Cape Henlopen Beach Day

Today we met our friends and the senior high youth from church at the beach - I saw and swam in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time! I picked just a handful of pictures to share of Oliver exploring the sand and water. I was amazed by how much he liked the sand, and how by the end of the day, he would crawl after the waves going out. He was pretty much speechless the whole afternoon, just taking everything in.

Our New Puppy

Last weekend we discovered that when Oliver spots a dog, he will jump out of our arms to get it. He also barks back at them. Apparently dogs on TV have the same appeal!

First Steps

For the past two weeks Oliver has taken a few steps between us, but today while he and Paul were in the kitchen he initiated steps on his own to get from the cupboard to Daddy. That makes it official in my book!

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words about our big move. I'll give details in personal emails later.

Moving Home

Today is the day to break the news on the blog - we are coming home! And I don't mean just for a summer vacation. Mid-July Dad and Mom are flying out to help us pack and load a trailer, and then are flying back with Oliver while Paul and I drive back. We will be staying with Dad and Mom for awhile as we wait to hear if a potential post-doc opportunity comes through at the U of M, and look for other jobs. I am feeling a lot of excitement to be with and near family again, and to spend some time regrouping and recouping. We are looking forward to helping out on the farm - cooking, cleaning, mowing, and chopping (Paul is excited about that last one - not me). It has been hard to tell my friends here, but they are completely rallying around us with encouragement and offers of help. We are really going to miss them. Please keep us in your prayers during this transition time.

11.5 Month Skills

Since I haven't posted for awhile, I put everything in one video. Yesterday Oliver surprised us by saying his name - it is my all-time favorite sound!!