Same problem here, except the bark is not damaged. Planted the North Star sour cherry bareroot in January. It leafed out fine, but something kept eating the leaves. Never have seen what it is, so I spray chemical poison every week. Still, the leaves were small and would not grow. I cut back about a 3rd the length of the limbs, thinking my roots needed less pressure on them. That seems to have helped a small tiny bit. It's been a dry Spring here, so too much water shouldn't be an issue. I do water about once a week if needed (id dirt is dry under mulch). I'm thinking cherry trees are not made for the south, I'll probably replace them with nectarine, peach, and plum if this keeps up. My whip stellas are growing leaves, but aren't making limbs...maybe I'll cut them back since they're about 6-7 feet tall.

Dear Tammy, please know my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family on the loss of your grandbaby. I know exactly how you feel as I lost a son under similar circumstances 14 years ago. My wife and I had two other children after that but while the sting of the loss of Matthew has subsided, it never will go away completely. I have no practical advice for you unfortunately. What I can tell you is that all holidays and birthdays and other family events for quite some time will be affected. My wife's best friend had a son a month after our son's due date so we were reminded of our loss daily for awhile, then weekly, etc. until it struck us less and less frequently. But of course, it would flare up again at a birthday party or somesuch happy event for our friends son. There is just no avoiding it. I'd give Robyn lots of hugs and support during those parties and let her cry her eyes out. Hopefully, Angel will understand but it will be hard on everyone. I don't know if this would be what you or Robyn would want but this worked for us; we did have a small birthday event (I hesitate to say 'party') in honor of our son each year for a while. It helped my other sons to remember their brother although they never knew him. I'd also suggest Robyn hold on to some keepsakes if she thinks that would be of comfort - a receiving blanket for example. Nothing hurts as bad as this does. I pray you find comfort and peace. Best wishes, Doc

Wow, I just read all the posts. Thought I'd add my comments to motivatedmother. I'm also pregnant at the moment, so I totally understand the hormonal thing, the size thing, work, all of it. Difference between us is that I'm a little older and married to the most wonderful man. That said I'm sure I'm about to make someone angry but here goes...... Actually I thought Asolo's comments were not mean but helpful and to the point. It may not be something you want to hear at the moment which is another thing. This is a bad situation you're in. I'm sorry, but if you are living at home at this age, and with 3, almost 4 children, your parents are indeed supporting you. You should be grateful for that and acknowledge them for it. They don't have to do it but they do because they love you and your children. If you wanted a marriage like your parents, it was possible, but you chose the wrong person. Actions speak louder than words and you should have chosen someone who is actually in the process doing things to achieve the life you want to live, like an education, greater job responsibility, and so on. Any adult man who plays video games is a HUGE clue on his emotional and mental maturity. Adult men who are emotionally and mentally mature spend their time with their families or doing things that will otherwise benefit the family. They are committed to their family FIRST. I don't mean to say they don't have hobbies or interests of their own because of course everyone does, however, video games as an adult man's "hobby" would be alarming to me. Video games cost a lot of money and take up a lot of time, time away from family. They are a great way for adults to avoid spending time with others, isolate yourself, or to zone out of/avoid reality. I think your husband spends his money on HIS wants (vs needs) because he's immature, another HUGE problem. He is not focused on you or the baby, or the other three children you have. He's focused on himself. This would be very alarming to me. Your parents are in an awful position and I feel for them. They obviously love you and your children and want to help you. From your husband's perspective, they are great because they support him and this relieves him of responsibilty towards you and even himself. It allows him to continue to be immature. There's no incentive to change. If he really wanted to grow up, he'd take this golden opportunity to get some skills which he could evenutally use to better his life, your life and that of your children. A mature man would be looking for ways to build a better life for himself, you and your children, whatever way he could, even getting another part time job if that's all that is available. As wonderful as I'm sure your children are, I hope you will not have any more until you are capable of providing for them yourself so they will have the best chance at a better future. You owe them that. That means more than just food and shelter. Are you saving for their future education for example? Are you saving for your own home? Your parents provided a home for you, and you should provide a home for them. Even if you continue to live at home for the rest of your life, and you work and save for them, you have chosen a difficult path. You are now responsible for 4 lives in addition to your own. It doesn't sound like you will ever have much support from their fathers. You have created a difficult life for yourself, not impossible, but much more difficult than it needed to be. Whatever the past was, you have to make today the best it can be so just do it. I think what you are asking here is how you might change your husband to be the man you want him to be. Well, unfortunately that's just not possible. You can only control yourself. You have no control over him. You can suggest, ask, beg, plead, cry, explain, reason, force, threaten, manipulate, or whatever else you want but you will never be able to change him, only he can do that. That's why we must be especially careful in who we choose to marry and have children with. We can't let emotions rule our head. Teach your children this so you won't have 4 children with their husbands/wives or boyfriends/girlfriends, plus all their children looking to you to provide for them. That's a lot of people. Remember, actions speak louder than words. Words are easy to say, but actions actually require hard work and lots of effort. Don't listen to what he says, look a what he does. If they are different what he is doing is who he really is. That will tell you what kind of a person he is and what kind of life you will have. I truly wish you the best in your pregnancy and with the coming baby. I hope you will work all this out, however it ends, and that you are able to improve the situation for yourself, your children, and your parents. Yes, I include your parents in that because since you live with them which makes them part of your immediate family life. You already know everything you need to do, the answer is in your heart.

The news media is really good about making too much of something in order to increase viewers. Maybe they're doing it again, it's hard to tell since they've done it so much in the past. This is not to say I'm not concerned, though. It's just that I think we shouldn't panic. When the swine flu vaccine was offered, years earlier, I felt it had been thrown together too quickly and I didn't think it was wise to get innoculated. It was a wise choice as later I heard people were dying or having severe permanent disabilities because of it. My family and I do go and get a flu shot every year and have for years, though. My dad was five years old when his father died during the Spanish flu epidemic in Iola, KS. In 1918, people had very little medical care. Dad's dad was never placed in the hospital, because there wasn't one anywhere near, and he was treated with home remedies because there were no medicines. Even at the age of 90, my dad would get tears in his eyes when he would talk about the day his dad died. It was a scarey time, with people burying their loved ones every day. It seemed like the healthiest people were the ones who died. I have read that that particular strain of flu was airbourne and people who caught it were those who were outside the most. There was a huge flu epidemic in the 1700's in Germany. My German ancestors came to America after losing most of their family to it, thinking they would be safe from the flu if they left Germany. Even less treatment for it in those days, but at least people were further apart from one another. Once it got into your family, though, that was it for many of the other members as well. Truly, the flu has done a lot to change history. Like was said earlier, had people not died, many of us would not be here. I wouldn't, had my ancestors stayed in Germany. And my Dad's dad was getting ready to move his family to another state. Had they moved, my dad wouldn't have met my mom. Bottom line is, I'm a Christian and I'm not afraid to die. Death to me is just going to the next stage. Yes, I'll be grieved if I survive but lose my loved ones but life on this earth is a crap-shoot anyway. Death catches up to all of us sooner or later, whether it be flu, war, crime, or crossing the street in front of a beer truck. Take normal precautions, and stay calm.