Link to Haiti

http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/slideshows/090808_haiti_floods/

This is a link to the devastation in Haiti. This link is for "mature" people only. It shows death.

Love,
Karen

Hurricane Ike

Who would have thought a hurricane could hit Cincinnati?? Well, at least hurricane strength winds. Sunday afternoon was predicted to be windy, but no one called this one. We had gusts up to 74mph and trees were snapping and limbs fell everywhere. The power was out in 90% of the Cincinnati area. School was cancelled on Monday and Tuesday. Our power came back on Monday night. It was quite amazing and we are thankful that no one was hurt in our family.

Here is the tree that snapped in our backyard. Mike among the debris in our side yard. What a mess!

Debris in our driveway. The kids and I raked Monday afternoon. Good times.

A HUGE blessing came of this!
I have a clean refrigerator courtesy of Julia!
A movie of our back yard and you can hear the wind whipping around!

FI NULL LEEE

It seems as if life has a way of getting in the way of posting. School has started and Tim and Julia are liking their new teachers and routine. Tim started the year playing football, but now is out for the season since he has Mono! It's a real bummer as he was liking the team he was on. Below is him crashed on the couch after his first day back at school. He had quite a bit of homework to catch up on and is still working on getting it all done. The joys of middle school. Labor Day weekend we went to Michigan to celebrate Aunt Linda's birthday. I'm sorry I didn't get any photos of Linda or Tom. BUT, below is a photo of Kaitlyn and Nick. Nick had just arrived at the Tomala's house. Kait and Nick had not seen each other since mid May when Nick left for Germany. They were very happy to see each other again!

So happy together!

Julia recently got contacts and she is so happy!

And, Kaitlyn and Michael are now engaged!

They got engaged the day Kait returned from Haiti. Michael was here to surprise her. The wedding will be Thanksgiving weekend. We have been busy making all the plans. We don't have much time! We are very happy about this!

Please keep the country of Haiti and all it's people in your prayers.

Mike and Tim for Obama

Unlike my conservative wife, my progressive son Tim and myself are fully supporting Barack Obama for President. Obama has the ideas, vision, intelligence and tenacity to propel our country to prosperity in the new global economy. In addition, Obama will restore our respect and integrity worldwide. Unfortunately, our standing internationally was severely eroded by the lack of planning and forethought by George Bush and Dick Cheney. (Just as our son Nick who spent six weeks in Europe this summer. Our leadership is not respected at all overseas.)

Please be aware that I am not some left wing liberal. I voted twice for George Bush (I plead insanity for voting to re-elect him). As my wise brother-in-law Tom Tomala states, "it is understandable that we voted Bush in for one term, but it is inconceivable that we re-elected him for a second term." I'm an independent who votes based on the qualifications, integrity and intelligence of the candidates. I deplore the partisan politics that have resulted in gridlock in our nation. I'm sick of both die-hard democrats and republicans who blindly follow their party and think that each person in their party is correct and that the other party is always wrong. Let's not listen to idiots like Al Franken and Rush Limbaugh who wear blinders. Let's have a brain and think independently rather than toeing the party line. That's when we'll really move our country forward TOGETHER.

I'm hoping and praying for an Obama victory in November and the beginning of new, progressive and enlighted leadership in America.

Mike

I lost sleep

I woke up this morning and knew I wanted to blog about this topic. I know I am opening myself up to criticism, but I wanted to know if anyone else is feeling this way or set me straight if I need to re-think this thing.

Why is John McCain's VP pick Sarah Palin?

John McCain is old and does Sarah have the experience to lead our country? I hate to say this, but it's a very real possibility. I just don't think she does.

But aside from that, something else is really bothering me. This is what I lost sleep over. Since most of you know, I lean more to the conservative side. I watched Sarah's family on stage yesterday at the announcement. I can't get two images out of my head. The baby with downs syndrome being held by his oldest sister and the young 7 year old who wanted to be by her Mommy's side every step of the way. It's the 7 year old that I lost sleep over. This campaign is hard on even the toughest families. Being governor of Alaska and Vice President are very different roles. OK, I will just say it.... shouldn't Sarah's first responsibility be to mother her young children? Piper, the 7 year old, wanted to be with her Mommy. Trip, her four month old special needs son will need her to be available to him. I really liked Sarah. She seems like a very nice woman. She is about my age. I admire her accomplishments in her life. But being VP or even President will make her first priority our country, not her family.

As a conservative, I just feel like John McCain made the wrong choice for his VP.

Now, I don't know who to vote for.

this and that

Here is an update of this past week:

- Tim and Julia started school today. Tim left the house at 6:42am and won't be home until after football practice at 6:00pm. Julia had a great first day and says she has no homework.

- I enjoyed my first day of the kids back to school. Caught up on stuff around the house, but have a lot more to do.

- Mike is doing well. He enjoyed having Kait home last week and was sad when she left.

- Kaitlyn had a job interview this morning. She left Saturday morning and is back in Ann Arbor. I had a great two weeks with her and I miss her very much. She is living with her pastor and his family.

- Nick began classes today at MSU. He sounded tired, but happy.

- Tim finished his acting classes this past weekend. He had a modelling show yesterday.

- Julia is now playing soccer and she is loving it.

- I miss Haiti.

Welcome Home Kaitlyn!

Kaitlyn and I had a great "Welcome Home" greeting at Cincinnati's airport on Sunday.

Mainly this was for Kaitlyn.

Tim, Julia and Mike were waiting with signs!
We are all so happy to have Kaitlyn back in the USA!
But wait.....there was someone else who wanted to greet Kaitlyn...

Michael!

He was sitting in this row of chairs and walked up.

Kaitlyn was SOO surprised!

Hurray...I could keep a secret!

(except I did tell Colleen.....shhhh)