Well hello once again from dry, sunny Cary, NC. I say that with a bit of a cheeky grin because we've actually gotten some rain of late, but only enough to keep our deficit in the single digit inches.
So many updates, so little time.
We'll start with the kiddies.
Master David continues to become his own little man. Sometimes the things he says just knock us off our chairs. The other day as I took a corner, his new bike - in the back of the van - fell over. David really loves his new bike and even though he was strapped in his safety seat he had his hands on the bike as I rounded the corner. Suspecting that he had contributed to the bike's tipping over I asked him if he had knocked it over to which he replied, "It fell over when you turned. That's not my problem." I had to laugh. While there is essentially a zero tolerance policy for backtalk in the Preis household, I evaluated what he said and, well, it was said with respect and he was right. There's never a day that goes by that we don't thank God for all that David is and is becoming. This is not to say that David doesn't present his share of challenges, but we know how much he loves us and he's intimately aware of how much we love him.
We are not fishing for gifts at all but we know - and deeply appreciate - that there are lots of friends and family that read this and if anyone is looking for a birthday gift idea anything associated with WordWorld would be an instant hit. David has developed a penchant for letters and words that can only be described as a fetish. He assembles words in the playroom, in the bathroom, in his bedroom and for all we know his dreams. If you wanna know what Word World is click here. Far be it for Karen or I to stand in the way of mastery of the English (or any other) language.
So much of what I've typed about David so far is from the perspective of David as our son but we can state with certainty that if we think he's an outstanding son, he's an even better brother. He's loves Camden to a fault and paternal instincts are strong with David. This doesn't mean that on occasion he doesn't lay on his little brother and scare the bejesus out of his mother and I, but David on occasion wakes Camden with a greeting of, "Good morning little brother", and sends him off to sleep each night with an exchange of kisses blown to and returned by his little brother.
Camden is following in his big brother's footsteps as far as continually exceeding our expectations as well. So what's Camden doing these days? Some big milestones for Camden are coming to pass here soon. Camden is getting up on his knees in both the crawl mode but more frequently he's using his newly acquired kneeling skills to get up on the side of toy boxes and tip them in the name of getting to their contents - TOYS!!! He's doing a great job of parroting which is a great skill to encourage because so many of the fundamentals we learn through observation and imitation. His articulated vocabulary is still pretty much limited to "David", "Dah Dah" and "uM Mah Ma" but there are absolutely great signs beyond the vocabulary. He clearly comprehends requests for specific physical actions like...
-"Show me clap-clap-clap!" and Camden will clap on demand and celebrate with a smile.
-If Karen or I say, "Sooooo Big!" Camden will put his hands over his head.
-If we ask Camden to blow person X a kiss, he does so crisply and with no hesitation.
How wonderful this last one is! This will hold his mother and I until he can tell us in his own voice the same. All in good time.
Camden continues to be perpetually happy with the noted exceptions of when he is ill or when he's teething. With that said, I know of few who celebrate either of those experiences!
Camden has three major therapies a week: developmental, physical and speech/feeding. All therapies continue to produce results and we couldn't be happier with his therapists. For example, one of Camden's weaknesses is his upper body strength. But the robustness of his crawl has increased dramatically leading up to the development of the kneeling talent I mentioned earlier.
I can count on two hands the number of things I am certain of in this life, but rest assured that one of those things is that our family would not be complete without our little man Camden. He drips of love in giving and receiving and he's a determined fighter. He is a blessing we never knew we'd have and our lives are improved because of him. This doesn't mean that there aren't times of challenge, reflection and sadness; there are. But love in this family is deep and unconditional and when the source of all that that love is a peaceful God, then we are outfitted amply to deal with the challenges that lie ahead.
I'd love to type more but it's late and it's been a long day. I'll try and get a Karen and Jim update out here after we get back from our 5 year anniversary celebration this weekend.
Thanks for checking in and don't be a stranger. Call. Write. Or just come see us.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Running
Welcome back faithful readers. Two updates in one month!. How about that!!!
This update probably won't be as interesting as the last becuase it's more Jim and less kiddies and Karen, but hey, they can get their own web sites! (Just kidding.)
I have started running again for the 10th time. For those of you that know me, you may recall I spent about five years running pretty consistently from 1990 to 1995. I then faded out to pretty much cycling only over the last ten years or so except for training for the Marine Corps marathon with Karen back in 2001. The primary reason my running faded was ankle injuries became more frequent and serious and frankly, my career and other things took priority.
I would like to do a marathon myself. And if all goes well I should be in shape to do one about the time I turn forty next year in May. May is not a particularly popular time for marathons because of the temps, so I might have to look north or northwest to find one in May.
