The Will Show

Will and Katie came for a quick visit. It is soooo much fun to see how fast he is learning to do things - like reading! Enjoy the following videos!

VIDEO #1 : Will Reading His Favorite Book

VIDEO #2: Bubby & Dorothy Gordon (in their young 90's) came over to play ball with Will.

WARNING: The following videos contain BN (baby nudity) & AL (adults laughing)!

Will is in our bathtub having a ball. He discovered how to turn on the cold water and for some reason every time he does it he is surprised and screams "cold". He also enjoyed the mirrors and blowing bubbles (once he figured out how to do it in the water!)

The WILL Show !

Katie sent the following videos to us to show us how well Will is talking and walking - very exciting! Katie and Reagan taught Will some things to say in sign language so that he could have some manners before he is able to actually say words. It's the new thing to do with this generation and I really like it - He can say "please" , "thank you" , "all done" and "more". He also is very into his prosthetics and now brings his "zancos" which he calls shoes (smart boy!) to Katie because he wants to wear them all the time - wow - his therapists at Scottish Rite told us this would happen one day but I have to admit we had our doubts - amazing huh?

Thanks for Voting! Richard's Tree Won !

Oh Christmas Tree I'll VOTE for Thee!

I received something forwarded from Katie that I feel sure each and every one of you will want to cast a vote. Actually you can vote one time each day. Please read the following letter sent from someone we don't know but certainly can relate to and then go to the Neiman Marcus website. If by chance you are in Dallas this weekend for the White Rock Marathon benefitting Texas Scottish Rite Hospital or anytime this holiday season, I hope you'll get a chance to see this in person at the downtown NM store.

Hi – strange request but I could use your help for a friend. She has a son, Richard, who was born with Poland's syndrome and without one of his hands and he is missing the pectoral muscle on the same side. Richard is the strongest, most amazing child and when he was in kindergarten his friends would tuck their arms into their sleeves with only their elbow hanging out so they could "be more like Richard" because he was "so cool".

Richard is now 8 ½ and Neiman Marcus solicited children for their ideas for the Christmas Trees in the downtown Dallas windows of Neiman's. Richard's tree was chosen and he got the chance to work with the designers at Neiman's to build his tree. His idea was to build a tree of all the gifts that Texas Scottish Rite Hospital has given to children he has met over the years (wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, crutches and the like). They were so impressed in working with him that Home and Garden Television (HGTV) recently did a story on the Neiman's trees and wanted to interview Richard for their story.

So now … Neiman's chose 6 trees and they were unveiled last week in downtown Dallas. They have opened up voting to the public for our favorite tree and well … here I am shamelessly asking you to go and vote for Richard because I know how deeply winning this would be for him. He has struggled with so many things that other little boys unknowingly take for granted and I have watched he and his family struggle and grow stronger over the years.

Just last month Richard was told by one of his teachers that if she were his mother she wouldn't have bought him tie shoes she would buy him Velcro shoes as she watched him struggle to tie his shoes on the playground. He came home in tears. He and and his mom, Lori, worked for literally years to learn to tie his shoes so he could wear tie shoes like his brothers and his friends. I can't imagine how I would have reacted … but not Lori … She just told him that "well, Richard, this is why god gave you to me – because he knew I wouldn't sell you short. You can wear tie shoes and tie them just like all the other boys – and I am raising you to be a man and a man you are already becoming."

I want him to win this one and I want his mom to have this win for him (and for her too). I want it for Lori because of the challenges she has faced with the schools and our community. I have a hard time writing and talking about him because of how deeply I have experienced this struggle from the outside and how deeply I love my friend and cannot begin to imagine the strength she has had to muster for things I know I have unknowingly taken for granted as a mother.

Sorry for the diatribe but if you could , would you please vote for Richard's tree on the Neiman's website (notice the prosthetic hands reaching to the sky he designed at the top ….:) – FYI you can vote once a day! NOTE: Vote for the 4th tree on the page

Here is the link to vote:

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/service/poll.jhtml?pollCode=trees&icid=LocalStorePageTwo

Designer Richard Fogarty with his tree

It's That Time of Year...

