Fathers, Babies and Other Thoughts

So today we got the joyous news that our good friends Michael and Dara welcomed their new son, Jake, into the world. Adam and I are thrilled, but I think we're both feeling a little isolated in our respective locations. It's been hard knowing that Jake was coming into the world soon and I won't get a chance to see him for another few months. This has been in addition to seeing my own nephew grow and change solely through pictures. It's my choice to travel and live far from family and friends; but it still stings a bit to miss all of the special moments. It also stings having Ads away on Father's day, just as it was tough not having him with me on Mother's day. Many think us corny, but we really think of the pups as our little girls, and every year we acknowledge each other on the respective parental days. Especially now, with Shabbi's health declining, I wish Adam were here to celebrate being her daddy. *sigh* She's hanging in there, walking quite well, but her senility and incontinence are at an all-time high. Thank goodness for doggy diapers because we would have gotten kicked out of our current living situation long ago otherwise...so, plans for the week ahead...tomorrow is our last dusk survey, and then we return to our early morning risings (4 am) to do 6 am dawn surveys. I'm not bothered by the morning or the dusk surveys; my social life here is limited, so I'm not "missing out" on anything by doing either of them. I do value my weekends to catch up on phone calls to folks back east, or to read, spend time with the girls and travel around the state. Today I've lived in Oregon for 4 weeks; hard to believe how the time has gone by, and how much fun I've had through it all. Another 2 1/2 months left, although I'm not counting down; as much as I can't wait to jet down to California and throw myself into Adam's arms, I also hate wishing parts of my life away, so I think I'll just enjoy the time I've got left here. Seems as though there will be a lot of trips and adventures that I'll be planning for the remainder of the summer....In any case, to all you fathers out there, happy Father's day.