In addition to checking off "marathon" on my lifetime to-do list, running provides me - and Karen - a few minutes each day to reset our compasses. It provides some of the best alone time you could ask for and, if your joints can take it, immeasureable health benefits. As I mentioned earlier the primary reason I quit running was that my ankles, particularly my right ankle, likes to roll. The sprains I have gotten in full stride have been worse than some breaks. But the fact is I just healed and went back to what I was doing before with no ankle specific conditioning. That is where I'm hoping to make a difference this time around. I've got some supportive, motion control shoes. I'm doing ankle specific exercises before and after each run. Lastly, I'm being more careful. No risky surfaces like trails with roots. It's either asphalt or cinder surface trails.
So let's see how it goes, eh? I hope to have a training calendar/log up here in the next month or so, so keep an eye out for that.
Thanks for checking in and checking out the Preis family goings on.
PS - The pictures page now has pics all the way up through September of '07 I believe. Click away and I hope they make you smile as widely as I do when I look at them. Love those boys and my wife!
This update probably won't be as interesting as the last becuase it's more Jim and less kiddies and Karen, but hey, they can get their own web sites! (Just kidding.)
I have started running again for the 10th time. For those of you that know me, you may recall I spent about five years running pretty consistently from 1990 to 1995. I then faded out to pretty much cycling only over the last ten years or so except for training for the Marine Corps marathon with Karen back in 2001. The primary reason my running faded was ankle injuries became more frequent and serious and frankly, my career and other things took priority.
I would like to do a marathon myself. And if all goes well I should be in shape to do one about the time I turn forty next year in May. May is not a particularly popular time for marathons because of the temps, so I might have to look north or northwest to find one in May.
In addition to checking off "marathon" on my lifetime to-do list, running provides me - and Karen - a few minutes each day to reset our compasses. It provides some of the best alone time you could ask for and, if your joints can take it, immeasureable health benefits. As I mentioned earlier the primary reason I quit running was that my ankles, particularly my right ankle, likes to roll. The sprains I have gotten in full stride have been worse than some breaks. But the fact is I just healed and went back to what I was doing before with no ankle specific conditioning. That is where I'm hoping to make a difference this time around. I've got some supportive, motion control shoes. I'm doing ankle specific exercises before and after each run. Lastly, I'm being more careful. No risky surfaces like trails with roots. It's either asphalt or cinder surface trails.
So let's see how it goes, eh? I hope to have a training calendar/log up here in the next month or so, so keep an eye out for that.
Thanks for checking in and checking out the Preis family goings on.
PS - The pictures page now has pics all the way up through September of '07 I believe. Click away and I hope they make you smile as widely as I do when I look at them. Love those boys and my wife!
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Drought, Boys Update, Love
Hello again from 608 Gravel Brook Court! Today is 6 October and it's actually wet outside. We've been under drought conditions for many months this year and the last two rains have done little to erase a massive deficit. It would take a monster rainfall of tropical storm proportions to get us back to where we should be, but even then that would not help the many trees and lawns long since permanently browned. But we're thankful it's raining today and we'll see what the future brings and optimism never hurts!
David started preschool about a month ago and is making friends, eating sand and having a good time in general. He's in a class with about a half dozen other kids his age and I think the small confines of the physical room are a challenge for him (think tempest/teapot). But we don't get to choose everything and the exercises in control will serve him well in the future. Academically David is probably more in line with 1st or 2nd grade expectations. He's more than mastered the alphabet. He's almost gotten to the point with his numbers where he's figured out how to count indefinitely. And I have a funny feeling we'll be teaching him some basic arithmetic before long. The threes have seen their moments of challenge for David (and his parents) but those moments of challenge are always followed by accomplishment and learning milestones.
Not to be outdone by his older brother, Camden has really begun to shine with accomplishments. First, he's interacting with everyone in the family much more discretely and can name all of us on sight. His articulation will improve with practice, but we continue to be amazed by his verbal achievements and the variety of sounds he's learned to create is very promising. There has also been much development on the cognitive front. Camden can clap on demand. He can problem solve in the physical world; like moving object A to facilitate access to object B. He can roll a ball back and forth with a partner. And, oh by the way, he can caress your forearm gently when you're feeding him his nighttime bottle and man is that worth whatever you had to get through that day to enjoy. Camden's biggest challenge at present is the continuation of his gross motor skills development. He has just learned to execute a rudimentary crawl and he can easily sit on his own with confidence. In fact, he can stand if you hold his hands. For clarity, he has more than ample leg strength to support his weight of 21 pounds. He simply lacks the balance to complete the trick. As his gross skills become more robust, he'll accomplish the standing milestone. The net-net is that Camden is doing more than well. He's blowing away our expectations. And if corporate America has taught his mother and I anything, that means raised expectations are right around the corner. And if Karen and I have taught Camden anything yet it is to do the impossible today and put the simply difficult stuff off until tomorrow!
