Tuesday, June 10, 2008
And I needed this too! (guess who cleaned out her inbox)
Quote of the Day
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
– T.S. Eliot
And these too!
June 04, 2008
"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."
– Beverly Sills
June 01, 2008
"Map out your future, but do it in pencil."
– Jon Bon Jovi
May 31, 2008
"If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again."
– Flavia Weedn
May 30, 2008
"Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken."
– Frank Herbert
May 29, 2008
"Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is."
– Aleksei Peshkov
May 27, 2008
"A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work."
– John Lubbock
May 26, 2008
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
– St. Francis of Assisi
May 23, 2008
"If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you'll never enjoy the sunshine."
– Morris West
May 19, 2008
"If we wait for the moment when everything is ready, we shall never begin."
– Ivan Turgenev
May 14, 2008
"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself."
– Harvey Fierstein
May 13, 2008
"Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even."
– Muhammad Ali
April 27, 2008
"It has been my philosophy of life that difficulties vanish when faced boldly."
– Isaac Asimov
April 26, 2008
"We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return to us as results."
– Herman Melville
Monday, June 9, 2008
Who needed this for today? I need it for the week...better yet, the month!
This week's promise: God's timing is perfect
Watch the Lord rescue you
The Lord continued to strengthen Pharaoh's resolve, and he chased after the people of Israel who had escaped so defiantely. All the forces of Pharaoh's army—all his horses, chariots, and charioteers—were used in the chase.…
As Pharaoh and his army approached, the people of Israel could see them in the distance, marching toward them. The people began to panic, and they cried out to the Lord for help.
Then they turned against Moses and complained, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Didn't we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt? Our Egyptian slavery was better than dying out here in the wilderness!"
But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you. The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!"
Exodus 14:8-14 NLT
Bearing down
Whatever your worries are today, they probably do not top the 600 Egyptian war chariots bearing down on the children of Israel! Trapped between the mountains and the sea, the people forgot the God who had delivered them from the Pharaoh's hand, and they cried out in despair. But Moses, who focused on the promise of God, stood firm in his hope. When we face our "chariots," it is quite normal to feel anxiety and fear. But when we remember God's faithfulness and his ability to bring good out of any situation, we find our fears calmed and our confidence renewed.
from TouchPoint Bible commentaries by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 62
Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House
Sunday, June 8, 2008
All over the place...
I lay at night always thinking about what I will blog about next. Always talk to myself silently going over word for word of what I want to tell the blog world. Obviously the blog world realizes that those thoughts very rarely make it the screen. Oh how I wish I had good news for the outside world. How I wish I could sit here this very day and tell you all that I am doing great...
nope, ain't happening.
Although, I do think I am doing very well these days I am no where near great. This grieving the loss of your baby thing is far greater then anyone on the outside could ever imagine. It is only those select few that truly "get it". Those...those are my true friends.
I am ecstatic to announce that the mini trip planned for the end of June is a complete and total GO! I am all in and cannot wait. For those wondering I will give you a few of the details...I will be attending a conference 700 some miles away. Something of which I have never done, this will be my first. I will be flying out of Pittsburgh w/ a mommy of an angel (two angels at that). I cannot wait to see this females face, oh the tears that will be shed. Once arriving at our destination we will be greeted by not one, not two, not three....but FOUR! Yes, FOUR more mommies of angels. Can you imagine the joy in that airport, parking lot, hotel that day, that weekend...those four days. Oh, I cannot wait. A part of me wants to be nervous, but why. These girls already know me, they know my heart, my desires, my pain...these girls get it. They get me!
Thank you for the prayers in which helped this entire plan and trip come together as it has. I know that thru the power and love of God and our babies in His arms we, the six of us, have been united via the Internet and will be united face to face in just short of 3 weeks. There are many more than just the six of us. We will miss you...those of which we will not see on this one occasion. But I hope, I dream, I pray...that someday, we ALL will get a chance to meet, face to face, maybe even w/ our families in tote. Someday. And if not here on Earth, we will in Heaven...I will rejoice either way.
I sit here tonight w/ a second floor full of boys. A group of boys that have been friends since first grade. Dominic celebrated his 12th birthday once again. This time w/ his friends instead of his family...but these boys, might as well be his family...they are close knit. Close knit as I feel I am w/ girls that I have never even met...how weird that seems. I cherish, for Dominic, the friendships that he has. I cherish my own just as much.
