Our cozy old house is on a tree-lined street in Pasadena, California. Our home has lots of books and windows, usually occupied by our cats. There's also a pair of giant cedar trees waiting in the back yard for a tree house.

We're close to the mountains where we enjoy hiking, bike riding and even occasionally sledding. Liz's family owns a cabin on a mountain lake where we often go during the summer. We keep kayaks there so we can enjoy the water and the beautiful trees.

Feeling close to nature is one of our great joys; it's one of the best ways we know to feel a spiritual connection with something greater than ourselves. We've shared all these things with Emily, and we're looking forward to seeing another child learn them.