"I try all things; I achieve what I can"- Melville in Moby Dick

Let me begin by saying that this last school year has been the hardest and one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Throughout the last nine months I have come to learn what I am really made of. I have cried more, learned more, swore more, laughed more, danced more, sung more, and prayed more than any other time that I can remember. I have learned that the strength of a mother is almost limitless and that the love and support of a spouse and family is more precious than gold. I have been pushed to more limits than I ever knew existed and was surprised to learn that I was inspired most when I reached the depths of those limits. Most importantly, however, I have become a student of life and love. I will take away from this experience a profound respect for the natural rhythms of life and its incredible beauty. This lesson was an interesting one to learn against the backdrop of raising a beautiful and healthy child while at the same time having an intimate encounter with death nearly every day. This has been one crazy adventure that I will be sad to leave behind but the future holds new adventures that are calling us forward and I can't wait to meet them with a smile on my face! Here we go...

A wish for a peaceful New Year!

What a year this has been. What a journey this has been! With my impending graduation moving ever closer, it has prompted us to begin reflecting on the past three years as well as plan excitedly for the end of this short journey here in Michigan and the beginning of a another new and still unknown journey. We have learned so much about ourselves and each other over the last three years being so far away from our family and friends. The experience, although difficult at times, has helped this little family grow in so many ways, the most important being our love. We look forward to whatever life brings and the prospect of a new year filled with peace and the hope of great things to come. Happy New Year everybody and thank you all for your support and love.