In memory of my mother Mary, 1926-2007.

After a nearly four year battle with advanced breast cancer, my mother passed away peacefully and quietly at 2;15am this morning.  She had begun failing a week ago when we were there visiting her for Christmas and had gone down hill quite rapidly in the week since then (has it only been a week?) .  I had been in Maine since Friday with my brother at her bedside, and she knew we were with her.  Last night we made the decision that I would come home and we would start preparing to start switching off days.  (I got to come home so I could vote tomorrow in the primary!)   he stayed with her.  She had not been responsive or conscious since Saturday morning.   -- he had gone back to the hotel for some sleep and they called him at midnight to come in. At 2:22 i woke up. at 2;24 he called me to let me know she was gone. She was surrounded by photos of her family and she now joins my dad and my sister and is finally at peace.  We believe her services will be the end of this week but at this point don't have any details.

Thank you for all your prayers and support during this intensely difficult time and for all your good thoughts and support during her illness.  I should be back around in a week or so.

Just a quick hello and an update before my ride

I serve on the board of directors of my state's women's lobby and was asked to provide testimony on a bill proposing the formation of a task force on work and family. Here's what I submitted. (I couldn't be there in person because ironically I was working!) Thought some of you might be interested. I've taken out specifics for anonymity's sake...

(with apologies to Sue who has probably already read this whine...) I feel like I'm neither fish nor fowl -- trying to be a great professional and a great mom and frankly failing at both. LIza came home early from school yesterday with a low grade temp and a sore throat -- the same sore throat I had said "would be FINE!" yesterday morning -- ugh. So she threw up twice last night and has a very very bad sore throat. The fever is gone though. so I'm home with her this morning try ing to telecommute and get popsicles and ginger ale and take temperatures and fix the covers and make a doctors appt -- all while trying to answer my office's emails...Then ex husband is going to take her to his house this afternoon because my Leadership New Hampshire Class has a private session with the NH Supreme Court at 12:30 -- this is HUGE, the court only does this kind of session for this program and it's literally a once in a lifetime opportunity. so I have to leave here by 12:00 andex dh is taking Liza to her 12:30 doctors appt but he's trying to make me meet him at the doctors which makes my route to the supreme court more convoluted so I'm completely stressed about getting there in time.... then getting home, getting Liza BACK from her dad and praying to high heaven she can go to school tomorrow so my childless cutthroat co worker who wants my job doesn't have any more ammo about how I drop everything for my kid. tums please. with a tequila chaser... and thanks for listening.... Katie

When I get it back I'll have to figure out how to post it! He's here doing an interview with Tom Vslick (sp?) who just announced his candidacy. So if you all watch the ABC Sunday morning news shows be sure to look for that interivew-it's filmed in the historic mansion where the theater I work for has its offices!

I'm 5'10 and on a good day feel like an Amazonia freak of nature -- I felt REALLY tall next to him!
Katie

Liza and I made the NH Public Radio Website --chekc out this link!

http://www.nhpr.org/...