Terri Rimmer

November 22, 2005 Dear McKenna: It’s time for your annual Thanksgiving letter again. I can’t believe you’re five! My heart is comforted by the fact that you have such a great life. Your life is everything I wanted it to be for you. Every time I get a picture and see your smiling face looking back at me I know how lucky I am and what a great life you have. At times five years ago seems like a long time ago. Other times it feels just like yesterday. I happened to be talking with Stephanie, my best friend the other day. She was in the operating room the day you came into this world. She was telling me about a girl your age that is not as lucky as you. Every time I hear a story such as hers I am so glad you have the life you do. Your spirit keeps me going and I often have dreams about you, good ones in which you are happy, reflecting your true life. In those dreams I also see myself at your age and I feel like a Higher Power is showing me who I really was in Technicolor – innocent and pure...

By Terri Rimmer I remember when my sister was in high school she told me about weird initiations cheerleaders and pep squad members had to go through to be part of the squad. The rule was after the initiation if they called you it meant you made it and if they didn’t, but just showed up at your house you were part of the team. Such initiations were often held at the local mall and included such bizarre dares as singing a love song to an old man while standing on a bench in the mall. Another initiation involved getting zipped up in a sleeping bag and being rolled down the mall. And another is just too disgusting to print. Hazing or initiations date back as far as 1905. In 1909 in Denver, CO, some members of fraternities and sororities at high schools there (about 100 members) refused to relinquish their membership in these groups. When brought into some new group like a school or club people are naturally anxious to begin by making a good impression on the others. The desire to initiate...

By Terri Rimmer Recently 14 Nature Conservancy staff and two volunteers helped out in Mississippi with Hurricane Katrina relief. The country’s wildland fire management resources were mobilized to help with the government’s response. Although their hurricane-related duties didn’t have anything to do with flames their training lent itself well. During the stay in Hattiesburg, MS the team from the Nature Conservancy was able to have housing, transportation, meals, and other needs met. Within the organization the help was orchestrated by Paula Seamon and Sam Lindblom of the agency’s Global Fire Initiative. The team was involved in a variety of activities from clearing timber to helping evacuees. The Initiative helps teach people how fire can be useful and how it can be destructive. According to a press release from nature.org, the Conservancy’s website, the agency and partners have proposed renewed coastal conservation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. A September release also stated that ...

*Written by Mackenzie’s transitional moms The first nine days 8-15-00: Today is my birthday!!! My birth mom named me Justine Hope. They say I’m just beautiful. I weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces and measured 19 ½ inches long. I have beautiful soft golden brown hair. 8-17-00: I got to go home from the hospital today with my transitional family. The nurses were sad to see me go because I was such a good baby but my transitional family was glad to see me. They think I’m so sweet and just wonderful. They are a little worried because my appetite is very light. 8-18-00: I got to go to Gladney today to see my birth mom. She was so glad to see me. We had a good snuggle but she isn’t feeling too good just yet. Some of her friends came to see me and they thought I was so beautiful. I’m still only eating ½ to one ounce at a time. 8-19-00: We had a good day today. I started eating a little better this morning. I like to lay in my bed and look at my bear mobile. I’m very strong. I like to raise my he...