for a girl woman who has often thought of herself as utterly unlovable, today has proven me wrong. the next time i get all woe-is-me, nobody can love me, waa-waa-waa, you have my permission to kick me square in the teeth.

i’m doing my very best to contain my emotions and am succeeding quite admirably. i don’t want to cry. in fact, i don’t even think i can cry. i am so overwhelmed that it’s hard to focus on just one emotion.

the outpouring of kind wishes from you, darling ones, and the show of love from my friends and colleagues has left me dumbstruck. i don’t even know what to say or where to begin.

my cell in softwareland has been turned into the garden of eden. nine boquets. nine! each one more beautiful then the next. i promise to take pictures tomorrow and upload them when i get home. you won’t even believe it. i still can’t believe it and i experienced it.

thank you just seems so meager. so incapable of what i want to convey. grateful is the understatment of the century. but i don’t know what else to say.

so. . . [insert words of most thankfulness and gratitude]