I wanted to update everyone on how Karen and I are doing as well, but the sounds coming from the monitor tell me that Camden is not long from waking. Thus it's time to make cereal and formula and settle in for a feed session. The net-net on Karen and I is that we continue to be each others rock. If I'm stressed or I need to disappear for a two hour bike ride, she's there for me. And should I come home to find Karen's had a 25 hour day in only 12 hours, I'm her man. I have worked out some flex time at work to help us coordinate preschool, speech, developmental and physical therapies as well as Dr's appointments. Karen's sister Lynn has also been a God send and helps with some chauffeuring that gets paid for in love and appreciation. We can't thank her enough for her help.
I hope this update finds everyone well.
David started preschool about a month ago and is making friends, eating sand and having a good time in general. He's in a class with about a half dozen other kids his age and I think the small confines of the physical room are a challenge for him (think tempest/teapot). But we don't get to choose everything and the exercises in control will serve him well in the future. Academically David is probably more in line with 1st or 2nd grade expectations. He's more than mastered the alphabet. He's almost gotten to the point with his numbers where he's figured out how to count indefinitely. And I have a funny feeling we'll be teaching him some basic arithmetic before long. The threes have seen their moments of challenge for David (and his parents) but those moments of challenge are always followed by accomplishment and learning milestones.
Not to be outdone by his older brother, Camden has really begun to shine with accomplishments. First, he's interacting with everyone in the family much more discretely and can name all of us on sight. His articulation will improve with practice, but we continue to be amazed by his verbal achievements and the variety of sounds he's learned to create is very promising. There has also been much development on the cognitive front. Camden can clap on demand. He can problem solve in the physical world; like moving object A to facilitate access to object B. He can roll a ball back and forth with a partner. And, oh by the way, he can caress your forearm gently when you're feeding him his nighttime bottle and man is that worth whatever you had to get through that day to enjoy. Camden's biggest challenge at present is the continuation of his gross motor skills development. He has just learned to execute a rudimentary crawl and he can easily sit on his own with confidence. In fact, he can stand if you hold his hands. For clarity, he has more than ample leg strength to support his weight of 21 pounds. He simply lacks the balance to complete the trick. As his gross skills become more robust, he'll accomplish the standing milestone. The net-net is that Camden is doing more than well. He's blowing away our expectations. And if corporate America has taught his mother and I anything, that means raised expectations are right around the corner. And if Karen and I have taught Camden anything yet it is to do the impossible today and put the simply difficult stuff off until tomorrow!
I wanted to update everyone on how Karen and I are doing as well, but the sounds coming from the monitor tell me that Camden is not long from waking. Thus it's time to make cereal and formula and settle in for a feed session. The net-net on Karen and I is that we continue to be each others rock. If I'm stressed or I need to disappear for a two hour bike ride, she's there for me. And should I come home to find Karen's had a 25 hour day in only 12 hours, I'm her man. I have worked out some flex time at work to help us coordinate preschool, speech, developmental and physical therapies as well as Dr's appointments. Karen's sister Lynn has also been a God send and helps with some chauffeuring that gets paid for in love and appreciation. We can't thank her enough for her help.
I hope this update finds everyone well.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Thank You, Grant and Kristin, Right
Hi everyone! First things first. Thanks and thanks again to all of the folks that have offered their help and support since Camden's diagnosis. Camden is doing absolutely wonderfully. Here's the details. So you get the Down diagnosis. Along with that diagnosis comes a laundry list of other things or defects that are more common in Down children; thyroid imbalance, hearing, eyesight, heart abnormalities etc. etc. We are very glad to report that Camden has had all of these (and more) examined and there or no concerns in any of these areas. Excellent news and Karen and I are overjoyed. We consider ourselves so fortunate to have Camden and once we embraced "measuring progress with a different ruler" (borrowed from another parent's account of having a Down child) we were even more at peace with our new opportunity.
Earlier this month Karen and I traveled to Maryland/Pennsylvania to attend Grant and Kristin's wedding and what a blast that was. I got to see all my neighborhood friends from when I was age six through fourteen. They were all doing well and we all found ourselves in very similar places in life. Every nit picking fault I ever had as a child with any of these 'kids' had long melted away and that left only old friends with found memories and great stories to share a wonderful evening celebrating the wedding. I so wish these people were my neighbors again. Grant and Kristin's wedding was storybook with great weather, a wonderful intimate ceremony complete with fireworks. Now the fact that the day before the wedding I was at a truck stop in Virginia in a car that wasn't running with temperatures in the 90's covered in a Redskins blanket and shivering in sickness took a little of the shine off the silver for me, but despite missing the rehearsal and pursuant dinner all other things went swimmingly. I did make the wedding - I was in it. I've always done the big things well in life and I'm putting not disappointing our best friends on their wedding day in that category.