Okay, I feel as if I am rambling. Maybe I am just delirious. It has been a long day. Soccer tournaments from 10:30 till 1:45 (we should have been there at 9:50 till 3:00). The ninety degree weather, the blaring sun and me rubbing ice cubes up and down my arms, face and chest did me no good...sunscreen might have worked a tad bit better. I look like a lobster. A lobster w/ a nice white circle in the middle of my chest (always wearing my necklace from Heather)!
After soccer (and a quick shower to cool off) my list looked like this:
Giant Eagle (sushi and gift cards)
Cemetery (always make time for my baby girl)
Toys R Us (use gift cards - gotta get the points off of my gas)
The Exchange (return)
Foot Locker (Dom sandals)
Greeting Gallery (gift - one for me and one for someone else)
Shop N Save (pizza and hoagies)
Subway (added to list after Shop N Save was outta hoagies)
Clean out van (ARRGGG!)
Needless to say, me and Mya did it all in about 3 hours. Then I needed another shower and we headed to Dominic's KSWA party.
The kids had a good time but we (Dominic too) came to realize that this will be his last KSWA party as they were more interested last year.
I spoke to Many caring people tonight. Those who knew what to say...and those who did not. No one upset me intentionally but some just didn't know that we said goodbye to our precious baby girl only 11 weeks ago. You know, the ones that say "how's the little one"? The same one that sent me a myspace message the day after she was buried saying congratulations. I didn't have it in me that day to say that she was gone. I just hoped that he'd read my blogs on myspace. Which reflect the same exact posts on here. He didn't. But it's okay. It feels good to cry sometimes. Even in public at that. I cannot pretend that this doesn't hurt or pretend that this pain isn't real. It seemed like a story before. It seems so real now. She's gone. She's not coming back. I can go to the cemetery every day. I know it won't bring her back. I can hope and dream and pray for God to fill this void, but nothing...no one...will ever take her place. That is why I can see other babies. Boys or girls. Her age or not.
I can go to my friends house who delivered twins just four short weeks after Eva was born. I can have hope seeing that set of twins knowing that on March 26th this year, their brother would have been one. But because of God's plan and the severest case of OI...baby Ryan was waiting for Eva in Heaven on what would have been his first birthday here on Earth. I can walk right in to Brandy's house and go right for baby Chloe, and Camden too. I can feed her, change her and hold her close smelling her new baby smell and you know what...it does nothing for me. Don't get me wrong...it brings joy to my heart and happiness in my arms and thankfulness to God for allowing two beautiful beings to be given to a family that hurt so bad just a year ago. But these babies are not mine. They look nothing like Eva. They smell nothing like Eva. They are not my Eva. That is what makes it all so much better and so much easier to handle.
I don't even know what my intent was w/ this post. I do know that it is late. 2:50AM at that. Seven more minutes...marks 11 weeks that Eva took her last breath and when her heart and lungs gave up here on Earth. She fought long and hard to give us what she gave and I thank her and God for it all. All that she and He gave me in those very short but very long 5 days, 18 hours and 10 minutes. Life as I knew it has changed. And I thank You Both for that.
Prayer request...for me...I am experiencing pain again. Above my incision. Puffiness and pain. Nothing major but nothing that seems to be normal either. I want it to be nothing. But I think that would be too easy. My life...has been far from easy. And because of fear...I tend to think the worst. Please pray that it is nothing. Please pray that it goes away. Please pray that if it is something that it is minor and can be fixed easily. I pray that it doesn't stand in the way of my desires, future, hopes nor dreams. Fear sucks! It's right there w/ losing my daughter these days. Fear...go away!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Eva has a new friend...
The latest post from Jacob's blog...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
It is with a weird combination of a heavy heart and sense of celebration that we are sad to announce that Jacob went home to be with the Lord today around 5:30 PM. Please pray that his life continues to be celebrated and that others draw close to Christ as a result of his passing.
Posted by Fahmer at 6:46 PM 185 comments
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Thinking of you Ashley...
The latest from Ashley's Caring Page...
THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2008 06:03 PM, CDT
This is not something I hoped to share so soon - Faith died at 5:32 this evening.
More information will follow later.
Tom
Friday morning PS - Ashley and Adam are home now and are working on funeral arrangements... details will be posted soon.
I want to encourage everyone to take some time to sign Faith's online guestbook - even if you only sign your name. It is a great encouragement - something difficult to explain.
There are a lot of things to work through right now - and God's grace is evident in the courage and fortitude Adam and Ashley are demonstrating each step of the way.
This will be a long journey for Ashley, Adam and the girls. Right now, there is a lot of work to do but as time passes, their heart will catch up with their mind and our faithful acts of love and encouragement will be needed and appreciated.
