Thanks Guys! (And that included Geneva and Lauren!)

I consider myself very fortunate, especially in the fact that I have a wonderful wife who supports me in pursuing what I feel is right for me in doing a job that I love.  This despite the fact that it means we’re not together and she has to carry a heavier load around the house because I’m gone.  Because of this, I try to do as much as I can even when I’m thousands of miles away.  This includes everything from doing taxes (I had to try and download an H&R Block update twice a few weeks ago, and at our download speeds, well . . . it took a while), making sure finances are in order, and trying to talk with her every day (usually by IM).  But sometimes it doesn’t work out and I am out of touch for days at a time.  This next week will be one of those times.

However, perhaps due to mere coincidence, good fortune or simply my good luck, the guys are coming to the rescue.  In this case, Kit and Dev.  You see, on Monday I’m leaving to go up country, to Voinjama in Lofa County to be exact (check it out in Google Maps) and I won’t be back until Saturday.  Wifi will be non-existent and there may not even be cell phone coverage.  In other words, I’m going to be totally out of reah.  Fortunately, Kit and Dev arrived yesterday, just in time for me to say hi and bye later today (the time differential is really difficult from here - it’s still yesterday in Oregon - they may just be arriving home as I post this).  So, they’re hanging out with Ann for the week and will leave on the same day I get back.  And they paid for their own flights!  Somebody must have raised them right . . . .

Now this coinciding is really is all by accident.  The guys had planned to go out and visit Ann a while ago.  However, the Land Commission workshop that’s being held in Voinjama was supposed to happen two weeks ago.  Then it got bumped to last week, and now it will be this coming week - the same week the guys are out.  Well, I’ll certainly miss chatting with them nearly every day they’re out there, but I’ll feel better knowing that Ann has some company and that someone is watching out for her (not that she needs it, she’s incredibly self sufficient!) especially when I can’t.  So Guys, thanks!

Which also leads me to the other Guys (though at this point the gals outnumber the guy).  They too make being away easier for me and for Ann.  Brandon periodically checks in; Geneva, Ben and Holden [wait, I guess the guys still outnumber the gals] have had dinner with Ann a couple of times; and Lauren sent me an e-mail the other day about a photo contest (sorry, I didn’t have anything I thought was good to enter). It’s great getting e-mails and comments (from everybody) on the blog.  It’s even better hearing that family and friends invite Ann to dinner and chat with her every now and then.

So thank you all very much.  And this coming week, especially Kit and Dev.  I’m a lucky guy!

[If you haven’t figured it out from the above, things are going to be quiet for a bit here.  But I suspect I will have plenty of posts to upload from next week’s excellent adventure!  Maybe Ann, Kit and Dev will blog their excellent adventures in my stead this week!]