Anderson Adventures

To my precious baby girl

2011-03-26T03:06:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have not written a lot about how I feel during this whole adoption process. After all isn't that what a blog is for? Maybe I feel that I would be to vulnerable if I did write my true feelings. But I also feel that it is important for Annalyn to know how much my heart aches for her everyday. There is not one day that goes by without me praying or wondering what she is doing. Everyday I ask is she loved? Is she happy? Is she even born? At least when a baby is conceived and growing in her mommy's belly the family knows that she is safe and well cared for. I just have to trust that God is holding you in His arms loving and protecting my baby girl as I would. So as we continue to wait and wait, and wait I have to trust that this is in His perfect timing. Everyday I fight the feelings of bitterness, resentment, and try not to be angry with God for keeping us apart but then I remember that through this time I also am being chastened, refined and learning the art of patience.

So to my precious Annalyn: Your forever family loves you so much. Even though you may not exists in this world yet, you live in our hearts. Our family is not complete with out you with us. You are treasured and special and we are waiting with open arms longing for you to come home.

and we wait. . . . .

2011-03-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Statement on the Pending Reduction of Intercountry Adoption in Ethiopia

Last week the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs announced their

intention to reduce intercountry adoptions by 90% beginning March 10, 2011. The Ministry’s

plan for a dramatic reduction is apparently based on two primary issues; 1) the assumption that

corruption in intercountry adoption is systemic and rampant and 2) the Ministry’s resources

should be focused on the children for whom intercountry adoption is not an option. Without

further announcements by the Government of Ethiopia, it is our understanding that the Ministry’s

plan will be initiated this week.

The Ministry’s plan is a tragic, unnecessary and disproportionate reaction to concerns of isolated

abuses in the adoption process and fails to reflect the overwhelmingly positive, ethical and legal

services provided to children and families through intercountry adoption. Rather than eliminate

the right of Ethiopian children to a permanent family, we encourage the Ministry to accept the

partnerships offered by governments, NGOs, and foundations. Such partnerships could increase

the Ministry’s capacity to regulate service providers and further ensure ethical adoptions.

The Ministry’s plan which calls for the processing of only five adoption cases per work day, will

result not only in systemic and lasting damage to a large sector of social services, but will have

an immediate impact on the lives and futures of children. Moving from over 4,000 adoptions per

year to less than 500 will result in thousands of children languishing in under-regulated and

poorly resourced institutions for years. For those children who are currently institutionalized and

legally available for adoption, the Ministry’s plan will increase their time languishing in

institutions for up to 7-years.

Joint Council respectfully urges the Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs to

reconsider their plan and to partner with governments, NGOs and foundations to achieve their

goals and avoid the coming tragedy for children and families.

I love Germany!

2011-02-20T13:14:00.000-08:00

We went to Garmisch, Germany to go skiing. I don't know if I have ever seenmountains so beautiful. I mean REALLY incredible. Reid went to ski school during the day and "kids night out" in the evenings so Andy and I ran around like college kids. We stayed in an American military run resort called Edelweiss. It was a little slice of heaven for us. American beds, American pools, American workout facilities and Starbucks coffee. Sigh. . . truly a vacation. Yes, we will be going back for ski week next year. . . definitely!

Diaper duty

2011-01-05T00:58:00.000-08:00

So my beautiful 5 year-old is officially day and nighttime potty trained!! Funny thing is that he has been for some time now and I had not even realized it. Yes, I am a not a perfect parent but this makes me seem down right negligent!

About 6 months ago we tried to go a few nights without pull ups. The first night success, the next, not so much. So I decided that I would rather spend the 15 euro on pulls ups than constantly wash dirty sheets. After that I kind of forgot about it.

A few weeks ago it occurred to me "my boy is almost 5 now he should not be wearing pull ups!". Reid and I sat down and had the mother/son chat about being a big boy and getting up in the middle of the night to go potty etc. etc. He looks up at me with those big brown eyes and says "Mommy I do get up in the night to go potty. My pull ups don't have pee pees in them." Ah!" I thought, "no way!" I didn't believe him.

We have been monitoring for the past 3 weeks and not a pee pee in sight. My son was telling the truth after all. Last night was the first "big boy pants" night and everything came out dry. I think back to all those wasted pull ups and wonder how long has Reid not needed them. But am I proud to say that the Anderson family is officially diaper free! well, at least for a few months :)

Exchange? Or not to exchange?

2010-12-01T15:10:00.000-08:00

Went to Auchan today. It is kind of like Europe's version of Super Walmart (I use that analogy very loosely). I got the usual, eggs, milk, tape, and christmas lights. I checked out and as I am leaving I realize that I bought blue christmas lights instead of white. Annoyed with myself I go up to the cashier and explain (in very bad Italian) that I made a mistake and can I go and exchange the color really quick. She smiles and tells me sure but I must go to customer service first. Ok, so off I go wait in line ( the Italian version) and finally after "elbowing" my way to the front I explain my situation. She gives me some paperwork to fill out makes copies of my documents and then sends me over to a second customer service "line". By this point I am starting to grow annoyed with the system. .. . really? two different steps in this process? So I get up to the second counter explain my situation again. He has me fill out more paperwork, makes copies of my documents and then sends me off to yet another person. REALLY?! This person explains that I must go get my item and then bring it to the security guard to check. I do this get the guard's "official" approval and then he sends me BACK to the first customer service counter. Forty five minutes has already gone by, I have to pee, and I am going to be late to pick up Reid. The lady at this counter was very pleasant. She checked my product, checked my receipt, gave me money back from the first item and then tells me to go back in the check out line and repurchase my item. Well, there is no turning back now and I finish the deal but left with white lights AND 4 more white hairs. Lesson Learned: In order to return an item in Italy you will exchange your sanity along with it.

Thanksgiving Adventure 2010

2010-11-27T12:44:00.000-08:00

Day 1 (The day before Thanksgiving)

Armed with a three hour early release (darn my ambition, I only used two hours of it), we left Rome on the front cusp of traffic and drove up the A1 into the most beautiful region of the world: Umbria and Tuscany. We stopped at a gas station to do my favorite thing as a diplomat: buy toll passes and cell phone recharges using gas coupons! I love being supplemented for my cell phone bill :). We arrived at our agritourismo - a beautiful restored farmhouse on the Umbria / Tuscany border. It was night, so instead of a hilltop view we enjoyed a plethora of the stars. All our friends had either just arrived, or were fast approaching. Dinner comprised of a shmorgeshbort of apertivos. After a long dinner, it was time to put Reid to bed. Kate (being the more social of the two) went down to mingle with the crowd in the great hall. After putting Reid down, I did what I love to do: sat by the fire in our apartment and just relaxed. I have a lot to be thankful for.

