Still Here!

Hello!
.....I need to check in so my family knows I'm still alive! I AM MORE ALIVE THAN EVER! How about all of you? I hope you are great....I knew this was going to be a great year....but it's more incredible than I could have ever dreamed up.

SO phenomenally busy around here....magical stuff!
Just thought I'd update before Valentine's Day tomorrow when I tell you all about Marq and I and how hugely in love we are these days.....
Ok....
Kids are doing great...they are so wonderful....we are so blessed!

I MISS YOU GUYS!!!!!
I REALLY DO!

But....let me tell you a few reasons why I've been so busy.

We just sold our house....building a new one. (I KNOW, it's a BIG SHOCKER after renovating our 100 year old house for 7 years....but someday we'll have a farm again....working on other big stuff is taking all of our time! OY! No time to mow the hay and clean the barn and weed the garden....but we'll do it again someday! Found someone who loves this place as much as we do, so it's going to a good home...)

and CHATTERBOX....WHEW!!! OH MY!! It is so awesome having business partners who are as amped up as I am....especially one who has a private plane that I get to go to my sales appointments on! SO FUN! Actually, i love these people WAY more than even the private jet trips....

....what I am happiest about is that all of my life I have had these HUGE things I've wanted to do, had it all planned out...worked toward it...and now I have someone behind me who can make it happen and who believes in everything that I want to do. IT IS SO INCREDIBLE!!!

so....A WHOLE NEW BUILDING OF INCREDIBLE PEOPLE!!! Lots of big changes...all so good...so so good.

a WHOLE NEW ART DEPARTMENT.....massively experienced and qualified and awesome and fun people....and WHOA WE ARE DOING SOME AWESOME STUFF!! Can't wait to release our new prouct lines to the world! (so many things I've been dreaming up are finally becoming reality!)....and we are all so happy right now because the MAC guy came out yesterday and brought us new computer systems! I had to say Bon Voyage to my vintage Macs.....bittersweet....lots of great memories.

and....another AWESOME part....I AM DESIGNING AGAIN!!! I have to admit, it's been a few years since I've been able to throw myself completely into designing and dreaming up fun stuff.....but I am finally there again...and you will see BIG BIG things coming out of the CHATTERBOX art BOX really really really soon....and I can hardly wait....this is why I started Chatterbox in the first place! The last few years of not being able to design have been so hard.

You guys are all so awesome...thanks for all of the encouraging emails, notes, letters, etc.......thanks for checking up on me! I am going to be writing again really soon....things are finally starting to settle down and life is taking on a whole new meaning....I feel like I am finally where I was meant to be.

Can't wait to tell you what I've learned on this little stretch of the journey...can't wait to hear about what YOU have been learning too.......will write again tomorrow on my VERY FAVORITE HOLIDAY, Valentine's Day! Don't let your husband forget, either......

Lots of Love to you ALL. Can't wait to catch up!!!
melody