I'm not being morbid, just join the babes on their journey; they are not alone! I refuse to forget them! I'm not sure why, I think because our first day of school is quickly approaching (11 more days), but for the last three days I've left for the workday on my way to pick up my son at camp, I am so exceedingly glad I didn't live in Beslan, Russia on September 1-3, 2004. I cannot stop thinking about School Number 1 and the terrifying things which happened to the most fragile of humans by the most horrific of our species. I'm still hearbroken for those teachers, grandmothers, fathers, baby boys, mothers, big girls, each and every one who knew they were going to die. Or worse, the mothers who had to leave the gym with babies in tow, but left behind the older sibling to die (or the one who died with the older sibling, but left a babe orphaned) choosing the fate better left chosen to Another; what a horrible decision to be faced with for the rest of their lives. It's just been nibbling at my psyche for these last few days. To top it off, today, when I read "...but at least four submerged vehicles had been located with sonar, officials said. 'We have a number of vehicles that are underneath big pieces of concrete, and we do know we have some people in those vehicles'", I just wanted to shut down. How horrible a site for the person operating the sonar. Worse, you know at least some of the "occupants" are kids. Even if the school bus kids survived, the next child's parent(s) didn't. I guess I'm on an "we're alive and I get to hold my baby", kind of thought kick. I love him so so so much and hurt when he hurts. But he's here and I get another chance to touch him again, on a day where I am remembering those who died with very little life lived. Poor dear ones. Saying my prayers for them.

Jan, I immediately thought about you since it was south of us, thinking How far south? Glad to know you weren't affected. We even had a broken window on our 12th floor office at work; scaffolding smacked it hard. Suz, as my ultrabright boss says, It is what is. Life is coming at me hard, but I am actually equipped this time around, lots of good vibes from good friends/cyberfriends. Sheila, you saying you're proud of me means the world to me as I value your opinion greatly. After class last night, I moved the food from the old fridge and freezer into the new one. I felt a universe amount better, as though they'd been annointed. ;)

A year after DD was born, we were visiting the Dr for her checkup. The checking nearly completed, Doc looks at me and asks if I'd ever heard of ADHD. Nope. That was over 30 years ago, and to make a very long story short, DD was formally diagnosed as being ADHD, along with allergies to oranges and to artifical food colorants, with a [later confirmed] suspicion that the allergies themselves were contributors to the ADHD. Although medicants were available, the pediatrician was very much against using them, feeling that a careful diet and considerable training in self-control was more effective. The diagnosis was not made after a half-hour's observation, or even after a month. It tooks many months of careful record-keeping of her behavior and a strict observance of diet, along with many many visits to doctors before they determined that she showed consistent symptoms of ADHD, and that the ADHD was seriously aggravated with the intake of oranges and food items containing artificial colors of red and yellow. (And let me tell you, back then labels rarely carried much specific ingredient information and even less on food additives.) So, yes, I do understand that other folks are not very understanding. I'd like a dime for everytime someone -and family were often the worst- gave DD a cup of OJ, and for the next 30 hours *I* was the one trying to comfort and keep safe this small child suffering with literally non-stop movement, who alternated periods of running around the room with crying from the irritation caused by the allergic reaction. Once she got old enough to explain, she said it "feels like biting ants are running around under your skin." BTW, to this day she maintains that is a good description. Somewhat more is known about ADHD today than was known 40 years ago, but there is probably even more that is not known. No one can give advice on the care of a person they don't know. All I can tell you is that for DD (who has an IQ of 150+), I maintained a strict diet that contained little sugar, no citrus and no food that could possibly have a coloring additive. At that time it was known that hamburger and other meats might contain coloring, so even meat had to come from a trusted grower. We started yoga while she was a toddler -- and yes, I think it did help teach her body-control. She had to learn to take responsibility for herself, and I had to learn to let her do it. Until she learned to politely refuse [candy/koolaid/OJ/fruit punch/cocoa/soft drinks/etc] I did run interference, including explanations to relatives [repeated ad nauseum] that if she ate xxx, the food would make her very sick. Explaining isn't frustrating, but having gramma nod in agreement while handing DD an orange slice, used to raise my blood pressure. I finally accepted that gramma and a few others were not/never going to consider DD's needs. So it may have been unfamilial, but I taught DD to eat and drink absolutely nothing that I hadn't okayed first. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes. Did she ever take medicants? No. Did I consider medicines? Sure, especially if she had been up every two hours all night, and the teacher complained that she couldn't sit still for the whole lesson [ah, by that time *I* knew she could sit for almost an hour], and I had spent four hours at the grocery reading labels, and the dogs were trying hide under the sofa so she wouldn't chase them... Being the parent of an ADHD child is not easy. Being the child is more difficult. So, control the diet and provide plenty of opportunities for activity. Praise the child for every success in learning to sit still; and be prepared to explain [ad infinitum] to adults that: certain food/drinks are forbidden without exception; a 5-minute run should be allowed once an hour; swinging legs while sitting does not interfere with the brain's capability to learn; and that being active is far better for the child's development than watching TV or playing computer games. And be prepared for them to forget, not understand, or otherwise think/imply/say that you are wrong. Your reward will come in a decade as others see your intelligent, polite, considerate, responsible child mature into an adult that is a true pleasure to know.

I used a sauna once and it was very relaxing. When I came out I felt like a big blob of jello. I am jealous that your house is going so well, but glad for you. Mine has been an adventure in small disasters. Just when I was getting into serious packing took my DH to the hospital with chest pains. (I had never driven over 80mph before!) Not his heart thank God. that set us back a few days but it did give me a little perspective about what was really important. A couple days later a migrain forced me to bed for a day and a half. Then when I really thought we might move it turns out one carpet was back ordered a fact that the carpet guys neglected to tell anyone. GRRRR!! By this time the mover had broken one of our glass collection. (this mover was selected because of his experience with fragile items!) Might be possible to fix this because it was lampworked but have thus far been unable to get ahold of the artist. We had decided to move without the carpet in one room when the rain turned the drive into a morass of mud. The man who was supposed to fix the road had kept putting it off. Now he is putting on more gravel but we put off the move yet agin in fear that the truck would get stuck. Move is now rescheduled yet again for next Mon. I hope we get there before we have to leave for Mex on Dec 27. But the truth is the house is wonderful if we can just get there. Sigh!!