One last thing tonight. I've followed the Tour de France this year again as I have for the last dozen or so years. So far two complete teams, Cofidis and Astana, have withdrawn because their leaders or contenders within the team have tested positive for either blood doping or use of banned substancess. Only tomorrow will we know if any of the Rabobank team will start after Michael Rasmussen's stupidity regarding deception of whereabouts when reporting to the governing body of the agency that executes testing on behalf of professional cycling. It's wrong when a cyclist cheats to win the Tour. It's wrong when a baseball player cheats to hit the most homeruns. It's wrong when the people that we elect to serve us yield to corruption. It's wrong when the people we look to for religeous guidance prey on our children. I don't lose faith that good will triumph over evil though as long as you agree with me. I lose faith though when I hear arguments that introduce spin and attempts at justification. As long as we collectively are the keepers of that which is fundamentally right and wrong I hold out hope that the world will be a better place for my children in the future. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while watching the news these days might be a bit depressing, it would be far more depressing if the bad news wasn't reported because being wrong or corrupt was no longer news.
Earlier this month Karen and I traveled to Maryland/Pennsylvania to attend Grant and Kristin's wedding and what a blast that was. I got to see all my neighborhood friends from when I was age six through fourteen. They were all doing well and we all found ourselves in very similar places in life. Every nit picking fault I ever had as a child with any of these 'kids' had long melted away and that left only old friends with found memories and great stories to share a wonderful evening celebrating the wedding. I so wish these people were my neighbors again. Grant and Kristin's wedding was storybook with great weather, a wonderful intimate ceremony complete with fireworks. Now the fact that the day before the wedding I was at a truck stop in Virginia in a car that wasn't running with temperatures in the 90's covered in a Redskins blanket and shivering in sickness took a little of the shine off the silver for me, but despite missing the rehearsal and pursuant dinner all other things went swimmingly. I did make the wedding - I was in it. I've always done the big things well in life and I'm putting not disappointing our best friends on their wedding day in that category.
One last thing tonight. I've followed the Tour de France this year again as I have for the last dozen or so years. So far two complete teams, Cofidis and Astana, have withdrawn because their leaders or contenders within the team have tested positive for either blood doping or use of banned substancess. Only tomorrow will we know if any of the Rabobank team will start after Michael Rasmussen's stupidity regarding deception of whereabouts when reporting to the governing body of the agency that executes testing on behalf of professional cycling. It's wrong when a cyclist cheats to win the Tour. It's wrong when a baseball player cheats to hit the most homeruns. It's wrong when the people that we elect to serve us yield to corruption. It's wrong when the people we look to for religeous guidance prey on our children. I don't lose faith that good will triumph over evil though as long as you agree with me. I lose faith though when I hear arguments that introduce spin and attempts at justification. As long as we collectively are the keepers of that which is fundamentally right and wrong I hold out hope that the world will be a better place for my children in the future. I guess what I'm trying to say is that while watching the news these days might be a bit depressing, it would be far more depressing if the bad news wasn't reported because being wrong or corrupt was no longer news.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
47
Well we got some of Camden's results back and the news is not what we would have liked, but "it is what it is". What we know at this point is that Camden has a flavor of Down Syndrome and we won't know which flavor until we go through additional testing at Duke. He will either have Mosaic Down or tradition Down Syndrome.
We'll start our journey at Duke over the next couple of weeks and when we know - you'll know.
This entry's brevity should not reflect anything other than BUSY! Karen and her sis and bro-in-law are relaying the flower beds around the house and I'm watching 5 kids.
The net net of how Karen and I are doing is fine. We were blessed when Camden came into this world and today we are equally as blessed. There will be some adjustment, some replanning, some extra efforts, but most of all there will be a little more love in our house and that's all that really matters.
Czech back soon or call or come by (bring hard cider!!!)
We'll start our journey at Duke over the next couple of weeks and when we know - you'll know.
This entry's brevity should not reflect anything other than BUSY! Karen and her sis and bro-in-law are relaying the flower beds around the house and I'm watching 5 kids.
The net net of how Karen and I are doing is fine. We were blessed when Camden came into this world and today we are equally as blessed. There will be some adjustment, some replanning, some extra efforts, but most of all there will be a little more love in our house and that's all that really matters.
Czech back soon or call or come by (bring hard cider!!!)
Friday, April 13, 2007
Camden Update
Hello once again friends and family. My cadence is becoming pretty good. I've been updating this thing quarterly and that's about the right amount of time to let things acrue before purging our milestones here in electron land.
As some of you know and some of you don't Camden was recently evaluated on his physical development at the advice of his pediatrician. Wake county sent a Pediatrician, a Physical Therapist and a Services Coordinator out to our house on Tuesday of last week to do the evaluation. The evaluation was segmented into different categories like gross motor skills, finite motor skills, muscular maturity etc. At the end of the day Camden was classified as mildly developmentally delayed. What this means is that he isn't where he should be from a physical development perspective. Addressing this will consist of physical therapy, speech therapy and follow up Dr's. visits. While this is certainly not the ideal situation, we plan on closing the gap between where he is and where he should be through the use of the therapies. Long term, this part of the situation suggests no significant future challenges.
