Emotions are flying the gamut today, boys.

Joy:
There is nothing like the birth of a child to bring joy to the world. No, I didn’t pop out a kid, but so many of my friends have had children lately: Julie/Andrew, Brian and his wife, Kristin/Ron, Justin/Anna, Geoff/Tammie…it’s incredible.

And on top of that I reconnected with Mikey today, who sent me pictures of he darling wife, Heidi, who’s due to have their first child in a few weeks! Ah, Mikey. I miss him. He and I and Heidi always had such a great time together – then they had to go and move to Texas. UGH! Talk about far away. Heidi and I were really close when we were in closer proximity. Some times distance just is the pits.

But the joy of friendships is even when you are separated by miles and don’t talk or see each other as often as you like, when you do pick up that phone it’s like no time has passed. Of course you go through the obligatory “what have you been up to” stage, but that lasts all of 5 minutes and you’re back to joking around and laughing like always. That’s the joy of true friendships…it’s always there. You always have them in your heart even when they aren’t in your sightline.

I’m working to plan a trip to see Mike & Heidi. I’m hoping to get down there this spring after the baby comes so I can see all three of them. I haven’t seen both of them since their wedding I think. Oh, that’s been ages! (well not that long, but still)

Sadness and Concern:
My father’s Godfather was in the hospital again recently. Art has been such a pillar of life it’s disheartening to hear that he isn’t doing well. He’s lived an incredible life – building the Replica Church ¼ scale of West Nidaros (including the cracks in the floorboards) was one of his great moments – besides just being a wonderful man. I always love his hugs and smiles. And he always has a story to tell. It’ll be a sad day here when he dies. But while sadness lingers at his illness, joy fills me with memories of him and the knowledge that he will live on in eternal glory.

I’m asking for prayers for Kristin and Ron’s little boy Zachary. Zachary was born way early and though is doing well does have quite a few days of building ahead of him. Thanks.

Excitement:
Soon I’ll be taking a trip. Not just to Texas but to Alaska. I’m so excited for this one. Two and one half weeks way up north, working and playing and learning. I’ll tell more as I get closer to this one.

Interest:
Tuesday night I went to the Guthrie for my 6^th of 7 season ticket shows. That night (and currently until Feb. 5) they are performing “The People’s Temple” – a show which tells the stories of survivors of and those who died at Jonestown in 1978. The writers spent countless hours interviewing survivors, reading documents from it and researching the mission. It started as a religious movement but turned into a political and socialist movement instead, all led by Jim Jones. It was an incredibly moving story – seeing the mission from the perspective of those who lived it, survived it and died from it. If you’re in the Cities, I highly recommend this one. It’s well worth the effort to get to it.