Day 2 (Thanksgiving)

Traditions are traditions. Therefore, after waking to a breathtaking hilltop view of olive groves, colorful fall trees, a lake in the distance, and mist in the air – I tied my shoes and undertook the most solemn of thanksgiving traditions: the Turkey Trot. Not knowing exactly where I was jogging, I took off down a dirt road and wound through olive tree lined paths. Not sure if I ran more or less than the traditional 5k, but the hills made the work out a work out. I came back to a sick child. Reid has just lost his thanksgiving day cookies in the trash can, and was lying on the couch looking as pitiful as a sick child on Thanksgiving. The rest of the day consisted of naps, naps, and more naps. Dinner was at 5:00 – there were 23 adults and 19 children. Each wife wanted to outdo the other wife in culinary skill, resulting in a cornucopia of food. Reid and his friend Isabel said grace in Italian (the prayer said at school before every meal). After grace, Reid didn't have the energy for dinner, so he watched Jungle Book in out apartment while Kate and I stuffed our faces. During dinner I learned that this region was called 'Colle San Paolo'. Translated in English it's called the 'Hills of St. Paul.' Although Italians obviously don't celebrate Thanksgiving, it's fitting that Paul tells us to be thankful. And sitting in such a beautiful setting, I have a lot to be thankful for.

Day 3 (The day after Thanksgiving)

We slept until 11:00. I'll repeat that. We slept until 11:00. It was amazing. Reid woke up a different boy. Although he wasn't yet to 100 percent, he was fast approaching. We awoke in time to take a quick shower, eat some leftover pie, and hop in the car for our second Thanksgiving meal: the Italian one. It was an adult only event. The older kids (high-school age) watched the younger ones. Our biggest fear was a call at lunch saying that Reid threw up all over the monopoly board – but the call never came. We drove to Città della Pieve and ate the traditional Italian feast of antipasti, two primis, two secondis, a dolce, and a cafe'. Afterwards we rolled out and walked down the street to the narrowest alleyway in all of Italy. It was so narrow, in fact, that we missed it the first two times. The alleyway was called “via Baciadonne”. Translated it means “kiss a woman street”. The name resulted in a mass of unflattering and risqué pictures. Of course Kate and I did not partake... The evening was filled with games, cards, more games, and a general air of joviality. Looking at my beautiful wife laugh while playing 'catch phrase', I have a lot to be thankful for.

Paris and Disney land

2010-10-18T05:26:00.000-07:00

So I must say we definitely saved the best for last. On friday we made a last minute decision to take a day trip to Paris. We really had no plans but thought if we could have lunch and see the Eiffel Tower we could deem this day a success. And success it was! The day started out a little rough as we wondered around the outskirts of the city trying to find parking. We settled on one garage which I must admit was in a sketchy part of town but we all decided that if we leave before dark we should be just fine.

We caught the metro and had lunch at a cute cafe (with "real" french onion soup) that over looks St. Paul's cathedral and then started meandering. We only had a few hours before we needed to leave but Blake in

So as we were looking for our car in the garage and we heard this girl screaming. We started to head cautiously in that direction and out of nowhere a motorcycle comes screeching right towards us. Sure enough there were two young kids on the back of it with terror in there eyes. They flew past us and off they sped. I kept thinking thank you God for keeping us safe! That could have been us. But I can't let that change my mind about my favorite city. We will just have to park in a safer area next time.sisted that we get a picture of him in front of the Eiffel Tower smoking a "fag". We stopped at a local market for the essentials, you know, champagne, plastic cups, a baguette and chocolates.

When we reached the tower we found a spot and relaxed the rest of the afternoon. We took pictures, ate, drank and acted like stupid Americans. It was great! On the way back to the car we stopped to get crepes at a road side stand. I could get really fat in France ;)

The next day we went to Disney Land Paris. . . so much fun. Blake and I hit the haunted house which we swear is a lot more scarer than the American version (a lot of dead brides). Reid had a ba

ll. I think his favorite ride was the Pirates of Caribbean ride. And to finish the day we had dinner with all the Disney characters. It is fun to be a kid!

Normandy

2010-10-15T02:38:00.000-07:00

One of Andy's goals on this trip was to visit the Nomandy beaches where the D-day invasion occurred. I must admit that I was not to excited about this part of the trip but decided to go along. To be perfectly honest I knew very little about World War II but sensed the somber mood that surrounded the beaches when we arrived. It was over cast and misty as we walked up the beach and Andy tried toexplain what had taken place on the very ground we walked on.

We then found a small french owned museum which contained a lot of memorabilia from the attack. But it was not until we watched a video that interviewed American war vets that I truly understood the importance of this area.

Looking around I was a bit disappointed with the way the American and French government had commemorated the men and women who died here. Aside from the small museum and one memorial, the beaches were pretty bare. I kept thinking "this is it?" Then Andy asked if we were ready to go to the American War memorial.

As we drove up to the American War memorial I w

as so proud to be an American. Well done USA! Well DONE! Everything was pristine, from the architecture of the museum, to the grounds of the cemetery. The land was on a cliff that over looked the sea and everyone that visited was overwhelmed with the sense of peace and respect

the area demanded.

The museum was interactive and very modern and the cemetery grounds were breath taking. The whole experience touched me in a way that I will never forget. I am very thankful for all the sacrifices the men and women in the military make.

Our scary chateau

2010-10-14T02:10:00.000-07:00

Imagine this. . after a long day of driving my husband informs me that for the next four nights we will be staying in a french chateau. I was pretty excited but at the same time wondered what it will be like? Would we be the only ones there? How big will it be?

After driving on winding roads out in the middle of nowhere we finally arrive. It was amazing and at the same time spooky. The chateau was huge and located on a property with several other large buildings (stables, maids houses, outdoor kitchens etc). The nearest town was at least 15 minutes away.

We entered the main hall and was greeted by the caretaker who was checking in 4 other guests. wheww! There are other people and I quickly concluded that if anything happened to us, andy and I could run faster than they could. Lets just say this; it was like walking on the set of a scary movie. Mannequins all over the house, cobwebs in the corners, the caretaker was an older balding man smoking a pipe, stray straggly cats EVERYWHERE and a room full of antique dolls that just stared at you! The caretaker i

nsisted that we pay him at check in and then showed us to our room where we found dozens of flies buzzing in the windows. He said that this is typical because the flies were attracted to the warm house. I kept looking for the dead body.

