We hope
this holiday season finds you and your family in good health and with much happiness in your lives. Amazing. Retire from work and unable to get our 2011 Christmas Cards out. First Time Ever. In the McCord Family a lot has happened over the past 2 years. You have probably experienced many new things also. Guess that is life for all of us. Our biggest news for 2011 was hat Matt and Katie became engaged in December on a Caribbean Cruise. Both sets of parents felt privileged to be included in such a special time of their lives.
Our biggest news for 2012 was that Matt and Katie got married on August 11, 2012 at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. They wanted a great party and they certainly had one and enjoyed themselves. They have great jobs, beautiful home and are leaving next week for their Honeymoon in Paris and London. GREAT START!! The economic world as we knew it now appears to be redefined each day.
Consequently today employment is different for all our young people. Acquiring skills, using technology, analyzing data, facing new challenges, and continual growth on many levels appears to be the new norm. It is amazing to watch our four navigate through this new competitive economic world. We are lucky that they all have great employers that reinforce these new philosophies, medias and strategies. |
Nick is so lucky to work mainly from home (or should we say Nicole and Colton are lucky he does).
He has done extremely wee at Oracle. He will not approve of us sharing this but he not only received a Top Award but was promoted and did not tell anyone. His territory now extends to Denver.
Nicole has continued to be challenged at Super Supplements dealing with eCommerce Marketing.
She feels very lucky to also be able to work one day from home, enjoys the challenges of each day, appreciates the staff she works with and feels fortunate to have her job.
Matt has been an engineer at Siltronic for 5 years and continues to appreciate the challenges there. He was sent to Burghausen, Germany last February and experienced Bavaria through different eyes.
We were very excited for him.
Katie joined the staff at Sharepoint Innovations and obliviously has added a lot of pizzazz
(dazzling style; flamboyance; flair; vigorous spirit; energy and/or excitement)
to that high tech staff.
In Las Vegas she coordinated their vendor presentation which included some
(dazzling style; flamboyance; flair; vigorous spirit; energy and/or excitement) activities
for each of their clients that ended up on Facebook. It is going to be fun watching their careers
He has done extremely wee at Oracle. He will not approve of us sharing this but he not only received a Top Award but was promoted and did not tell anyone. His territory now extends to Denver.
Nicole has continued to be challenged at Super Supplements dealing with eCommerce Marketing.
She feels very lucky to also be able to work one day from home, enjoys the challenges of each day, appreciates the staff she works with and feels fortunate to have her job.
Matt has been an engineer at Siltronic for 5 years and continues to appreciate the challenges there. He was sent to Burghausen, Germany last February and experienced Bavaria through different eyes.
We were very excited for him.
Katie joined the staff at Sharepoint Innovations and obliviously has added a lot of pizzazz
(dazzling style; flamboyance; flair; vigorous spirit; energy and/or excitement)
to that high tech staff.
In Las Vegas she coordinated their vendor presentation which included some
(dazzling style; flamboyance; flair; vigorous spirit; energy and/or excitement) activities
for each of their clients that ended up on Facebook. It is going to be fun watching their careers
Colton is and has been such a blessing.
Nicole has so enjoyed seeing everything fresh through his eyes as has each of us.
Like most boys (or girls) he is a bundle of energy and curiosity that can can be dangerous.
He gets quite excited about almost everything and can be very dramatic.
He loves his Grandpa and whenever he calls on the phone he says
"Grandpa! Grandpa! Come out of the phone and play with me?"
He melts our hearts.
It is wonderful that Nick is home so much and they have Nanny Patty with Grandma Missy and Pap close by.
Nash is his best buddy and a very patient, tolerant lab. We love being able to be with him.
Nicole has so enjoyed seeing everything fresh through his eyes as has each of us.
Like most boys (or girls) he is a bundle of energy and curiosity that can can be dangerous.
He gets quite excited about almost everything and can be very dramatic.
He loves his Grandpa and whenever he calls on the phone he says
"Grandpa! Grandpa! Come out of the phone and play with me?"
He melts our hearts.
It is wonderful that Nick is home so much and they have Nanny Patty with Grandma Missy and Pap close by.
Nash is his best buddy and a very patient, tolerant lab. We love being able to be with him.
Dealing with Bill's Parkinson is and has been at the forefront of our life. Throughout the years many different classes, books, conferences, medical appointments, ideas and plans have been tried.
It has been a real group effort. We are fortunate to have such a phenomenal, caring, tolerant support system.
In Dec. 2011 information from a new study changed some of Bill's meds and indicated that he didn't need heart surgery. What timing!
Yea! March 18 & 22, 2011 Bill had 2 DBS Surgeries (Deep Brain Stimulation) @ OHSU. His is forever on an extra charge of 4.4 volts going through four LEDS to specific points of his brain. (He can work up to 6 volts. He feels it was not easy but worth it. So do we.)