Part of the evaluation was also observation of physical presentations and there were some minor things the pediatrician noted that encouraged him to suggest genetic testing. Now before anyone jumps to conclusions we need to level set here. The genetic testing is being done to rule out the existence of genetic defects. We have no concerns about Camden having traditional Down Syndrome, but the target of exclusion is something called Mosaic Down. I could type and type and try to explain it, but the beauty of the internet is I can simply tell you to go here for more information. Again, keep in mind two things. One - we're going through this exercise to exclude the condition as opposed to confirming an initial diagnosis. Secondly - While the results will take us down one of two paths, they will have no affect on Camden's place in his world; and the first place Camden will ever know as home in the greater sense will be surrounded by the love and support of his mother and father and his brother.
I know if you're reading this page it's because you know and love this family. It's important to us that you all know we are intimately aware of your love and support and it makes each day better knowing you are there.
Last weekend Grant and Kristen came to visit us from Westminster and their visit could not have come at a better time. Their company and their help at the house was enjoyed and truly appreciated. Kristen helped Karen with the Zoops while Grant and I put in Karen's - long awaited - garden. Grant and I used nine 6x6x12s as the container and then filled it with close to a ton of top soil, mushroom compost and cow crap. It came out great and we'll have some snaps of it out here soon. The older I get the better my friendship with Grant gets. It's not like fine wine; it's like damn good whiskey. (And to think he risked it all by dragging his feet on asking the perfect woman for him to marry him!!!) I knew when I asked my wife to marry me that she would be the only woman I would ever ask that question to and just as well I know that until the day I become garden fodder myself Grant will be my closest friend.
That's about it for now. Check back over the next week or so for new pics and family updates.
As some of you know and some of you don't Camden was recently evaluated on his physical development at the advice of his pediatrician. Wake county sent a Pediatrician, a Physical Therapist and a Services Coordinator out to our house on Tuesday of last week to do the evaluation. The evaluation was segmented into different categories like gross motor skills, finite motor skills, muscular maturity etc. At the end of the day Camden was classified as mildly developmentally delayed. What this means is that he isn't where he should be from a physical development perspective. Addressing this will consist of physical therapy, speech therapy and follow up Dr's. visits. While this is certainly not the ideal situation, we plan on closing the gap between where he is and where he should be through the use of the therapies. Long term, this part of the situation suggests no significant future challenges.
Part of the evaluation was also observation of physical presentations and there were some minor things the pediatrician noted that encouraged him to suggest genetic testing. Now before anyone jumps to conclusions we need to level set here. The genetic testing is being done to rule out the existence of genetic defects. We have no concerns about Camden having traditional Down Syndrome, but the target of exclusion is something called Mosaic Down. I could type and type and try to explain it, but the beauty of the internet is I can simply tell you to go here for more information. Again, keep in mind two things. One - we're going through this exercise to exclude the condition as opposed to confirming an initial diagnosis. Secondly - While the results will take us down one of two paths, they will have no affect on Camden's place in his world; and the first place Camden will ever know as home in the greater sense will be surrounded by the love and support of his mother and father and his brother.
I know if you're reading this page it's because you know and love this family. It's important to us that you all know we are intimately aware of your love and support and it makes each day better knowing you are there.
Last weekend Grant and Kristen came to visit us from Westminster and their visit could not have come at a better time. Their company and their help at the house was enjoyed and truly appreciated. Kristen helped Karen with the Zoops while Grant and I put in Karen's - long awaited - garden. Grant and I used nine 6x6x12s as the container and then filled it with close to a ton of top soil, mushroom compost and cow crap. It came out great and we'll have some snaps of it out here soon. The older I get the better my friendship with Grant gets. It's not like fine wine; it's like damn good whiskey. (And to think he risked it all by dragging his feet on asking the perfect woman for him to marry him!!!) I knew when I asked my wife to marry me that she would be the only woman I would ever ask that question to and just as well I know that until the day I become garden fodder myself Grant will be my closest friend.
That's about it for now. Check back over the next week or so for new pics and family updates.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Bikes BCBSNC et al Stuff
Greetings once again Earthlings. Today is 29 January and I feel like crap. Our special today is sinus infection with a post nasal drip side and pressure headache for dessert. I knew this was coming. Yesterday I had a bike ride all planned out. I had my outfit on, my water bottles topped off with Gatorade and my heart rate monitor was just warming up. As I made my way out of the neighborhood I waved to Karen and the kids as they were returning from a visit with Karen's sis-in-law's family. I think I made it 200 or so yards past the front of our development before I turned around and headed home as that's how long it took for the good Karma to drain from this ride. Right before I started to ride, dark clouds came in quickly. What was a high of around 56 degrees F started dropping. I wasn't feeling particularly good, but didn't feel bad enough to not ride. Common sense more than Karma told me to turn my ass around and go home. The thought of being 15 miles away from home on my bike in the rain at 40 degrees while getting a cold started to sound like the ill-advised plan it was. For the record, I've been working out quite consistently for the past 5 weeks. I've been been doing some runs of up to four miles, bike rides as far as 30 miles (in temps of less than 50) and a couple of half miles in the pool. I've lost about a dozen pounds and I feel a lot better.
