gratitude given

Erin keeps beer in the fridge for me. Raises our kids. Gets Isaac to school on time. Teaches Kai good manners. Taught Isaac how to be a man. Makes this household run. Cooks like a champ. Is my best friend. Brings a smile to my face.

Kai warms my heart. Is pure joy. Is SO polite. Keeps me honest. Makes me a better man.

Isaac impresses. Is so talented, and so modest. Is focused. Keeps me on my toes. Makes me a better father.

Those are some of the many, many things I am thankful for. And stuffing. I LOVE stuffing...

what I've learned

...it's about quality, not quantity.
...that being said, I'll take a large quantity of quality.
...Yes of course I wish I spent more time with Kai and Erin.
...Raising a family is, indeed, hard work. And it's very rewarding.
...I know that one would seem obvious, but you never really know it until you experience it firsthand.
...My heart melts every time I hear Kai say he loves me. I'll never get tired of that.

no sleep til 09

Thanks to Dave for the great evening at Morton's the other night. True generosity is so rare these days. The steak was delicious, and the 1997 Beringer Private Reserve Bancroft Ranch Merlot was legendary.

The distribution job is really becoming a lifestyle. It's amazingly easy to get consumed by this job, it really can be 24/7. I wake up in the middle of the night wondering if I put all the orders in, or if I did everything I was supposed to do. Luckily so far I've been on top of things, and my insomnia-inducing fears have been unfounded.

Another milestone reached today: I tasted my first Thai wine. Yes, Thailand. Monsoon Valley White, a blend of the indigenous Malaga and French Colombard grapes, vinted about 2-3 hours west of Bangkok. I had no idea what to expect, and the wine was outstanding. Crisp, dry, citrusy with racy acidity and a nice chalky minerality. Definitely unique.

I've never been so tired as I have since I started the second job back in September. I'm tired all day, every day. My body-clock is going haywire. But as a new sales rep, it takes time to pay back my draw and build a territory. So I have to tend bar to make ends meet for awhile. We're way behind in rent and still scrounging for every penny, and stressing over bills, but damnit we're making it.

Sleep can wait.