I am sitting in a Starbucks, actually reading and relaxing on a Sunday while I wait to pick up Kate from a birthday party downtown. Rebecca took Lauren to another birthday party. Sort of guilty sitting here accomplishing nothing but some downtime is nice. The last two months have been quite stressful:

1. Rebecca is pregnant and we are just finishing the first trimester. She wasn't quite as sick with this one as the last two but it has been no cake walk. The concerns of problems with the baby (due to our now being old) and a couple of day stay at the hospital largely due to a ovarian cyst kept things interesting. But all is well and we have the lowest possible chance after all the screening to have any genetic issues with the baby. Like 1 in 3900. I'll take those chances.

2. Becca's been very sick with some virus the past few weeks, the kids have had it on and off and I seem to be coming down with it a bit.

3. Work has been busier the past 3 months than I ever recall. Long days. Turning work away as we are so busy so this takes time away from the family and stresses them a bit too.

4. We have been struggling for a while about where to return to in the US and where the firm would allow us to. After lots of discussions and thinking about it, we chose to go back to Cleveland against most recommendations that suggested other places would be best career wise. However, best career-wise didn't sound like best family-wise which is most important. So thrilled to be returning home to family, friends, the cottage.

5. However, we have decided due to our growing family and the need for better schools, to move from our first home on Coleridge. Sad to leave it as we loved it but excited to find a new place that will be the place our kids remember most about growing up. Both of us are set on the community being most important as we both grew up on very loving wonderful and open streets and want our kids to have the same experience. We just need to weigh that with distance from family, schools, the desire for a newer home (ok MY desire for a newer home).

Definitely feels like we will be closing two chapters of our lives at once. Certainly on our lives and wonderful friends and experiences here in Germany. But also on Coleridge as we never closed that chapter and expected to return to our awesome neighbors and great location. For those of us who embrace change and are excited about new things and experiences, this will still be emotional but an adventure. For those of us (REBECCA!) who don't, the next 6-8 months will certainly have its challenges. And moving with a 5 week old will certainly lessen the stress...;)

We are off to Vienna and Budapest this week for a brief 4 day vacation that should be fun. Never been to Budapest which I hear is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.