I think about you...

dad, katelyn and lindsay have been on an expedition this week to the top of mt. moran in the tetons. my heart is with them. I miss them. my dad said if he were the sort of fellow who carried a cell phone with him, he'd call me from the top. he's not, so instead he blew me a kiss. I certainly hope the experience has been fulfilling to each of them and that he will not need to buy out the entire excedrin franchise in order to recover.

kari ann got dissed this week. she was rejected from a home school organization because of her religious beliefs. the irony is killing me. she is the epitome of home school queen and she was denied. if the religious prejudice is so blatant, sure makes me wonder where we stand in regards to race.

chandler is going back to school! she is one of my dearest friends from high school and followed her heart to fulfill her dreams with the guy who swept her off her feet. she's now ready to pursue another dream and I'm so proud of her.

diane's house has been making adjustments for her stepson to come live with them. I admire so much the love she has for her children and her patience for those things that don't come easily. she is an independent, strong woman who I admire greatly and seems to have found the perfect companion with which to enjoy her adventures. I wish them the bumps may be few and the transition be as smooth as possible.

ashlee is traipsing around greece with hillary. it's a sad, sad life she lives. I'm actually thrilled for the things she is experiencing as I know that this opportunity is not taken for granted and that she will come home having learned wonderful new things. for some reason thinking about her perusing shops and bakeries really makes me want a chocolate eclair. not sure they're even found in greece, but man, that sounds good.

kendall and shelly are dealing with family separation as shelly undergoes significant treatment for both her and her unborn baby girl who will enter the world with spina bifida. her love for her children is crystal clear as she enjoys every minute of their visits even though left exhausted. their optimism is encouraging and their readers are left with complete confidence that they were meant to be the parents of this sweet baby. she has already made such a tender impression on their little family.

kim is undergoing another transition in her young family. I see myself in her 7 years ago having adventures with my husband and yet missing my family so much I ached. I very much admire her for creating her own adventures, for developing new habits and for making the most of a situation that began as heartwrenchingly lonely. she shares her sibling's talent for seeing the best in any given situation... for more proof, check out her sister mallory who is any sister missionary's dream companion.

as I observe marital relationships from a distance in the blogosphere, I can't help but be grateful that I have a sneak-peek at sandi's. while it took a little time to find him, tarzan seems to be a perfect fit for her. I only hope I have that much passion and dedication to my partner when I'm in their stage of life. their commitment to each other is inspiring.

jaime and natalie make me miss new york so bad it hurts. natalie is living an actress' dream as she plays alongside john stamos in bye bye birdie on broadway. her single, carefree lifestyle is quite different from my own, but makes me grateful I enjoyed that place in my life when I had it. jaim's latest post really made me wanna go shopping with her again and have her pick things that were fabulous on me. her taste is classy, bold, simple and fantastic. she is also good for my mind as one of the best listeners I've come across. not judgemental, yet challenging. always thought-provoking. dinner in the rass' apartment always involved stimulating conversation. oh, I miss them.

see? I think about you. so much so that you've kept me awake tonight. well, you and the cookie dough balls in the freezer... anyway, good night. love you all dearly.