Happy Holidays! We hope this finds you healthy, happy, safe and -- hello! -- solvent!
First, the kids.
MIKE
Mike, a month away from 11, is now in 5th grade (oops, sorry “Mommmm, I’m in Middle School now!”).
He remains focused and passionate about music, horses and cooking. Piano, Choirs and Organ dominate the music landscape, and Mike has progressed wonderfully under the tutelage of fantastic teachers and his own, very real, enthusiasm. He attended the Royal School of Church Music Choir camp in Tulsa (yes, that’d be the one in Oklahoma), has started horse jumping, and has played organ both at school and church services.
On the cooking front, Mike has really honed some tasty specialties. He sees blending these all together in a lifetime vocation, as his plan is to convert a country church to a restaurant, so that people can ride their horses to dinner and he can entertain the diners in between courses with improvisations on the organ. Hey we’re counting on this for our retirement!
“I’m going to spill the milk today.”
Mike telling his teacher that he was going to share that he would be playing the organ during Chapel.
“Mom, I know where I want to go to college. Where should I go to high school?”
“Mike, let’s get to 5th grade first, ok?”
“Mom, I’m not going to try out for the play. I think starting 5th grade will be too thrilling to add more to my schedule.”
“Oh, but I have a lot more to tell you.” Mike to his RSCM Medal examiners after they had told he was done with the test. He passed!
“Mom, we found out that we can say no if we’re eating something. So we’re going to hang out by the snack table, and if any girls come over to ask us to dance, we’re just going to put something in our mouths.”
LIAM
Liam now 8 has made wonderful, dramatic strides this year. We’ve been thrilled with Liam’s special needs school Arbor Bay, where he is now in 2nd grade, and particularly excited about his very special teacher Mrs. King.
Liam is speaking with more and more vocabulary and diction and many full sentences, which is a huge achievement. (Remember when we told you Liam was quiet, and all we wanted was for him to talk? Oh yeah, beware what you wish for!).
He attacks each day with enthusiasm and joy and is on the run from morning to night with school, speech & occupational therapies, horseback riding, swimming and soccer.
Not one to question his worth, Liam commands great attention wherever he goes, and is not afraid to raise his hand in any situation (ask anyone at church!).
Firefighting and catching the bad guys remain favorite activities, (we’ve worn through 3 firefighter suits since last December!) while Emergency! (yes, from the ‘70s), Dirty Jobs and “’puter” games remain favorite screen time activities.
Carahers Staying Stateside: Cancel Move To Ireland!
The good news is: we won’t be moving to Ireland to escape the incoming administration. The bad news is: no vacation destination in the Emerald Isle for all of our friends.
We are thankful for and inspired by our friends who did so much to help reason prevail (Hello Suzanne Jancsek, it’s your turn to play, “this is your life!”) around the country. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
The particulars of this election + my advancing age drove me to start blogging, and sharing information broadly and even raising money for specific causes — a new thing for us. Thanks to everyone who is still talking to me!
And while we are hopeful for our country, we are bereft at the passage of Prop 8, which removed the right for same-sex marriage from the California Constitution. In the end, we believe that love will trump hate and that the separation of church and state will find its way back into the law.
And Now Lee & Pete
Pete started the year by converting to the Episcopal Church (yes, totally of his own volition). He remains the “Rock,” is still with A&B Produce working half time there and, using the Car Talk Guy’s math, full time at home making it all work. He goes on his 3rd Christmas Bird Count in a couple of weeks and has built one of the largest unread libraries about birds in the Bay Area. (Who has the time?)
All the boys spent the summer in Wisconsin with my father, for another great “real” summer on the lake, were able visit Sue and Jerry in Kansas, and Pete and Liam visited Pete’s Aunt Jo in Arkansas.
We spent a another great week on Madeline Island with our friends the Blundells and the Skillings/Grahams (6 boys, 3 dads, 3 moms...wait make that 9 boys and 3 moms) which was fantastic.
Double Forte has kept me on my toes (and this economy is doing a good job too) and 2009 promises to be interesting, to say the least.
Beyond work, I’ve been busy on the board of Community Gatepath, KQED TV and Radio, and the Choir School — all of which have been fulfilling in different ways.
I’ve taken to blogging because I simply can’t remember it all anymore and we’re both active on Facebook so you find out so much more than you would ever want to know by connecting with us on FB or reading Lee's Blog or www.caraherfamilymatters.com.
We wish you a joyful & restful holiday. We hope for peace, safety and justice in the world.
Happy 2009!
Love, Lee, Pete, Mike & Liam
**This is one lovely looking layered salad!
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