Family Update From Vic

Hi To All
Wow can you believe it, 2010. Another decade bites the dust. We had just a great Christmas ans New year Holiday season. Lots of food, family and fun. Nancy is out early this morning doing her workout to keep fit. I decided I should stay plump to keep the cold out of my bones!! We had the whole family together for most of the week between the holidays.
Hillary has had a very good last 2-3 weeks. The best she has had since June. Dr G tried to put her into the hospital on Dec 22nd but she just cried a little and pulled it back together. I told Dr G that I don't thinks she wants to stay. He thought I was very astute at reading human behavior!! He did get the message and got all the tests that he was going to admit her for done as an out patient in about 4 hours. He was just like Santa Clause pulling the best gift out of his sack!! They put her back on steroids and has improved greatly. This week she has gone to Boston twice. She now has a lung specialist from Dana Farber that understands the problem and has seen it many times before. The communication between departments at Dartmouth has not been good. She did tell me that this is a good as her lungs expect to get. She has improved a lot as she went sliding with xander. 1 trip was all she could take but she did it! We just look at it as another day in paradise. 1 day she can enjoy. She really expects the cancer to come back with avengence from the steroids this time. Not sure her lungs can take another dose of chemo. She sees what is coming and hopes it doesn't. But she isn't going to just hang around and wait for something bad to happen. We are all coaching Basketball for 1st graders this morning!! Is there any better way to enjoy the day!! No time to waste

Everyone else is doing well.

Heather, Allen, Pierce and Preston were up for the Holiday. Allen is doing some amazing work at Boston Scientific. He has found it very challenging and has stepped up his work to meet it. Heather looks great for 10 weeks after having Preston. The kids were a lot of fun during the holidays.

Jon is heading to California tomorrow to look at engineering a job using different equipment that they use here in NH. It is a complicated turbine blade with an air foil that has a very high scrap rate. His company GKN, is flying him out for 4 days because they think he has the best solution. His is at the top of his game right now! As you can see I am very proud of my Son in Laws.

Grace is working at Maine

Medical in Portland. She is finishing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She already has her RN degree. Pat and Grace are hoping to get all the plans together for a October 2nd wedding. Patrick is in his last semester at Vermont tech for his Environmental Science and Engineering Degree. He is looking for a job in the Portland area after he graduates so that Grace can continue getting her Nurse Practioner or further degrees.

Nancy and I are headed for Florida this week. She has to present the new Dental Hygiene Exam to representatives of 14 states, about 500 people at her General Assembly conference. She worked all fall as chairman of the committee, trying to put an exam together that would be unified and accepted in all 50 states. This is going quite well. I don't know she keeps us all going!

Me, I am just proud to sit back

and enjoy how the family has blossomed. I always try to look back at the past year and wonder if I would change anything or if I have any regrets. Then I look forward to what is in front of us for the next year. Yes there are plenty of troubles in the economy, sadness, obstacles. But If you meet the challenges that life puts in front of you each day with a positive attitude it seems to always work out. Hopefully 2010 will work out great also.

Lots of love and Thanks for those thoughts and Prayers
Have a very happy New Year
Vic Nancy, Heather, Allen, Pierce, Preston, Grace and Patrick, Xander Jon and especially Hillary