Ooooh, how I've missed you all! I've been away for a while, trying to get back into some kind of groove. But having a baby right after a tragedy sure does throw you for a loop! My monkey just turned a year old, ladies and gents!! Can you believe that?! I'll try to remember how to post pics and get some up for you all soon, promise. :) He's taking 1-2 steps here and there and is just in the past day or two acting like he wants to figure it out. He has 6 teeth, signs for milk, says dada, mama, no, ball, and a whole host of babble-talk, and he loves to play ball. :) Big brother Gabriel just turned 4 and big sister Aubrey will be turning 6 in a few weeks. We're having a big combined birthday party for the three of them on Saturday, so I'll be scarce tomorrow through the weekend, but hope to be around more regularly. JJ just got his senior pictures taken and will be 18 in January, graduating in June. OMG! My husband and I are working through some stuff, but I'm hopeful. It's been a big year. I haven't read hardly anything all year. I've tried. I've tried finishing The Valley of Horses on audio all year long and I'm finally on disc 10/20. (Should I try the book instead, or is it just generally blah?) I have an IRL book club I started up in January to try and ignite that reading spark again, but the membership is super low and that's not very exciting. LOL! I'm coming around, trying to work out of the haze/funk. Doing ok though. The kids keep me busy and full of love. :) 

I know that I've missed a lot though. Linda, you moved nearer to Kelly I saw earlier this summer (I checked in once or twice in July I think it was). Becky, I saw that you lost someone (husband?) and I'm so sorry. I wish I'd been around when you were going through the worst part of it to offer my support and hugs. I also saw Carlene (frequents CMT) lost her battle to cancer, so sad. :( What else? Feel free to PM me if it's odd to post publicly - I just wanted to acknowledge the big stuff I've missed and not be a tool for missing out on the rest! 

eta: Vicky, is that your daughter that just got married? You all are beautiful and the pictures are lovely! What a gorgeous bride. :) And Cheryl, best news ever to read about your wonderful scan results!! I am so happy for you!! :)

Any babies? Sawyer said he needs some cute baby friends to swap pictures with. LOL!! 

Kelly, it's so good to hear from you!  What a lot of changes in your life...and Sawyer CAN NOT be almost a year old!  I too have been scarce but with the wedding behind me, I hope to get back to more reading and more visiting here.  (The bride is my step-daughter, and my biological daughter is the one in the wheelchair--but they're both my girls!  Diane has no contact at all with her biological mother, and so she and I have become very close.)

Thanks for checking in; you sound good!  And I'd love to see pictures...

Yes! Baby pictures! Any pictures! Lots of tough times for folks lately (us too) but this forum and its members are such supportive friends. Debbie

Kelly it's so good to her from you!  I can't believe that Sawyer is a year old already....pictures please!!!

Our OD is expecting baby girl #2 sometime in the next month.  No bed rest this time!!

Good to hear from you, Kelly.  Isn't it nice to know that with this group you can just jump right in where you left off? 

No way - a year already? Wow! Happy One!

So good to see you!

Welcome back, Kelly! It's good to hear from you. As for what you should read, I'd just dump the slog and try something different. When stress is high, you need a diversion, not a job. LOL Find something you enjoy reading.

Kelly - I agree with Donna , Genie and everybody - you don't need to "catch up". Just step right in, set right down and read, post or whatever you feel like doing. We are all here and let's just chat about books, family, jobs, spouses (oops! did I really say that?), recipes, WHATEVER! C'mon back!

Hi, Kelly! Welcome back, we've missed you!

Thanks y'all, gosh I love my HF pals! I didn't expect it to take so long to pull myself back into a new normal, but I'm excited to be back now and super anxious to jump into some of these awesome books I have here patiently waiting to be read and loved. :)