The next morning the chateau was much more charming. I woke up to a beautiful sunrise and the sound of the gardener working outside below our window. After a delicious breakfast of fresh croissants and hot chocolate Reid and I explored the grounds. (Andy went to pick up Blake from the airport). We found a few ponies, and a beautiful old building that could have been used as a ball room. It was surreal as each building contained hidden treasures. . silver candle sconces covered in cobwebs, and oversized stone fireplaces. I kept imagining what it would have been like to live in such a place. I asked the caretaker who used to live in the house and he gave me a book on the history of the manner. It turns out that it was owned by a french family and then during the war was taken over by the Germans and used as a Nazi boy's camp. They used to train children here to become nazi soldiers! I could hardly believe it!

The next night Blake and I decided to explore the chateau at night during a thunderstorm (i promise we are that stupid). Lets just say we got so freaked out by all the hidden halls

blocked off rooms and those darn mannequins that we quickly ran back to our wing of the house like scared school girls. After 2 nights in that beautiful yet terrifying house we decided to find a hotel closer to Paris. When we explained our situation to the caretaker he said that this often happens and that he would not refund our money. We thought for a moment about all the wasted money and then quickly decided that it was still time to leave.

That is truly a memory I will NEVER forget.

France day 4 and 5

2010-10-13T02:05:00.000-07:00

Today we traveled to Lyon. This city is known for teaching chefs and is a great place to have a cheap yet outstanding French dinner. We ate well, shopped well, and then moved on the next morning.

France Trip Day 3

2010-10-11T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today we traveled to Nice and Antibe. Unfortunately it rained most of the day so I am not sure if we experienced the exotic "French Riviera" that everyone loves, but we tried to make lemonade. We shopped, went to art museums, ate lunch in a cozy cafe and shopped some more. In Antibe the clouds parted for a bit and we were able to go to the beach and take pictures. That was fun and I think I am starting to catch the photography bug. We are heading up north tomorrow and I am satisfied with all that we have seen in southern France. . . for now :)

France Trip day 2

2010-10-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

So I finally had a fresh croissant and now I know what everyone was talking about. The french really know their pastries and it was so good that I didn't care that it had a million calories in it. After breakfast Claude (the owner of the B&B) serenaded us on the guitar and sang "Hotel California". It was a perfect start to the day.

On the way to Monaco we stopped off at a hill top town called Eze. The town was actually built into the side of a mountain so the views were amazing. We ate crepes in a cave that was converted into a restaurant. We then toured a French perfume factory and learned how it is made. And of course, I shopped :)

That afternoon we headed over to Monaco. We started by heading over to an aquarium. As we crossed a bridge leading to the aquarium we noticed that the waves were so big that they actually crashed up and over the bridge. It was pretty amazing but we did not stick around to long. The aquarium was located in the basement of a huge palace and was built by Prince Albert of Monaco.

We spent the rest of the afternoon touring around the city, playing at parks, and of course we checked out the infamous Monte Carlo. We ended up eating at a restaurant called "Stars and Bars" which is an American chain. The restaurant is like a "Hard Rock Cafe" except dealing with sports AND this restaurant had a kids room. The adults sit in a special section and the kids can run back and forth from a supervised kids room. It was like being on a date. This is one concept I hope the States picks up on really soon.

Trip France Day 1

2010-10-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

Excited and ready to go we arrived at Nice airport relatively painlessly (much to our surprise). Once there we waited along with 100 other people to get our rental car. I am not sure why but our car rental agency was the only one with a line. They did upgrade our car which was great and off we went! The B & B we stayed at was so charming. Decorated in a shabby French country decor that seemed effortless. We stayed in the house with another Aussie couple who were very friendly and had lots of helpful hints on where to go. I don't think I have ever met an unfriendly Aussie.

That night we decided to explore the hilltop town of Vence. Like most towns I have seen it has a wall that surrounds the historic section, small narrow streets and charming little shops. But this town, unlike the others, was so clean!!

We had dinner at a restaurant called Lavender and I ate chateaubriand for the first time. Yes, it was amazing. We finished off the meal with a (very strong) Irish Coffee and violet ice cream. It is incredible how you can taste an aroma. I am not really sure how to explain it other than "delicious". And of course Reid was an angel during dinner.

After putting Reid to bed Andy and I gazed at the stairs while laying out on lounge chairs, finished a bottle of wine and discussed "young" vs "old" earth theories. All in all a great first day.

Civita di Bagnoregio

2010-09-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

So today Blake, Reid and I ventured to a small town called Civita di Bagnoregio or better known as the "dying city". The city is 4,000 years old!! A few hundred years ago everyone abandoned ship after an earth quake struck and ever since the town has been slowly eroding . The population right now is on the rise at a whopping 30 people.It is completely different fromRome and I am absolutely in love. In order to enter the town you must walk 1 kilometer across a very narrow bridge. Inside there is one trattoria (restaurant) one bar (coffee/snack shop) and 1 shop (for tourists). It is so quiet and there are no cars (or people) you can just wander up down the narrow streets and imagine what life would be like here.The 30 people that do live here take great pride in their town. It is very clean with

flowers every where. It even appears that they hang curtains in the abandoned apartments. There is a strong sense of serenity and maybe sadness as you look around at all the buildings with chains and locks on their doors. I guess all good things must come to end but this place is hanging on with all its might.

My Karate Kid

2010-09-16T13:07:00.001-07:00

Reid just had his first Karate class and loved it! He is the youngest one in there and does not have a clue what he is doing but had a big smile on his face the whole class. He says that he is like Skipper from the TV show Penguins of Madagascar. If you have not seen the show it is pretty cute. And yes I was THAT MOM waving at myson through the doorway and taking tons of pictures. Well, that is after I learned how to put the kimono on properly. (I am in VERY new territory here) I pray my little girl wants to be a ballerina.

Mother's day

2010-05-30T03:12:00.000-07:00

A quick addendum to the Greece post. One morning we celebrated mother's day in Greece. It was probably one of the most memorable to date. Here we are sitting at a cafe with the bluest waters possible enjoying a frappe. It is here Andy presents me with my mother's day gift. A beautiful necklace and a dress for our future baby girl! Guess where we are planning on adopting from? . . . .

