“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” — Plato

Marc with his family

I love new beginnings and they seem to be all around me just now.

We passed final inspection last week on our K-town property and held an open house this weekend. There was a great turnout and I am thrilled and relieved. Relieved the project is winding down and that people seemed to really like the units we remodeled and made available for rent. Thrilled we’re going to able to get the amount of rent we hoped for, despite several people “in the know” telling us we never would. And our hunch on Koreatown has proved right: it is indeed a hip and happening L.A. neighborhood; great for investing.

School is back in session this week and Cade is entering second grade. After a tough 1st grade year, primarily – we think – because of Cade’s recently diagnosed far sightedness, he now gets a fresh start with refreshed eyes. He and I just got back from picking up his brand new glasses. He didn’t want to go get them. He didn’t want to put them on. He doesn’t want to keep them on. But he’s also realizing they’re making a difference. He keeps saying, “Daddy, you look taller through my glasses!” Hmmm. How can I convince everyone else I know to get a pair, too?

Ella Luree begins Kindergarten this week and is super excited. So am I. She gets to join Cade and me for school drop off and pick up every day. I’ll get to pop in and have lunch with her occasionally like I’ve done with Cade over the last two years (Field Elementary is just down the street from my office). She is ready, eager, and willing to learn. And she is thrilled to be back at the same school with Cade (which hasn’t happened since they were both in preschool at Pacific Friends together).

Yan and I just fell into a new “tradition” this weekend (if just twice in a row can actually be called a tradition). For the second consecutive Friday night we made the kids dinner, sat them in front of the TV in the living room, then had a nice candle light dinner for ourselves in the dining room. Just that little break, for that short amount of time, has been so nice. It’s enabled us to just relax, focus on each other – with only occasional interruptions – and reconnect at the end of the preceding fast and furious week. I’m already looking forward to doing it again this Friday night.