Dear friends and family,

My spirits are high. Tomorrow I spend the day flying on airplanes. First the flight out at 9 AM, stopover in Phoenix, into Omaha, pick up Rowan, back on the plane, through Phoenix again and back to Oakland at 10 PM. Rowan will be home. His room is ready. I am way past ready to have him home again.

We have alot planned as usual. This week we will go to Santa Cruz for a couple days, where, at Rowan's request, we will go hiking in the woods again. We also hope to visit the beach and maybe ride a old fashion train. Saturday is the Spring Ritual, Egg Hunt and Potluck Picnic, and Sunday is the family Bar-B-Q at our place. Also in the plans are two parties, one of which we are suppose to come as our favorite villain -- Rowan and I will be pirates. We plan to go to the Oakland zoo with friends. The rest of the time will just be spent playing, talking, reading and doing all the wonderful things that go with being a family.

Rowan has been getting both happier and more demanding at every phone call over the last couple weeks. He is way past ready to come home. He can't wait for "his Momma Dawn to fly on an airplane" to get him. He told us hiking was something he wanted to do right way. When asked about the zoo and the possibility of "lions, tigers and bears" he said "but they'll eat me" -- which is a running Rowan joke. I have his music classes arranged (twice a week) and new books to read. It is so hard to squeeze parenting into three weeks and phone calls, but it certainly intensifies the experience for both him and us.

Hope your lives are happy...
With Love, Dawn