tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53229506580435142012024-03-13T20:45:16.506-07:00FamilyFitnessFilanthropyEtcAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-77459142300855674712015-01-09T06:54:00.000-08:002015-01-09T13:10:02.037-08:00Family & Filanthropy: Thank You Notes!In the 21st Century, I think it is fairly safe to say that the art of hand-writing a letter is nearly all but extinct. Young people today seldom take that personal time, extra time to hand write a note of any kind for that matter. The art of hand writing a thank you note is something that was ingrained in me at an early age. I remember writing them after receiving Christmas presents, birthday gifts, graduation presents, and even after job interviews. Family and friends expected it. These days, I am not sure if that same level of expectation still exists. I have to admit on a few occasions, I have made a phone call or even sent an email of thanks but rarely do I take this path. In the world of fundraising and non-profits, I also experience the crafting of thank you or acknowledgement letters for contributions of time, talent and treasure. These letters while computer generated for the most part are also important and appreciated by the recipient. Timely acknowledgement goes a long way toward building good will and ensuring that continued support will come from that person. Now, as I juggle my philanthropic consulting business and raising a son, I am teaching him the importance of hand-writing thank you notes. I want him to grow up with the same understanding and respect for this art as I did, so that he continues the tradition as he grows older. I think his ability to write these notes will set him apart in a very positive way going forward. So, as we begin 2015, let's give thanks for all that we have! <div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hXnC46Ug0pM/VLBDm2O9MwI/AAAAAAAAAMY/ymS_IVpCabU/s640/blogger-image--1302131251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hXnC46Ug0pM/VLBDm2O9MwI/AAAAAAAAAMY/ymS_IVpCabU/s640/blogger-image--1302131251.jpg"></a></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-90186639669752419942014-12-17T12:39:00.001-08:002014-12-17T12:39:04.133-08:00Family: Christmas by Timothy<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Wa9pZFY9GNM/VJHp5s3QxNI/AAAAAAAAALg/5FoQLHmamTc/s640/blogger-image--471401401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Wa9pZFY9GNM/VJHp5s3QxNI/AAAAAAAAALg/5FoQLHmamTc/s640/blogger-image--471401401.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-69404065540055878112014-10-09T09:30:00.000-07:002014-10-09T09:30:20.165-07:00Filanthropy: My Newest Consulting JobAs of September 30, I am Consultant to Kennedy Krieger Institute. My role will focus on helping Kennedy Krieger Institute to expand its reach and awareness levels to those who live and work on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Like many families with a child on the Autism Spectrum, thankfully but unknowingly at the time, we began our journey to find the best possible care, education and support services for Timothy by seeing a Doctor at Kennedy Krieger Institute. The help we received at the time has been a very solid foundation for all the building blocks we have added to Timothy's treatment plan. Since my family had such a wonderful experience with Kennedy Krieger Institute, it is so exciting for me now in my professional life, to be able to work with Kennedy Krieger Institute to help spread the word about its programs and services available throughout the state (especially on the shore), nationally and even globally.
