Well, it's official - I formally accepted (sign, sealed, and delivered!) the job offer from Rutgers University to join their School of Management and Labor Relations as an Assistant Professor. We will be moving to New Jersey in June, 2010! We are really looking forward to beginning this new stage of our lives - and to living somewhere else besides Gainesville (it has been almost 10 years, you know)! And, although we may second-guess our enthusiasm two months into the winter, we (and Brodie) are especially excited to live somewhere that it snows. The last hurdle is the little detail of finishing my dissertation. Darn.

At the request of the Sparks family, we accessed the story on CNN this morning, which is intended to increase awareness of Frontotemporal Dementia (the article and corresponding video can be found here).

We are very thankful that Kenny and Cheryl attended our wedding to share such a very important time with us. It meant the world. Our hearts go out to Kenny and his family - please know you have our love and support. Here is Alexandra's (Kenny's daughter) letter:

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Dear Friends,

My family will be featured in a short piece on CNN next week and I wanted to let everyone know about it and explain why. This is something very personal, but very important for me to share because we are trying to raise awareness of a disease that has impacted our lives and the lives of many others.

As many of you know, my dad suffers from a disease called Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). He was diagnosed four years ago, when I was a sophomore in college. FTD is a progressive degenerative brain disease, which affects behavior, speech, memory and motor skills and is most commonly diagnosed at a relatively young age. FTD represents an estimated 10-20% of all dementia cases and is recognized as the most common dementia affecting the younger population.

Unfortunately medical professionals know very little about FTD. There is no cure and there are currently no treatments to slow or stop the progression. When my dad was diagnosed, his physician told our family that there was nothing anyone could do and suggested that we enjoy the time that we had left with him.

To watch my father deteriorate in all functions of his life, most importantly communication has been the largest hurdle when dealing with FTD. However, the lack of knowledge unveils additional obstacles. There is a limited amount of funding for research and this is partly because most people don’t know that FTD exists. If there is no awareness and no research then there is no hope for a cure.

A couple of months ago, my family was given the chance to help what feels like a hopeless situation. CNN approached us to talk a little bit about what it is like to live with FTD in a special on the disease. We agreed, in hopes of spreading awareness.

This coming Monday, December 14^th, the piece will be featured all day on CNN.com starting at 9 am. That same day, it will also air during the CNN morning show, American Morning, between 7-9 am. In addition, short clips from the piece will run throughout the day on CNN (Please note: all of this is subject to "breaking news"). If you have time, please watch or DVR it. My family and I have not and will not see it before it airs, so we don’t know what to expect. Please, help me spread awareness. If all of you tell at least one of your close family members or friends, then we are that much stronger in the fight against FTD.

Thank you for understanding and supporting me in this personal and important matter.


Alex

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Extreme Makeover Home Edition comes to Gainesville - and Jessica volunteers!

On Monday, December 7, the ABC show Extreme Makeover Home Edition visited Gainesville, FL. EMHE is a reality TV show, hosted by Ty Pennington, whereby each episode features a family that has faced some sort of hardship (for example, a natural disaster or a life threatening illness). The show's producers coordinate with a local construction contractor, which then coordinates with various other companies in the building trades to make-over the family's home... in SEVEN days (during which time they send the family on an all expenses paid vacation)! Usually, they completely demolish the house and build an entirely new one. The build is documented in the episode, and on the seventh day, the house is revealed to the family.

Here is an excerpt from the press release about the deserving family here in Gainesville:

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“EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION” LENDS A HELPING HAND
TO A GAINESVILLE FAMILY WHOSE NON-PROFIT MUSIC SCHOOL UTILIZES THE ARTS TO STRENGTHEN AND INSPIRE THE COMMUNITY

(Gainesville, FL December 7, 2009) - “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” travels to Gainesville, Florida to meet Tobin and Jill Wagstaff, college sweethearts who started their own non-profit music school to provide services in the arts that would provide significant experiences for everyone, including those with financial limitations or disabilities. Pouring all of their time and resources into this school has left very little for the vast and necessary repairs needed to fix their rotting home. In just seven days, team leader Ty Pennington, the design team, and the Gainesville community will rebuild the home that is literally crumbling around them and give back to this family who gives so much to their community.

Growing up in Gainesville, Jill Wagstaff always noticed the huge impact the arts had on the lives of her friends and family. In college, she met Tobin, who shared her love of the arts, and they eventually married and had four beautiful children: Tobin James Jr., 7, Rudy, 6, Dallas, 5, and Larissa Jolene, 4. In 2002, the Wagstaffs started Studio Percussion, Inc., a non-profit music school and arts center specializing in the use of drums and percussion to encourage and inspire students towards community involvement and leadership development.

The family runs this organization out of their home, in the space where Dallas and Larissa Jolene currently sleep. The studio currently serves about 200 people, half of which receive financial aid or a full scholarship. The non-profit organization can only afford to pay Tobin, 29, a salary, so Jill, 32, must also work as a pre-school teacher to help pay the bills. Their utter devotion to their family, their school, and their community leaves little time and resources to tend to their home, which is in dire need of repair. The floors and rooftops are completely rotting away and the electrical system throughout the house is faulty. Now, it¹s up to the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team and hundreds of local volunteers to build a safe, new home that will allow this family to continue to support the arts in the lives of their family and their entire community.

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One really amazing part is that all of the materials and labor for the home are donated, and many skilled and unskilled volunteers assist in the build. The reason I am featuring this on our blog - other than the fact that it is a really amazing show - is that I and a friend of mine acted as (unskilled, obviously) workers! We were there on the third day of the build (Dec. 10) from 6:00 a.m. until noon. We assisted in everything from clearing brush/trees that had been cut down to build the home, keeping the build site clear of extra pieces of lumber, serving food in the catering tent to the skilled workers who don't get much of a break, and (as evidenced in the picture of me with my arms outstretched), "protecting" the VIP tent, which was solely for those individuals or companies who donated enormous amounts of money or materials. We even had a visit from the Gator Mascots and cheerleaders to show their support.

It was such a phenomenal, unparalleled experience, foremost because the people on the show are so giving of their time, and also because, well, they build a house in seven days! Today (Dec. 14) from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. is unveiling of the house to the family when they return from vacation, and I'm so excited for them.

Saul/Methot Thanksgiving 2009

Luke was kind enough to be our host for Thanksgiving this year, and it was wonderfully fun - and delicious! Jessica's parents, BJ and Rick, her brother Ben, and his girlfriend Lindsay joined for food, drinks, and beautiful ocean views. Nothing like a warm Florida Thanksgiving by the beach! We all prepared a menu of traditional Thanksgiving fare, with a twist:

Seafood Macaroni and Cheese
Creamed Spinach with Gruyere Cheese
Mushroom Stuffing
Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cherries and Orange Zest
Peter's Organic Meatballs
And last but not least... Luke's phenomenal 18 pound Turkey, cooked to perfection

It was so nice to relax, watch the parade, cook, walk down the boardwalk and, after eating, take a nap! Thanks to all of you for a really enjoyable day. Too bad we couldn't stay longer!

The Beginning...

What better time to begin documenting family events than during the holidays!

To our family and friends: We've truly enjoyed sharing in and being a part of your lives, and we thank you for being such an influential, supportive, and loving part of ours. So, we invite you to visit this site for updates, photos, and general information - you're welcome to check in from time to time!

Our love,
Jessica and Peter