To the NEW YEAR

I don't know if anyone reads this blog anymore, but I intend on keeping it up.

I know that my daughter will never be healthy; the best she can do is live life to its fullest at any given moment in time.

After all the brain scans/tests, she found out that she has brain damage from one of her accidents. It has affected her short and long term memory, but at least it is not a brain tumor (which the doctors feared) and is getting modifications for her college work; extended time for tests etc.

Her lupus is back. It seems it never really goes away. First I had to educate myself on LMS, and now Lupus. At times I just stop looking things up as it can make me crazy.

She, Dole, and the children have been up for the holidays. It has been wonderful spending time with them, even though it has only been for part of their stay. She has two sets of sets of relatives to visit, and her husband has so many more than on our side of the family. And they have friends too! However, I am grateful for any time I get to spend with them, thought it really reinforces why women my age should NEVER have young children.(my arms and back are killing me from lifting Randy a few times-the little chubber weighs in at 27 lbs!)

Here are photos of the children,and of Megan, Larry as Santa, and my son Will. I lost the one of her and Dole..think I have to go back to the camera to get it off again!

Dole heads back to Afghanistan this summer. I try not to think too much about it, and how it will affect the children to lose their daddy for another year, or about the toll it takes on my daughter who is in poor health. Or for him..having to experience something that is less than desirable in life, and be separated from his family for long periods of time, living in a hellish place.

My vision in 2010 is that all my sick family and friends find health, and if not optimal health, strength and love to help them get through. My own work is optimizing my health while using the least invasive and chemical methods.

To you all....
A peaceful, healthy, loving 2010

patti