It's all Greek to me

2010-05-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

We packed up the family and took a quick 4 day trip to Athens, Greece in order to take full advantage of a business trip. We arrived Saturday morning and decided to rent a car and get out of the city and avoid the riots, tear gas, and all-around mayhem of the city. We borrowed Bill and Karen's GPS. They previously lived in Athens and recommended a beach near Sourin on the southern-most tip of the Athens peninsula. The beach was even saved in their GPS' favorites. So, we fired up the GPS and started following directions. Unfortunately when we heard the phrase "you have reached your destination" we were in the middle of a land-locked parking lot looking at a tire store. We pulled out the map and realized we went 30km in the wrong direction. So we drove back towards the airport. Interspersed in the greek-worded signs we found our way and eventually got to the beach. Well, not 'the beach', but a beach. We ate at a local fish house on the beach. Kate and I opened the screen door and Reid jumped down to play in the sand. He would jump up, have a few bites of lunch, and then jump back down and play more in the Adriatic.

The next day we woke up early and took the metro to the port to find a ferry and visit the greek island of Spestes. We arrived at the ticket booth and the woman said "you're in luck, there's a ferry. Do you see the ferry in the far distance, your ferry is a small one behind that. Here are your tickets. The only problem is that it leaves in four minutes. Good luck!" And off we dashed to the ferry. Nothing in Greece is on time - except the ferries. Running we waived our arms in the air. The ferry delayed enough for us to jump on board, and then off we went.

The day in Spetses was our favorite in Greece. We ate breakfast in a small restaurant on the water. Reid played in the sand and Kate and I drank cappuccinos. He hadn't planned well, so kate and I bought bathing suits and sandals in a local shop. We rented bikes and rode until we found a deserted beach. Well, almost deserted - there was a small tiki hut with a bartender. Reid loved throwing rocks in the Adriatic with his parents snoozing in the background.

On Monday unfortunately I had to go to work. Kate and Reid explored the Plaka and National Gardens. After work we met and toured the Akropolis. Glad we did it, but don't feel the need to go ever go back.

Looking back on the trip, even while living in Italy, Greece is worth visiting. The islands are Greece's saving grace - and Kate and I plan to go back. It's hard to compare the colorful cliff towns of Cinque Terre to the white-washed, blue-top towns of the Greek Islands. It's like comparing apples and oranges. Or - like comparing green olives to black olives.

Heaven through the eyes of a child

2010-05-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

So Reid has been talking a lot about heaven a lot. . . . where is it, when will he go, is Mimi there? I have been pretty good about answering most questions until he really stumped me the other day. We were walking home from school and he looked up in the sky and asked "Mommy which cloud is the heaven cloud?" I looked up and really didn't know what to say. How do you explain heaven to a four year-old? Finally I answered "It will be the most beautiful cloud you will ever see. If I ever see it I will show it to you." He seemed pretty satisfied with that answer. . . for now.

Ravello

2010-01-23T13:51:00.000-08:00

So this year was a big birthday for me (still having a hard time adjusting) and instead of having a party to celebrate I thought it best to escape. Andy Reid and I went to Ravello on the almalfi coast. It was perfect. It is this tiny little village hanging on to the edge of a cliff. We stayed in an old monastary and because it was January we basically had the whole place to ourselves.

The first night we ate dinner at this little restaurant where the husband took our order and the wife was back in the kitchen cooking. She later came out and asked us if we like it and scolded Reid for not eating enough. “Mangia! Mangia!” she tells Reid and then brings out an arm full of oranges for him to eat. We liked it so much we ate there the next night too.

The next day we went to Villa Cimbrone and leisurely strolled through their gardens. I found where I want to renew my vows! It is this terrace that over-looks the world. It is called the Terrace of Infinity (or something like that). It was amazing! Unfortunately Andy would not step foot on it (afraid of heights) so it looks like I will need a “stand in” for the renewal service.

‘death by needle’ bin

2010-01-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

The other day Kate and I had some blood work done for a physical. A local lab was recommended by the Embassy Health Unit. Kate went back to get her blood drawn while I filled out paperwork. After I finished with the paperwork I went into the next room to find the doctor squirting kate’s blood from the ‘plunger needle thing’ into an open-aired tube. I always assumed that the blood container was directly connected to the needle. I guess not in Italy. The blood was just sitting there with no top. It was daring me: “I bet you’ll faint - you wuss”. “No”, I countered. “I will NOT faint”.

And I didn’t faint. Score one: Andy. Then it was my turn with the needle...

It started off so well. The doctor stuck in the needle in, plunged away, and then squirted it into the glass tube. No fainting. Score two: Andy. The doctor put a bandaid on, and then walked away while saying something in Italian. Kate walked out of the room to pay the bill. I felt sure of myself, and so decided to walk around the room a bit. Everything was fine until I got to the corner where the biohazard bin was located. In the U.S. the biohazard bin is sealed and locked, with a one-way hole to put stuff in. Not in Italy. As you can see by the picture, it was just an open box filled with bloody used equipment. What’s hard to see in the picture is the blood splattered on the wall, as if the doctor throws the needles like a frustrated writer throws a crumpled up piece of paper into a trash can. I snuck a quick photo with my phone and didn’t get caught - score three: Andy.

As I put the phone back in my pocket I looked down to see my bandaid covered with blood. Looks like the doctor nipped an artery. Then I started to faint. Game End: Italy wins again. “Kate!” I yelled as a stumbled back (fortunately not forward into the ‘death by needle’ bin. Kate ran in. Then came the doctor. They laid me down. The doctor said something again in Italian, and made hand gestures to insinuate that I needed to keep my elbow bent and direct pressure to the bandaid. (I guess that’s what he said before - I need to learn Italian...).

Reid’s first day of school

2010-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

We decided Reid should start school right after christmas. Andy and I decided to enroll him in an Italian school with the hopes he would become fluent in Italain. These are purely selfish motives, as we look forward to the day he can be our permanent translator. That, and the school is literally 3 blocks down the street. After much anxiety the big day arrives. Reid was very excited for his first day. It was all smiles as we got dressed, ate breakfast, brushed our teeth, and off we went.

Upon arrival the scene was truly Italian: kids running everywhere, frazzled teachers, and nuns walking the halls. It would be an understatement to say it was overwhelming to a child who likes to eat his peas one at a time. It was probably closer to a night mare. But like good parents we are we left him to his fate. When I came to pick him up he seemed a bit shell shocked. “They don’t speak any English” he tells me astonished. “But that’s ok”, he continues “I only got into two fights...” Since that day school has a bit of an adjustment for our little guy. He likes it when we travel because he doesn’t have to go. And he has recently informed us that he refuses to learn Italian... rats! our plot has been foiled.

