The family is already hooked into social services. They ARE receiving the help that they qualify for. They get custodial care 5 days a week, for seven hours each day. They COULD have sent him to a nursing home--but only one that would accept medicaid patients. Their private insurance would only cover...I think it was 90 days. That would have been easier for the family--but he'd have "turned his face to the wall." Thomas wrote his own advanced directives when he turned 18. The hospital had to get his permission to insert (install?) his stomach-port feeding tube. He has the option of having it removed...should he so desire. I don't think he'll go that route, unless he fails to improve. Susan--I'll get on that web-search right away. If you are willing to help...I'll keep you in mind as well. I don't think any of these modifications that Paige wants for her house are hurry-up-and-do-it-yesterday...but folks at church want to help--and keep asking her what they can do...so she's been putting together her "in a perfect world" list. I hope you have a FABULOUS time in Norway. Remember--whatever you buy--you have to get home! ;~) Florence,Deb,Sammy, Carla--Thanks for the kind words. Keep Thomas and family in your prayers/positive energy list. I've been over on That Home Site--there is a lighting forum! One of the memebers has offered to help me with a lighting plan once we have the blueprint for the room--he says we should know furniture and art placement before LP is designed. THAT is the sort of guidance I need(ed). I love y'all--you know that? I'll post updates as I get them. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks everyone, The patio is painted concrete.....DH did it when he first moved into the house...it actually needs repainting because its chipping in some places...but its been there for about 5 years...I love it too...so bright and cheerful :-)

Thank you all. :) I feel like she was sent to us for a reason and we love her so much. She hasn't snapped at me in almost a week. LOL She still doesn't care much for our pug kids but we're making tiny steps in the right direction. I took a chance on her level of trust in me and cut her hair earlier. She done very! well , much to my suprise. Healthwise, she's on a roll in the right direction. Finally putting on some weight (she was 9 whole lbs @ her vet checkup :( ) , her hair is growing back and her owies are healing. I hope on hope there's a special place in hell for the person that treated her so badly and the more I work with her and learn , the more I hope that person goes there. That isn't neccessarily the right way to think but from my experience and in working with her , I've figured out she was absolutly loved , pampered and trained by someone in her former life and then for whatever reason landed in the wrong hands. I took her to a public event and she socially gravitated toward older gentleman and not even knowing them , sat ever so gently next to them at their feet. I really think she was owned by such a gentleman and then he met an unfortunate fate of some type (i.e. nursing home, facility or worse) and whomever was supposed to care for her in a way he hoped, sure failed her miserably. She lets me work with her , love on her and care for her BUT she truly thinks the sun rises and sets on my husband so she certainly puts more trust in men than women. Lucky for her , he loves her as much as she does him or she'd be in trouble (or I would...LOL). Anyways, that's the Honey update. :) Have a safe and happy holiday weekend everyone!!

westchestermom, he's such a sweetie! sorry - never answered the granite questions... one on the far right - white spring. one in the middle - typhoon bordeaux one on the far left - not sure (they only had numbers) but I think it's something like gold & silver. Ended up not choosing any of them.... The white spring didn't look like the sample - too much pink in it and not enough beige/caramel. The TB had the right colors, and I thought I'd tagged the slab I wanted, but it turns out they only tag from the lot, and the ones that they had when I went back had lots more grey than I wanted, and just didn't make me fall in love. The other one was a ridiculous price. Now I've got a slab of Namibian Gold on hold and I really like it and I'm probably going with that. It was way cheaper than the TB too, which fits my "overbudget" budget.