There are times when I get tired of hearing myself talking and I am sure that everyone else does as well...so I don't talk or write for a while. Then, I get a comment that makes me think that I need to open up and share myself again.

Braden is approaching a milestone in his life.

Braden has finished all the preliminary work for his mission. He turned his papers in on the 29th of January. He is now waiting for the envelope from Church Headquarters. He is nervous, but more excited than nervous.

I feel like I did when Siovhan was searching for a job: nervous, worried, concerned, excited, you know kind of all the things one feels when they are anticipating a birth. I wonder if I will feel like I did when I left Siovhan in Oregon, like I had left a part of my heart there. I often wonder with all the pieces of my heart across this country, will it get any easier when I have to give away more pieces?

Update on Howard: He sees Dr. D. next week. Dr. D. will have Howard re-x-rayed and then will tell him to continue to take it easy. Howard is sad that he can't go skiing with the young men or tubing with the young women as a chaperone. Dr. D. has all ready told him no, which actually had more authority than when Dr. Melanie told him not to even think about it.

Stayed tuned...