The robo calls drove me up a tree. I got as many as 6 a day from various candidates, and that's not counting the real person calls asking me to vote for their candidate or the polling calls asking me whom I planned to vote for. The calls were spread throughout the day but always interrupted something--meals, homework, bedtime rituals. On election day I got multiple phone calls from the McDonnell campaign, and by then I was so fed up I called his headquarters in Richmond to complain. The poor guy who answered got all flustered and said the calls were handled by an outside company. I reminded him that the McDonnell campaign was paying for these services, and wouldn't they rather spend the money on something that doesn't piss off the voters? I hope to goodness the robo calls get banned.

Thank you! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. Ick.

Update: I wrote this post last Wednesday morning, then Wednesday evening took our youngest son (3 year old) to urgent care, where they diagnosed him with H1N1. Later we went to the ER when he spiked a high fever and had breathing problems. Our 5 year old came down with it a day later. Both boys are doing better now, thankfully. And of course this set me off on another cleaning binge.

Having a good OBGYN that you trust is so important and worth the extra drive. I loved my OBGYN and stuck with her through every pregnancy, even though it was a long drive because she and the rest of the doctors in the practice were wonderful.

We will definitely get the H1N1 vaccine for our family, have already got the regular flu vax for all of us. My cousin's two little boys ages 6 months and 4 yrs both contracted H1N1 in September. Both were pretty sick and the 6 month old responded well to Tamiflu, but the 4 year old had to be hospitalized--not just an ER visit--and kept for several days due to complications.

Holy tomato! We aren't canning sauce this year, just roasting and freezing the romas and San Marzanos. Got addicted to the flavor last year, now want them in everything.

It's this kind of stuff that makes me worry about our boys' teen years and makes me not want to give them cell phones. The Fairfax County Police hosted a public information session on sexting last week, something all the counties should do.

I'm curious about the program. What kind of remediation plans are in place to assist those students who don't meet the early Keys?

Sue and Jessica, thanks for the support! Diane, the organization Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) has chapters all over the country. You can find one near you using their search at http://www.chadd.org/.

I shed many tears as I read that article, tears for the suffering parents and their lost children.

Hi Robin, good question. The committee is required to state that they cannot medically diagnose a condition or recommend medications because they are not licensed medical professionals. All they can do is confirm that a child shows symptoms of a learning disability that interfere with the child's education and then take steps to help that child in the classroom.

I love how you wrote this.

Oh my word, you told that story so well. I'm afraid I would not have had your level of patience!