And now without further ado...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a little over a year and it has flown and we have grown and you can't even imagine how much. We are now a family of FIVE with the birth of baby Grady James on June 22, 2009. Much of the time I've been absent has been spent on the growth, birth and nurturing of this new addition.

You see, it was not an easy pregnancy, birth, or postpartum. In fact, it has been the toughest physical challenge I have ever undertaken. But I am no cocky young hen; rather this bambino is the last of the litter, there will be no addendum past Grady in the book of this life. And what a sweet, savory little morsel Mr. Grady is. He is infant perfection in all his stinky sweetness and truly has the best personality of any baby I have ever known (and I have known a mess 'o babies, I am here to tell you).

So in the course of medical issues of mountainous proportion (baby's and mine), and a whole host of other bothersome personal issues, I seem to have taken quite the hiatus from writing personally and professionally. It was as though there was nothing I could say, for more than a year, that warranted written (or keyed) words. Nay, the commitment of it all was too much I tell you! Yet the words and stories kept building up till my head is full to bursting and the voice of my soul is screaming for release! Yes, drama! Though it seemed as though I could not find the words. Niblets!

Then, as the great Oprah's phrase is coined, I had an Aha! Moment. Literally. I had laryngitis. A bad case. So bad I couldn't ever whisper. And in the course of still having to manage a house with Three! Children! and Confounded! Husband! I had to communicate and thus the paper and pen was discovered and the words poured forth through pursed fingers then excited fingers then fastly flowing fingers of fury and it all came back to me! Yes! Oh YES! Writing is, for real and for me, as simple as putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Okay stupid, there it is, as it has always been, and yes, I am a writer and yes, it is the only thing I really know how to do and yes, it is still all there and I can still do it and oh my GOD I am so glad to have myself back again because I don't necessarily like where I've been and I wasn't too sure about where I was going but hey, today it's all pretty okay.

So, what to look forward to here: Recipes! Christmas projects sewn badly! With pictures! Hilarious family fiascoes! Swear words! Run-on sentences that you have to read three times to "get" yet somehow you know what I'm talking about from the very first second and you're like yeah, that's what it'd really be like to have a conversation with this crazy woman and does she ever shut up!?! And more pictures!

So, please, if you're still out there, give me a shout-out! I'll be here whether you like it or not!!!