Young man at the Airport

I saw a young man at the airport this weekend, who seemingly had lost his legs in combat. Unobtrusively he made his way off the flight, guided by another service member. Folded neatly beneath his hands appeared to be a Marine Corps cap and uniform. We "the people" sat with our Starbucks and I-pods in our world, waiting for flights that would bring us to or from our loved ones, but I couldn't help but feel we should all stand up, if even for a moment. Is there a proper way to say thank you? Can we ease ones pain for what they have gone through and what comes next? I did not personally have my answer, so I silently thanked this young man who was physically part of my life for all of twenty seconds, but whom I hope will remain in my thoughts for much longer.

Shorty after I texted my 2nd Lt. godson, waiting for his flight to Ramstein, Germany, I was proud of him.

Hello pot of gold !!!

Colin loves Cheerleaders

Economy musings

While the downgrade of the US credit rating is a disconcerting headline, other fiscally leading countries have seen their rating slip in recent years as well. Yet we are the benchmark and the leading economy by which the world takes their cue. Fear is always a contributing factor to pullbacks with the stock market etc., but I really believe there is more than fear driving us near a recession. (if not in) Europe's own problems in tandem with ours, the Yen and the rest of the worlds financial concerns leave me extremely guarded. My advice is only spend "smartly". It's funny we always hear the line "kicking in consumer spending is great for the economy"....but no one ever wants to be first in that "line."

Fun Contest

We do this on www.facebook.com/valentineinthemorning every Tuesday and Thursday. You have to guess the celeb! Did you know who this was ? Click over to see :)

Hi I am 3

Colin update

My wife sent this update just the other day. As you may remember Colin had some tough times his first couple of years with multiple hospital stays :(

.....but every day is new ;)

 Hello to all of our family and friends!

We haven't sent an update on Colin in awhile, so we thought since he had his 3 year well check yesterday; that this would be a good time to give everyone an update! 
He is happy and healthy and weighs 37.2 lbs. And is 39 1/4" tall. Which puts him in the 90th percentile for both weight and height! Thanks to his continued love of books and his amazing pre-school, he easily met his developmental milestones. He wasn't so excited about getting a shot, but it was a piece of cake compared to what he has been through in his short three years. We are grateful and Blessed that he has been fever free since his surgery last summer, and he recently had a check up with his immunologist at UCLA. The Dr. told us that they have never seen such a healthy child in their department. He doesn't have to go back unless he presents symptoms again, or when we drop him off for freshman year as a Bruin! 

We are forever grateful for all of the prayers that you sent our way while Colin was sick, and in and out of hospitals and doctors offices. As Sean likes to say "now my heart lives outside of my body."

Well his heart is smiling :)

Leilani

Sean

Colin's Daddy

Leilani's Husband

Red Sox Fan

Twitter @Go4Valentine

I saw Peter Pan today

Colin as a ghost

Blanket over his head in the crib

Baby Recall

Standard Homeopathic Company, in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is voluntarily recalling its Hyland's Teething Tablets. The company is initiating this recall in an abundance of caution due to an FDA investigation of its manufacturing facility. Hyland's Teething Tablets are manufactured in the United States and distributed throughout North America.

Colin Update :)

So I was sitting here and thought to myself maybe I have not done a Colin update in a while.

 

When you receive so many well wishes and prayers for your child who is ill, you never forget.

 

Colin is doing great! The fevers are down for over 3 months now and he is thriving. He did have tubes put in his ears and an adenoidectomy which seems to have helped.

 

I'm not sure if as a parent you ever stop worrying, but knowing that bone marrow biopsies, carcenoid tests, nueroblastoma results are negative can be a huge relief !

 

One thing I have learned with all our hospital stays is that even though the results were negative for us, there are parents who have different outcomes.

 

The doctor walked into their hospital room with different results.  

 

I know what it is like to sit around a hospital pacing, or to just wait by a phone and wonder if "no call yet" is a good thing or bad.

