Come out, come out, wherever you are

I want to let you in on a secret. Even though you don't say anything, even though you sneak around, furtively clicking on the links, I know you've been reading this blog. Even though you never - or rarely - comment, I know that you're there.

That's right, I mean you, Pickering, Canada, and Birmingham, AL, and YOU! Culpeper and Rucksville, VA. Not to mention Lima, Peru; Florissant, MI; Den Haag, South Holland; and Stoughton, WI. I see you, even if you're keeping quiet.

That's ok. I don't take it personally. Actually, it's pretty humbling. More than 100,000 of you have visited this blog in the past 13 months. And whoa, who would ever have thought that would happen when I started writing these little posts? Who thought anyone would be reading this blog, really? I'm thrilled that you've found something of value here.

That said, it has come to my attention that this is a special week - International Blog Delurking Week.

It's also a very special week for another reason: it's my BIRTHDAY this week. At the end of this week, I will turn 38. Birthdays are always a noteworthy occasion, but for me they are extra special. As a cancer survivor, every year I get to be here is a majorly celebratory milestone. As an infertile woman, every year that I creep closer to 40 is also bittersweet because it feels like the window of hope for having my own genetic child is closing.

But whether you slice it as happy and/or sad, it's my birthday this week, and for my birthday I'd like one little thing from you Internetz.

I want you to come out of the shadows and say hi. Give a wave. How did you find this blog? How long have you been reading? Anything else you'd like to say? I'd love to hear it. You can even comment anonymously if that makes you feel better. It'll only take a second, I promise.

Just try it - you might even find that you like it.

And since you've taken the time to log on and read this, I'd like the chance to tell you that I'm so glad you're out there. No joke. I'm really grateful you've been along for the ride. And who knows where the journey will go next?

So, London and Pittsburgh and Rochester and Sunnyvale, not to mention Chapel Hill and Putalia, Punjab; Cambridge and Sydney, New South Wales; Laurel, MD, and Oslo, Norway, thank you so much for reading.

Now, please - pretty please? - leave a comment. Do it for International Blog Delurking Week. Or do it for my birthday. I don't bite, you know.

Mo