have I reached that point?... yes you have, you sonuvabitch.

{the following is unedited as of 1.2.06} ... just in case...

We wanted to bring everyone up to speed on what’s been happening in our lives this past year, so we thought this a better year than any to start a new tradition... the “Van Laeken Annual What the Heck’s Been Happening in Our Lives Lately That We Feel You Should All Know About” letter. The first installment:

We had the opportunity this year to live in Minneapolis; probably the best city that we’ve ever resided in, and one of the coolest cities in the country. Fortunately we had great timing climate wise and dealt with one of the mildest winters in many years. The parks and the people are probably the two things that we’ll remember most. The people really were amazing. I met some of the most honest, interesting, hard working people that I’ve ever met. Brittney still receives at least three calls a week from people who she encountered, and looks forward to picking up the phone each time. Auden loved it as well. Whether it was the Walker Art Museum and its sculpture garden, or Lake Calhoun, he seemed to always have a smile on his face eagerly saying “Yeahhhhhh” to whatever we pitched at him.

Brittney worked as Program Coordinator for New Challenges. Essentially she managed a house of staff members who oversaw the day to day lives of three developmentally disabled women. She, of course, loved her job and it reflected not only in the feedback from her supervisors, but also the clients themselves. They still write her letters and send her pictures. You can tell that she is missed, but that the time she spent with them changed them forever.

I was still working for Urban Outfitters. I had the opportunity to open my own store this year; something I had only helped out with in years past. It was an experience that I’ll never forget, and it gave me all the necessary experience to take on my first district management position... which is the reason we find ourselves in Florida. I’m currently managing the creative side of the Southeast district [which includes stores in Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta, Charlotte, Charleston, 3 stores in Miami - and soon a new store in West Palm Beach]. I’m definitely traveling quite a bit more than we’re used to, but it’s usually contained to Tuesday through Thursday at the most. Brittney’s been patient and supportive of the entire process and that speaks volumes for our relationship.

So now we find ourselves with the option to go to the pool to swim on New Year’s day... a far cry from freezing temperatures in Minneapolis. It has been a bit surreal to say the least. Wearing sandals every day, and Auden’s new love of sand and the ocean has been welcomed with open arms. We did experience our first 2 hurricanes this year [one of which saw us without power or running water for 8 days], but the winter nights [usually in the mid 60’s] have more than made up for Wilma.

Auden and I have a daily routine which involves him riding his bike [and me walking behind him] down the path of our apartment complex to the clubhouse to get free juice and popcorn. He still refuses to use his pedals, but it’s only a matter of time before he understands the potential for speed that he’s not yet realized. He’s really into Bob the Builder, Extreme Home Makeover Edition, This Old House, and breaking stuff. This year his list of obsessions included: garages, every single light anywhere we went being turned on, broken things, and the color orange being ‘ugly’. He’s absolutely in love with Dan Zanes’ music... any time we’re in the car and Dan Zanes isn’t on, he demands it immediately. Which is usually followed by, “Yeah... Dan Zanes!” and hand claps. The most ridiculously cute word he says is “Dangerous”. He’s learning how to use the potty with the help of Starburst candy, and loves to watch movies in the evenings... most notably “Garfield.” He definitely has a mind of his own and doesn’t let anyone think otherwise.

Lots of changes, which is nothing new for our family if you’ve been following us for the last 4 years. We wouldn’t have it any other way... we’re meeting new people, experiencing new cultures and climates, and falling more in love with each other every day. I don’t think that there’s anything more that anyone could ask for. We wish everyone a happy new year, may it bring you everything that you hope it will and more...