Since its founding in 1937, Kennedy Krieger Institute has become an internationally known entity for its delivery of patient care, research, special education, community and training programs that benefit children and adolescents with developmental disabilities and physical disabilities. Annually it serves over 20,000 children whose diagnoses include: autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, and a host of other disorders ranging from mild to severe. Services also include a 70-bed hospital, outpatient clinics (like the one Timothy benefited from), and a lower, middle and high school for children with complex disabilities and community-based programs. It is truly an amazing organization that helps many people! I am honored to have Kennedy Krieger Institute as my newest client.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-66505785913456181042014-08-06T13:41:00.000-07:002014-08-06T13:49:44.249-07:00Family: A Place to Grow Is Right!I, Eleanor Shriver Magee, distinctly remember the first day and night I spent at summer camp in Down East Maine in 1984, it is as if it happened just a few weeks ago. I slept in the top bunk, overlooking the lake and remember the thunderstorm that arrived early that first morning. It was quite a shock to be so close to the water during a thunderstorm. I think I hid under the covers out of fear. The seven-week session gave me the chance to make new friends, learn from new experiences, and most of all have tremendous fun. It can only be described as a life changing experience that now, this summer; I am excited to say, my son, Timothy experienced. My years at camp were many and I started at 13, so for Timothy, on the Autism Spectrum, to "sign up" for a four week session of camp at age 10 in Canada, was pretty darn amazing. He was excited nearly every day leading up to the Drop Off Day. He would say, "I am going to CAMP KODIAK!" Only days prior, did I sense he might have some trepidation or anxiety. He asked me, how long is camp? I said, Timothy it will be like an extra long sleep over. That seemed to quell his fears and off we went to take him to camp. It was a long drive and as we reached the camp road, I remembered the first time I arrived at my camp, in a big tour bus full of other girls from all over the East Coast. Our time at Timothy's camp on that day was short, I knew for my own self-preservation, I needed to get in, check things out and get the heck out of there. Timothy handled it all with ease and was very matter of fact; he said simply, bye Mom and Dad! I on the other hand, was a hot mess on the way out the camp road. Thank goodness for Jack and his capable driving skills. I cried off and on for the next several days. During the four weeks Timothy was at camp, we received two email letters from him and two phone calls from staff. All the communications were positive and made us even gladder we had advocated for this journey for Timothy. He made new friends, learned new skills, ate new foods, and had fun! On Visiting Day, we walked up toward the camp and waited to have any visual of Timothy. All of the sudden out came this blonde, taller, and skinnier young boy from the crowd, it was our son, the camper! He ran toward us and we shared a group hug like no other. It was truly the best day! We got to see Timothy play chess, dance and sing in Suessical the Musical, yes in four weeks the camp puts together two cast shows of a musical where all 250 campers have a role, we ate a delicious lunch, and we got to meet his new friends, William, his bunk mate and Hudson, among others. Plus we got to meet all his counselors, a dedicated and patient bunch of young people whom we have great appreciation for taking such good care of Timothy. If you are a parent and you are trying to think of a productive way for your child or children to spend all or part of their summer, consider overnight summer camp. I realize it is an expense, but I think the costs are mitigated by the gains in intellectual, spiritual and emotional growth. Whether you send them for a week or seven weeks, it builds confidence, character and creates friendships and memories to last a lifetime. My camp experience sure did! Summer camp is a place to grow for sure! The photos below are from Drop Off Day (blue shirt) and Visiting Day (black shirt).
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zrolu8TN6s4/U-KSa7RhAgI/AAAAAAAAAK8/YCoh0HcG9Bc/s1600/IMG_0867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zrolu8TN6s4/U-KSa7RhAgI/AAAAAAAAAK8/YCoh0HcG9Bc/s320/IMG_0867.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ko4SQCgcLJA/U-KSpQkIwJI/AAAAAAAAALE/nTEzK6p1PeM/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ko4SQCgcLJA/U-KSpQkIwJI/AAAAAAAAALE/nTEzK6p1PeM/s320/DSC_0006.JPG" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-40621350280250177792014-07-07T08:59:00.003-07:002014-07-07T08:59:48.718-07:00Filanthropy: My New Consulting JobAs of May 19, I began a one year appointment as consultant to the Players' Philanthropy Fund based in Baltimore. Below is a brief synopsis of what PFF is about!
Players’ Philanthropy Fund (PPF) is a philanthropic management solution that utilizes a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) to serve members of the sports industry.
According to nptrust.org, a DAF is the most popular giving vehicle in philanthropy today.
PPF enables sports industry professionals to make charitable donations globally from a DAF in a safe, easy, and cost-effective manner. PPF safeguards the financials assets under management with Brown Advisory and vets all charities before gifts are made, thereby protecting the donor’s brand and allowing him or her to focus on professional responsibilities. PPFs’ goal is to increase the number DAFs under its management to ensure its longevity and positive impact.
Financial Benefits
• Receive an immediate tax deduction up to 50% of adjusted gross income
• Avoid capital gains tax on gifts of appreciated property (without a DAF, upwards of 20% is designated to taxes) Donors should consult with their tax advisor or legal counsel to ensure their DAF maximizes their estate plans.
