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Congrats, we had #1 in middle of 2012 ATX debacle, 3/16!! I had a 2 hour ride in a snowstorm, it was well worth it. #2 just arrive a couple of weeks ago. Healthy happy baby boys. Now to fit more time in with them.

IT IS WONDERFUL. In a different way than Parenting, Grandparents are allowed to love, enjoy, relive a bit, and spoil, without the pressure that parenting involves. And as the grandbabies grow, there is the fun of watching your children 'eat their words', too! All those who have reached this stage know what I mean. The "My kids will never....." , etc.

My oldest daughter and son-in-law just told us this week!! Expected due date 2nd or 3rd week of May. I am not sure it has totally sunk in yet.

Congratulations -- WONDERFUL news!! Erasmus, the ancient Christian monk and philosopher, used to wish expectant mothers "that the child comes out as easily as it went in."

Congratulations!! You are gonna LOVE IT!!!!! We just had our first Grandson 2 mos ago!! The sad part - -they live 400+ miles away, and we have only had 2 trips to see him - - so SKYPE is our friend.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150367291041441&set=vb.612821440&type=2&theater

Jack, you must have given them the same advice that I gave my daughter--wait until after tax season, so her son was born April 30. Later she had a daughter born in July to give me still more time after tax season.

Congratulations! And not until tax season is over so you should have time to enjoy!

Congratulations, Jack! We are going to have our fourth grandchild next month from my step-son. They are some of the biggest joys of our lives.

Catherine, You and I have spoken several times about my son's desire to attend MIT. Attached is the recommendation letter he recieved from his intership at NASA this past summer. Yes, I am bragging, isn't that what parents are supposed to do. Ignore the date, he corrected it to 2013 on a later e-mail. Tom Recommendation Patrick Carlson.pdf

Thanks. Patrick left a message for him at his office.

Cool like that man! I can't even imagine when I will hear the same thing from my sons. They are too wrapped up in calculus and physics and engineering and SAT's and scholarships and applications for scholarships and college applications. Hopefully when they finish school they will notice that female companionship is pretty cool. Tom Hollister, CA

"I think these days most students have debit cards so it should be relatively easy to keep track of expenses." That is the source of the problem! Even the 1098Ts are sent to the students, usually electronically. Lots of Moms and Dads sit at my desk texting their kids to get that document to them ASAP. And debit card purchases at the college bookstore don't count for much. The bookstores sell sweatshirts, itunes cards, coffee, you name it. You need an itemized receipt, something the students will almost never be able to produce. Better for them to buy their books online where you can actually print out the order proving you bought books and not a milkshake. I have a client right now with three kids in college who just won a no change audit for 2009 over 529 distributions. Now that he knows the kind of documentation required he's already gathering it for anticipated audits of 2010, 2011, and 2012. He makes too much to claim any education credits but had substantial distributions from 529 plans for all three kids each year. When responding to the 2009 audit the IRS wouldn't accept the T. They wanted the print out of the actual expenses, what was paid for what and when. One of the kids lives off campus and he had to get from the school the standard room and board expenses the Dept of Ed uses in its calculations for that school. Not one kid could produce receipts for books. The T does have it issues, starting from its very first year when colleges had to issue it but didn't have to fill in any boxes. Remember that? Now there is a box for "amount billed" and another for "amount paid." What is the point? I also see a lot of adjustments for last year in the box provided. Financial aid often doesn't come through until January so that messes up last year's numbers. At least this year we can enter into the program that some of the billing was for the next year's tuition, so the IRS gets notice that the kid is a student the following year even if no T is issued. There has to be a better way.

Congratulations... It probably won't really sink in till you see your granbaby for the first time. It's a wonderful feeling.

This is one of the greatest joys of life. We will have our first Great-Grandbaby in two weeks or less. This is even worse than the first round. Our Granddaughter is so happy and healthy. This is why we live. This is why we work! Congratulations!

Congratulations to you and your family, Jack. Best wishes that mom and baby are healthy throughout the pregnancy and delivery.

Congratulations, Jack!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ltKjuP0Yn-I

Especially in October! Can't tell you the things I've had to redo, put on the wrong line, etc. It takes me twice as long to proofread in October because I'm tired and make twice as many mistakes trying to not smash into the drop-dead deadline.