Move in, ship out.

2009-11-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

I never thought that anything could have been more chaotic than the two days that the movers packed up all our earthly belongings and put them in crates bound for Italy. But then again; everything's more caotic in Italy. The entire move-in process was typical italian. The delivery date was pushed back. And then pushed back again. But when the day finally arrived - it started surprisingly optimistic. I looked out my window at 9:00 and saw a bunch of smoking italian movers outside the gates to our apartment building. But alas, there was no truck. The movers yelled up something in italian and circled their hands around and around. Our portiera (doorman) yelled up and translated: "parking problems". Of course the movers wouldn't plan ahead and reserve a section of the road in order to parrallel park. That would be too efficient. Instead, around and around the block went the large truck, dodging small euro-cars while the movers yelled and threw their arms at anyone who looked like they were walking to their cars to leave. Finding one spot outside our apartment is tough. Finding three in a row for a moving truck to pull in takes a small miracle. The Pope must have woke up around 10:00, because that's when they finally found a spot large enough to pull in.

The second day started much like the first, with italians either not learning or not caring about the first day's parking delay. Then came the boxes. They came, and came, and came. Kate and I didn't know we owned so much stuff. Only their "face man" knew English. Whenever we heard a crash or bang, he was always the person who came running. The movers were nice and respectful - having the charm only a hard working, middle-class italian can have (author's note: a hard working middle-class italian has multo cafe' and smoke breaks). As with every move - some things broke. Other things that you wish broke didn't. But in the end everything went surprisingly smooth. Although the Embassy pays for the moving company to unpack the boxes and take away the extra packing material, the italians initially fought back. But Kate held their feet to the fire. At one point it looked like the kitchen exploded. I couldn't even walk in it, and every inch of counter space was covered with plates, silverwear, bowls, tuperware, and appliances. The floors were covered with half-opened boxes, and packing material. Kate and an italian kid that looked to be in college were unpacking. Neither spoke eachother's language and there was a lot of hand pointing. We worked our tails off. By the end of the second day (with help from my mom who was visiting) we unpacked most everything. Our house was finally turning into a home. No more echos through the marbled halls or broken ikea rental furniture. It was something we would enjoy for a whopping three days - until I left for an extended work trip to the middle east and kate left for the U.S. for eight weeks. But when we eventually come home - we can at least come home.

2009-11-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

For the plane ride out here Reid was given a tiny pirate ship lego set from Grandma. The legos were a success - they kept Reid entertained for a while on the plane. We knew that half would be lost in the cracks of the seat, or the bowels of the plane. And it's been over two months from then - so there's probably a third of the original amount of legos. But that didn't stop my little engineer. Unbeknownst to Kate and I he worked and worked on that pitiful little collection of legos this afternoon. After an hour he came into the living room with a big smile on his face. "Look guys, I made a pirate ship". It was astounding. Every piece was used, and it really did look like a little boat. To go along with the Pirate Ship he had the 'dock', which was his friend 'Rocky'. Rocky is his pet rock we made him when none of the other kids at the park spoke English, and we didn't have any new toys for him to play with. (Reid's not the only one that gets resourceful). Looking at his ghetto pirate ship and pet rock, Reid taught me a lesson on contentment (something God has been teaching us since we've moved here). Just shows you God can use anyone to teach anything.

America's Largest Export

2009-11-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

In the past two months I've traveled to 5 countries on two different continents. No matter where I travel, one constant remains the same - American music plays in the background. Ironically, this is especially true if the country primarily doesn't speak English. While transiting the airport in Paris I was in the business class lounge, and Nelly Furtado was over the loud speaker. In the Congo no one spoke English (they all spoke French). I was staying in the Membling Hotel. The lobby sported a combination of Michael Jackson and Miles Davis.

Living in Italy Kate and I often say the most frustrating thing is the language barrier. Once you leave the tourist district, no one speaks English. Yet, every taxi car plays American pop. In Bucharest, Romania the gruff taxi cab driver only spoke enough English to have a short, polite conversation. But he knew every word to Miley Cyrus' (i.e. Hanna Montana's) "Party in the U.S.A." that played over the radio.

My favorite example was in Salzburg, Austria. For dinner I went to this local joint where I had to brush up on my German to order the goulash and venison schnitzel. I was the only tourist in the restaurant, and received the dirty looks to prove it. Everyone was speaking German, and the music playing in the background was a mix of Celine Dion, LL Cool J, Dusty Springfield's son of a Preacher Man, and a country song about buying a Mercedes Benz.

If America's largest export is its culture via Hollywood's music and movie industry, I have to wonder if we're putting our best foot forward.

Bella Tuscany

2009-10-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh! Bella! Bella! I love Tuscany! I mean I really really love Tuscany! It's the perfect combination of beauty and serenity. Alas, we started the trip in the pouring rain thinking that it may been a mistake (as if a trip to Tuscany could be a mistake...) But as we continued to drive north the clouds cleared and it turned into a beautiful Italian fall day. First we reached Sienna, the largest city in the Tuscan region - a medieval walled town on top of a large hill. The city itself looked beautiful and there may have been sights to tour but we had scheduled a wine tour in the afternoon. So we grabbed a quick bite, caught a glimpse of the Duomo, and headed out to a vineyard called Dievole.

Dievloe (check out their website for more info: http://www.dievole.it/en/home/home.aspx) is a small resort on the edge of a rolling tuscan hill with villas, a winery, a restaurant, pools, gardens etc. Up on arrival we were handed a glass of wine and told to explore the area. Like typical Americans we asked to check-in to our room first. The lady looked at us like we were crazy, and insisted we enjoy a glass of wine (on the house) and relax on the terrace prior to checking in. A lesson in the italian schedule: piano, piano. They had such pretty little rose gardens and panoramic views; it was like something out of a movie. We were trying to figure out the difference between Tuscany and Napa Valley. It occurred to us that Napa was a bit more commercialized, and the vineyards were packed together. Tuscany is just so much older, with more character, and a slower pace. Next, we went on a wine tour through the cellars and vineyards. Each stop we received a generous pour of a different wine, some cheese, and homemade prosciutto (dry cured ham). On our tour was an ENGLISH SPEAKING 3 year old boy! Can you believe it? So they ran around together and we, well, . . . enjoyed ourselves. Dinner at the restaurant was delicious and entertaining. Half way through the meal a cat jumped through the window that was beside our table. Well that was no big deal until a dog that had been hiding under another table saw it and all heck broke lose! Kind of funny, and well, would only happen in Italy :) I think one of my favorite memories is opening up my shutters (so italian) the next morning and seeing the mist settled over the vineyards through the rolling hills. Like nothing I had ever seen before.

