An exchange between old friends...

HEY! How are YOU?!

Wow... it's been a while. You look great! Wow! I can't believe it's been so long... how is your job? Yeah? Well, that's good to hear. I know you always loved doing it. And, your beloved? Still well? Oh! A dog! That's terrific.

Yeah, I'm good... great, really. I'm buried in a pile of good things. It's been a busy year - but all so, so good. Matt is great, his job is fantastic. He loves his work and his colleagues and is getting invitations to do all kinds of interesting things. My job is going really well. Actually, I got ordained this year. I KNOW! Seven years... it's a long process, and now it's done. Oh, the kids? The kids are great. Jackson's in kindergarten, and learning to read better and better each day. Yeah, he'll be typing these before too long! And Cooper, well, he's a physical wonder, that kid. Bright as they come, and such an athlete. I keep joking that we have a new entity in the house, and that being is Baseball. The boys are really doing well. They play baseball almost every day, and are doing splendidly in school.

And, then ... there's Sloan. She's 7 months now. Can you believe it? She slept for the first 10 weeks or so - just a dream baby. She woke up at three months, and began charming everyone in sight. She became a champion eater at 5 months, learned how to sit up at 6 months, and is now working simultaneously on crawling, standing and swimming. She's a delight. I knew I wasn't done being pregnant... it's like I was waiting for her. And now, she's here, and life feels so full and complete. I am blessed.

It's been a good year.

Really, it's so good to see you again. Let's not make it so long until we do so. I've missed you - a lot. I just felt like I had to save up all of my words and parcel them out carefully. Between ordination and the huge expectation of Sloan... it was just more than I could express. But, now that's all done and I'm reveling in the joy of what's come from that expectation. I don't feel like I have to be stingy with my words, and I have so much to catch up on with you.

So, let's stay in touch, okay? How about something weekly - next week, if not sooner? Sounds good! Tell your puppy hello for me!

Talk to you soon. It's nice to be back.