasonal produce from a farmer on John's Island.
Considering what occurred it has all worked out in the best possible way. We even managed a quick visit with Keith, Dorthe, Maya and 'Uncle' Carl on Sunday night for Mike's beautifully prepared roast leg of lamb.
These photos are old. Our friend Rick took these on his visit to Enschede last year just a few days before Will was born, and before embarking on an around the world trip. He is back home, with many gorgeous photos and amazing stories (as usual).
The photos are of James playing at some of our favorite places in Enschede, and doing his impersonation of pregnant mom.

Little Bug

Our Willy has been charging around lately, trying to get his crawl to really work. His two front bottom teeth came in last week, which made for a long and frustrating week for everyone-- and crawling was put on the backburner. This week he has been trying so hard to pull it together. I caught him half-sitting, half-up several times yesterday just crying in frustration-- it looked like some crazy kind of angry baby yoga. I showed him a few times how to move in a crawl but of course how much do they really get from that? Still I felt like I had to do something.
Somehow, something came together overnight for him and he managed what I would really call a crawl this morning. Here is some footage from yesterday of him smiling and bending around, and one of him this morning crawling away. In the interest of equal time, there is also just a small interaction with James caught on tape. He was napping when I made the first Will video, and in general it is difficult to do much of anything when they are both awake. ;0)

I like to ride my bicycle

Well, we got THE cutest T-shirt in the mail last week from our good friend Heidi in Portland (formerly of Charleston, then Virginia). I think we've had it only for a full seven days and James has worn it twice to school already. He thinks it is so cute, and it fits him perfectly. The cut is precisely James' body shape-- long and thin. We're hoping this will turn into a Will hand-me down.. hmmm... good thing it is stretchy, because ain't nothing long and thin about that one. (See bath video below for documentation). Will has cut his first two teeth, and in honor of the occasion has been a wee bugger for several days. You can sympathize, but it is still difficult to have your sweet and cheerful baby turn into a teary and fussy bean. It takes an adjustment all the way around. You can just see them peeking through, and he keeps his tongue stuck out, feeling them all the time.

I got a call from Wheaton College in Massachusetts today-- they were interested in interviewing me for their assistant teaching position. Though it is certainly nice to feel that more than one school is interested in me, I am absolutely content with Hartford. I told them I'd already signed on with another school. Of the schools to which I applied, there were definitely a few at the top of my list-- both Hartford and Wheaton were certainly up there, so I feel great about the decision I've already made.

It is Spring Break this week-- and we're doing nothing in celebration. Mike is busily trying to finish many jobs with the handyman connection in Mount Pleasant. Both my sitters are away for the week-- one to Vegas and one to Orlando. Spring Break has changed a little since my day. I'd found another sitter who seemed ideal, she even lives in this neighborhood, but she canceled on me last night. Bummer. I am trying to use this as an opportunity to work on my patience, but I am ITCHING to be finishing my dissertation right now. I am in the middle of writing a really neat chapter about one of my Dutch cases, and I really felt like I was making some scholarly progress last week.
OK- I hear a fussy teether waking up, so enjoy this bathtime footage and a photo of James wearing underpants, clogs and a t-shirt while playing in the backyard.

Some moments to share

We are staying busy as always, but managing to find the time to enjoy ourselves here in Charleston. First an update on the boys. James is flourishing at the Island School. He literally RUNS in every morning, which helps us feel great about the experience he's having there. Will is nearly crawling-- all the elements are there, but he is not managing to put them together in the right way quite yet.
Mike's work with the Handyman Connection is going really well. It takes a great deal of maneuvering to get to the sites each day while factoring in time to drop off and pick up James-- but it is workable. If only public transportation was better here. I have pored over the route of the lone bus that makes its way out to James Island from downtown, and there is just no way to make it work.
I ran my second race this past weekend. An 8K to benefit water conservation in the lowcountry. I completed it-- I ran the whole time-- and made it in 57 minutes. Certainly nowhere near the folks who won (even in my age category) but I was thrilled. My goal was to finish it, and to do it in less than an hour. I still cannot believe that in January I could only run about 10 minutes before giving up. Compared to the 37 minutes it took me to run the 5K my rate is improving (From 7.4 minutes per Kilometer to 7.125 per kilometer)--and it makes me happy. I have about 6 weeks to get ready for the Bridge run, which should be a whopper-- 10K and an incline.
Everything I have run so far is FLAT-- so I will have to go to the bridge and have a few practice runs in the next weeks.
Photos are of me (in orange shirt and black pants) near the finish line, of Will before the haircut-- (it was surely time) of Kyle, Olivia and James on the swing, James proudly showing his Thomas undies, and of our impromptu Sjoele tournament last night. Everyone LOVED this great Dutch import.

Both underwhelming and overwhelming

Sorry for the delay in posting. Our shipment of goods came from the Netherlands (after a final 150$ charge) and we have been trying to manage all this stuff ever since. It is truly overwhelming, in the sense that we were not prepared to receive 43 boxes of anything so soon after a major move. It illuminated that we hadn't really organized our stuff from the GA move, but really just sort of put it away in closets. Filling our living room with many new boxes really emphasizes that we HAVE to organize everything all over again. It is at the same time underwhelming-- to realize how much junk we accumulate over time (and we think we are careful about such things). Underwhelming to find some of the things we paid such a dear price to ship are also junk. It is inevitable that you come across an item in a box and think: "now why in the WORLD did I ship that". The large world cup promotional wuppie



is a case in point. Our goods were delivered by two kind men-- who took it all in stride, even when Mike's giant hinge started coming out of the bottom of one of our cardboard boxes in mid-carry. They were fast, efficient, and personable. I wish I could have tipped them-- but our experiences with all the other folks involved in the process meant our tipping budget was gone by the time these guys showed up. A shame-- because they really were helpful and nice.
Since that time we have been slowly going through our stuff and organizing the whole house. I am taking the week off from the dissertation to spend time with visiting family and work my way through this stuff. I have 37 days of holiday saved up-- but they don't really mean I will take that many days. Since my job is to finish the dissertation during the contract time it doesn't do me much good to have a month of holidays and then not be finished on time.
We have set the date for my defense in the Netherlands-- 29 August. Due to the limited times available between my schedule/my new school year, and the slots for defense ceremonies in the Netherlands it will probably mean a short visit of just a few days for Mike and I. Hartford has a direct flight to Amsterdam, which will make the journey relatively quick for us. We plan to move to CT at the end of July.
Here are some photos. Two pics of our boxes filling up the 'dining room'. One with keska for size reference. Mom and James working on our seeds-- we're planting corn, tomatoes, and peas-- starting them in the mini-greenhouse that was a wedding gift from the Fitts. And one of Will's super cute haircut. He looks SO much like my sister's son Micajah here-- it is remarkable. If only we could get his brother to agree to a haircut, too. There is a very local barber shop on James Island called Bushwhackers, which we may try soon... details to follow.