Our first son, Kevin William (b 5/17/92, d 11/22/93), was born exactly 9 months after our wedding day, in Gainesville, Florida, but unfortunately was born without a functioning immune system (boy in the bubble disease) and died following complications from a bone marrow transplant at 18 months of age. We were expecting our second son, Jeffrey Arnold, who was (PTL) born (5/14/94) a normal, healthy baby. Our youngest, Jessica Elaine, was born (3/25/96) in Alabama (where we lived for 3 long years).
Jeffrey spent the summer at the Aquarium Summer Camp program, learning about wildlife, fishing, kayaking, and sailing. He will be in 8th Grade this year, and is taking Advanced Classes. He is a straight "A" student. He loves sports in season: baseball, swimming, etc. He is a green belt in Judo and takes classes 3 times a week when other sports don't interfere, (like Little League). Can you say... busy?
Jessica spent her summer doing camps through the Patel Conservatory at the Performing Arts Center. She will be in 6th Grade (first year of Middle School!) and also in the Advanced program in school. She also takes judo, but her love of dancing and singing has translated into a real talent. She has been taking classes at the Conservatory at the Performing Arts Center and was recently in the Youth Theater Company's productions of The Music Man, Jr. and Home Sweet which was an original production. This fall she will be joining the prestigious Tampa Bay Children's Chorus. When at home, she loves to play on the computer, read Manga and play Dance Dance Revolution.
Mark is working for an environmental lab. Mark has a MS as an
environmental-chemist. He tests water for (mainly) organic pollutants.
(Sounds more exciting than it really is... he says he sits at a computer all day and watches the little numbers change! LOL). He loves to work out at the YMCA and just recently bought two kayaks so that he and Jeffrey (mostly) can go out together.
Me? I'm doing the work-at-home thing between playing chauffeur -- and other Mommy stuff. I have my extra business phone line, and printer/copier/fax machine, so I'm all set. Currently I'm "selling" RV mats for an import company -- wholesale to retailers -- as in managing all the incoming sales and making sure that everything is delivered as ordered, among other rather time consuming tasks (like inventory, book-keeping, and even answering their main phone number).
I do free-lance writing when it comes along, as well. I also dabble in web page design and have had a few paying clients from that, too. (As you can see I'm really using my education -- bachelors in Bio-Psychology and masters in Nutritional-Biochemistry -- NOT! but it's fun!).
I love to write, and my hobbies include: reading (when?), writing
interactive fiction on the internet, chatting on-line, and cooking (well, sometimes!).
Our pets include 2 guinea pigs, 3 cats, 1 hamsters, a dog, and several (pond) goldfish.
Hmmm... is there more? I'm sure there is, but I think I'd better stop now!
I'm Arlene Elizabeth Von der Porten Jacobs (9/22/63), married
(8/17/91) to Mark William Jacobs (7/9/59), living in beautiful Valrico,
Florida (outside of Tampa and only 1 1/2 hours from Disney World!).
"Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." Col. 3:12, 14
SOME ARTICLES ARLENE HAS WRITEN:
Arlene's Poem for Jessica
Planning Birthday Parties
Potty Training
Todler Nutrition
Work At Home
Grandparenting Across The Miles
Teaching Neatness
Does Breastfeeding Provide Immunity?