• Avoid estate taxes, gifts to a DAF are permanent
• Grow assets in a DAF tax-free
• Enjoy significantly lower fees (due to the pooled resources of all the funds) and avoid administrative burdens when compared to an individual fund or private foundation
Other Benefits
• PPF was created by a sport professional for sports professionals
• PPF moves with you no matter where your career takes you
• Additional support for event administration, oversight, promotion and help with the donors’ program partnerships is available, if needed
• Donors will receive highly personalized and individualized attention
• Gain exposure and be part of a team of well-respected sports industry professionals, effectively aligning you and your brand with greats in sports
• Eliminate administration and documentation, PPF handles it all
• Rest assured that you and your DAF are in good standing with the IRS
• Maintain continuous control of and access to your DAF investment portfolio, as well as the managers at Brown Advisory. Donors may name successor beneficiaries so that the DAF can continue in perpetuity.
Players’ Philanthropy Fund Contact Information:
www.playersphilanthropyfund.org 410-825-0994 (ph) 410-825-0997 (fax)
410-490-6142 – Eleanor Shriver Magee, Consultant
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-29881106354026022312014-04-16T13:21:00.001-07:002014-04-26T02:34:18.148-07:00Filanthropy: Join the CrowdThe newest trend in philanthropy is called Crowdfunding. It marries a mission (non profit, political or for profit) with a "crowd" of supporters from the same neighborhood or supporters from all over the world. The crowd uses some type of online or social media platform to learn about the mission and subsequently offer financial support. The key is how compelling is the story, how well can it be promoted, and can it be a proven mission worthy of support over the long haul? While crowdfunding may help generate support for one-off efforts or focused project-based endeavors, the brains behind the mission should remember not to put all it's fundraising eggs in one basket. Use of other more traditional forms of fundraising vehicles may be the perfect addition to crowdfunding or vice versa. What will be the next new thing in our industry? Hmmmm....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-62174610294091762912014-04-10T11:16:00.001-07:002014-04-10T11:16:27.036-07:00Family: Double Digit MilestoneI can only remember a few of my birthdays, 10, 21, 30 and 40….the rest are a blur! For my son, Timothy, we are only a month away from helping him celebrate his 10th birthday, double digit milestone. I remember my 10th birthday so well, a great family friend, Eric and his wife, hosted a dinner party in my honor and he gave a memorable toast to me emphasizing my new status in the double-digit club. I thought I was pretty special, cool and wise beyond my years. Jack, my husband and I have been speaking with Timothy about how special his upcoming birthday is but I am not sure he fully comprehends the concept. He is still most interested in whether he will get an XBox or dog! Hmmm…that is a tough one. I am trying to figure out which is the lesser evil. I think for now, the XBox may win. Nonetheless, the 10th birthday milestone for Timothy is a valuable reminder that even as I age and attempt to stop "celebrating" my birthday, particularly as the years accrue into larger double digit numbers, or when I think of my birthday as just another day, it truly is a special occasion. It honors ones parents, grandparents and all those who have come before. Double digit 10 years on the 11th day of May, it will be an exciting day for Timothy and for me!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-1608685313740651122014-03-20T10:50:00.001-07:002014-03-20T10:50:45.174-07:00Etc: Could it be, Spring?On my four mile walk today, I saw and heard many signs of Spring. Birds chirping, peepers and frogs chatting, crocus nearly bursting in full color glory, grass turning green, and most importantly, the sun shone bright with few clouds in the sky. Thank goodness, because it sure has been a long, cold winter! I think people today with their instant gratification lifestyles expect Mother Nature to just roll over and give into our desire for warmth and sunshine. Well I think we deserve it even though the 12 or so snow storms in total dropped far less snow on us than the Snowmageddon winter of 2009-2010. It is amazing how my mood is positively impacted by the sun. There is something truly medicinal about it, especially when you feel like you have been without it for so long. So my plan today is to soak it all in and be thankful that yes, it could in fact be spring! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-29260596075089575722014-03-13T05:48:00.001-07:002014-03-13T05:48:29.686-07:00Family: TweakingSo, you can imagine my response to Timothy's doctor when he said, "let's tweak his medication for the next two weeks to see what happens." The reason for this tweak phase is because we are concerned that the medicine may not be doing what it is supposed to. It is supposed to help him focus, lessen anxiety so he can learn and grow. It is amazing - in just two days of tweaking, we have seen two positive changes - he is sleeping better and eating more. A year ago, Timothy was really long and almost too lean. Often times, stimulants can decrease appetite and disrupt sleep. So the tweaking impact has helped in these two areas while at the same time, we are still not ready to judge if his behavior, focus and overall-functionality has changed for the better or worse. I think it is safe to say that it takes a few days for the extended release medications to vacate the bloodstream and he still is taking two non-stimulant medications for ADHD and anxiety. Maybe these two medicines alone could be enough? Wouldn't that be amazing if we could actually lower the amount of medication that he takes? So often parents want to pack on the meds, add on and inadvertently or unintentionally over-medicate to a certain degree. And at times, we have been almost game for that too. But thanks to the experience and guidance of Timothy's doctor, we actually have lessened the medication as least for now. So why does this all really matter? Well it is spring break for Timothy so the impact on him and us was a concern. In hindsight even though we are only on day three it has not been too bad. Despite the tweaking we have visited the Aquarium, we went to the park for the first run around on the playground for 2014, we went swimming at the Y and today and tomorrow our goals are to start a garden inside to be transplanted outside when it warms up and to go skiing. Fun times for sure. Stay tuned for further tweaks to the tweaking.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-1861653609439026932014-03-01T13:23:00.001-08:002014-03-13T05:29:21.592-07:00Family and Filanthropy: Be GoodLast fall, my sister and I began to talk about whether we had the skill set as professionals and siblings to join forces in some formal capacity. Growing up, our grandparents articulated regularly the mantra to Be Good. So, that is what we have tried to do throughout our lives, be good. I had free time to think a lot last fall about our bond as sisters, our common goal to be good and how we could serve others. Hence, Sisters4Good was born. Several months later, the concept is still somewhat fluid and uncertain. Many questions remain - do we incorporate? Do we become a 501 c 3? Do we want to withstand the test of co-working siblings for just the original year's time discussed last fall or do we want to extend the partnership? Hmm…Our first test, San Diego's Biggest Sports Play Date on February 1 was very successful. We married four sports: tennis, soccer, baseball and football into a fun play date event at a world class sports venue, Petco Park, home to the Padres of MLB. Kids, volunteers and families were treated to a wonderful opportunity to see world class tennis, Davis Cup USA vs. Great Britain and the youngest possibly future athletes for USA got to be active, meet new people and have fun. Our next step is to see if this type of event has staying power and the traction to be replicated in other parts of the country. Stay tuned to find out and in the meantime, Be Good.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Bill Walton (Basketball Legend) signs a ball for a future sports legend (at right)? </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-4082162983386339522014-01-20T14:43:00.000-08:002014-03-13T05:32:35.825-07:00Family: Oops I forgot to post on Christmas Day!As I sit on the beach in the community where my Mom grew up with my son playing in the sand with beach toys I can see the circle of life clearly on this Christmas Day. I used to do the same thing. Body surf, build sand castles and chase seagulls on this same stip of beautiful beach. I am reminded of the blessings in my life. My parents, sisters, husband, son and all my friends. I hope today that you too are reminded of the many blessing in your life! Merry Christmas!<br />
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Beach combing with a new friend!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-53124119593724982652013-12-11T06:01:00.001-08:002014-01-20T14:44:07.100-08:00Etc: The HolidaysI am such a sap - I cry at the Elf on the Shelf movie, the Christmas video that has gone viral where the airline makes Christmas wishes come true and I even tear up at the sound of some of my favorite Christmas music. I just love this time of year. I remember many happy times with family and friends. I am trying to educate Timothy about the fact that it's better to give, than receive. That is a tough sell at this point. It truly is a joy to give! Several friends and family have given us nice ornaments this year to help us decorate our tree since all of our ornaments were inadvertently packed away, untouchable in storage last February during our move. I love our tree - the smell, the colors, the touch of nature, the reminders of family and friends. One of my favorite memories of Christmas is our "gag" gift giving with our good friends, the Ostergaards. On many occasions, we exchanged gifts in a Tiffany box only to discover 150 keys to something unknown or 150 of the same page from a science text book. And of course, there was the exchanging of Elvis! For several years, we exchanged a large bust of Elvis, yes Elvis lived at Christmas time for us. One year, we were in Australia for Christmas. We received a large box and when we opened it, it was Elvis shattered in pieces in the bottom of the box. The Ostergaards received a lot of style points for their efforts to ship Elvis to us in Australia. I also remember Timothy's second Christmas which was the last one with Grand-Sam around. I remember a photo of Dad putting his hands on Timothy's head as he opened a gift. It is a really touching photo showing the love a grandfather has for his