Almost a year ago our family attended a beautiful memorial service for Travis Davis, who crossed over in October of 2009. His best friends Cale and Missy put together this loving tribute.

It’s hard to know how to help close friends going through such unimaginable pain and grief. I thought about delivering a home-cooked meal but honestly, I’m culinary-challenged and the last thing I wanted was for the kids to get some lame lasagna from me and feel obligated to eat it!

So, I turned to what I do best– organizing teams. My sister Andrea, Leryn’s friend Maureen and I recruited friends to run the Calabasas Classic 5K in November but this time as a fundraiser for Leryn and the kids. Here are some highlights:

We had a larger group– this is just a few of the folks.

Even DC participated by running the fun run after the 5K.  Andrea ran with her and Patrick drove up to support the Davis team.

Leryn braves a hug with sweaty runners Maureen and me.

Time to grab the rake and separate all the piles of garbage piled on the working mom lawn.

• On the left we’ll put the crap about how all kids are f’d up because the mom works. http://bit.ly/csz18q.

• On the right we’ll park the celebrity mom gush and awe.

Promise me you will sit the middle every morning and medidate and see yourself for who you really are, one big brawny babe with a leaf blower, electric of course.

I’m sure when this bank on Carson in Torrance, Calif. was built 10 years ago that the bank president thought this seemed secure.

If you’re feeling bad about checking email from the Santa line, remember these finer American parenting moments.

Heene parents receive jail time for balloon boy stunt. At least they only pretended to put the kid in the balloon.

David Hasslehoff, DUI, Dad Under Influence.

Judge issues restraining order to protect Frances Bean from Courtney Love.

“Don’t buy THAT juice,” DC, aged 8, pleaded.

“Oh man, the pancakes aren’t ANIMAL pancakes?” she actually says during the same week.

OMG- small person sure to soon demand 300 thread count sheets!

Juice comes from oranges that have orangey things like pulp.   Drink it.

Pancakes typically circular. Eat them.

Fortunately, after I took a week off to process my layoff, I was only out of work for five weeks.

I drank my own Kool-aid.

• Start with a twist of the ego

• Add a 1/2 cup of rest and relaxation

• Splash on gratitude, non-material HAVES

• Garnish with laughter from supportive, positive family and friends

• Stir in some pro-bono consulting, keep your mind sharp

• Serve up your best self to connected colleagues

1. Naps.
2. The gym is free of sweat smell at 10 a.m.
3. Yikes, I’m my own tech support?!
4. People will still pay for old stuff. We made over $600 in a yard sale.
5. Inviting hubbie home for lunch has pleasurable perks.
6. Oprah has some cool stuff on her show. This dude grew back the tip of his finger!
7. Free brain space is not a luxury, it’s there every day.
8. Friends and colleagues follow through.
9. Paul Westerberg’s song, “Good Day”.
10. My daughter, aged 8, still holds my hand on walks to school.

Two months ago I got out of my car at my office on a windy day and the bluetooth got tangled in my hair. I swear I unraveled it and tucked it into my coat or purse pocket. This was two months ago!

Only Children need to represent(!) and fast before Nadya Suleman becomes their spokesperson. In “The Birth Order Connection”, Dr. Kevin Leman describes the negative aspects to being in a relationship with an only child.

“Only borns live with a staunch sense of entitlement. If you marry an only child, keep in mind that you’re marrying someone who has never had to share toys with siblings, compete for attention with his/her parents and always had center stage…This is a person who is used to getting her own way.”

Yet Suleman’s description of her childhood (Mirror Interview ) as powerless with a lack of control of her own environment is contrary to the self-centered boldness to which Lehman alludes. He argues that “the best way to describe only children is to take a first born and multiply him by two. First borns are natural leaders. They represent United States Presidents (including the current one), astronauts, and CEOs by overwhelming numbers. They frequently live with a sense of entitlement and superiority.”

And, we’re supposed to double that birth order wiring for Suleman? She lives on food stamps with six children in an unkempt home and, instead of using her disability payment from a lawsuit to further her education or MOVE OUT, funds eight additional children via IVF with no means of supporting them.

Maybe she watched to much “Brady Bunch” but even fans of the series know that only on TV would six kids in the suburbs share one bathroom.

Since Suleman sees herself as a martyrly Madonna suffering for her beliefs, she may get a chance to ‘splain herself. Soon, her home is gong to stink to high heaven.

A 14-year-old boy from California became the last child under LB 157, the state law that designed Nebraska hospitals, police and fire departments as safe havens. On November 21, 2008 the legislature passed LB 1, which limits the age of a child, who a person can drop off at a hospital and not be prosecuted, to the age of 30 days or younger.

A total of 36 children have been dropped off in Nebraska and I predict that when they turn 18, they’re coming after their parents, Stephen King style.

Many of the stories are heartbreaking. For parents without insurance, the options for dealing with difficult or emotionally disturbed children must be overwhelming. Unfortunately, while the media is great at publicizing the problem, I haven’t seen a lot of sites offering resources for a solution. Here are just a couple. Please email me at (katie at barelysaneparent.com) with any others and I’ll add them.

• Boys Town 24-Hour Free Hotline 1-800-448-3000
• Covenant House 9-Line for Teens in Crisis – 1-800-999-9999