The next day we went to Lucca. Of all the towns we've been to thus far in Italy, this was our favorite. Lucca is medieval town completely walled. The walls are so wide that on top there are trees, parks and paths that you can walk/ride bikes all the way around! There are no cars allowed inside the city so we rented bikes and rode around all day. Reid thought this was a blast and would squeal “go faster! go faster!” For dinner we found a trattoria that served fabulous food. Northern Italy is known for their risotto dishes. After dinner, we knew why.

The last morning we woke up in Lucca and drove 20 miles south to Pisa. Guess what we saw there? Pisa looked like a typical medieval town. It was walled, had it's main cathedral and honestly if one of the towers didn't lean I am not sure it would be famous for anything else. But of course we had to go, and of course we had to take the token picture of us "holding up" the tower. We had lunch at a small trattoria and waited out a rain storm and then headed home.

What a wonderful "taste" of Italy. I have a feeling that this trip to Tuscany was the first of many.

1 month anniversary in Rome: pony rides and date nights

2009-09-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

When we first stepped off the plane I didn't think we'd last a week, let alone a month (for reference see my earlier post about the cat carrier and exploding stove). But living in Italy is like her wonderful rosso vino - it gets better with age. In one month we accomplished much - all from God's good grace. We were able to get: permanent cell phones, Internet, Italian living documentation, a motorino, a car, and our UAB (unaccompanied baggage). The car was an answer to prayer, and will be the subject of its own entry. We took day trips to Naples, Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento, and Orvieto. The month was slammed pack.

We're now starting to get comfortable (even without our real bed or couch - they are still over the Atlantic). The other day after church we walked from Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina (the piazza where are church is) all around the heart of eternal Rome. We actually knew where we were most of the time! To the north was Piazza del Popolo, to the east was the Spanish Steps, and to the south was Piazza Venezia (more commonly known to locals as the wedding cake). We walked down around the Colosseum and took a cab home. If you don't know any of the locations I just mentioned - watch "Angels and Demons" - you'll learn. The day was great not because we did any one thing amazing; it was great because we didn't. After a wonderful church service with good christian fellowship we had a leisurely stroll around the city. Nothing earth-shattering, but it proved to us we could enjoy the city without being tourists.

A concern we had coming over here is what Kate and Reid would do while I'm at work. What a wonderful blessing that we've found great parks close by. Each one has its own niche. Villa Borghese is large and half way between our house and the historic section of the city. It's got a zoo for Reid, quaint duck pond where you can rent romantic row boats, and its littered with ancient statues and fountains. Villa Adda is great for running (although I haven't had the initiative to go running yet), and has a large kid-friendly playground for Reid. There's another park on a hill that has a great view of the city, with a cafe' right next to a playground. Finally there's Villa Gloria which has the Pony Cafe'. It's called the Pony Cafe' because it's a little cafe' right next to a corral that gives pony rides. It also has a playground right next to it. A favorite Saturday morning activity has become Kate and Andy enjoying a cappuccino in the cafe' while Reid plays and goes on a pony ride. Pretty convenient...

To celebrate our official one-month, Kate and I had our first date night (thanks to a wonderful babysitter we found). Italy's a romantic city - we did it right. First we drove around the historic section of the city in our motorino. It was Kate's maiden voyage, and she held on tight. We drove through the roman walls, past the trevi fountain, and around the Colosseum. Next we zipped over the river (I can use the word 'zipped' because we were on the motorino), passed the Angel Castle (again you have to see 'Angels and Demons'), and parked in Trastevere (a young, crowed part of town with more locals than tourists). The night was fantastic and the weather was perfect. We had dinner in this open-air, back-alley restaurant that reminded us of lady and the tramp. Musicians stopped by and played for tips. We topped off the with a gellato and a daring ride back home on the motorino.

Looking back on this month, I can see how the days may be long but the years fly by. I have no doubt that I'll be writing an entry three years from now asking myself "where did the time go?" There's just so much I want to see, and so much I want to do. As my friend Ryan said - "you can eat out every night and still not go to every good restaurant" (note that they don't have kids yet, so they can afford it). But it's true, there's a lot to see, do, and eat. But there's something to say about just enjoying life and not always being on an emotional high; finding that middle ground. The challenge will be finding contentment during the middle ground. Every day can't be date night for the parents or pony rides for Reid. When the pony rides and date nights do come, however, it's best to be thankful and enjoy them.

Orvieto

2009-09-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

So last Saturday Andy, Reid and I packed into our friends' Nissian Micra (yes the name indicates the size) and headed north to a small city called Orvieto. As we ascended to the medieval walled city I thought "this looks just like Italy!" We first toured the Duomo Cathedral which has intricate carvings portraying Genesis, Jesse's Tree, Scenes from the New Testament and the Last Judgement. As I stood there like the typical tourist staring straight up with my mouth wide open it occurred to me that this was probably the intention. (Get people to stop what they are doing and look to heaven for a minute!)

Next we toured St Patrick's Well. So cool! There are 2 spiral staircases, lit by 72 windows that ascend and desc

end without ever touching. And the acoustics are crazy! Andy and Ryan could be 3 spirals away (if that makes any sense) and could hear what Kate and I whispered.

The last and probably my favorite part was underground Orvieto. So apparently there are over 15oo caves that run under the city and connect with the houses above. The Etruscans (which pre-dated even the ancient Romans...) first dug caves in search of water. Later the city was razed by the Romans. In the middle ages its popula

tion again grew because of its easily defensible position. The caves were again used, but this time for different purposes. People would live above ground and work below to avoid taxes. They also raised pigeons in these caves which was a main source of protein for the people. That night we ate dinner in one of the caves that they converted into a restaurant.

