Where did the last two weeks go?

It's taken me longer than I expected to come back to Live Journal and Blogspot. I was even keeping up with reading posts and commenting during the holiday break - until the end of last week. I haven't posted a Happy New Year to everyone, I haven't posted about books I read in 2009, I never posted my 6 MONTH COUNTDOWN to the publication date of THE HEALING SPELL which happened exactly on January 1, 2010 since my pub date is July 1, 2010!!! To be able to say "My book comes out this year!" or "Oh, yes, my book is due out this summer, don't you know," and then yawn and rub my fingers across my lapel as though I have books coming out all the time instead of the first one in 7 years.

I've been distracted by several personal and professional deadlines this week and then over the weekend we got some bad news. The son of some friends of ours who live right here in our small town - the son who is the same age as my 21 year old son, they graduated high school together - the son (and his younger sister) whom I taught myself at church - was badly hurt in the EID bombing in Afghanistan on Saturday. Four of his buddies were killed. He has been undergoing surgeries in Germany the past few days. He lost his left eye and there is shrapnel in his right eye they are trying to save. He also suffered a broken jaw and shrapnel over his face and body, some in the neck and shoulder area that came very close to hitting a main artery. He's lucky to be alive and I understand that one of his especially good friends was one of the four who were killed. He's only 21.

So saying Happy New Year and being all bubbly just feels strange and wrong somehow when I can't get them out of my mind and I'm feeling very sad and sober the last few days. Thankfully, this wonderful family has a strong support system and hundreds of people praying for them. In fact, there is a special prayer today at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time for him. If you'd like to be a part of a moment of silence or prayer for Michael, please do. Thank you so much.

I promise a happy holiday post tomorrow! With pictures of some beautiful butterflies I got in Louisiana on my trip in November. And books I read!

And I'm very excited to share with you several upcoming happy, surprise posts about The Healing Spell this month!