Tom
Update on Faith...
THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2008 01:41 PM, CDT
She's here! Faith Ann Webb was born at 12:12PM Thursday, May 22nd.
Weighing in at 4lb 10oz and 18 inches long she is bright eyed and bringing smiles to everyone!
Ashley had a quick labor and everything well. (A little too quick - the scheduled doctor couldn't make it in time:)
Right now, Ashley, Adam and family are enjoying some time together - so I am off to join the crew... update and photos will follow later.
Ashley's very proud big brother,
Tom
Another Urgent Prayer Request!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Urgent Prayer Request
I can't think of a faster, more efficient way to mobilize prayer than to post this here...
Please, please pray (right now!) for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family. Details are still in process, but it appears that one of his sons was pulling into their driveway this evening and did not see his sister (5 year old Maria..adopted from China) in front of him. She was struck by the car and killed.
I have met him, but do not know him personally, although his reputation as a Christ-centered man precedes him. I cannot imagine what they are going through right now.
Please pray specifically for peace tonight in the midst of the storm. Feel free to leave those prayers here in the comments section, as well as any scriptures you feel you have been led to pray for them. There is power in the living word of God...power that a dear family needs tonight.
Thank you-
Angie
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
PLEASE PRAY FOR FAITH ANN!!!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Rain...Rain...Go Away!
The rain seems to damper my day...as well as my mood. Even if we get a little bit of sunshine it still manages to rain somewhere throughout the day. The cemetery is a swamp. That's the only thing I don't like about where Eva was laid to rest. It is grossly muddy and soggy. The ground has settled a little too much where her tiny casket went into the ground and it tends to obtain a nice puddle.
Friday I stopped by the cemetery, as I still do on a daily basis. I squatted down to talk to her and asked her to send us some sunshine. I told her to get in kahoots (is that even a word or the way to spell it) w/ God and send us some sun! Vinnie was home from work earlier and I was running errands before the kids got off their buses. Dominic has been squinting a little too much lately so I thought it'd be best for an eye exam since his last one was in 2006. I was able to get him an appt at 5:30 and we were planning to go to Olive Garden for dinner at 6:30 so it worked out pretty nice. As we exited the mall after the eye exam to head to dinner...would you believe it...the rain had subsided and we had the most gorgeous sunshine for what seemed like a few hours! I knew she could hear me. I knew They could here me. What a difference a little bit of sun can do to ones mood! Dinner was great (thanks Aunt Donna for the birthday gift card)!
I guess I haven't posted in a while. Just backing up a few days...I celebrated my first birthday and mothers day as a mother of 3...all in one week. My birthday was no big deal, as it never is, nor has it been since I had kids of my own. We would normally do dinner or something, which we did...but this year we ate pasta dinner at Mya's school. Yum! (can you sense the sarcasm)? Mother's day was fine (as I posted that afternoon) but I did go to the cemetery that evening then to a family/friends house to watch the Penguin game. I let my emotions get the best of me as I sat next to one of my very bestest friends (whose birthday was that day) and sensed that she was miserable (it was one of those numbers that I guess as a woman we don't like too much). I asked if she was miserable, she said yes. I said well I'm right there w/ you. She said well at least you aint *0...(that number she doesn't like) and I said I'd rather be *0 and have all my children here than to be 29 w/out Eva. SO of course I cried.
I think I should be crying more. I don't think I should be doing this well. All in all I think being off work helps tremendously. I am sure that once I go back and get back into the swing of things I will be fine...but the thought of doing ANYTHING that I did when I was pregnant...is heart wrenching! I mean even down to watching certain TV shows and watching particular movies. I had to cancel my Netflix membership because I had two movies that sat on my computer desk from three days before Eva was born until last week. I couldn't bring myself to watch them. Seems silly, even to me, but you just don't know what it feels like to do things...like go places where I last went while pregnant. Work is one of those places. I have only been back once since Eva was born and gone...and that was for a co-workers shower. I was there for less than two hours and that was enough for me. Taking the bus too. I just don't wanna do it. Please pray for me as I am to return back to work within the next couple of weeks.
Another prayer request...I am attempting to plan a mini trip the end of June. And leaving Vinnie, Dominic and Mya behind (I'll posted details later so you'll understand why they would not be coming along). I am still praying about this. Praying that everything works out as it is supposed to and that all the details, big and small, fall into place. Praying that I am physically, mentally, emotionally and financially able to do this...as my heart desires it oh so much.