grandson. Oops…I am crying again…it must be Christmas time! I hope you are remembering fondly about what is important to you this Christmas season. Enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-8797441257166877532013-11-08T17:12:00.000-08:002013-11-19T02:02:12.890-08:00Fitness: Listen to Your BodySo about six weeks ago I started to feel pain in my shoulder (right one) and I quasi-scaled back my workouts but did not completely stop. Now two full weeks into dry land rehab, I am still not 100%. I played tennis yesterday for the first time in several weeks and I made it through but it was strange. My right arm seemed weak. Nonetheless I press on with my rehab and exercises so that I can get stronger and not hurt myself more. The lessons I learned from all of this are listen to my body, don't over do it and follow Doctor's orders! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-36716651358278133382013-11-06T02:55:00.000-08:002014-03-13T05:32:05.723-07:00Family: Four Generations and FriendsToday would be my grandmother, Moppie's 104th birthday! Amazingly, she lived to be 96 years young and thankfully she got to meet two of her four great-grandchildren, including Timothy. Moppie was awesome. She loved tennis, golf, bingo and of course her glass of wine at 5pm religiously every day. She was an incredible athlete playing tennis until her mid to late 80s. When I was young and she would visit us from the West Coast, on many early mornings I would crawl into her twin bed with her to "snuggle" as my son now often ask of me to do. I would knock on the door and she would say "you-who." What a grand lady and pillar for our family. Speaking of pillars, I learned that today is also the 20th wedding anniversary of some special friends of ours. These friends, like my grandmother, are pillars of strength and courage as they live with and fight breast cancer together. They are a true team and will undoubtedly beat the disease. As I write this, I wonder what can I do for them. I know of generous gifts of food etc but I am no gourmet chef so I think the best thing I can do is pray for them and hope that they know that they are not alone in their journey! Be strong friends and Happy Birthday Moppie (see Moppie below with my Mom, Timothy during his first Christmas and me!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-92dUE4Si3sg/UnofbvfZhmI/AAAAAAAAAIA/qJljwglCJec/s1600/4generations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-92dUE4Si3sg/UnofbvfZhmI/AAAAAAAAAIA/qJljwglCJec/s320/4generations.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Moppie with her daughter, granddaughter and great-grandson!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-90482924879008583922013-11-01T01:49:00.000-07:002013-11-06T02:57:38.223-08:00Family: Another FirstTonight will make another first for Timothy. He has been invited to a friend's house for a Birthday Sleepover Party. While Mom is worried that the timing, the night after the candy frenzy of Halloween, is not the best, he is so excited. I spent a little bit of time in the preceding days educating Timothy about being polite and respectful in someone else's home. I am sure he will be. But I cannot help myself to wonder, will he sit at the table, will he not pee on the toilet seat, will he use nice language, will he not talk too much during what ever amount of sleep he gets. Tonight will be only the fourth night in a calendar year that Jack and I will be on our own. These times are precious. I do not think parents especially ones raising little ones with learning and behavioral challenges get enough of this respite time. I know we have not. Frankly, its a bit ironic because I seem to recall our few nights alone as a couple were spent primarily talking about Timothy. I guess that is to be expected. I am sure the most important aspect of all this is that Timothy was invited, he is going to experience a right of passage for young children, and most of all, it will be fun.<br />
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Postscript: The sleep over went really well. He had a blast and now wants to have one for his birthday in 2014. Oh boy…get ready!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-4474808810489458932013-10-29T07:14:00.000-07:002014-03-13T05:33:54.145-07:00Family: Mom Mom, Pop Pop and the B and O Railroad<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv0K2fJCHqw/UlsrpL7b-qI/AAAAAAAAAGs/R0tgr-xIWME/s1600/165908_212415602212055_1991523989_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv0K2fJCHqw/UlsrpL7b-qI/AAAAAAAAAGs/R0tgr-xIWME/s320/165908_212415602212055_1991523989_n.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Mom-Mom with her six grandchildren, love!</td></tr>
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In June 2013, my mother in law seen above in yellow with her six grandchildren ranging in age from 9 (Timothy at the lower right) to 30 passed away after a life well lived. I enjoyed getting to know Mom Mom and teaching Timothy about his Magee heritage (mostly Irish of course!). His grandfather (Jack's dad) unfortunately passed away in 1986 due to injuries suffered from a car accident. Although Timothy and I never got to meet Pop Pop, we talk about him often. Through Jack, we passed down Pop Pop's love of trains to Timothy. Trains have been one of Timothy's favorite toys. He has drawn them, read about them and been fortunate to travel on one last year. Magee and Shriver ancestors both worked for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad so this particular railroad is very significant and important to Timothy and our families. All aboard....<br />
