Dear Lady,

Life has been pretty crazy recently, huh?
Or maybe life is just always crazy and we only stop to acknowledge it every now and again. That's probably more likely the case.
We've definitely been blowing through our money pretty fast with all of these projects, but our house has come an incredibly long way because of it. And all in the span of about a month-and-a-half. It's been worth it though. Like I'm always saying, money is for spending anyway. What good is it if all we do is hold onto it?
On a small financing note, we've spent about $50 on product, but I think we've successfully eliminated the more problem in the coop. I think. It seems like a ghost town in there. The older coop, however, is beginning to develop an infestation of its own. It's not pretty. I guess I'll start using some of this spray in there as well. I was also trying to figure out how I could transition the chickens from one coop to another, eventually, with a night in between to prevent them carrying some over. Like putting them in dog cages one night, outside any coop, and then finally transitioning them. Maybe it would work. Or maybe the annoyance of mites will simply be with us forever.
It's nice to have fresh eggs, but it's also nice to not have to constantly worry about mites. The requirement of using an insecticide, or diatomaceous earth, etc is pretty far removed from my farming ideal. I wonder what families did about mites back in the day. Burned the coop down?
Well, I love you. You're amazing and I think that more and more every day. Please stay forever. The Farmer Mur to my Farmer Mitch :)

.a Boy

Dear Boy,

Yep. Detroit together sounds good. First though, let's go to Philly. I read about a treat they call water ice. Essentially, it's Italian ice but better. So we should find some while we're there. And maybe we can stop at those National historic buildings and find them open this time. I really would like going anywhere with you and I like to stay home with you, too. 

And I feel lucky to have Sam. I am so excited to finally meet him after feeling him move for many, many months. It'll be fun to have another little baby and to watch him grow and see our other kids interact with him. 

I almost have this changing table put together. It's taken me most of the day. And I don't think I'll finish it before tonight. Auburn's spent her time upstairs with me. And I can see a mess in every direction. Puzzle on our bedroom floor. Wrapping paper on the baby's floor. Makeup in the doorway to the bathroom. Stickers and coloring books on the bathroom floor. More coloring books on the hope chest in our room. And crayons that she left in front of the shower and then Luna started to eat, so there is colorful wax confetti leading out from the bathroom. 

I need to go pick up Gerret now. Damian asked to come back to our house (I just talked on the phone with them). I said we're busy for the rest of the day (which we are). So he asked if he could come over tomorrow. We're busy tomorrow, too. Geez. 

It'll be so nice to see you again. We're all counting down the hours. 

Dear Lady,

Almost done. By midnight tomorrow we'll be together again, and what a relief that will be. Though, I will miss parts of this adventure (but not nearly as much as I've missed you and the kids).
It's an interesting thing to love home so much, but to also love travel so much. At times it's a beautiful coupling, and at other times quite a frustrating one.
I think, though, that i'd like to bring you and the family back to Detroit sometime. Just for a little weekend. Just to walk along the riverfront together, see the high rises, and go to the few local sites. It's not the most amazing place ever, but it's close enough to us that it's worth sharing with you guys.
So what do you say? Come to Detroit with me sometime?
Not soon. We've got Sam on the way, after all.
And about Sam—I can't wait for you to be a mom again. Sam will be the luckiest kid born this September!

.a Boy

Dear Boy,

Thanks for all the surprises this week. It's been fun. I would rather have you here, but you do a nice job of making life enjoyable even when you're not around. We're surviving, but definitely looking forward to Friday. These kids of ours sure do love you. 

I'm tired and not feeling that good. I just remembered that tomorrow is garbage pick up. So hopefully I make it out there in the morning before they come.  

Those twelve years passed quickly. It seems like I just married you. And it also seems like we've been married forever. Another paradox of life. I took a leap of faith back then. It's not like I knew you that well or could have known what life would be like for us, but if I could choose again, knowing what I do now and seeing what I see or have seen, I would marry you again. Even more eagerly than I did the first time. I love you, boy. You mean so much to me. My heart is full when I think of you and when I am with you. This week, I'm mostly thinking of you. Come home safely. 

L

Dear Lady,

I miss you.
An adventure just isn't the same without you.
That said, I want you to know that I haven't squandered my time here wallowing in loneliness. I figured I was going to be lonely regardless, so I might as well be lonely while I was out and about. So I've been out and about. Still, probably not as out and about as we are when we're all together on some grand escapade, but enough that I won't look back and regret a missed opportunity.
Detroit has been alright. Well, actually, Detroit has been pretty cool. Some of the training veterans have said this is one of the prettiest locations they've been sent to. Which isn't to say that a few miles out Detroit isn't pretty awful. It is. There are a couple of Detroit natives in my group who've confirmed that while this small area is quite pretty, Detroit as a whole is in pretty rough shape. I've asked how far out you need to go to get into bad areas and they said not very far—less than a few miles. So I guess it was a wise choice to not wander too far off the beaten path (I just misspelled 'path' and it autocorrected to 'Ptb'!).
Anyway, I'm having a decent time, but I'm quite anxious to be home again. I thought about the Empire Farm Days that're going on right now and I thought: That would have been a preferable memory to me, than this one alone.
I love you.

.a Boy