For more than two years now, when you wanted to get in touch with someone at Birmingham Patch, you simply emailed or called myself — Local Editor Laura Houser.

Now, for the next three weeks, I'm taking the longest vacation of my Patch career to embark on a very exciting stage in life: marriage. This Saturday, I'm getting married to the engineer of my dreams in Cincinnati, OH and I couldn't be more excited. After that, we're going to Europe for two weeks and leaving a lot of stress and worries of everyday life behind.

But that doesn't mean I don't care about my readers, and Birmingham Patch is going nowhere. In my absence, substitute editor Kristen Skladd will be taking over the site — writing the stories, covering the meetings and events, answering your emails and finding the news that matters to you.

But she's going to need your help. Feel free to email her through Oct. 16 at kskladd17@hotmail.com with news tips, information and anything else she needs to know. My readers are my best, most trusted sources, and I'm counting on you to make her feel at home (though in a place like Birmingham, who wouldn't?).

Until then, have a wonderful start to October, Birmingham. And when I return, you'll find me introducing myself as Laura Ruschman, ready and excited to cover the November elections, the holidays and whatever comes next.