Career-wise I am about to hit my starting QB job. I take command of H Company on th 10th of May. I feel a very heavy weight on my shoulders as I take responsibility for 200 guys and oh yeah...51 million dollars of vehicles and equipment. Add that on top of the fact we are going somewhere hot (in more ways than one) soon for a long time, and I have a lot going on right now. (I will never use specifics on this blog, and I request you do not either. The bad guys love search engines and we don't need the Stinchfields targeted.) Brooke is amazing, responding with grace amidst a very trying year that never seems to get better. It must mean the blessings are just waiting to flow soon. I will continue to hold out hope for that.

A couple of good things: this is the moment I have been waiting for in my career and I am incredibly excited, the baby is healthy -- we just don't know the gender yet, we get to move into a newer, bigger home 11-18 May, and the weather here is amazing right now.

The trip with Mom and Dad was fantastic. Hopefully he has shown you the pictures that were not uploaded - it takes a while to upload from here. It was an unforgettable experience and it came just at the right time. The Italian Alps, called the Dolomites where we drove through, are the most amazing mountains I have seen. It took us a while to get through the Alps going the way we went, but it really was worth it.

Jane is doing great in school; she just made the honor role and we are very proud of her improvement this year. Sadie is great; limping around with a bandage on her foot from a recent surgery to remove a large cyst on her heel. Ellyn is happy and the joy of our lives, but no progress to report. She did try to insert a videotape in the VHS when she was very frustrated about no movie, that made us happy as she was doing something cognitive to solve her problem.

We love you all and think of you often.