Turn! Turn! Turn!

It's been exactly 9 months since our last blog post. That's especially ironic considering, since the time of our last post, we've been trying to get pregnant with another baby. It's been one of the most challenging roller coaster rides of our marriage...though that's actually a bit deceiving, as roller coasters have ups and downs, and trying (unsuccessfully, thus far) to get pregnant is mostly one big down. To those of you who have tried to get pregnant, the "two week wait" between attempts and taking a pregnancy test can be absolute torture. And for same-sex couples, I can't even say that the "trying" part is tons of fun, as it's more of a medical procedure than anything else. Let me be clear that I'm not saying we've been unhappy since December of last year, or that our life has been one big downer. On the contrary, we've have had more than our fair share of  joking, playing, singing, dancing, loving, and laughing.

Already having a child to focus on has made the whole process so much more palatable. I also realize that some folks try for much longer than we've been trying and have had far more heartache along the way.

That being said, it's still hard. But it is now the period between Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). It's time to take stock of our lives, be thankful for all of the wonderfulness and little miracles we witness every day, and focus our energy on being the highest versions of ourselves. Even with our fertility struggles this year, we still have so much to be thankful for.

We were able to marry legally on July 1, after the Supreme Court overturned DOMA and Prop 8. We had a lovely ceremony at the Berkeley Marina officiated by the chaplain at Jen's work and witnessed by my co-worker. It was just the four of us and Owen. Miraculously, the dresses still fit!

Our family is all in great health, and Owen's growth, development, and larger than life personality amaze us on a daily basis (for the record, he does wear a helmet when he rides. This was taken right after his Nana gave him the bike last weekend).

We are surrounded by a group of family, friends, and neighbors who help us create the best possible village to raise our child (eventually children) in. This year will be about enjoying the journey, and not focusing so much on the destination. We know we'll eventually have a second child, somehow, someway. We'll let you know when there's news. In the meantime, we're focusing on giving our boy every ounce of our love and savoring the time we have to focus all of our attention on him.

L'shanah tova everyone! Happy New Year! And, as my sister-in-law says, eat life with a big spoon!