It’s unreasonable for me…

Big Poppa (me) kissing Ava on her 1st birthday

It’d be really challenging to live on the left coast. I feel like I’m 3 hours behind everyone else. I hate that.

Brad and Jamaica told us they were pregnant using salt and pepper shakers… the same culinary vehicle they used to begin their “relationship” before they were married… and the centerpiece of their wedding décor. Clever.

I’m done wondering and questioning. It’s unreasonable for me to try to decompress… I can attempt that when I’m dead… for now there’s a capacious life to live.

After being in Seattle for 10 days, I’ll have about 48 hours at home and then back on the road again for 12 days.

Talk about a scheduling accomplishment, we discussed, landed on dates, AND committed to go back to Haiti as a family, all 15 of us (including 3 grandbabies), in January 2014. Side note: There may or may not be more family in the form of spouses or children.

For some reason, it’s not a movie I would have picked, but we all went to see (and really liked) We Bought A Zoo while we were in Seattle. Oh wait, I’m still there.

Ava’s first birthday was crazy fun on the 27th with my sister Julie and her husband John, Ann’s sister Ellen and her husband and daughters, and all of the Abare’s except Craig, Kara & Paul who were in NYC.

The next day we had cakes, in the form of pancakes for Brad’s birthday breakfast… his last birthday before being a DADDY!

I love the innocence of Jamaica as she navigates conversations about baby stuff.

Jamie and Mark will be having a baby boy in about 6+/- weeks. Of course Ann will be there. That’s how she rolls.

I can’t wait to see what Team Rock has done to my office. I’m thinking along the lines of Extreme Office Makeover.

I know it sounds patronizing, but I’m proud to co-labor with so many really solid people who do whatever it takes to make missions happen; like Mark, Andi, and Caroline did on Christmas morning; like Ann is doing working on our annual report and a million other year-end tasks; like Seth Jr. and his team are doing prepping for 100+ people who will be attending Searchlight next week; like the World Race team is doing getting ready to launch 150 Racers in less than 2 weeks; like, like, like…

From my friend Alece Ronzino… No resolutions. No list of goals. Just One Word and a commitment to focus on your word all year-long. Let it shape you, guide your decisions, and help you grow. And you’ll discover the big impact one word can make.

My word is engage. My first blog of 2012 will unpack that a little more. What’s your word?

Happy New Year!