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Dear Family-

This is getting to be a regular habit with us, but we are happy to e-mail you and let you know that Erika is pregnant (and feeling great) and we are expecting our third child in mid December (though knowing Erika’s pregnancies we’re thinking maybe late January). We told Grandma and mom last night so my guess is that news has already worked its way through the family tree but just in case I thought I would e-mail everyone and share our exciting news.

In other news, all is well here in Medford, MA (pronounced Med-fud). I spend my days going to class and reading in the library and my nights writing about gender based violence in refugee camps and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (the thing that made everyone change their Freon and switch from aerosol cans). I’m on spring break now which basically means nothing except that I get more studying done since I don’t have those pesky classes to go to. I’m spending break meeting people who I’ll want to work with in the future or who are just really cool and I want to get to know (I have a meeting tomorrow with the former dean of the Harvard Divinity School) and pretty successfully building a network of contacts for when I someday graduate. I’ve decided to take summer courses and try to get through school a bit faster with the hope of graduating in next July after three semesters and two summers. So this summer I’ll be taking economics and role of law in post-conflict societies. Not exactly poolside reading but it should be interesting. I’m also applying for a grant to do research this summer with Catholic Relief Services. Erika and I cut a deal so I’m hoping to go overseas for up to three weeks to do research for my thesis (I’m pitching a week in each of Uganda Ethiopia and Rwanda but details are still very much up in the air).

Erika started her job at a head start program about 15 minutes from our house. She loves the people and the kids are just the right mix of endearing and challenging to keep things interesting.
Michael and Jacob are doing wonderfully. Michael goes to St. Raphael’s Catholic school three mornings a week and absolutely loves it. Between St. Raphael’s and Aunt Michele he is writing his name and starting to recognize lots of words. Jacob is picking up all sorts of strange habits from Michele, among them are this weird eye rolling/blinking thing, all the hand motions to ‘I had a tiny turtle’ and a penchant for kosher dills. Having boys is fun though Erika, Michele and even Michael are rooting for a girl this time around.

Well, it’s late in the evening and I should really get some sleep (for the baby of course). We just booked our flight to Florida for Hutchinson Island and hope to see all of you there. We’ll be there Saturday May 12th through Saturday the 19th.

See you soon.

Michael-John