Karen has started working out again also. She and I ride our bikes inside several nights a week and the mind always feels better after using the body. Karen has a tough job and I don't know how she keeps her sanity every day. The boys are both challenging albeit in different ways. David is now two and three quarter years old and is testing his limits by way of testing our limits. By and large David is a joy to be around, but he conducts rather obvious experiments to see just how much he can get away with. Karen has the patience of Job and it is a good thing she does. Camden is now coming up on five months old and is doing very well. As a refresher, Camden was born with only one kidney, but all subsequent tests have indicated that the other kidney has assumed its full responsibility and he's doing fine. I think it's more apparent to Karen than it is to me that having a second child is a greater task than simply two times the effort of the first. When we had David and he had times of being all consuming there was no other entity also demanding care. With Camden's arrival, Karen has had to learn how to spread her time as necessary by priority and I know that's very challenging at times. I have always loved my wife and the greatest surprise is that she contines to grow and develop with the boys in beautiful - although sometimes challenging - ways. I love you honey!!!
Work at BCBSNC is going well and I'm starting to get a grasp on my place in the Blue universe. The people continue to be outstanding teachers and the company really gives you the opportunity to take ownership of your success. Part of the benefits package at BCBSNC are various educational opportunities and I plan to exploit those opportunities in the near future, so stay tuned for more details.
All in all the family is doing well and we miss anyone that reads this page. As Camden becomes more portable we plan to travel a little more this year visiting family and maybe even a Summer or Fall vacation. Thanks for taking the time check in on us and give us a call sometime.
Karen has started working out again also. She and I ride our bikes inside several nights a week and the mind always feels better after using the body. Karen has a tough job and I don't know how she keeps her sanity every day. The boys are both challenging albeit in different ways. David is now two and three quarter years old and is testing his limits by way of testing our limits. By and large David is a joy to be around, but he conducts rather obvious experiments to see just how much he can get away with. Karen has the patience of Job and it is a good thing she does. Camden is now coming up on five months old and is doing very well. As a refresher, Camden was born with only one kidney, but all subsequent tests have indicated that the other kidney has assumed its full responsibility and he's doing fine. I think it's more apparent to Karen than it is to me that having a second child is a greater task than simply two times the effort of the first. When we had David and he had times of being all consuming there was no other entity also demanding care. With Camden's arrival, Karen has had to learn how to spread her time as necessary by priority and I know that's very challenging at times. I have always loved my wife and the greatest surprise is that she contines to grow and develop with the boys in beautiful - although sometimes challenging - ways. I love you honey!!!
Work at BCBSNC is going well and I'm starting to get a grasp on my place in the Blue universe. The people continue to be outstanding teachers and the company really gives you the opportunity to take ownership of your success. Part of the benefits package at BCBSNC are various educational opportunities and I plan to exploit those opportunities in the near future, so stay tuned for more details.
All in all the family is doing well and we miss anyone that reads this page. As Camden becomes more portable we plan to travel a little more this year visiting family and maybe even a Summer or Fall vacation. Thanks for taking the time check in on us and give us a call sometime.
Monday, December 4, 2006
We Three are Four and Au Revoir IBM
Hello again everyone. Haven't really published any details since Camden's arrival, but as you might be able to guess, the two are related. Camden's arrival was not the textbook delivery that David's delivery was and his first couple of months have been a bit more of a rollercoaster ride. But all should be happy to know now that Camden is doing fine now and is well on his way to becoming his brother's best friend.
Everyone wants to know how David is taking to his new brother and we couldn't be more proud of David's welcoming attitude. Sure, every now and then he tries to poke out Camden's eyes, but nine times out of ten he is "tickle-ticklng" him or giving him soft kisses on his head. Watching the love and closeness beginning to develop between the two is another one of God's gifts that we are thankful for every day.
Everyone also wants to know how Karen is doing. I'd be lying if I said the additional workload didn't show in the tiredness of her eyes, but what shows more in her eyes is the joy she gets from the love of her sons. Camden has recently become aware of those around him and when he smiles at Karen it's like watching a thirsty person come upon an oasis. The last couple of months have been rough on Karen because - as is always the case - the new little ones don't start out with any schedule or regimen. I don't know what I'm getting her for Christmas, but if I could magically transport her back to the Four Seasons in Maui for a day spa, I would. She deserves it. I love her so. She is the best mother and wife any one could ask for.
