Hi!

I know I haven't posted in a bit, just wanted to let you all know we are still alive!

Times are tight, things are hard but we are squeaking through, just barely.
We are still fighting to get insurance for Emily. Meanwhile, her arthritis is getting worse. Its affecting every area of her life. She hasn't slept well in close to a year now. Coupled with pain and swelling and she is just not having it easy. She does have good days though.

Logan made the honor roll, again. She is excited about a project she is working on about Greece and Mythology. She is currently still addicted to her video games and has found the joys of wifi on her Animal Crossing games. That is taking up most her time.

Thomas is still a rambunctious boy! Full of energy and always wants to be on the go, like his dad. He is sad to be changing schools next year. But he is excited to be able to meet new friends.

Sam is still a tiny mite. He is currently wearing size 12-18 month pants and we just switched to size 4 diapers, although they are still a little roomy. He doesn't talk a ton that others can understand and loves to play with trucks and cars all day. He is currently obsessed with the Cars movie and wants to watch it constantly.

Hope you all are doing well. Please leave me a post and let me know how you and your families are doing.

Sammy update

I can't say thank you enough for all your thoughts and prayers. They really must have been heard, and quick.
Sam went from being in the ICU and having the doctor saying she was not sure what was going on with him and thinking of shipping him to the biggest hospital in the state, to making enough of a recovery, that he was able to go home.

He is still not 100% in the clear. He is a very little guy, as you all know and he lost some weight. His appetite is close to nothing still but we are working on that. Being at the hospital and being poked and prodded so much, he was quite stressed. Being able to be home now has helped put a little bit of pep back into his step. He is still quite energetic and has had a few vomiting spells, but seems to be making some positive recoveries.
He has quite a few bruises and blisters/rashes from the tape and adhesive. His pointer finger is one giant blister from the nurse wrapping his hand so tight that first night. :(
He does keep rubbing his head occassionally, which bothers me for obvious reasons. Probably because of our history as a family. I am just gonna keep an eye on that for now.
Continued thoughts and prayers would be appreciated and thank you!

Update

Some of you may or may not know that my little guy is pretty sick. He has been in the hospital, in the ICU, since Monday night. They are unsure what is going on with him, something about his large intestine is what I heard. Can't quite remember what though. He has perked up a bit today, is actually sitting up and drinking. Please keep him in you thoughts and prayers.

Sam the man turns 2!

Christmas pics

Giveaway! Build A Bear Wii Game

Check out my friend,Pajamamom's blog for all the great info! This is truly a can't miss oppurtunity!

http://pajamamom.com/2008/11/giveaway-build-a-bear-wii/

What every Mainer already knows

Maine:

-is recognized as one of the most healthful states in the nation, with summer temperatures averaging 70° F. and winter temperatures averaging 20° F.

-is about 320 miles long and 210 miles wide, with a total area of 33,215 square miles, or about as big as all of the other five New England states combined.
consists of 16 counties with 22 cities, 424 towns, 51 plantations, and 416 unorganized townships.

-claims America's first chartered town: York, 1641.

-has one county (Aroostook) so big (6,453 square miles) that it actually covers an area greater than the combined size of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

-has one mountain which is approximately one mile high - Mt. Katahdin (5,268 ft. above sea level).

-boasts of 6,000 lakes and ponds, 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, 17 million acres of forestland, and 5,500 beautiful miles of coastline, including that of its 2,000 islands.

-has 60 lighthouses including Portland Head Light, commissioned by George Washington.
-has more than 25 ski areas, including nationally known Sugarloaf USA, Saddleback, Sunday River, and others.
-abounds in natural assets, 542,629 acres of state and national parks, including the 92-mile Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Acadia National Park (second most visited national park in the United States), and Baxter State Park (location of Mt. Katahdin and the end of the Appalachian Trail).

-has estimated travel and tourist income of $2.75 billion and welcomes over 8 million visitors annually.

-is America's largest blueberry-growing state, raising 98% of the low-bush blueberries in the United States. Potatoes rank fourth in acreage and sixth in production nationally.

-is nationally famed for its shellfish; over 63 million lb. of lobster were harvested in 2007. The total of all shellfish and fin harvested was approx. 223 million lb. with a total value of approx. $636.1 million in 2007 .

The Way Life Should Be!

Wheres Sammy?

An open letter to Barack Obama

Not sure if this type of coyping and pasting is allowed but, I read this letter on theroot.com and found it truly amazing and inspiring. Sums up alot of views and thoughts to a T! And yes, I know I am not african-american. :)


Alice Walker on expectations, responsibilities and a new reality that is almost more than the heart can bear.

Nov. 5, 2008

Dear Brother Obama,

You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, "hate the sin, but love the sinner." There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people's spirit. This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led.

A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the world.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

In Peace and Joy,
Alice Walker

We voted, did you?