June 3, 2011 he had partial knee replacement surgery on this right knee. Having been in a wheelchair, walker or using canes much of 2010 and 2011 it was a welcomed surgery and incredibly successful.
He is now on the list for the same surgery on his left knee in Jan. or Feb 2013. February 2012 he had hernia surgery.
A real break through happened in Oct 2012 when one of this doctors called us in. It was obvious he had talked with Bill's other doctors and they all had input into a plan of attack for Bill. The are very pleased with his progress and thrilled with their plan. One of the doctors told Bill he has had the best result from DBS surgery that he knows of. Bill also is working better with everyone to follow through. Yea!! Miracles can happen or is it fabulous science with those studies that allow for the miracles??
Biking has become our exercise/fitness focus. It works best and we love it.
It has been a real group effort. We are fortunate to have such a phenomenal, caring, tolerant support system.
In Dec. 2011 information from a new study changed some of Bill's meds and indicated that he didn't need heart surgery. What timing!
Yea! March 18 & 22, 2011 Bill had 2 DBS Surgeries (Deep Brain Stimulation) @ OHSU. His is forever on an extra charge of 4.4 volts going through four LEDS to specific points of his brain. (He can work up to 6 volts. He feels it was not easy but worth it. So do we.)
June 3, 2011 he had partial knee replacement surgery on this right knee. Having been in a wheelchair, walker or using canes much of 2010 and 2011 it was a welcomed surgery and incredibly successful.
He is now on the list for the same surgery on his left knee in Jan. or Feb 2013. February 2012 he had hernia surgery.
A real break through happened in Oct 2012 when one of this doctors called us in. It was obvious he had talked with Bill's other doctors and they all had input into a plan of attack for Bill. The are very pleased with his progress and thrilled with their plan. One of the doctors told Bill he has had the best result from DBS surgery that he knows of. Bill also is working better with everyone to follow through. Yea!! Miracles can happen or is it fabulous science with those studies that allow for the miracles??
Biking has become our exercise/fitness focus. It works best and we love it.
Our saddest news for 2012 is that my Mother died September 6th.
She outlived all statistics and lived life to the fullest. She will be missed.
Basin Harbor Club, Vermont on Lake Champlain
8.27.12 Hurricane Irene Basin Harbor Club, Burlington, 7 Hour drive to NY
BB Hall of Fame Springfield, Mass US Open Flushing Meadows NY
Kelly and Elliot's Wedding 9.25.12 @ Tarrytown, NY on Hudson River
Halifax, Nova Scotia Saint John, New Brunswick @ Low Tide Bar Harbor, Main
Niagara Falls-View from Hotel Rm Boldt Castle on Heart Island, Thousand Islands, Alex Bay, NY
Toronto, Ontario Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - Parliament Building Montreal, Quebec 1976 Summer Olympics & McCord Museum
Hyde Park, NY FDR Home Eleanor R House Val-Kil Bike Riding East River NY View from our Hotel Rm NY
Driving to Ft Laramie, Wyoming & Chimney Rock in Bayard, Nebraska
Scot's Bluff, Nebraska Cheyene, Wyoming Red Rock Canyon & Manitou Cliff Dwellings @ Colorado Springs CO
Tampa, Florida Salvador Dali Museum St. Petersburg, Fl and St. Pete's Beaches
Biking in Sarasota - Myakka River State Park, Unconditional Surrender Statue, Sarasota Key Bridge
Beaches in Sarasota - Siesta Beach, Lido Beach, Gulf Beach
Naples, FL - Air boat in Everglades @ Alligator Alley/Everglade Parkway - Jet Skiing around Key West
Grand Cayman, Ziplining in Roatan, Honduras, Biking in Costa Maya, MX; Snorkeling in Cozumel, MX @ Sea
Toledo, Spain; Prime Minister's Home in Madrid; Segovia, Spain (A FIND) Best Roman Aqueducts!
Hilltowns of Umbria & Tuscany: Asissi, Cortona, San Gimgiano,, Siena in Italy
Volterra Hill Town, Italy; David & Florence; Pisa, Carrera Marble Quarries
Hiking in the Clinque Terra, Italy - Riomaggiore, Vernazza, Manarola to Monterosso; Portofina; Verona Coliseum
Sirmione Castle on Lake Garda, Venice - Our Hotel on Grand Canal, Murano
Prague - St Vitus Cathedral, Ancient St 11 houses, Crossbow Competition, Lesser Town, Surfing in Munich
Hans, Bill, Helmuth & Heiko; Sabina, Hans, Bill Riding to Altotting & Back
HEAVEN
(IN BURGHAUSEN, GERMANY)
(IN BURGHAUSEN, GERMANY)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Bill and Debbie
Bill and Debbie