As you can see, our picture this year stars Beau! He graduated from Saint John Fisher College in May of 2017. His degree an RN, BSN & after passing his boards, he secured a job at Strong Memorial Hospital. Beau is working at the in patient psychiatric unit. We are so happy to share, he LOVES his job! In other news, Beau still dates Hope and was even included on a family vacation out to Yosemite this past Summer. It was a very generous gift from Hope’s parents. Hope & Beau did some other traveling together before Beau started his career this Fall. He also continues to plays music & has written many songs. Beau performed with a few different bands this past year & is living home, while paying off those college loans.
Teale just turned 19 years old! She is still at Holy Childhood and will be until her graduation in 2020. Teale is as stable as we have ever had her, both mentally & medically. We are thrilled to report her chronic kidney disease has stabilized and with that, her high blood pressure is controlled also. We became her official “guardians” in 2017 & Beau has agreed to be our back up guardian. With legal documents set, there is much relief. Teale continues to enjoy many social activities with Holy Childhood and with Hteritage Christian Services. The after school programs through Holy Childhood & Pieters Family Life Center have been life changing. It is incredibly special to see Teale with so many “like peers,” who enjoy her company!
Gwenn is now at Pittsford Mendon High School. She has adjusted to the change well & appears much more comfortable in HS. She is not interested in pursuing music at this time & has chosen to concentrate more on art. With this, we have had her in private art classes and plan on continuing to help foster her talent & passion. Gwenn & I had the lovely opportunity to visit Florida last Winter as part of her Christmas & Birthday gift. My lifelong girlfriend & her family live in the Orlando area. Melanie was the kindest & most patient tour guide, taking us to all 4 Disney Parks! A big thank you to Mel, Hank, Taylor & Cami for their hospitality! Also to my HS friend, Brenda, who works for Disney & gave us tickets. Between Melanie & Brenda’s generosity, we did not pay any admissions fees at all! It was an exhausting but fun packed week! Gwenn, just had a trip to NYC with her Dad & cousin, Michaela. They hung with cousins, Celia, Casey & Karla for the weekend, while Mark hung out with our niece, Samantha. With 4 nieces in NYC, maybe we should visit more?
Mark is still at OCFS and playing in many bands. The third wheel in my marriage, Nadine, gets at least as much time with him, as I do! All joking aside, Mark juggles much and is a great partner!
We work hard to find special time together & recently had the opportunity to get away for a weekend. David’s Refuge provided us two nights in Aurora. It was soul renewing and the memories we made, will get me through just about anything that comes our way! Please check out this organization & recommend it to caregivers you know. The friendships we have made through David’s Refuge are priceless.
I continue to do a variety of things; volunteering with Dream Factory & Holy Childhood, gardening for myself & others, maintaining our family in many different ways, supporting Mark’s music & blogging; which is a therapy for me. I turned 5~O on June first, but before leaving my 40’s, I had one more big surprise, emergency appendectomy & hernia surgery on May 20th. So far, my 50’s are not so bad!
May your season be bright & joyful. May you know, though this note comes but once a year, our love is with you always! As my Great Aunt used to say, we wish you Health, Wealth & Happiness, Ellie, Mark, Beau, Teale & Gwenn
Teale just turned 19 years old! She is still at Holy Childhood and will be until her graduation in 2020. Teale is as stable as we have ever had her, both mentally & medically. We are thrilled to report her chronic kidney disease has stabilized and with that, her high blood pressure is controlled also. We became her official “guardians” in 2017 & Beau has agreed to be our back up guardian. With legal documents set, there is much relief. Teale continues to enjoy many social activities with Holy Childhood and with Hteritage Christian Services. The after school programs through Holy Childhood & Pieters Family Life Center have been life changing. It is incredibly special to see Teale with so many “like peers,” who enjoy her company!
Gwenn is now at Pittsford Mendon High School. She has adjusted to the change well & appears much more comfortable in HS. She is not interested in pursuing music at this time & has chosen to concentrate more on art. With this, we have had her in private art classes and plan on continuing to help foster her talent & passion. Gwenn & I had the lovely opportunity to visit Florida last Winter as part of her Christmas & Birthday gift. My lifelong girlfriend & her family live in the Orlando area. Melanie was the kindest & most patient tour guide, taking us to all 4 Disney Parks! A big thank you to Mel, Hank, Taylor & Cami for their hospitality! Also to my HS friend, Brenda, who works for Disney & gave us tickets. Between Melanie & Brenda’s generosity, we did not pay any admissions fees at all! It was an exhausting but fun packed week! Gwenn, just had a trip to NYC with her Dad & cousin, Michaela. They hung with cousins, Celia, Casey & Karla for the weekend, while Mark hung out with our niece, Samantha. With 4 nieces in NYC, maybe we should visit more?
Mark is still at OCFS and playing in many bands. The third wheel in my marriage, Nadine, gets at least as much time with him, as I do! All joking aside, Mark juggles much and is a great partner!
We work hard to find special time together & recently had the opportunity to get away for a weekend. David’s Refuge provided us two nights in Aurora. It was soul renewing and the memories we made, will get me through just about anything that comes our way! Please check out this organization & recommend it to caregivers you know. The friendships we have made through David’s Refuge are priceless.
I continue to do a variety of things; volunteering with Dream Factory & Holy Childhood, gardening for myself & others, maintaining our family in many different ways, supporting Mark’s music & blogging; which is a therapy for me. I turned 5~O on June first, but before leaving my 40’s, I had one more big surprise, emergency appendectomy & hernia surgery on May 20th. So far, my 50’s are not so bad!
May your season be bright & joyful. May you know, though this note comes but once a year, our love is with you always! As my Great Aunt used to say, we wish you Health, Wealth & Happiness, Ellie, Mark, Beau, Teale & Gwenn