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P.S. Katy, the oldest granddaughter/cousin in the middle row, 2nd from the left is getting married in October 2013.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-78274094781813600512013-10-25T14:55:00.002-07:002013-10-29T07:20:01.585-07:00Family: Declutter Dilema So, parents out there - what is your opinion? Do you have a lot of toys in your child's bedroom? Or not? I am trying to provide Timothy, my son on the Autism Spectrum, with the best chance at serenity and solitude in his bedroom but our home is not spacious nor does it have a designated play room. At first, when we moved in February 2013, I was excited to downsize and declutter but part of that meant consolidating all of Timothy's age appropriate toys and books into one room, where his bed is. As the last six months have passed, I have wondered if the toys or distractions in his room are preventing him from getting to sleep on time and staying asleep for that matter. One theory I have heard is that the bed room should only have a bed, books and a desk for homework. Well, I would love to say I could make this a reality but I just do not think it is reasonable given our space constraints. It is like the adage for adults to not have a TV in the bedroom. Hmmm...I guess I will have to just wait and see how this all plays out. I will continue to try and declutter toys that he has outgrown from his room but for now, the toys and Timothy will sleep in the same room.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-63069267084007743532013-10-22T18:53:00.003-07:002014-03-13T05:33:20.525-07:00Family: Remember Marion, the Sister of All Sisters<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--U4zCAFG9jc/UmfB-b0ybhI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/qrZ1Zk0UD1k/s1600/996495_10200931021211785_1748284350_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--U4zCAFG9jc/UmfB-b0ybhI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/qrZ1Zk0UD1k/s320/996495_10200931021211785_1748284350_n.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Marion, a free spirit then and an angel now!</td></tr>
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Well, I have just spent some wonderful days with my in-laws for a wedding in San Francisco. To top it off, I made a spur the moment trip down to Los Angeles to see my sister, Pam for a few days. As I write this, we approach the 16th anniversary tomorrow of the passing of our beloved sister, Marion. It's funny but Pam has called me Marion about three times since I arrived. I like it. Tomorrow, I think, will be one of the first times we have been together for this annual difficult reminder. As the years have passed, it has gotten easier I guess. I do not cry as much but still, on the inside, I wish she were here. As an educator, I am sure she would know just how I could help Timothy during his academic journey especially with his special needs. Today, I watched my niece take a riding lesson. She was definitely channelling the inner Marion. After all, Marion was an accomplished equestrian. October 23 - it's a bitter sweet day. A day where we wish she had not passed, but at the same time its the day that Marion was allowed to be at peace and not in pain. I will feel close to Marion tomorrow as I fly east. By the way, my Mom is flying west tomorrow for the same reason.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-56259055111872630192013-10-17T11:27:00.002-07:002013-11-01T01:35:33.217-07:00Fitness: Family & Filanthropy: TennisRecently, I played doubles with my friend and partner against a really great team. We began the night playing very well and won the first set 6-3. In the second set, we fought hard and as the games racked up, I kept an eye on my Polar Heart Rate monitor (A link to the kind I have is <a href="http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/polar-ft4m-silver-h1.html">here</a>. <span style="font-family: inherit;">And the definition of one <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">is a personal monitoring device which allows one to measure his or her heart rate in real time or record the heart rate for later study. It is largely used by performers of various types of physical exercise.)</span></span> I use the monitor as a motivator and it gives me real time feedback about how hard I am working out. In the past, when I have played tennis, I have watched the calories accrue but this time, I watched the heart rate fluctuate. About mid-way through the two hour match, my heart rate at one point reached about 152 beats. I was definitely in the zone for most of the match which for me is over 118 beats. We ended up losing the second set 3-6 and at one point my adrenaline as well as my heart rate was really pumping. In the third set, we were down 5-0 with about 15 minutes left in our court time. My partner and I knew we needed to make a come back. We got to 3-5 and lost the final game with about one minute left of our court time. At that point, I looked at my calories burned - 750! Wow, in a two hour doubles match. We were really workout hard but having a good time as well. Tennis is a wonderful sport and one that is very meaningful to my family. My grandparents, parents and sisters all played, including one sister who turned it into a career. While my playing personally ebbed and flowed over the years, it was only about three years ago that I began to play regularly. It brought me new friendships and fun times with my family. For 25 years, my sister also used tennis as a vehicle to raise awareness and funds for causes in her community. She and I have begun to talk about ways in which we can again weave the tennis thread into raising money and awareness for a valuable cause. Stay tuned.