And Reid. . . an angel all day! He toured all around with us and did not complain once. But really how could he . . .eating gelato three times that day kept him very happy :)

The Best Day in Rome

2009-09-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

So today was officially one of the best days we have had in Rome so far. Not because we got to travel to some exotic island or witness the historic artistic monuments of Rome but because we finally are making this place more like home. A home that we can comfortably live in over the next 3 years. This morning "Fastweb" came and on a personal note I (kate) was able to speak enough Italian to not only confirm the appointment but get the technician water, show him where the bathroom was and help him connect us to the world wide web :)

Later that day Reid and I went to a play group at the embassy and yes on thursday (Reid's favorite day) it is gnocchi day at the embassy cafe. (very yummy)

Then we headed home (walking) and missed the thunderstorm by literally 2 raindrops and met a man who showed us the car in which we are now buying (yeah!!!!!!). The walking has been excellent for my figure but I am willing to sacrifice a few pounds for convenience.

In the evening we headed over to Villa Taverna (the Ambassador's residence) for dinner. It was one of the most amazing houses I have seen. The gardens were fabulous, candle light, wine, American hamburgers, (a nice touch) what a good evening!

Then to top things off I drove (yes me Kate with my pink helmet) the motorino around the neighborhood for the first time by my self. I had a some near misses with cars (ok so they were parked) but all went well. Hmmm. . . well .. . all went well until I got the keys stuck in the trunk lock and could not get the kick stand down. But pretty much a success... right?

I think I finally am appreciating Rome for what it is, and not what I thought it should be. Piano, Piano!

My little door man!

2009-09-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

In our apartment we have a portiere/doorman. He is very friendly and has helped us with everything from lending us ladders and random tools to helping me park a friend's car in our very small parking space. But I have also been blessed with a personal doorman. He insists on holding every door for me no matter how heavy and loves to open and close doors to our elevator. Our elevator is something from the 1920's it is charming rustic and very small. It has three doors that must be manually opened and closed every time you get in and out of it. And my little doorman INSISTS on doing all three every time "All by myself". He works very hard to close them just right and his payment? . . . . "Honey Yut Cheerios."

Random Italy

2009-09-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

So I am at the commissary in Naples meandering down the sporting goods aisle when I look down through a glass floor and see an ancient Roman well below me. . oh and some random pottery. Apparently the base was built on an important Roman crossroad and this is how they decided to preserve the relics. But this is Italy everywhere you look there is random statues, fountains (which still bring water down the same aqueduct system they have been using for centuries) and amazing pieces of history. It is still hard for me to grasp how old this place is! . . . until I try to use the internet :)

The fast lane.

2009-09-10T15:09:00.001-07:00

OK, so just a little quirk of Italian highway ingenuity I have to share. The other day Kate and I were driving on the A-1: Italy’s version of I-95. We came upon some road construction. It went from three lanes to two - nothing out of the ordinary. But instead of keeping the lanes together, they closed the middle lane and split the lanes right and left. Ok, still nothing out of the ordinary. Kate and I merged left. Most cars merged right... Up ahead the fast lane of oncoming traffic was closed also, and the cars we were following were going over a make-shift ramp, over the median, and into the closest lane of oncoming traffic. They had closed the ‘fast lane’ of oncoming traffic, and allowed cars flowing in the opposite direction to ride past the construction. No barriers. No cones. Just the Anderson family traveling at 120 km/hr in one direction and other cars traveling at 120 km/hr in the other. If we went slower that 120 the car behind us would flash its lights. I guess they still considered it the ‘fast lane’.

Piano, Piano

2009-09-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

Its often said that Rome’s a great place to visit, but a frustrating place to live. I agree. We just have to remember that we’re not in America anymore. To people reading this, you may be saying “duh...”. But really, it’s harder than you think. We’re surrounded with such beauty, art, food, wine, history, that you assume everything’s perfect. You walk around awestruck and in a daze, head in the clouds, - until a motorino almost hits your stroller as you’re walking on the sidewalk. The nerve of you to walk on the sidewalk and enjoy the local architecture... Don’t you realize that it’s the motorino’s lane when he wants to get around the heavy traffic in the street to save five seconds...

Italians are proud of their history and heritage. As such, they’ve been slow to incorporate many of the standards of living us Americans take for granted. An example is air conditioning. Roman apartments don’t have central HVAC units. They think air conditioning is bad for the lungs (but smoking is ok). Luckily, the American Embassy disagrees and installed two localized units in our apartment - one in our living room and one in our bedroom.

Also, because they are so proud of their heritage, many of them don’t speak another language. Once you get out of the tourist part of town it’s difficult to find anyone who speaks English. The language barrier is often the most frustrating part of living in Italy. I don’t find this as frustrating as some of my coworkers do, because I keep in mind two things: first: whenever I’m trying to get my point across I turn it into a game and talk like an american-italian and wave my hands all around and speak with an accent. it’s fun. second: i remember I’m a guest in their country, and that most americans (including myself), don’t speak a second language fluently. I am brushing up on my ‘restaurant italian’ - just enough to order good food.

The big challenge is getting ‘set up’. It’s been over two weeks, and we still don’t have internet at our house. Italians are very patient people - Americans are not. This is the culture clash. The other day someone from the internet company called to set up an appointment. The problem is we didn't speak enough italian, and the woman on the phone didn't speak any English. She got frustrated and hung up on us. So... I've heard from others in the office this happens regularly. They say we'll eventually get someone on the phone with enough english skill to get through the conversation and set up a technician appointment. We have friends that speak italian. The problem is we can't call the company to set up the appointment. The company randomly calls us at times inconvenient and when there are no italian speakers around. If we miss their call, they may not call back for weeks. We're not surprised by this, as it's the average level of Italian customer service.

Getting set up is an iterative up-hill process. The italians have a phrase for this they use often: ‘piano, piano’, which loosely translated means ‘one step at a time’.

Beauty in a word: “Capri”; Adventure in a phrase: “Scenic Mountain Pass”

2009-09-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

Our day trip to Capri made the entire hull over the atlantic worth it. We spent the night at the Naval Lodge at the Military Support Site in Naples, then took the ferry across the bay to Capri.

Kate, myself, and Reid spent the day amidst the breathtaking views of the blue Mediterranean, jagged cliffs of the Island, narrow streets and busy shops, and quant piazzas with overpriced cappuccinos The streets were lined with citrus trees, and lemons hanged from the windows. A sign of fertility, lemons have long been a staple

of Capri. The area is also known for its lemon-flavored alcohol: lemonchelo. Made of grain alcohol, lemons, and sugar: it’s barreled

for forty days (the time of lent), and is at least 35% alcohol. Definitely just for sipping.