 

So as we race towards the holidays we always try and remember others in our prayers, but sometimes we get tough news on days that just end in a "y".

 

Thank you for caring about our son :)

 

Valentine

Facebook "Pages"   "Valentine in the Morning"

 

PS : My police uniform stilll fits !  (not the pants though..)

 

 

NFL look out - here we come

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fDyDLFi0XU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Funny 3 read down

Ok finally after I had Dawn next to me say Scott's name he started to wonder what's up! Now Dawn is the young lady sitting next to me I clued in when Scott got up to use the restroom.

Absolutely hilarious-

Of course I may get billed for this--

Funny part 2

Omg. It gets better. The attendant came around offering chips and asked us all--- yet Scott was looking out the window- so I plainly said "Scott chips?" and he said "no thanks" but had not yet realized how the heck the guy in 3B knows his name ?

Haha. How long can I keep this up or die from hysteria---

Funny Story

Sitting on a plane next to my attorney and he has not recognized me yet.
Granted I have a ball cap on but he is right next to me. Lol

And it's Southwest so the seats are tight!

Haha

How long will this last ?

Of course this update may not go through until we land-

Any bets?

Over/Under is 2 hours

He just sneezed and I said "God Bless You"

Oh this is too good.

Good idea

Start a list of things that have relevance for you:

This list you give to your kids one day:
Movies you enjoyed
Songs that you loved
Places in this world that speak to you

What can we add to this?

Greatest sports moment?
Sox winning the Series will always be there in 04 and watching with my Dad and wife in 07

I still remember watching Flutie throw the pass for BC with my dad-

This is a sneaky way of making a journal :)
Start the list(s) and add to them when you can.

Email yourselves reminders when you think of one--

Except on Oct 5th (see previous post)

At dinner with Christmas

I am at dinner with Leilani trying to decide our favorite Christmas songs-

Not that you have asked BUT Lennon's Happy Christmas and James Taylor's version of the Christmas song are leading. Of course the guy at the bar with the guitar who is praying I am A&R is playing Sweet Caroline - did Diamond do any great Christmas tunes ?

...oh god he just segued into Skynyrd....

....he also did John Denver and I considered renting a small Piper or Beechcraft...

- of course a nod to Fogelberg as growing up in New England the "snow always turned to rain"

Live in a TV Show

I got some great responses to this, and it's fun to play at the dinner table.

If you could live in a TV show what would it be? Your not the "character" but you live in their world.

A few of your picks then mine:

Golden Girls - (nice Liam)
Hart to Hart
Original Star Trek
Sex and the City
Saved by the Bell
Mr. Belvedere
Glee
Grey's Anatomy
The Real Housewives of "any city"
CHiPS
Twin Peaks (odd)
Flinstones (very odd)
Magnum PI
A-Team
Fantasy Island
Gilligans Island (from a Ginger fan)
Dynasty
Dallas
Falcon Crest (last 3 from same guy)
American Idol (Ryan fan)
SNL
Hawaii 5-0

Alot of kids in the 80's.....or we need better shows.

I am sticking with the Love Boat!
Great mixed drinks, always new folks to meet, good weather, shuffle board,
...wait that last part might be a negative.

What's yours ?

I did like "Murder She Wrote" because Cabbot Cove is so pretty but the higher "crime rate" and lack of an appropriate police response was a turn off.

Neuroblastoma

Hello world-

Our son Colin's neuroblastoma results are normal !! Just spoke with his doctor and levels are fine!

I am in tears

My tush

O my o my-
This is my tush
Colin bit my butt through my shorts. All night I was like a "Nam" vet with Post Traumatic Stress. Everytime I saw him I got nervous - he had that look!

I hated when he went behind the kitchen island and I lost sight of him.

Freaked me out like when you think there is something in the water below you but you just can't see it!
I'd catch a glimpse of him .."what's that...did you see that..where is it?"