-Posted by Isaac

Thanks for the love on that last one. It was so nice to hear from a few of you. Regarding the farmstand. Regarding Darwin. And one or two, how do I say it… alternative Darwin?

Thanks for emailing. One of them was especially memorable. It had four sentences, two of which were, “I love you.” and “Merry Christmas!"

The “Merry Christmas!”, I knew exactly how to handle.

The other…. thrilled me. In a way I don’t even understand. On one hand, who did she think she was talking to? I am a midwestern farm boy. She’s got to know midwestern farm boys don’t go around shooting from the hip like that. Somebody’s apt to get hurt.

On the other hand… Here I am, two days later, still thinking about that email.

I grew up in a non-I-love-you family. We loved each other, but we didn’t say those words. I guess it was understood. Jayne grew up in an I-love-you family. When we were dating, I’m thankful that it didn’t take me very long to figure out, “I love you.” is something that deserves an immediate response.

She changed me.

I’ve got a song for you— me hacking through a very beautiful Gregory Alan Isakov. I threw it together with pictures, trying to think through this incredibly memorable year.

This is from the bottom of my blue ragged heart. It comes at the end of a year so full of the most intense feeling and heartache. For so many of us.

Are we wishing on broken bottles instead of stars? It doesn’t matter, does it? In the end, we’ve got each other. I love you.

Merry Christmas