I think most of you are now aware that I ended my career at IBM/Lenovo on 7 November 2006. I made it nine and a quarter years and I wish I had made it ten, but it simply wasn't to be. I started with BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina a week later on 13 November 2006. The change has been tougher than I would have thought. I went from being the fearless foremost expert at what I was doing to Mr. Green Jeans in one week. I know I'll regain my expertise and tenure, but right now I feel like a fish out of water and I miss my old friends. I have made a concerted effort to stay in touch with my old crew... Alan, Brinda, Vincent and their continued friendships are helping. I must say that I'm pretty much in awe of the talent of my new colleagues and I'm sure that new friendships are forthcoming.
It's almost time for our year end wrap-up note and Karen and I really enjoy putting that together. We're hoping that 01 January 2007 is much less uneventful than 01 January 2006 was. If you're reading this, you're likely either family or friend and I'll tell you now that we miss you. As the kids get a little older we're looking forward to visiting and being visited in this next year so we'll start the New Years' resolutions off early with that thought. Type to you soon.
Everyone wants to know how David is taking to his new brother and we couldn't be more proud of David's welcoming attitude. Sure, every now and then he tries to poke out Camden's eyes, but nine times out of ten he is "tickle-ticklng" him or giving him soft kisses on his head. Watching the love and closeness beginning to develop between the two is another one of God's gifts that we are thankful for every day.
Everyone also wants to know how Karen is doing. I'd be lying if I said the additional workload didn't show in the tiredness of her eyes, but what shows more in her eyes is the joy she gets from the love of her sons. Camden has recently become aware of those around him and when he smiles at Karen it's like watching a thirsty person come upon an oasis. The last couple of months have been rough on Karen because - as is always the case - the new little ones don't start out with any schedule or regimen. I don't know what I'm getting her for Christmas, but if I could magically transport her back to the Four Seasons in Maui for a day spa, I would. She deserves it. I love her so. She is the best mother and wife any one could ask for.
I think most of you are now aware that I ended my career at IBM/Lenovo on 7 November 2006. I made it nine and a quarter years and I wish I had made it ten, but it simply wasn't to be. I started with BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina a week later on 13 November 2006. The change has been tougher than I would have thought. I went from being the fearless foremost expert at what I was doing to Mr. Green Jeans in one week. I know I'll regain my expertise and tenure, but right now I feel like a fish out of water and I miss my old friends. I have made a concerted effort to stay in touch with my old crew... Alan, Brinda, Vincent and their continued friendships are helping. I must say that I'm pretty much in awe of the talent of my new colleagues and I'm sure that new friendships are forthcoming.
It's almost time for our year end wrap-up note and Karen and I really enjoy putting that together. We're hoping that 01 January 2007 is much less uneventful than 01 January 2006 was. If you're reading this, you're likely either family or friend and I'll tell you now that we miss you. As the kids get a little older we're looking forward to visiting and being visited in this next year so we'll start the New Years' resolutions off early with that thought. Type to you soon.
Friday, September 8, 2006
Camden Thomas Preis
Camden Thomas Preis
Born: September 3rd, 2006 at 5:02 PM
Weight: 7 pounds, 10 ounces
Height: 19.5 inches
Looks like this.
Born: September 3rd, 2006 at 5:02 PM
Weight: 7 pounds, 10 ounces
Height: 19.5 inches
Looks like this.
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Margarita, Roach Motel and Floyd Landis
...and five months later... First a little context. I decided to make meself a margarita before I commenced typing tonight. I've got 65 dollar-a-bottle tequila mixed with 99 cents-a-bottle sweet and sour mix. Just didn't feel like heading down to Lowes Foods for the mixer. Somewhere during my 30 to 40 mile bike ride with the group tomorrow, I'll regret this drink, but in the mean time and in between time let's enjoy shall we?
Everyone wants to know how Karen is doing. Let's see... it's August, she's completely pregnant, enjoying being over the poison ivy that attacked her about three weeks ago and is recovering from our vacation. Let's expand on each thought. It's now early August and July left much of the nation with record high temps. The outlook for the next few days portends some relief, but if not Karen might insist on no anesthesia for me during my near future vasectomy. Regarding the poison ivy, we think the dog got some PI oil on him and then transferred it to Karen. She was really in tough shape for about three weeks but has comnpletely recovered now. And then there was vacation.
Long story short we ended up in North Myrtle Beach in a roach motel during perhpas five of the hottest days of the year. Add to that a total of 13 adults and 15 children under the age of 11 and you start to understand how the 65 dollar-a-bottle of tequila came into being. It was really nice to see all the Pearson folk, but truth be told the accomodations mixed with the hellish temperatures and Karen being eight months pregnant took their toll and we ended up leaving after four days instead of the planned six. It probably wasn't the wisest of decisions to go at all, but the lure of quality time with family is strong for Karen, so if she got thrity minutes of close time with her siblings or neices or nephews then she would tell you it was worth it. I'd buy another bottle of tequila and get back to you.
