How it all began

Well, I'm not really going to tell you how all of it began.  That would probably be pretty boring, except for a few steamy but tasteful x-rated scenes.


But you should know how Autumn and I met I suppose.  Because obviously if we hadn't met, there would be no marriage, no children, and hence, no blog.



We met online.  Match.com I think.  If we were more photogenic, we'd probably be on one of those successful couple commercials.  Anyhow, this was back in the days when online dating was just getting started.  People thought you were weird if you had to find a date online.  And any of you who know me personally, know that I am pretty weird, so there may be some truth to that.  But it is how we met, and it was the beginning of my life's adventures.


Those adventures have included (so far):


-Skydiving.  You should see the video and Autumn's really cool overalls.  I'd turn down the volume though, quite a bit of screaming.


-Whitewater Rafting.  This was a trip Autumn took me on.  I think it was her way to get me to volunteer for the ambulance corp.  It was fun.  Especially watching her fall in.  Several times.


-A Cruise to Alaska, which included a ropes course.  There is no video, but once again the pictures of Autumn are pretty funny.  I would like to tell you now that Autumn picked this particular adventure.  If you ever see the pictures (and her face, frozen for eternity in abject terror), please remember that before you blame me.


-Para sailing.  We did this on our honeymoon.  Again, Autumn's choice, and again, both the activity itself and the video for posterity were made much better by her hysteria and hysterical behavior.


-A week of camping along the Ausable River.  Actually, She was only there for the last couple of days.  We had just started dating and I was learning to fly fish.  She joined me later in the week.  About the time the rain started.  Yep, she brought rain and typhoid Mary's cough.  But she stuck it out.  Sitting on the bank watching me try and fish, in the rain, coughing with what was probably the beginning of bronchitis.  I thought to myself "This woman is too good to be true".  Unfortunately, she would have to wait a few years while I made sure that she wasn't actually to good to be true.


And of course, there is our latest adventure.  The one that all these other adventures led me to and the one that will be the subject of most of these blog posts...  Our twin boys, Quinn and Elliott.


I had planned on writing a poem a day the year I turned 40.  But that didn't work out.  So, the new plan is a blog post a day, starting tomorrow, while I'm still 40 (for a bit of the new year anyway).  I'll talk mostly about my adventures as a stay at home dad.  Whatever tangents I wander away on, I'll try and relate them back to the boys.  A post a day, my one and only new years resolution.


So, know you now at least part of the history and John and Autumn.  The part before kids, back when we had money for cool stuff like cruises and vacations.  I hope you'll join me as I try and chronicle the present.