Welcome From The Chief Editor

I really need to start off this month's "Welcome" column with an apology. Normally, I write multiple articles for each issue of the magazine. But for the February 2016 issue, I only had time to write one other article, aside from this one, my customary "Welcome" column. Things have been B-U-S-Y.

To start off with, I have to take "call" at the hospital where I work one day every two weeks. I don't know what's blowing in the wind, but we have been extremely busy. In fact, we've been so busy that I've gotten called in extra to work the last two times I've been on call. I have another call shift coming up Monday, February 1, and I'm already anticipating that I'll end up getting called in to work for that call shift, due to the increased workload.

Then, on this past Christmas morning, we (my wife and me) found out we're expecting our second child! Here's the really trippy part: both children were conceived on the same day, we found out that we were pregnant with both of them on Christmas morning, my wife's temperature chart looks identical, and the due date for both was/is August 25 ... which is my birthday. My son must have wanted his own birthday, so he came early, on August 6.

Of course, winter days with REALLY nice weather are definitely not the norm for us here in the midwestern U.S. In fact, they are predicting a significant snowfall and bitterly cold temps within the next few days. So, we took my son to the park after getting done getting the sonogram at the OB-Gyn's office.

So between working the extra shifts at the hospital, doctor visits for the new pregnancy, making sure my son gets the time he needs and deserves from mom and dad, and everything else going on with life in general ... I found myself without the time I usually had available to write multiple articles. Hence, the apology. I'm hopeful that things will get back to "normal" for next month's magazine deadline.

Until next month, I bid you peace, happiness, serenity and prosperity.