I thank those who continue to follow and pray for me...and for us. I guess the less I post the less I hear from my fellow bloggers, but who am I to say anything cause I read many and comment few and far between.
I know I still have some catching up to do but being so far behind I forget a lot of what I had wanted to say.
Please pray for the family of Zoe Elizabeth Batiansila as it seems she is getting tired these days.
And please continue to pray for Jacob Ryan Fahmer as he seems to be feeling a little better but not completely outta the woods.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Thanks Mel...
MARIAH CAREY
"Bye Bye"
This is for my peoples who just lost somebody
Your best friend, your baby, your man, or your lady
Put your hand way up high
We will never say bye (no, no, no)
Mamas, daddies, sisters, brothers, friends and cousins
This is for my peoples who lost their grandmothers
Lift your head to the sky
'cause we will never say bye
As a child there were them times
I didn't get it but you kept me in line
I didn't know why you didn't show up some times
On Sunday mornings and I missed you
But I'm glad we talked through
All them grown folk things
Separation brings
You never let me know it
You never let it show because
You loved me and obviously
There's so much more left to say
If you were with me today face to face
[Chorus:]
I never knew I could hurt like this
And everyday life goes on like
"I wish I could talk to you for awhile"
“Miss you but I try not to cry”
As time goes by
Assume that you reached a better place
Still I'll give the whole world to see your face
And I'm right here next to you
It feels like you gone too soon
The hardest thing to do is say bye bye
(Bye Bye [3x])
Bye bye
And you never got the chance to see how good I've done
And you never got to see me back at number one
I wish that you were here to celebrate together
I wish that we could spend the holidays together
I remember when you used to tuck me in at night
With the Teddy Bear you gave to me that I held so tight
I thought you were so strong
You'd make it through whatever
It's so hard to accept the fact you're gone forever
[Chorus]
(bye bye bye bye bye bye [3x])
Bye bye
This is for my peoples who just lost somebody
Your best friend, your baby, your man, or your lady
Put your hand way up high
We will never say bye (no, no, no)
Mamas, daddies, sisters, brothers, friends and cousins
This is for my peoples who lost their grandfather's
Lift your head to the sky 'cause we will never say bye
[Chorus]
JACOB UPDATE
Update
Hi. It's Karen. Jacob has headed in a new direction. He spiked a fever of 102.1 (which is high for him since his temp is usually about 96 or 97). His respiratory rate and heart rate increased which gave him less frequent apnea spells but we fear him tiring out....he was breathing with lots of effort. We wiped him down with a wash cloth (meds are not an option and he should not be submerged to avoid chilling him) and this dropped his temp to 98.6 which is great. Pray he maintains that. He is now resting comfortably, his heart rate is normal for him and his apnea spells are still happening but he is alert to snap himself out of it. His belly is distended which leads me to believe his higher calorie formula could be giving him tummy trouble. He is currently on plain breastmilk again and his next feed we will give him one dose of pedialyte and then back to breastmilk to avoid bloating like last weeks episode. So, that is where we are at. THANK YOU for all your prayers and support. Please pray for wisdom and guidance and a strong, fighting baby boy.
Monday, May 12, 2008
***URGENT***PRAYER***REQUEST***
And most of all pray for Jacob...that he feels no pain and does not struggle and that God will comfort them as the make decisions that parents should never have to make. Only God knows the number of Jacobs days....praying that He allows the Farmer family many many more w/ their precious miracle child who has already beat so many odds!
Praying for you, Karen, Jason, Joshua, Jonathan and even more for you baby JACOB!
Urgent Prayer Requested!
Karen called me home from work tonight because Jacob wasn't doing well. His nurse is at the house currently and he's having difficulty breathing in his right lung. He's spewed out most of his last feed from over 5 hours ago and it doesn't look like he was digesting it or absorbing his medicine. The worst part though is that he's had several long periods where he's stop breathing all together and hasn't been able to be stimulated out of it. The nurse is giving us instructions on how to stimulate his heart as long as it continues to beat and after that... we're not ready to go there! Please continue to lift him up and pray that he is able to breathe steadily and tolerate his food and medicine! Thanks!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Wake up...and smell the roses...
I wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to all of my Mommy friends...near and far...new and old! You all mean a lot to me and have help me get through each and every day of this new life I am living.
Happy Mother's Day to you MOM and Grandma too! I love you both more than you may ever know.
I slept in very late today...3:50pm to be exact. I may have been up off and on throughout the morning but didn't really get up up until then. So, yes, needless to say...I missed church, again.
