In the last week or so it seems I've misdialed three or four people while attempting to reach them on their cell phones. Within mere minutes I've received panicked responses from the owners of those wrong numbers: "I see I missed a call from this number!!!!!!!" or "Who is this???!!!" If I didn't leave a message it's probably a good indication that one, I don't know you and two, I don't need you to call me back. What ever did one do without this apparent life sustaining device?????? How did it come to be that having our phone on our person at all times is absolutely necessary? Just look around when you exit an airplane. How long does it take before 99% of the passengers are turning their phones back on and desperately checking messages?
Yes, this particular invention has made life easier and sometimes safer on many levels. But its level of importance has reached an all time high. Could it be that we are seeking relationship and connection without knowing it? I recently read a funny quote about our relationships with cell phone providers in the book The Gospel According To Starbucks by Leonard Sweet. " Cell phone companies aren't selling cell phones. They're selling relationships. If you don't think your cell phone provider is selling relationhips, try and get out of your contracted "relationship." You almost have to hire a divorce lawyer. We now have phone relationships that last far longer than many marriages." And a lot less is required of you.

So we bid 2007 goodbye and not a moment too soon. Although I know many lessons are learned in the valley I must admit that I have grown tired of spending more time there than on the mountaintop. A respite would be nice for a short while.
The new year began with a midnight dip in the lake. Not an experience I wish to repeat. I thought it might feel invograting or even refreshing. It was neither.
In a superstitious kind of fashion I thought the romp in the water might wash away all things negative. In the late afternoon of New Year's Day a blood curdling scream came through the garage door in the form of my freaking out 9 year old. "I can't feel my hand!!" was all he could say. After 3 hours in the E.R. (without health insurance) we found the wrist was not showing a fracture unless it existed in the growth plate--which couldn't be seen due to the immense amount of swelling.
Day two of 2008 I took my car in to Toyota due to chronic overheating. It was only a thermostat and I know it could have been much worse but aren't car repairs the absolute last subject you want to pour money into??
I don't write this to be full of gloom and doom but to say I am taking the perspective of: we are getting it all out of our system early on in order to enjoy a great year ahead. Here's to 2008!

As the Christmas greetings come rolling in I've been thinking about the letter I sent accompanying mine and the ones I've been receiving. The majority of Americans refer to them as brag letters and many a "Dear Abby" column is filled with rants about peoples' utter dislike of this tradition.
Personally I feel a bit disappointed when I don't get one, but if a recent picture is included I'm more forgiving. Below I share a particular mock letter was featured yesterday in the Bellingham Herald's "Adam @ Home" cartoon. I hope it brings you a chuckle and please forgive me if any of my past letters ever remotely resembled this one. Happy Holidays!

"Merry Christmas from Brad and Brenda Braggart.
We are so thankful for so many things: our financial situation, our ideal marriage, our perfect children and our health. We wish you the merriest of Christmases and hope your lives might one day be a fraction as fulfilling as ours."

The other day a friend of mine mentioned that I hadn't blogged since Halloween. I told her that I really haven't had anything on my mind lately. At least nothing that I wanted to blog about. Me a loss for words? Not a single subject I want to get on my soapbox about? Must be a post-40/pre-holiday/season affective disorder funk. Don't give up on me though. I'll be back.

So 40 DD culminated last night in a way I never expected but absolutely loved! Lacey and Laurie pulled it off and we had a great time at Rydell High last night. They dressed me as Sandy and they were the Pink Ladies. Several good friends were at Sheri's and we overdosed on "Grease". The biggest surprise was when my " Danny "showed up to boogie with me to "You're the One that I want". It was an unforgettable night!

Day 36 (10/18): I was awakened at 7:20 by a knock on my bedroom door and a greeting by my sister. It was so surreal. She jumped on my bed and told me today was her day. She brought Krispy Kremes, Starbucks and hot chocolate for the kids. Ian was home sick that day but we did get to scoot out for a couple hours of shopping and lunch. It is so rare with the distance and our busy lives to ever get to do something like that. I loved every minute of it.
Day 37 (10/19): My father-in-law, Jim, had two dozen long stemmed red roses delivered in a box. They were wrapped with several pieces of tissue paper. When I took the tissue paper out and laid it on the floor, it spelled out "I LOVE NY 40!" with forty $10 bills. I called him and he told me that "New York is expensive. I don't want you to have to beg on the street corner while you're there." He is so creative and giving. I have to say that this was probably the most creative gift so far.
Day 38 (10/20): My dad and Ann sent me a sweet card and $40.
Day 39 (10/21): I woke up at 5:00 a.m. and went down to the living room to check on Ian. (He had been sick all day and was still sleeping on the couch when I went to bed). He wasn't there and I noticed the basement lights were on and I heard noise down there. I went down and opened the guest room to find my mother-in-law standing there eating a bowl of cereal. I kept thinking I was seeing things or dreaming. She said "Today's my day and I wanted to deliver your present in person." I completely foiled her plan to be sitting in my living room when I came downstairs for breakfast. She was not expecting me at 5 am! I went back upstairs and told Trey "your mother's here!!" As if he wasn't in on all this. Before the kids got up she gave me an incredible scrapbook that she made for me. The theme was "40 reasons why I love Dana." She dedicated 40 pages of pictures describing why she loved me. It is the first scrapbook anyone has ever made me and it is positively priceless!!!! I can't stop looking at it.
Day 40 (10/22): Shelley Davis (who has known me since I was her 15 year old babysitter) sent me a bright beautiful bouquet of flowers with lots of pink and purple. It was waiting on my doorstep this morning along with a very sentimental message. I miss that woman so much!

Boy have I been remiss. I can't believe it's been a week since I posted anything. Sorry.
Day 28 (10/10): Received a wonderful card and incredibly thoughtful letter from Pat Sobo. Pat is a dear friend of Trey's late Aunt Jane who passed away in 1997. I got to know her during Jane's illness when we visited Jacksonville often. She has been excellent at keeping in touch with me/us.
Day 29 (10/11):Kim Philips brought over a delectable chocolate hazelnut cake made from scratch. YUM! I'm still wondering how she had time to make this work of art with three kids under foot and expecting baby #4 in two months. She amazes me.
Day 30 (10/12): Leslie Burzynski sent a beautiful card with a heartwarming message. (She and her husband did our premarital counseling and a lifelong friendship resulted from that time.)
Included in the card was a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble. I can't wait to get over there and use that.
Day 31 (10/13): Janet Drew was going to leave something on my porch this morning via an email message I got the previous day. I told her we'd be out of town so we're postponing it to the 21st.
Day 32 (10/14): We were away for the weekend with three other couples and one of the guys, Dan Dahlberg, had this day. This morning when I came in the kitchen, he had set out a few significant items like flowers, a burning candle, a tiara and a handmirror. He explained the meaning of them and read a few passages from the Book of Ruth to me. It was so incredibly thoughtful.
Day 33 (10/15): Tricia Phelan (dear friend from our days of experiencing toddlerhood in Charlotte) sent a funny card with sweet sentiments inside along with a Target gift card!! She knows me well. I spent it (and then some) the very next day.
Day 34 (10/16): Katherine Davis (she already had a day but wanted to really spoil me) sent a package with a great book on prayer, a locket keychain with a "C" engraved on it, a plaque about friendship and notecards. This was a great excuse to talk to her twice in one month. That never happens so that alone was gift enough.
Day 35 (10/17): Lisa Pomilla sent a funny card how the act of telling secrets at our age leaves nothing to worry about because we can't remember them anyhow! Inside the card was a gift certificate to Escape Day Spa. I am ready to escape right now as I've had a sick kid home every day this week.