Hello All!  Blessings for a Merry Christmas and a fulfilling 2005! 

It has been so wonderful having Tate and Sarah home for the holidays.  They simply add something to each day that makes life interesting.  I mean, I haven't been part of getting someone "unstuck" for quite some time, but with them here, the MINI 12 inches deep in mud, rain and wind, and no Randy--life is fun!  I'm sure you've read their blogs and know the case from a few days back. 

I sure hope that apartment hunting online is a good idea.  Thank God that T & S know Tara and Billy in NYC and will at least have a place to stay for a few days, until they get their feet wet (and probably cold) and can locate a decent and reasonable place to live for the next saga of their young lives.  I look forward to a visit to NYC--never been there, but sure am gonna enjoy some time in the Big Apple :)  I don't know when we'll go, but I'm sure we will.

I've missed Randy the last 2 days--Weezie, his mother, fell because of a blackout due to a diabetes imbalance and now has a hairline fracture of the pelvis and a seriously bruised ribcage.  He's been with her and unable to be home with Tate and Sarah--it's not fair!  He spent the night with her last night, and now tonight I have to spend with MY mother who  has Alzheimer's disease.  Yea, sometimes life gives you lemons!!!   Getting old is not good!!

I look so forward to tomorrow when we will get together with my family--brothers, sister, in-laws, neices and nephews, and all that delicious food--not to mention the gift exchange that occurs each Christmas.  Talk about fun!!!   Randy and I have pulled names with my family for almost 20 years and we still don't tell who we pull.  Now, the younger generation, they seem to not be able to live with the secret--SHAME!!!

I hope that everyone is deeply aware of the true meaning of the season and the great gift we were all given in the birth of Jesus.  He came so that we might have life and have it to the fullest!  Live your life so that you have it to the fullest!!

God bless you!!!!

How about a joke... Enjoy Randy, Iva's husband, Tate's Dad and Sarah's F-I-Law.

Boudreaux goes to court

  Boudreaux had a bad vehicle accident, caused by a
truck. In court, the trucking company's fancy lawyer was
questioning Boudreaux.

      "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, "I'm fine," asked the lawyer? 

Boudreaux responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule, Bessie, into the . . . "
 "I didn't ask for any details", the lawyer  interrupted. "Just answer the question? Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, "I'm fine!"?

Boudreaux said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road . . "
The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client.
 I believe he is a fraud.  Please tell him to just answer the question."
 By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Boudreaux's answer  and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about  his favorite mule, Bessie".

Boudreaux thanked the Judge and proceeded,
 "Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer
 ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one  ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning.  I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans."
 "Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road, gun in  hand, and looked at me, and said 'How are you feeling?'"
 "Now what the heck would you say?" 

Check out this email I received.                               Randy, Tate's Dad!...Sarah's favorite father-in-law! 

CMP – It’s What You’ve Been Searching For!

The Captioned Media Program (CMP) has free-loan media for you! Besides offering a completely free and easy means to finding classic entertainment videos, a visit to the CMP Web site at http://www.cfv.org reveals a host of captioned educational titles that can be a part of anyone's repertoire of tools and resources for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

A quick stroll through the catalog of over 4000 items brings to mind a number of ways the CMP can serve as a tremendous resource source of open-captioned videos, DVDs and online streaming.  There are topics on
everything ranging from birth to emptying the nest and everything in between.

Catalog sections of interest to individuals working with young children such as:  child care; child development; parent and child; parenting; children’s literature; alphabet; animal stories; literacy; children’s
songs; nonverbal media; fairy tales; folklore; pets; and more!

Sections for individuals working with older children include: adolescence; conflict resolution; courtesy; dating; adolescent literature; self-perception; social issues; sports & games; study skills; drug abuse;
emotions; friendship; grooming; health care; nutrition; values & ethics; and others!

Lastly, all  individuals can find great information in the following catalog sections: safety; sign language; special education; deafness; first aid; family life; accident’s & prevention; and disabilities.

So browse your print or online catalog, and make CMP educational titles part of your family enrichment activities today!

For more information call: 1-800-237-6213 (v), 1-800-237-6819 (tty)

Happy Birthday to our beautiful,sweet,gracious,caring,loving,etc. DAUGHTER-in-law Sarah D. Tullier.  Thank you Tate for capturing her heart and bringing her into our family.  Thank you Richard & Charlotte D. for sharing this gift with us also.  We Love her dearly.

We are injoying being here in DC with them.  Today we went to mass and this afternoon when Tate finished his five (5) photo shoots we went to ARTomatic, an art exhibit in a five story building behind Union Station on "H" St., it was really nice.  The work part of our visit will probably start tmw night.  Trying to cram all their "stuff" into our van for the trip back to LA.

The Hanumantha's have welcomed us into their home.  Shilpa and Smitha's parents are really warm and loving people.  It is obvious they love their daughters, their family and T & S.  We will always be greatful for them taking care of our loved ones here in DC.  I hope that one day we can share our home with them in LA.

To all of T & S's friends in DC, thank you also for being a big part of their lives the last three years.  Y'all will miss these two crazy, wild, fun people as much as we did when we had to see them leave us to come here.  To the people (probably in NYC) who will be where they go next... DUCK!!!!, Alert the Police, the Fire Dept., local eateries, Coffee Houses, etc. to brace themselves.  They ARE coming.  I promise you, y'all will enjoy their zest for life. 

We have them for 4-5 weeks in LA.  They probably will go into big city withdrawal, but will survice.  We will FEED them big time, Party hearty, and just hang out and share stories.  The time will fly by and they'll be off again. 

Iva and I want to be the first to wish you all happiness, health, wealth, and all the Love of family and friends in the remainder of 2004.  Happy holidays, Marry Christmas, & Happy New Year!  Yeah, I know I'm early, but wanted to be among the first of the well wishers.

Cheers, much Love,  Randy.... Tate's Dad!