(A sequel to my last post.)

For those of you who contributed to the wonderful, wonderful journal I got in the mail this week, in case some of you may get a chance to read this...

Jonnah, yours was the first non-Joanna note. I gasped when I saw it because I realized right then how much more I missed you kids all of a sudden. Happy belated birthday. It sounds like you got some nice stuff. :-D

Rushie, that was the prettiest little scribble I think I've ever seen. Now, you're a baby, so you won't be reading this. But I'll tell Joanna to read it to you. ;-)

Leah, Benjamin and Samo, you guys are writing your names so well! Maybe next time, you can write me a note too. hehe. Your names look so wonderful in my book. I'm glad you wrote them there.

Jason, I was so disappointed that I wasn't able to see you and meet your beautiful girl Toni this month. Maybe in February. I miss you! Thanks for dropping me a note. I gotta say, you're one of the coolest people I get to see in October. :-)

Rachel Joy? I MISS you!!! You should send me an e-mail or something...one tiny little paragraph is just not enough correspondence, missy...

Mama Burks, your page is one of my favorites. You are wonderful, and I love you to pieces. :-) Fun thing: I didn't know you were "Grammie"....Mom wanted to be Grammie too. She thought that was the sweetest name for a grandmother. hehehe.

Pastor Jay and Mrs. Folk, you two are wonderful fun. Thanks so much for writing to me.

Daniel, I missed you tons. You rock the universe.

Nathanael, see above.

Rachel Barkowski, I have heard nothing but the sweetest, smittenest praise for Miss Chloe. I'm so sorry I missed getting to meet her and getting to visit with you and Charlie. But please accept my most emphatic congratulations on the arrival of your little girl, and my sincerest wishes for blessing and favor on your house this year. I hope I get to see you next October. :-)

Josh! We will meet. We will. It will happen. Shucks and shame that it didn't get to happen as soon as I thought it would...the Burks people say you're pretty cool. :-)

Hannah, Esther, Grace, and Abi: Thank you for writing in my book! You girls are pretty awesome.

Sarah, I will be back eventually. hehe. You should drop me a FB message or something sometime, hm? I'd like to hear from you. :-)

Nate! I reckon you oughta send me a message once in awhile too. ;-) I feel so out of the loop when I don't stay in touch with certain people...you gotta tell me what's going on in your world these days. Hopefully you can tell me some in person this winter...? Tell Esther I say hi and that she needs to get herself a Facebook.

Quinn. Your pages made me cry. Darn it. Darn you. *hug* You're pretty awesome, you know it?

Micah..."It was weird you not being here Tuesday morning. That is always like the precursor for OPBBC. But this week they were just kinda here. Weird. No knitting. No guitar. No 'shucky-darns' or 'what the foozles'"........it's interesting to see what memories are associated with my visits there. LOL. You're pretty rad, and I miss you and all of your family. Your note was one of my favorites. Cracked me up. Be good, and try to give Jo only a moderate amount of trouble, okay? ;-)

Mr. Burks, I missed seeing you this year. A guy came in the office the other day, and it was driving me crazy that I couldn't figure out who he was...didn't I know him from somewhere?? So I asked him, and we sat there for a good two minutes or so trying to figure it out before I realized he just reminded me a whole lot of you. lol. Whoopsie. It sounds like the meetings were fantastic. I'm so sorry I missed them. Sorry I missed seeing you and your wonderful, wonderful family as well. :-P

Tyana...agh, I *so* wanted to see little Eilis!! The pictures don't do her justice, I'm sure....but even the pictures are precious and beautiful. Congratulations, mama. ;-) Miss you!

And, finally, Lady Joanna...you have forever cemented yourself in my estimation as the greatest sort of sister in the whole, wide, world, and I could not ask for a dearer friend. I love you a million and one times over. Your whole book had me giggly and weepy and pensive, and I spent the better part of last right reading it and re-reading it, and re-re-reading it.

*great, big, giant, ribcage-squishing bear hug*
*equally emphatic kiss on the cheek*

You are amazing. I love you dearly. Let's not ever stop being friends, okay?


All of you guys....the book was the best thing I've received in...a long time. It means a lot to me. So. If you contributed to it...thank you so, so much. :-)

I love all of you, and I hope I get to see you soon.
Quintessentially (and quite happily) yours,
~Ashley~