from we to three.

as long as i have these guys i've got everything i need.

remember, this post when i was complaining about our tax situation for 2010?

right after that i started researching adoption. i was thinking a few dependents would be helpful for 2011's taxes and since the government has yet to acknowledge dogs as dependents i saw humans as our only option. just kidding. anyway, when we first did our taxes i called my dad asap. i'm not sure exactly what i thought he was going to be able to do, wave a magic wand and turn that red number on turbo tax into a green one, but i guess i was hoping for "oh, you forgot [insert huge exemption here]" and everything would magically be better. didn't turn out that way. i didn't get a ton of sympathy, either. mostly, "you knew this day would come someday". grr.. but i suppose he was right. and i went on to complain for a few more minutes.

and a few days later i get an email from my dad.

it was called "words to live by" and the opening line was "you know what they say -- the two things you can count on in life are death and taxes". uh, thanks dad. but then he went on to say that although the previous thought is not exactly motivating we (charlie & i) had a lot of good things in our life. and he listed a bunch of them. if you know my dad, you know he is far from an eternal optimist. but he's right. we do have a lot of positive things in our life that completely outweigh a check to uncle sam. i'm usually not one who needs to be reminded of that stuff, but this time i really did need it.

thanks, dad.

and as charlie says, "it's just money". ha. he also said that when my car got smashed by a hit and run driver. and as much as it's not just money, sometimes i need to hear that and be reminded that i'm still incredibly lucky and i really do have everything i need.