Congratulations to Mom & Dad on 31 years of marriage today!

We all love you VERY much!!

Posted on: Sunday, August 27, 2006

Today is Anthony's birthday!!
Happy Birthday, Anthony!!

Today another link with the past passed through our lives.

Scampy, who has struggled with feline lupus for a number of years and was Dale Crawford's best friend, who also suffered from lupus, passed away today. Scampy was more than 15 years old.

In recent years, having lost her second best friend, Lois Crawford, Scampy became best friends with me (Frank). Despite her obvious pain, she would always manage to struggle up onto my lap and lie there until bedtime.

In recent months, we have repeatedly thought of having her put to sleep so as to eliminate her pain. Neither mom nor I could manage the courage, but today Scampy took the choice from us and left.

For the first time in many months, she had a smile on her sweet face.

It is a sad commentary that we only have this partial photo of Scampy, but most of hers are in boxes, not on computers. For that we apologize.

Scampy has been laid to rest between Bandit and her father, Chuckie. A memorial garden will now be placed over them in their memory and so that we never look forward without seeing the past.

We had saved her place for a long time and now she joins with other parts of our past. It is hard to think, of all the things going on in our world, that this passing is so important. But, if we let the big events overwhelm us, we will lose track of the most important ones. Those that are close to us. Be they human or animal. . . or in the case of Bandit, Chuckie and Scampy, family.

There will always be a place in my heart for this small creature of the Universe who gave such pleasure and comfort to so many. I will not say good-bye, only have a glorious trip!
Posted on: Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Today is Michelle's birthday!!
Happy Birthday, Michelle!!

All of you know, or should know, that most of my work day is spent working on immigration casework for the constituents of OK05. It is a job that I have loved from the day I started. It gives me an opportunity to assist and make a difference is many, many differnt families. It really is remarkable and I am deeply appreciative that Ernest Istook had enough faith in me to give me the opportunity to work for him.

My views on Immigration policy, is of course, colored by the tasks I perform everyday on behalf of aliens, legal and illegal, everyday. There are days when I fervantly wish we could just completely shut the borders down and prohibit ANY entry for anyone for at minimun of two years until we can get the whole system revamped so it is not so cumbersome to "do it right". Other days, I know that is not the answer, but surely the system we have is not going to work.

I do NOT believe in amnesty, I do NOT think we should have a blanket 'guest worker' program (code words for amnesty), but clearly there needs to be a better way.

A couple of weeks ago, a very angry 'constituent' called our office complaining that an illegal he had hired 4 years ago and fired after finding out he was using a false social security card..was out there running his own business now. He made multiple threats of media etc.

I dutifully called up ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)and asked if they had ever investigated this guy. They said they had talked to the angry, irrational guy, but had not had the resources to go out and investigate someone who wss not killing, raping or causing harm to society. Pretty standard answer from them, not unexpected. However, I did ask, since this guy was being such a &^&^(*&%%^&, if they would go a step further.

Long and short..they did, they went out on Friday to talk to him. He indeed was running a landscaping business. He had a wife and children, but indeed, was illegal. He had come here legally many years ago..but had overstayed without adjusting status.

Today..Fathers Day...a family is separated. Friday night he was on a bus down to Texas, waiting to get shipped back to Mexico.

I don't feel especially good about my part in this.

Was he wrong to be here? Yes.

Should he have used a bad SS#? No.

Should there be consequences? Yes.

But, I don't feel good about my part in this.

Something has to change, we can't reward people for doing wrong, we can't tell the people who took years and dollars doing it right that it was a waste, there was an easier 'wrong' way.

I don't feel good about my part in that deport...but what IS the answer.....
Posted on: Monday, June 19, 2006

 I AM NOT EVEN GOING TO SAY shhhh (31)

I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT MY YOUNGEST SON IS 31 . . . THIS IS JUST A REALLY BAD DREAM . . .

BUT, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE REALLY OLD!!!

 Happy Birthday

William!  have fun and enjoy.  We love you!  Hope school and everything else are going well.