One of the things I most love about Christmas is that I can count on traditions...I am a sentimental person and I married a sentimental guy... course unlike me he is a little better at throwing out stuff ...I still have Katie's blankie and Adam's little overalls (as well as other countles boxes of stuff that brings back so many wonderful memories I can't bear to toss). Anyway I digress...

One of the things that has become a tradition in our family for the past 20 some odd years is the Men's Group Christmas Party. It always takes place in the home of the couple that has the newest home (consequently I have hosted a lot!)

This year it was at Susan and Bryan Rossman's home-thanks so much for hosting!

If you want to read more about the Men's Group you can go to our archives in the blog "Friends" [9-2-08]

To our dear friends in the Men's Group - we treasure your friendship and your prayers!

Merry Merry Christmas and here's to the next 20 years!

from l to r: Gary & Kelly Hodge, Elam & Betty Swann, Bill & Nancy Blomdahl,

Peggy & John Berry, Bryan & Susan Rossman, & us

~~~~~~~~

A somewhat newer tradition is one that began after our kids left home....Our friends Rick & Jane Rogers have a wedding anniversary on Dec. 1 and they asked us one year to babysit their daughter Sarah and we gladly said yes. Now we have been doing this for several years. Sarah and I make a craft (we started with painting an apron for her and then cooking dinner together)...some years the crafts were a total flop! Last year we made a gingerbread house and it was so successful that we did it again this year! A lot of fun!

Sarah brought a "sister" this year - the Rogers' exchange student from China - Yier Yin, whom we call Belle...Here they are making their Gingerbread Houses.

We had so much fun eating fondue for dinner (cheese & chocolate!) It was Belle's first time to eat fondue.

It was so much fun to do Christmas things with Belle and to glimpse it through her eyes. She is from Shang Hai, China and shared that in her country Christmas is commercialized and very few homes decorate. Merchants decorate the streets and stores in order to sell things. She asked me to explain the difference between Santa Claus and Jesus. Sarah helped me share a little.

I had planned to put up a lot of Christmas decorations but we were having so much fun that never got done. As I put up the manger the next night I was sad not to have Belle with me I would have liked to talk to her more and share how much I love putting up the manger - it is really my favorite part of decorating. I always wonder about that first Christmas and I strive to remember what the real reason for the season is, not getting lost in the stress and preparations. Belle made me focus on what my home reflects and she made me think of what I need to reflect. I think I decorated a bit differently this year...not more simply (can't go there yet!) but with a different goal in mind. I don't want our Savior Jesus to be outdone by Santa. I don't want anyone who is a guest in our home to miss who and why we rejoice.

A THANKFUL WEEKEND

We were so blessed to have Adam join us this year for Thanksgiving. He and his girlfriend, Megan, flew in from Colorado on Tuesday. We invited Megan's family to join us at the lake on Wednesday night for a huge bonfire and lots of ribs! This was so much fun it might become an annual tradition!

Mat Ricks, Megan Ricks & Adam

Julie's Mom Barbara, Katie Ricks & her sister Margie Koch

Tom, Bill Ricks & his brother in law Jerry Koch

Julie & Megan

Thanksgiving was very simple but also very special. We had a less formal meal but all the same food - What can be better than that! We played the day by ear and just relaxed, ate when we felt like it and then played games. Julie's mom also joined us for the day.

We took Megan and Adam to visit with his grandparents Brown on our way to the airport.

Tom, his brother Dan and I celebrated Dad's birthday in our guest suite at the retirement home with a catered in meal from their favorite Italian restaurant. Dad was really doing well this evening and so it was a special night for all of us. Before we left, we decorated Dad's room for Christmas.

The Wooden Bowl

This was sent to us by our sister-in-law Justine Brown - author unknown:

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson.

The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.
When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.
The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.

'We must do something about father,' said the son. 'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.' So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.

There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.

He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up. '

The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless.

Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.
Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things:
a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life..'

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands.

You need to be able to throw something back

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you.

But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch --holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.