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-79384815162500616732013-10-14T15:56:00.000-07:002013-10-29T07:13:15.245-07:00Family: Expectation vs. RealityWhen Timothy was born, Jack and I did not know at the time, he would be our first, middle and last child all rolled into one. Sometimes, I wish he had a sibling to socialize with and bounce ideas off of. He often would mention wanting to have a brother or sister and I just explained that we were focused solely on him and wanted to do the best we could to raise him well. As it turned out, our decision was a good one for several reasons. Timothy needs our 100% attention and I am not sure we could afford a second child. In this age of health care uncertainty, Timothy's medical care as far as his mental health is concerned (i.e. therapist or psychiatrist visits) are NOT covered by insurance (prescriptions are but some even with a copay can be hundreds of dollars). His team of doctors are "not in the plan" so we get no reimbursement. Unfortunately, my expectation is for his mental health care to be 100% covered but in reality is its not. Almost on a daily basis, there is a moment where my expectations do not align correctly with reality. It is completely my issue but when I want so desperately for Timothy to be like other kids, fit in, or be cured - it can be devastating to be hit head on by reality. This was no more noticed when I took him to his first swimming clinic recently at our local YMCA. Jack and I have exposed Timothy to basketball, soccer, tennis, golf and now swimming. We are attempting to see if swimming can be something individualized, yet team oriented that can allow him a positive outlet for all of his energy. At the clinic, I knew almost immediately that he was not like any of the other young boys and girls. He sat off to the side, played with my smart phone and only sporadically participated in the dry land activities that included presentations by two former Olympic swimmers. While sitting quietly to listen to the life stories of elite athletes may be interesting for the adults in the room, all the kids were having some trouble sitting still and remaining focused. It's to be expected. At the time, I was not sure Timothy was listening. He did ask some good questions but he also was a bit distracting to the others in the group. As I sat off the side, I wondered should I intervene, tell him to pipe down or sit still - well yes and I did so several times as quietly as I could so as not to draw more attention to Timothy. All he wanted to do was swim - forget the dry land (with all due respect to the Olympians of course). Finally, his moment to swim came. But, shockingly and through bad planning on my part, it was Timothy's first time in the cold pool at the Y. The warm pool where he has been to several team practices is several degrees warmer. He jumped in only to gasp reflex with chills. To give him credit, he swam two laps but then simply got up and out of the pool and wanted to go to the warm pool. His ability to absorb those differences while in that new group setting just was not possible. I had no other choice but to let him go to the warm pool to finish the clinic in his own way. Once again, he was different. I was sobbing off to the side of the pool deck trying so hard not to let my emotions appear in public. I wanted him to enjoy himself, learn something and be inspired. As we left the Y and drove home, I cried more (you see over my life time, I have perfected the driving and crying move - **disclaimer - I do not recommended it**). I got home and went for a long walk. The exercise outlet for me is so critical to my own self-care. After I came back from my walk, I heard Timothy telling Dad about the Olympians he met and that one of them swam with spiders. Yes, a story that one of them told the kids involved spiders. At that point, I realized he was listening but in his own active way.<br />
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PS The next day, we had a great end to the day. Timothy ate grilled chicken (not breaded) but the real deal for dinner. He actually consumed some healthy and pure protein. I think if we can get him to eat more protein, the better things will be overall.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-9201817219222112632013-10-13T11:49:00.000-07:002013-10-29T07:09:01.325-07:00Filanthropy: Leading by Example<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I was in high school, I remember my parents leading by example when they co-chaired my high school senior class gift project. It was an annual effort conducted by a committee of parents and/or grandparents of graduating seniors to raise funds for the school's annual fund or a special project. I have a distinct memory from my high school graduation day, when my parents stood in front of the audience to share how much money was raised in our honor. This was my first memory of philanthropy, giving money or time to a valuable cause. As I have gotten older, I have learned about earlier generations of my family showing compassion, generosity and care for the less fortunate. My family has been paying it forward for a long time. It is a lesson that I try to show my son Timothy too. He has donated books that he no longer reads to Goodwill and has participated in a Lemonade Stand for donations with his cousins to benefit a local community foundation. It's nice to see the next generation paying it forward.