I am supposed to be getting showered and dressed and ready to go to our friend's house (although I did manage to get to the grocery store already to buy the "Penguin Game Essentials" for Vinnie) but I jumped on here to read my "blogger families" updates.
I came across a post of Kristy's that I wanted to share...
http://www.heirloomroses.com/
Their roses are amazing!
As you all know...Eva's name means LIFE. I did a search for life on the website and this was one of the four results...
It's called...Good Life!

I fell in love!
It is beautiful and unique...just as Eva is.
(A lovely exhibition formed rose. Its unusual color is an apricot orange with dark veining in the petals making it very unique. A vigorous, upright plant with rich green foliage.)
I showed it to Vinnie...and he too agreed.
We can't plant them at the cemetery cause of the bunnies or whatever animal that has eaten or other roses but we can get them to plant them here...either along the side of the house or in the wonderful angel planters that we had at the funeral home.



Either way I am excited.
Thank you for sharing Kristy!
Friday, May 9, 2008
I Believe...that I needed this email today!
I Believe... That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I Believe... That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I Believe... That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I Believe... That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I Believe... That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I Believe... That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I Believe... That you can keep going long after you think you can't.
I Believe... That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I Believe... That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I Believe... That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I Believe... That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I Believe... That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I Believe... That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I Believe... That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I Believe... That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I Believe... That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others. sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I Believe... That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I Believe... That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but, we are responsible for who we become.
I Believe... That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life Forever.
I Believe... Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I Believe... That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I Believe... That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.
I Believe... That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I Believe... That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
'The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything.'
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Jacob needs your prayers...
Monday, May 5, 2008
Do not be afraid...
Isaiah 43:1-2 NLT
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Thank you...and...Playing Catch Up

Thursday, April 24
Vinnie and the kids got me from the bus stop, we stopped to grab chips to go w/ my dip I made (Vinnie actually made it) and went to the cemetery before heading to my friend T's son C's 2nd b-day party. We had a great night celebrating and eating w/ friends and got home late.
Saturday, April 26 - One month since we buried Eva
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Real quick...
I have to be up at 5am to take my dad in for surgery. Some of you know because of my prayer request text, but my dad got hurt at work on Monday and it was pretty bad. He uses a band saw at work that is an inch and a half wide and twenty feet long. He was considering changing the blade that morning and for some reason (GOD) he didn't. Therefore, what could have been losing all his fingers turns out he took out the knuckle and a major tendon instead (thank you Jesus!). I prayed on my way to the ER and had my "warriors" praying too (prayers were answered). He went from 1st needing to be transferred from that hospital to another for immediate surgery to just being stitched up and discharged w/ the follow-up today. I took him to the appointment today which resulted in surgery scheduled for tomorrow morning (and all the pre-op stuff being handled in the facility we were at - so convenient).
So on that note...I was up early and out all day and am a little sleepy now, even w/ a nap after dinner. I plan to take the lap top w/ me tomorrow and blog it up while he is in surgery. If I can't get all the words out there I'll at least try to get the pics up and then add the words later. I know when I check on my blog friends I love to see something rather than nothing...pics will at least be added...unless I can't get service or in case any issues arise w/ his surgery.
I'll refrain from adding the pics of his hand...I took 2 while it was open and 2 after it was closed...you ask why I would do such? I wanted to be able to show my dad the damage done later in case the pain meds made him loopy (which they did) and he may have been in a state of shock too. Not to mention that it was a good thing that I took them because they came in handy today while seeing the surgeon. So again, I'll refrain from adding those cause I'm sure it would be difficult to clean vomit outta your keyboard! lol
Please pray for us, my dad as we go in tomorrow morning. Even though it is out patient you just never know. It is still surgery and still requires sedation. Possibly general anesthetic w/ a breathing tube. Please pray for the doctors and that all goes well.
I thought I'd need prayer for me being that I hadn't seen the hospital setting since leaving the maternity ward/NICU w/out Eva. Don't get me wrong, Monday was tough and tears were shed but I pulled it together before my dad came back from x-ray and have been doing well since. Today was a little rough just because I got irritated w/ the medical system and the lack of communication between personnel but I managed to get it all worked out...and the day went well thereafter.
Trying to get some sleep tonight since my schedule is not up to par these days. Be back tomorrow!
Monday, April 28, 2008
AWESOME!
An amazing family!
And oh how they describe what being on this journey has felt like...
Visit Moms blog here - Audrey Caroline Smith
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Email...
It didn't come through.
Thank you!
jane7doe7@aol.com
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