It was a deep year for everyone in the U.S., and a number of people in other countries. The scene that hit me the hardest, actually, was the one of a motherly-looking woman, one who looked like she had three or so children, cheering and rejoicing that people had been killed. To know that people are raised to rejoice at others' suffering is incomprehensible to me.

The whole thing is still incomprehensible, in fact. But good did come from it. Megan, slowly taking in the destruction and becoming scared of it all, sought comfort from Jesus, asking Him into her heart. My last child, safe in His arms at last - I rest now, knowing my whole family is now safe in Heaven if not on earth.

And now the less life-changing but quite momentous personal occasion: I added to my family! No, not more offspring, but rather a branch that we'd only had vague ideas about! I, through extensive genealogical research, discovered a half-cousin living in the U.S.! In New York, in fact. You see, my grandfather was married three times, and I am a product of his third marriage. My half-cousin (two of them are out there, actually), a product of his second. For someone who had no relatives left in the U.S. other than immediate family, this was unbelievably good news. We have been in contact ever since via email.

I found out quite a bit about my family's past as well, further than I ever thought I'd get. But that isn't of general interest. I posted it all for the family on my website (which now has pop up windows; didn't used to, sorry!). Then promptly unposted most of it due to technical difficulties. But I'll get it back up there.

Really, there isn't much else. I finished writing a book, have started three or four more - oh! Actually, there is something else: Megan started kindergarten this year! D'ya know, I actually finished reading a non-fiction, heavy book in just two or three days?? Freedom is bliss! So far, I've been enjoying it far too much, after 17 years of being on call non-stop, to do something as mundane as making extra money and tying myself down to a job quite yet. And anyway, I just know I'd never get the same days off as Mark and we always have little enough time together - despite the fact that we celebrated our 20th anniversary this year - as it is.

Oh, yeah, that too. My short term memory ain't what it used to be, what with my disorder and all. (That keeps me from a job as well, so far - I'm terribly unreliable as to whether today will be a......workable day or not.) Anyway, we've been wondering for a while what to do for our 20th anniversary. Mark thought of Niagra Falls, to which I was quite agreeable. I thought of New Orleans or something.....so we ended up going to Disneyland. Well, you know, we hadn't been there in 10 or so years, and Megan had never been, and we thought of all those young but still fun rides that we all could go on, only Megan was too scared, nullifying that aspect. *sigh* Still, it was fun. And we, minus Mark who had to fly back to work, got to see Mark's parents. Megan got to re-get to know them.

Now! Is there anything else? Unlike a newsletter, I can always add it on here if there is. News of the boys: David is 17 and driving, Daniel turned 13 in January (yikes! Two teens!) and is learning the trumpet. He's in Junior High now.....and my year of being 17 seems not so long ago.......

We have fun, you know. Real fun. Together, as a family. We stumble around, and most of the time I feel like a failure as a parent and a Christian, and then realize, hey, I am. But that what Jesus is there for - to be my perfection. I am a failure as a person. But in Christ, only in Christ, I am headed for perfection.