 PAT . . . MAY TODAY BE ONLY A SHORT PAST WITH A LONG FUTURE AHEAD . . .

THIS IS WHY WE GOT MARRIED  . . . . I KNEW YOU WOULD FORGET HALF OF WHAT I SAID . . . .

Mom and I met 40 years ago Sunday. We married 35 years ago today. Mom has forgotten at least 10 anniversaries . . . probably more . . . It is supposed to be the husband who messes them up.

So, to the kids without whom our lives would be less fulfilled, . . .

To the grandkids we are doing our best to spoil . . . .

To a wife who, when grandma Crawford was alive called "the Bobbsey Twins"because we were almost always together, in spirit if not side by side, (Most of you will probably have to look on Google to see who they are.)

To a wife who has laughed with me as we finished each others thoughts and/or words . . . or for that matter, just laughs with me . . . (Okay, at me as well.) . . .

To a wife who has steadfastly stood at my side, not just when we were without challenge, but every time SHE KNEW I needed her most, whether I knew or not . . .

To a wife who struggled to make a home and happy life for six kids who she (we) said our sole purpose in raising them was to know if something ever happened to us, each would be able to face the world with confidence and an attitude of "THERE IS NOTHING OUT THERE I CAN'T DO!!!) . . . and each can . . .

And to not only my wife and partner, not just here and now, but forever and ever . . . the only woman in the world I could ever say is hands down, my VERY best friend. . . .

May everyone reading this post, family or not, find a soul mate who is so much a part of you that whether you are holding hands together or 25,000 miles apart, you remain one in the universe around you as we do, with nothing separating us in mind and spirit, only time and space  . . .

To my wife . . . I an SO happy you took a chance on me, blemishes and all . . . you stood by when needed and gave a little shove when needed, (Okay, sometimes a REALLY hard push.) and let us evolve into who we are . . . two as one . . .

Not recalling the number of year we have been together is nothing compared to knowing we will always be together, throughout time, two as one  . . .

Pat, you are, and without hesitation I say, will always be . . .

MLLB

 oh geeezzz..

You guys get so hung up on dates...59/60...30/35...it's not the years the count, but what you do in them...(whew....got out of that one!)

 Ummm...am I not counting right?

I thought this was 35 years?

 Happy Anniversary!

 30 years....wow

As I was standing there next to Dad 30 years ago, I knew I loved him, I knew I wanted to spend my life with him and raise a family with him. I knew it would be exciting, full of work, but with lots of good times and love. What I didn't fully understand was how much our love would grow and change over the course of the next 30 years.

Today, it is SO much bigger, the depth is so much deeper and the friendship is so much broader. He truly is my very best friend.

We have been through all the words of the vows, the richer and poorer, the sickness and health etc, but still it doesn't matter...as long as we are doing whatever it is together, then the world is right.

Thank you, my husband, for making my life the envy of many woman and for always being there for me. I love you more than you can know (but you do..:) )

 Just trying this to see if it works....

This should be posting a link to the Kohl's Cares site where you can vote for my school to get $500,000.  Please go vote!

 Some Corrections To Frankie's Post

I have just posted a revision of Frankie's original post. Most of the things changed were typographical and grammar. I did make some changes that more accurately describe what Frankie has himself said to me.

In my last post I think my views are clear.

 For Those Of You Who Have No Clue About My Last 8 Months

I am going to lay it all out for all to know why my attitude is not right towards other family member right now so here goes:

 I didn't know...

I knew most of what you described - but not the extent!  Goodness gracious!

I love reading this post though - it's awesome to "hear" the passion you have for your family.  Truly awesome. 

I have this image of you in my mind from back when we were in middle/highschool... and to juxtapose that image with the image you paint of yourself in recent years is... well, it's cool.

Certainly makes me wish we lived closer to you guys - I really believe my boys are missing out by not having a relationship with their Aunt, Uncle & cousin! (although JJ still talks about all 3 of you)

We certainly need to see what we can to plan a trip to Colorado!