Seems everyone wants to know my opinion of Floyd Landis these days and that's a tough one. As a rational scientist I have to admit that all the evidence points to exogenous introduction of testosterone. As a cyclist with a heart that can spell Mennonite I have to plead, "Say it ain't so Joe". The real problem I have is that regardless of the outcome, the outcome casts an even darker cloud over cycling than it already had hanging over its head in recent years. Take the case where he is guilty. This would simply confirm the widely held suspicion that doping is de rigeur in professional cycling and the ill effects are obvious. Now, take the unlikely case where he is indeed innocent. The problem here would be that the process of winning the Tour de France would be: amass the smallest amount of time to pedal one's ass 2,200 miles around France and then assemble the best legal defense team to defend the victory in the courts, WADA etc. Screw that! So I leave you with these thoughts. Ride your bikes. Wear your helmets. Don't cheat. Don't ever give in to redefining what is right and wrong.
Everyone wants to know how Karen is doing. Let's see... it's August, she's completely pregnant, enjoying being over the poison ivy that attacked her about three weeks ago and is recovering from our vacation. Let's expand on each thought. It's now early August and July left much of the nation with record high temps. The outlook for the next few days portends some relief, but if not Karen might insist on no anesthesia for me during my near future vasectomy. Regarding the poison ivy, we think the dog got some PI oil on him and then transferred it to Karen. She was really in tough shape for about three weeks but has comnpletely recovered now. And then there was vacation.
Long story short we ended up in North Myrtle Beach in a roach motel during perhpas five of the hottest days of the year. Add to that a total of 13 adults and 15 children under the age of 11 and you start to understand how the 65 dollar-a-bottle of tequila came into being. It was really nice to see all the Pearson folk, but truth be told the accomodations mixed with the hellish temperatures and Karen being eight months pregnant took their toll and we ended up leaving after four days instead of the planned six. It probably wasn't the wisest of decisions to go at all, but the lure of quality time with family is strong for Karen, so if she got thrity minutes of close time with her siblings or neices or nephews then she would tell you it was worth it. I'd buy another bottle of tequila and get back to you.
Seems everyone wants to know my opinion of Floyd Landis these days and that's a tough one. As a rational scientist I have to admit that all the evidence points to exogenous introduction of testosterone. As a cyclist with a heart that can spell Mennonite I have to plead, "Say it ain't so Joe". The real problem I have is that regardless of the outcome, the outcome casts an even darker cloud over cycling than it already had hanging over its head in recent years. Take the case where he is guilty. This would simply confirm the widely held suspicion that doping is de rigeur in professional cycling and the ill effects are obvious. Now, take the unlikely case where he is indeed innocent. The problem here would be that the process of winning the Tour de France would be: amass the smallest amount of time to pedal one's ass 2,200 miles around France and then assemble the best legal defense team to defend the victory in the courts, WADA etc. Screw that! So I leave you with these thoughts. Ride your bikes. Wear your helmets. Don't cheat. Don't ever give in to redefining what is right and wrong.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Tweak and Toe Update
As you can see, I'm playing around with the format of the web site. I hope it's a little easier to read. Need to find some way to seamlessly incorporate graphics into what is by design a stark looking home page. I do have plans to re-do the entire site including restructuring all the galleries chronologically, so please be patient. A lot of little projects got pushed out while my toes were healing.
Speaking of toes, I did get a good report from the doctor on February 1st. All of the pieces of the larger bone in the big toe of my right foot had stayed where they needed to be and all was well. Then I painted the dining room earlier tonight. Think I might have spent a wee bit too much time up on the ladder. It hurts again and it has swollen up again. Wonder if I broke it - again. I can ride the bike; that was definitely good news. BUT project paint the dining room must be completed first. All I have to do tomorrow is touch up the cut-in and peel the tape. I LOVE peeling the tape.
Coming up on 2 AM so I better get to bed for now. I talked myself into feeding the PDP the signal from my laptop via S-Video. Boy was that disappointing. Wish my ThinkPad had DVI-I or HDMI out, but you can't have everything now can you?
Speaking of toes, I did get a good report from the doctor on February 1st. All of the pieces of the larger bone in the big toe of my right foot had stayed where they needed to be and all was well. Then I painted the dining room earlier tonight. Think I might have spent a wee bit too much time up on the ladder. It hurts again and it has swollen up again. Wonder if I broke it - again. I can ride the bike; that was definitely good news. BUT project paint the dining room must be completed first. All I have to do tomorrow is touch up the cut-in and peel the tape. I LOVE peeling the tape.
Coming up on 2 AM so I better get to bed for now. I talked myself into feeding the PDP the signal from my laptop via S-Video. Boy was that disappointing. Wish my ThinkPad had DVI-I or HDMI out, but you can't have everything now can you?
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