Belated thank you note

• Thank you, Lisa Doty Guerrero and Kim Harper Frances, for teaching me to ride a bike at grandma and grandpa Doty's house. Lisa brought infinate patience, Kim brought passionate motivation--it was the perfect storm, and the bike got rode.


• Thank you, Rachel and Riley Doty for the American Royal, trips in a big grain truck with too many people in the cab, trips to Silver Dollar City, trips all over. I hope there's a travel plan in heaven.


• Thank you, Bob and Joyce Doty, for taking me to the Camelot Hotel in Little Rock, AR when I was 14, and showing me for the first time what man made splendor was.


• Thank you, Julie Doty Mankins, for being my first best friend. Thank you Susie Harvey, for being the last best friend I'll ever need.


• Thank you, Elaine and Clyde Harper, for the camping trips and the pies made out of white bread and cherry pie filling, cooked over a campfire.


• Thank you, Chris and Sharon Harper, for buying all kinds of stuff I sold when I was in school for this or that. I always think of you when I see a little kid with an order blank in his hand.


• Thank you, Laura Harper McWilliams, for showing me in adulthood what peace looks like, and for all those late night little girl talks under the Nadia Comaneci poster in your room back in the day.


• Thank you, Lisa Brass Ross, for the funny, funny, oh so funny.


• Thank you, Lisa Viets, for freshman year in high school, and not having to walk the halls alone.


• Thank you, Barbara Anderson Bickford and Stephanie O'Neal Beck for the 80s funny, funny, oh so funny, and how many times did we sing The Rose on some sort of stage, or at least in front of people? Too many. Bette Midler called. She wants her song back.


• Thank you, Andrew and Tiffany Lough and Michael and Alicia Moore, for Branson. Each and every time.
• Thank you Terri Hines, for several thousand dollars' worth of lunches. I'll never live long enough to pay you back! And for being my friend, and funny and for helping me face all those doctors . . .

I know I'm forgetting somebody . . . I'll probably have to do this again with a second list.

Mom and Dad, Brandon and Karen, Shauna and Matt, Monte, I'm always thankful for you, and hopefully you know what for.