Hi all,

Sorry to depart from our usual softball discussions, but I know some of you are aware that for the last year my son Adam has been serving with the Illinois National Guard in an infantry unit in Afghanistan. I wanted to let you know that we found out yesterday he has now arrived safely at Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin, and we will be picking him up Monday afternoon in Effingham, IL which is his home post (due to the fact he signed up while a student at Eastern Illinois University).

Obviously, we are very excited by this. It's been a long and anxious year. He was a front-line soldier who saw his fair share of battle action, and from what we're told helped disrupt Taliban operations in the southern part of the country.

Thanks to those of you who kept Adam in your thoughts and prayers; it meant a lot. And remember that there are still many soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guard members who are paying for our ability to argue whether the rise ball actually rises and the "right" way to hit a softball by giving up their comfy homes here and putting their lives on the line.

We are looking forward to yelling at him to clean his room, do something with his life, and stop spending his money like he's been out of the country for a year. In other words, normal stuff.

Ken