Hello, long-lost friend!

Please pardon my silence. I always find it difficult to jump back in after I haven't written for weeks. The "baby book" part of the blog demands pictures in order to catch up. The "I'm trying to figure this whole thing out" part of the blog asks for actual contemplation, which I haven't had a lot of time for. The "newsy" part begs for actual events to report and there really haven't been any during this stretch of time. The "how-to" part of the blog requires planning and projects, which again, have been few. So...bullet points to tide things over and perhaps a real post later this week.

• The big news is that I took a new job! This development accounts for much of the silence on the blog—I've been absorbed in learning my responsibilities as the director of development and communications for an NGO called Empower Tanzania. This is huge news for me! I started on February 1st and I get to travel to Tanzania in April. I promise I'll devote a whole post to it later. The job is part-time, from home, and is an absolute collision of my passion and skills. I'm feeling really lucky!!
• With this new job, I've given up almost all of my freelance work, which has been bittersweet. I've also made the decision to lay off on the book publishing process a bit. As you know, the "platform building" has been exhausting and uncomfortable for me and I feel like I'm ready to inch off of the platform. Again, more on that later. 
• Sintayehu went to Kindergarten Round-up last week!!
• Eli is home sick with the flu today. He tried out for baseball over the weekend. (Jake and his dad are coaching!)
• Oliver compete in our city-wide Battle of the Books on Saturday and is preparing for his first communion.
• We have one episode left in the new season of House of Cards. I read Amy Poehler's Yes Please over the weekend and laughed out loud.
• The weather. I hesitate to say this, but it seems to be improving. Hallelu! Iowa winters are hard, but spring is going to be amazing! (See my last post. Thank you to my sweet, amazing mother-in-law for showing up at my house with a light therapy box. She is incredible and I'm a believer in it's magical powers.)