That pretty much sums it up! The surgery is done (just one night in the hospital) and Patrick is ABD (all but dissertation) and we are all in such incredible spirits!
Let the season of light and joy begin!

Here's a sampling of my favorite posts.
MaryAnn F. Kohl: Scribble Art: Independent Creative Art Experiences for Children
Evelyn J. Hadden: Beautiful No-Mow Yards: 50 Amazing Lawn Alternatives
Jessi Bloom: Free-Range Chicken Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful, Chicken-Friendly Yard
Ron Kujawski: The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener's Handbook: Make the Most of Your Growing Season
Fritjof Capra: The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems
Irene Brady: Illustrating Nature: Right-Brain Art in a Left-Brain World
Clare Walker Leslie: The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms