<p>H-O-L-I-D-A-Y! 5 days off, and only a little work in the bag I brought home from school. Yeah!!!</p>
<p>My son arrived home safely from Chicago tonight. I am very happy.</p>
<p>Good news? We are living far better today than someone living 20 years ago. The advance of capitalism and technological progress make our lives easier in virtually every respect. That’s the good news. A momentary blip in the continual generation of wealth is a good thing.</p>
<p>Cancer deaths have gone down!</p>
<p>I finished writing my proposed budget modifications for my grant–YIPPEE! It is one of my least favorite things – working on budgets & financials. I’m happy when I know I’m spending less than I have tho they want me to spend closer to the amounts we budget.</p>
<p>My D was accepted to medical school last week. I can hardly believe that I can write those words!</p>
<p>How exciting BookieMom!!</p>
<p>[Here’s</a> some good news – for a change](<a href=“http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/jamieson/389949_robert29.html]Here’s”>http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/jamieson/389949_robert29.html)</p>
<p>I admit my first thought would be that it was drug money or stolen.</p>
<p>DS has an internship with a Japanese company for the summer! I really didn’t expect it and I knew he wanted it so much! I’m so happy for him!</p>
<p>My S is looking at first semester of his junior year abroad at Center for European Studies, Maastricht, The Netherlands.</p>
<p>Even using last year poor exchange rate, it will cost several thousands of dollars less than a semester at his US LAC. AND S will receive 100% of his US merit awards to defray the cost of the semester abroad. </p>
<p>It will facilitate the family spending Christmas 2009 in Salzburg, Austria.</p>
<p>^^^ Nice !!</p>
<p>S2 was deferred to his ED college–I cried all day yesterday, and today we’re all optimistic and looking forward to choices of college for him. I am so proud of having a son who can look forward, no matter the uncertainty. It’s snowing and festive and no school tomorrow, so we’ll work on some apps…lucky mom.</p>
<p>Congrats to Oaklandmom’s son!!! I remember when S started Japanese classes; so glad his efforts rewarded.</p>
<p>On the way home from the airport Friday night with college freshman D, she was talking nonstop about new friends, classes, professors and life in Seattle. She paused long enough to say “I’m really thriving at my school.” </p>
<p>The most perfect words I could have asked for.</p>
<p>D. just got another substantial merit scholarship - they emailed her about award and the fact that school already posted it into her account. The amazing thing - she did not even apply, she was just chosen without any kind of knowledge about scholarship and input from her. Of course, she has sent “Thank you”.<br>
Congrats to everybody here!</p>
<p>One of my son’s friends made my day Sunday. They left the dorm for the break Sat and I drove the friend to O’Hare Sunday morning. He said, “Now I feel like I have two families and two moms”.</p>
<p>My D received a job offer last week !! She will graduate from grad school next May. Now she can go to London in Jan, spend her semester abroad and really have some fun.</p>
<p>My D made it through school Tuesday without getting put in time out! I’m so proud.</p>
<p>Of course she’s 3, and in preschool. But that’s where it starts. </p>
<p>I like reading this thread and think about how nice it’s going to be when she goes off to college in another 4 or 5 years.;)</p>
<p>OK, I’d been avoiding this thread, because it seemed we didn’t have ANY good news here at all. But…</p>
<p>Mom is recovering from her life-threatening episode last Wednesday, has been moved out of ICU into a regular room, and will probably come home on Monday. The crisis has passed.</p>
<p>Meanwhile today, my 16 year old D and her bf of 2 months took the train into Boston. After the big snowstorm yesterday, it has continued to snow lightly all day today - a pretty, fluffy, fairy-tale snow. D and BF went into the city to hold hands, wander around, and look at all the decorations - the giant model train display at South Station, the decorations at Fanueil Hall, get some sweets in the North End, wander over to the Common and Public Garden to look at the trees and the snow and the skaters on Frog Pond… then they were going to come back to the suburbs for dinner and a movie. They’re in the city as I write this, and I bet they’re having a magical day that they’ll both remember for a long time. Oh, to be young and discovering the world again…</p>
<p>And S arrived home safely from college, and has gone off skiing with some h.s. friends.</p>
<p>I suspect this will be our last Christmas with Mom, and we’ll be traveling 1000 miles from our White Christmas to the south to spend it with her, but my kids have gotten some fairy tale white Christmas before we leave. And they’ll get to spend the holiday with their grandparents, so it’s the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>Hope you have a memorable holiday with your mom, Lafalum. Glad things are on the mend.</p>
<p>My DS#1 got his first (6 month) review-- it was glowing and he got a bonus and a raise!!</p>