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-50399765828165529002013-10-13T02:35:00.003-07:002013-10-29T07:07:47.962-07:00Family: Comorbid - The Word of the Day at 1:30 am, 2:22 am and Finally 4:44 am<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">I would say the past six months have been the most difficult for me as a Mom. They have also been challenging for Jack as a Dad. I think they have also been difficult for Timothy hence today's headline, comorbidity.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> In Timothy's case he lives with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder which is treatable by medicine, therapy and strong support and understanding from family, friends, teachers, coaches and sometimes complete strangers. Simultaneously, he lives on the Autism Spectrum which is not treatable by medicine but can be managed through therapy which is uniquely designed by his therapist and implemented at home and at school. This is comorbidity, two disorders going on simultaneously in his body. His team also includes a psychiatrist who can prescribe the medicines. Luckily, Timothy is able to attend a wonderful school on the Delmarva that specializes in individualized education plans, implementation of curriculum that fosters academic success through multidisciplinary approaches and frankly, off the wall strategies (for most main stream public and other private schools), like allowing gum chewing, playing with a fidget toy or sitting on an exercise ball during class. When you have two things like these disorders going on in a little boy at the same time, it can be hard to differentiate between symptoms of one or the other. Over the last six months, we have seen behaviors develop in Timothy we do not like such as more aggression, back-talk, boarder line bad language, uneven sleep patterns, lying, suppressed appetite and non-compliance to simple one-step directions such as "brush your teeth," "get dressed," or "eat your dinner." Many might say these are all typical behaviors of a normal nine year old boy just testing the waters of blossoming independence, and maybe some of them are but as a Mom I </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">know </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Timothy's behaviors are comorbid with normal (good and bad) milestones but also simultaneously occurring and/or being intensified by his "disorder cocktail." Each day comes with the scary thought of what's going to go wrong today? It is hard to stay focused on what's will go right today when Timothy wakes us up three times between 1 and 4 am, only to finally give in and welcome him into our bed for some Disney XD (XD meaning in my opinion, cartoons on steroids or hyperactivity launcher.) I think the feeling on this early fall morning, is that we do not quite have the medicine right. I hope we can get it right so we can all get some much needed sleep and more balance in our daily lives! </span></div>
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322950658043514201.post-21853838464349470602013-10-11T18:20:00.000-07:002013-10-13T11:17:40.567-07:00Family: The Bean Bag<div style="text-align: justify;">
During the summer of 2007, I took my then 3 year old son Timothy to the park near our home for an annual event called the Multicultural Festival. It is a gathering of many people from different cultures where ethnic music, foods and exposure to local community organizations is made possible in one convenient location. One booth that we visited was sponsored by the local library. There were books, fliers and information about obtaining a library card, the most important non-credit or id card in one's wallet. Timothy was not too interested in the offerings on the table but he did immediately gravitate towards the library's hands-on activity which was a part of their booth's display. Someone had taken an old cardboard box, a pretty large one at that, cut it open and painted one side to look like a school bus. It was yellow, with black lines and of course windows which were cut out. The "school bus" was propped up by some kind of make shift easel. The point of the activity was to stand in front of the "bus" which was "parked" sideways and throw several bean bag(s) through the windows of the bus. When Timothy came to the front of the line for his turn and approached the activity, he immediately and confidently took the bean bags and walked around the "bus" and theoretically stepped inside the bus, like he was going to take a seat and look out the window. His idea for how the game should work, was to throw the bean bag(s) out of the window of the "bus" as opposed to throwing them from the outside to the inside. In hindsight, it may have appeared that Timothy was performing the activity wrong but really he was performing it the way he interpreted it. He threw the bean bag(s) in his own way, his right way. It is the first time, I can honestly remember thinking, Timothy was different from other kids his age. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10858084857517972778noreply@blogger.com4