Our flights on Friday went from Frankfurt to O’Hare to Fort Wayne. Back from two weeks of vacation, two weeks of the part of our family that lives in Fort Wayne spending time with the part of our family that now lives in Germany.

But vacation is always tricky. Somewhere between the small German villages, I found a sinus infection, Ben found an ear infection, and we gathered other assorted drainages of nose and throat.

If I were talking to someone else, (if I had the voice to be able to talk right now) I would say, “Of course you got sick. You finally stopped. It was the longest time not working in the hospital in a long time.” And there may be some truth in that. I only had one dream our whole time gone, a short one about a hospital death.

In some coughing mid-night moments, I thought. But it will be a bit before thoughts become words become posts. It’s going to take a few days for my body and mind to catch up with each other.  I will be writing to help me learn, but I not sure that I’ll be posting every day for a bit.

While I’ve been gone, I left you with words I’ve written in the past about the presence of Christ. At a Sunday table, in a minster in Ulm, and in other still, aching, moments, I was aware of that presence. I’m aware, as well, that Christ’s capacity to be always and all-wheres present is not mine.

We are doing fine, we are healing, we are grateful to have gone and to return, we are grateful for thoughtful support.

And I’m grateful that you will be here as I am thinking.

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Oh. And Happy Birthday, Nancy!