Whoa...it's been forever.

Whoa...it's been forever.  I guess we've been having a little too much "adventure" lately.  Last time I posted we were living with the in-laws and trying to find an apartment.  Over the next month or so I'm hoping to give you a  a little more detail on the past 9 months.  Since I a numbers guy let's go ahead and divide it up evenly.  Here are the first three months after I accepted my new job as a Financial Analyst at Symmetry Medical.

May - When a new job starts in a far away land you have to move.  Unfortunately (for our very helpful family and friends) we had already moved twice in the last 3 years.  Since we were only moving to a small temporary apartment in Warsaw, IN we packed up a few essentials (which mostly consisted of baby necessities) and made the trek up north. My wife is going to kill me for adding this picture, but she's asleep and I'm not so she can get over it. Ady and I were sad to leave the softball team in Indianapolis but thankfully my brother-in-law found room for us on his team in Nappanee.  The rest of the month consisted of getting settled into our new (and tiny) place and figuring out what we were going to do now that there wasn't a Hobby Lobby or Chik-Fil-A within 25 miles.

June - We were really starting to get into the swing of things and it was time for me to head out and fulfill a volunteer commitment I made when we lived in Indianapolis.  Bible Memory Ministries is a scripture memorization, bible study, and summer camp ministry that I grew up with.  For some crazy reason they have allowed me to come back and be a part of camps in both the summer in winter.  This summer the group was headed to Prairie Camp in Goshen, IN and I had the opportunity to lead a group of elementary students for a whole week.  Talk about a crazy week!  Emily and Ady came out to visit me during the week.  I have to be honest, my daughter was really teaching me some lesson in humility.  She generally was the center of attention and when that wasn't working for her she usually decided to poop on me.  While it didn't endear her to me it sure seemed to work on everyone else.

July - We finished out the summer months taking lots of walks and spending lots of time at the grandparents' houses. Ady just kept on growing and really started crawling.  Emily was terrified that she would start walking in our tiny apartment but we managed just fine. Fourth of July, summer festivals, and lots of garage sales seemed to be the trend.  At this point we were starting to look for a place to put down some roots and plant ourselves so we began looking at houses and talking about what the future might look like.  Our house in Carmel hadn't sold and we didn't have a lot of strong interest.  That's probably good because the majority of our stuff was still down there and we had NO WHERE to put it.

Up next: Football season and hunting for a house...

New Paris Garage Sale Bargain

Already putting a garage sale bargain to good use. Mom and Grandma Fox have already brought back two walking loads and are out for their third. New outfits here we come!

Time is Flying

Wow, is it really already the 31st!?  I guess time flies when you are having fun.  We officially moved into our new apartment this weekend and I would like to give a shout out to both "grandpas".  They were a huge help in moving and we couldn't have done it without them.  Since relocating we have already seen the grandparents multiple times, attended a few softball games, and tried out a new church.  In spite of all that life seems to be slowing down a little.

Ady is doing great with the transition. She is officially rolling over on a consistent basis and has already bonked her head a few times.  She seems pretty resilient though and is always ready to go for it again.  She had her first attempt at a splash pool yesterday. (Yes, there are pictures. I'll post one when I get it) I would give it about a 2 out of 10. She pretty much screamed non-stop after the first 10 seconds. Guess there's something we can improve on.  

She is quickly growing out of 6-9 month clothes which has her mother a little worried.  However, garage sale season is kicking into high gear so I'm sure they will be fine. The 22nd Annual New Paris Garage Sales are June 4th and Emily usually rocks the home field.  (If you want to see how serious players garage sale this is your ticket...and yes I just used garage sale as a verb.)

If you would like our new address feel free to send me an email or leave a comment.  I don't want to just throw it out there for security reasons but it's not a secret.  Look for more consistent posts as life slows down a little.  Softball, church shopping, outdoors activities...we have all kinds of new adventures just around the bend.

Change Is A Comin'

Ok, I admit it.  Having a kid makes life really busy really fast.  Blog posts have been severely lacking. I have tried (unsuccessfully) to get my wife to contribute every once in a while but she insists on using all of her creative juices to make crafts and clothes for Ady.  I think it takes all the humor and stamina she can muster just to put up with me every day.  But the winds of change have been blowing and here is what they have stirred up.

I will start work at an orthopedic company in Warsaw, IN on May 16th.  Didn't see it coming and I'm still not sure the full realization has actually hit me.  It means that we will be packing up the family, attempting to sell the house, and starting a new chapter of our lives in Northern Indiana.  I'm very excited about the new opportunity but it doesn't come without some trepidation.  The transition will be quick and it won't be easy but we know God will see us through. 

Leaving has brought on a whole host of emotion.  I didn't realize how attached I was to our house and how much I will miss the daily challenge of public accounting.  I'm sure I will be challenged in a corporate setting but it just won't be the same.  Now I will have to split time between Colts games and Bears games on Sunday afternoon and it won't be as easy to sell/use my season tickets or see a playoff game.  I'll also have to find a new slow pitch softball team.  Yes, I know all of those things are probably small potatoes but I'm the one writing so I get to say whatever I want.

In the end we are still very excited.  We will really miss all of our friends from church and Anderson but we know we have a great support system and can't wait to meet new friends up in Warsaw.  No matter how you slice it change is a comin' and we are going to see where it takes us.

Ady Update: She rolled over for the first time today.  Emily is nervous because that means mobility...but I'm pumped!

The Search Is On!

This place would be perfect!

Emily and I are looking for a small furnished apartment/lakehouse/cave to rent in the Kosciusko County (Winona Lake, Warsaw, Syracuse, Nappanee, etc.) area. 

I'm currently planning on being in the area from March 14 to April 15 and would like to bring my wife and new baby along while I'm on business.  (Plus there are a lot of people in up there who need to meet Ady!)  We have quickly realized that Ady needs a lot of stuff.  We have also realized that due to the stuff (and a general distaste for long term hotel living) we would rather not move in and out of a hotel every week.  Therefore we are look for something a little more permanent (by permanent I mean a 5 week stay).  Basically a place where we can stay for weekends if we want and leave our things. 

We pay great rent and will give a security deposit etc.  Anyone have any leads or ideas?  Comment or email me by clicking here.  Thanks in advance!

Dad Post: The Grammy's

I'll admit straight off that this post has little to do with Ady's recent activities, growth spurts, or cute faces.  So if that's what you're looking for stop reading now.  Probably not worth your time.  You will most likely just come away thinking "Dan, I think you've actually lost it this time" which could very well be true. (But not like these people)  Sometimes it takes a little "crazy" to make life interesting right?

Oh the Grammy's.  With a young daughter in the house I'm starting to think about what I will and won't allow her to watch and be influenced by.  Overall I considered the Grammy night nearly a complete waste of my time.  Lady Gaga disturbed me, Justin Beiber dismayed me (because I was actually very entertained), and the rest of the show just distracted me from anything productive.

So there's no way I will encourage/allow my daughter watch this kind of thing right? Or is there a level of creativity and a breadth of music I want her to be exposed to at a certain age?  Emily and I both were involved in music and we hope that our daughter at least has an appreciation for it (yes Emily, even classical music).  At least an appreciation that goes beyond being able to sing along with the most recent hit song on the radio.  I guess at some age it will be appropriate for her to watch and appreciate.  Unfortunately at the rate things are going I'm also going to have to give her a sex ed. lesson before she will be able to understand what/who is performing.  While the Grammy's probably aren't appropriate for a three year old I think I'd like to be able to expose her to different genres and artists in the home rather than her being exposed through friends at school. 

So my question is this. As Christians we are to be "in the world but not of the world".  Does this include watching (and even supporting through the purchase of music) artists such as those profiled and awarded on the Grammy's? Are the Grammy's something I want my daughter to watch?  If not are there aspects we can learn from and appreciate? Parenting is hard and I haven't even had to do anything yet (teenage girl years are still a ways away).

Random Sidebar: Sorry Emily, I have a new band crush, Mumford & Sons.  (Former band crushes include Relient K, The Fray, Snow Patrol, Sufjan Stevens, and Owl City)  A four man Indie Folk band from England gave a performance that caught my ear and reintroduced me to a song that I can't get out of my head.  I discovered the group a while back while watch CoolTV (yes, that broadcast channel that only plays music videos).  I all but forgot about them until their Grammy performance.  Banjo, tight harmonies, and lyrics that can get a guy thinking (I may investigate them in a future post).  Their music is an aspect of human creativity and thought that I hope my daughter has an appreciation for.  People who think and ask why, who create, and who want more than just face value from the this life.  Aren't those the attributes God created us for but in a worship context?

Aunt Post: The Cool Aunt

I've decided to be the cool Aunt. (No offense to Sarah)

So... Ady is pretty awesome. I am currently babysitting while mommy and daddy are out for Valentine's Day!!! Which at the moment consists of sitting on the couch, watching rugby on TV, and letting Ady sleep. But I should enjoy it while it lasts, cause I hear that 7 pm is her usual "unhappy" time.

So I'm not near as cool as Dan and I don't know how to make surveys and ask deep questions. But I have been thinking that I'm going to have to work really hard to be a "cool" aunt. I remember going to visit my aunt at college. It was something that I looked forward to every year... Grandma and Grandpa usually took me to see her for my birthday. But I shall be graduating in a little over a year and then I will have to find something else that will make me a "cool" aunt.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!!!

Aunt Steph