The highlight of day must have been lunch, when the owner of the Ristorante took Reid into the kitchen so Reid could pick out his own fresh made pasta. While Kate and I were enjoying a

litre de blanco vino di casa (pitcher of the white house wine) the owner and Reid ventured down the street where Reid saw lobsters, fish, and prawns at the the seafood market. They returned five minutes later as Reid was commenting about the ‘big claws’ of the lobster. Kate and I were concerned, as we started another glass of wine...

On the way home our GPS stopped working, so Kate and I had to navigate the busy streets of Naples to get back to the Naval Base about 20 minutes outside of town. With narrowly-missed accidents and a marriage still in tact, we survived the stressful drive back.

The following day we went to Pompeii and Sorento with our new friends Ryan and Kate. The sheer magnitude of the ruins was amazing. The key to touring Pompeii, however, is making reservations which are free but are designed to control the amount of people entering the more delicate places such as some of the private houses and buildings. Luckily Kate researches such things and plans accordingly. The buildings requiring reservations are much better preserved - where you can actually see much of the artwork still on the walls (some of the scenes should be rated XXX - especially in the bathhouse).

From Pompeii we drove to Sorrento, a costal town on the bay. We strolled on the streets and ate a leisurely dinner in a quant alleyway restaurant. Most memorable was not the town itself, but the drive home. Only 40 miles away from Naples, the GPS said it should only take an hour to get back to the base. But we got stuck in Italy’s version of beach traffic. In order to circumvent the stop-and-go, we attempted the route our tour book affectionally called the ‘scenic mountain pass.’ The issue was getting up to it. The 70% uphill grade on streets only wide enough for one car, but with two-way traffic, was a challenge. When a car came in the other direction, both cars had to get into the opposite ditch, and slowly drive past each other. When one car had a cliff face to it’s side, it made it even more challenging. The steep grade made it near impossible. What made it hilarious was that I was driving a manual transmission rental car (I hadn't driven a stick shift in years). Starting the car in a ditch on a 70% uphill grade with a car right behind me was nerve-racking. I stalled and rolled down hill 15 meters, forcing the car following to quickly throw it in reverse. From then on, the driver behind me gave me plenty of breathing room... Eventually we made it back to the costal road with the traffic. Not sure how much time we saved (if any), but cracking up after stalling and the nighttime view from the top of the mountain overlooking the coastline made the adventure worth it.

Moving Woes: from cat carriers to exploding stoves

2009-09-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

No one can say that taking a family on an international move isn't stressful.

Let's start at the beginning: the United checkin counter at Dulles airport. Luckily Kate and I got there 3 hours early, because it took almost 2 hours to convince the lady behind the counter to take our cat. She didn't like our paperwork so we had to call the vet. Our cat carrier wasn't up to code, so I had to take a knife and cut air holes in the back of the carrier (United mandates that airholes on all four sides of the carrier - our's had them on just three). It was definitely a scene with Reid running around the airport, kate holding our cat Madison, Madison screaming for her life, and myself on all fours with a box cutter borrowed from TSA cutting airholes on the back of the now empty carrier. In the end, Madison was allowed on the plane.

And the plane took off, but only after a three hour delay AFTER we had boarded the plane. It increased our 7.5 hour flight to 10.5 hours. Reid was a champ through and through.

Madison made it to the other side. I was trying to find an ATM in order to put in a Euro to get a baggage cart when I heard this meowing. I followed the meowing until I saw this pitiful white ball of fur curled up in the corner of her carrier. The carrier was randomly next to an incorrect baggage claim. There was no one around. That's not entirely true, there were random Italians stepping over the cat carrier in order to get to their bags quicker, but just not any baggage crew. Oh well, that's Italy, I thought.

On the way from the airport to our apartment our van got a flat tire. The driver pulled into a local mechanic shop off the highway. He hopped off, slipped the guy some cash, and the crew got to work. While we were still in the car the crew jacked the van up on a lift, switched out the tire, and away we were again off to Rome. Oh well, that's Italy, I thought.

We finally got to our new home. It was beautiful but empty. We needed food and sleep. Olivia from work was a life saver and showed us the local grocery store. We learned how to buy produce and how to check-out. That evening, kate was boiling water for pasta when the stove top blew up. Turns out the glass top on the stove was just ornamental - no one told us... Luckily no one was hurt, but shattered glass was throughout the entire kitchen. That night Reid had a healthy meal of apple juice, some grapes, and a granola bar. Our heads hit the rental bed (flat pillows, scratchy sheets, and rock hard mattress) and we slept our first night in Italy. Living in the world's eternal city, things can only get better.

Reid's Pirate Adventure

2009-07-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

Reid had a great pirate adventure: sailing in "pirate's cover" (Chesapeake Bay). It was a terrific time with Grandpa Tony and Grandma Barbara. Reid had his face painted, donned his authentic outfit, and unsheathed his blood thirsty sword. The actors kept all the kids busy finding the map hidden on the ship, fighting the evil pirate Pete with water cannons, discovering the keys throughout the bay, and eventually finding and opening the secret treasure. Reid had a wonderful time. Every night we now 'play pirate', where his bed is the ship. Watch out for the big waves!

Reid's First Ski Adventure

2009-02-11T17:13:00.000-08:00

That's right. Reid started skiing at the ripe old age of three! We all had a great time. Thanks to Blake's friend Cam, we received expert advise. I think Sarah and Jason had fun too - especially when Sarah was stabbing me in the neck with a ski pole. It was a great warm up to our upcoming Utah trip.

Anderson Blog – Inaugural Address

2008-11-18T16:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our family blog. This website helps the Andersons shelve the abacus, sun dial, 35mm camera, and VHS tape to enter into the digital age. It’s not that I’ve been opposed to technology, I just haven’t been smart enough to use it (luckily I had smart friends in my engineering undergrad and grad schools). Fortunately, google (with its Russian co-founder) has made it easy enough for even myself to share thoughts and concerns via the web - an unintentional consequence by google as the average intellect of the internet is dropping as I’m typing. It’s also free, which is reassuring in the booming economic times of Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs.

Proper etiquette suggests you shouldn’t talk about politics or religion in public settings – good thing I don’t care about etiquette, as politics and religion are of particular interest to me. I plan to blog about a myriad of topics, and if I spend the time to write, I hope that people respond and post comments. Otherwise I’m just talking to myself, and I don’t need the internet to do that.

The real purpose of this website is to share photos and stories with family and friends. This will become all the more vital in our upcoming move (as I hope this website will also serve as a commercial to come out and visit us). Our public calendar will be useful to ‘synergize’ our schedule. Coordinating between family, bible study, friends, and work is often like herding cats.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy.
- Andy