Necessary but Not Sufficient…

  • What Christmas is (supposedly) about…

    For the past seven years of our marriage, Heather and I have given alternative gifts for Christmas. Usually we make donations to non-profit organizations in the name of friends and family. This year, we’re adding home crafted items to the mix. Heather is making tasty treats, we have quite a few bottles of homemade raspberry Read more

  • Why I (still) believe in miracles…

    I have two families. The one I was born into and the one I married into. I know plenty of people who don’t get along with their in-laws. I’m one of the lucky few who not only get along with them, but love them deeply. They’re genuinely kind, overwhelmingly generous and welcomed me into the Read more

  • What am I (really) afraid of?

    Halloween has passed. Kiddos ran around in costumes. Adults ran around in skimpier costumes. Everybody should be crashing from their sugar high. I love that we have a day where we confront devils and demons and things that go bump in the night. It allows us to face fear with a smile. But what I’m Read more

  • (Rejecting) The Seven Year Itch

    Today is Heather and my 7th wedding anniversary. It seems like we’ve been married much longer than that. It’s probably because we’ve done a lot of crazy things since 2006. Peace Corps, Europe, moving to Washington state, getting a dog, buying a house; we’ve stuffed quite a bit of experience into our relationship. There have Read more

  • (Romanian) Things I miss…

    When I asked Heather to marry me, she had one caveat: “You have to serve in Peace Corps with me.” Her father had served in Nicaragua in the mid 70s and she grew up with stories of volunteering in a developing country. Inspired by adventure, she wanted to share the experience with her future spouse. Read more

  • (Sometimes) I have to draw a line…

    I’m a pretty liberal guy. I believe in gay marriage, immigration reform and socialized medicine. I vote democrat. I try to respect different points of view and cherish the beauty in different kinds of people. However, there are times where I have to draw my tolerance line in the sand. One of those times was Read more