Nelson's goodbye to Texas

Well, the time has come.  Nelson is getting on a plane this morning with Kristen to start his new adventure with Mom & Dad.  Kristen and Nelson have a one-way ticket to Chicago where we'll make our home.   The last eight weeks, since I started my commute to Chicago, has been frenetic for the Bohns.  I've spent Monday-Friday on the road in Chicago and returning to Dallas on the weekends.  It's been tough on our family.  It's been especially hard for Kristen.  She's had to carry the bulk of the household and parental duties for the last two months - while trying to sell our home.  I owe my wife a huge debt of gratitude for stepping up for our family.  My wife is a strong, dedicated, supportive woman - Nelson and I are lucky to have her.

This is a bittersweet time for all of us.  It's exciting to be moving to a city as dynamic as Chicago. It's long been a fantasy of ours to live here and now we've been blessed with the opportunity.  Still, Dallas is home.  Kristen is obviously a native Dallasite.  I lived there longer than I've lived anywhere (nearly 15 years), as when you're a Navy brat you tend to move around every 3-4 years.  Dallas is obviously the only home Nelson has known. (Side note: I find it interesting that I've lived in Dallas for 15 years but can't really be considered a "Texan" by blood, yet my son who has been on earth for eight months will forever be a Texan by birth). Texas is a special place.  I know there's not another place like it on earth.  But, it's not the geography that makes it special.  It's the people.  We are sad to leave behind so many amazing friends.  I am certain that we'll never have the quantity and quality of friendships we've had in Dallas.  It's those things that put a move into perspective.  It's especially sad to think about all of the little friends that Nelson had just started to make and the dreams we had to raise our son with our friends' kids.  Thank you all for your friendship.  You've enriched our lives greatly and we are better people because of you.  Of course, it's not the end of friendships, but friendships redefined by distance. We expect all of you to come visit us in Chicago.

Finally, this is especially hard for us in that we are leaving Kristen's parents.  We tried for a long time to have Nelson.  We had amazing support in all of it.  Nelson's grandparents, Mike and Diane, will now be the grandparents "in Texas" versus the grandparents "down the street".  I know it will be especially hard for Diane in that she prayed for this baby for us for a long time and they have both helped us tremendously with childcare (and dog care).  Mike & Diane, you guys have done so much for us.  You are so giving.  You rarely say no, even when you probably should.

I am going to include some photos of our highlights with Nelson in Texas.  Of course this isn't exhaustive, just something for us to look back on to remember Nelson's days in Dallas.  Love to you all.

Our Thanksgiving in Cabo

We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with Kristen's family.  Her mother and father were gracious enough to allow us to spend a week at their timeshare with them along with Kristen's Aunt Gayle, Uncle Hank, and her cousin Kyle.  It was a GREAT time.  It was time we needed as a family as I was coming off of an 11-day stretch of commuting to Chicago.  Going that long without seeing your son is miserable, especially when they are so young and it seems like there is something new developmentally nearly every day. 

We had an amazing time.  Their property was right on the beach and had easy access to Los Cabos.  Nelson spent some time in the sand and had his first real experience in ocean surf.  He also spent plenty of time on his tummy trying to crawl.  We were encouraging him often with "lures" and while he would scoot on his belly, he never really grasped crawling.  He's so close to doing it though.  Again, thanks to Mike and Diane for the hospitality and having us in Mexico.  It was a  family trip we will never forget.