Katie Goes Home

Katie’s new mom let me pick Katie up from the group home on the Friday. I can not tell you how much I so wanted to do this, To be able to put her in my car and help her load what stuff she had into it and drive away from there was one of my greatest joys. I just looked at that little girl that was going through some real tough emotions and told her you are never going back. Take a look in the rear view mirror Katie, that’s where all of that belongs. She talked about her past friends, she remembered and talked about her experiences of leaving before and then having to go back. She talked about her hopes for the girls she was leaving behind. She talked about her past experiences with people that had played a positive role in her life and I assured her that she does not need to abandon those experiences, take them and what they meant with her and leave the negative stuff behind, All of the people that have made a positive impact in her life will be happy for her and thrilled that they did give her something to carry through life. After talking on all sides of what was going through her mind which was to be expected and thank heavens she felt free enough with me to just let it go, she just stopped and said nothing. After a minute she looked at me and said , Nana ( which is what my name has become- what an honor) THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING! I need to call my mom and called Deena from the cell. If I never have success with another child or project or even if God Willing we do, I will never forget that day and I will always cherish it.

Okay, now Katie is home and Deena is double timing everything. She only had one day’s notice that she was bring Katie home even though it technically is still not permanent. She has to have Katie enrolled in a new school on Monday. Love house chipped in for some new clothes since all she wore was uniforms at her other school. We will be there to be a part of this Love Story. Before I forget, I get a call from Katie on Monday and in a very serious voice, telling me I need this phone number and do I have something to write it down with- I’m like panicked ( what has gone wrong so quick) I’m scrambling for the pen and write it down and then she informs me that this is the number to HER cell phone, Yep Katie has arrived. Below is Katie’s own update of her first week and Deena’s comments to everyone.
.

She truly is a teenager. Reading her update, I really do believe it has been an instant transformation - you would never know that she has been through hell and back. Instead she talks and writes just like all the kids her age.... me, me, me....... I love it! Katie is home at last and knows it.
Thank you to you and all of yours who have helped us make this possible.
Thanks again....
Deena





To Nana and Friends;

My first week of school went really phenomenal! My first day was a little slow, but once I got into the swing of the school routines, I was fine. I am on the E team for 8th grade and we have two different days. On days 1, I take Spanish. Even though I started so late, I have caught on quickly. And on days 2, I take P.E. The unit we are in right now in DDR or Dance Dance Revolution. I took a test on Friday and I did excellent. I ended up with a 20/20. So if that is a sign of anything, it means that I am doing well in my classes and I am catching on quickly and I understand what I am supposed to be doing. This upcoming week we are doing AIMS and on Friday the 3rd we are having a Spring Carnival from 5:00-8:30. Our last week of school the 8th graders are going through promotion on Tuesday and we are having our promotion ceremony that night. On Wednesday we are going to Big Surf and on Thursday we are having our promotion dance. And on Friday we are getting our diplomas. We only have 7 to 8 more weeks of school left so we are all trying our best to work on what needs to be fixed so we don’t have to be held back. All of my teachers are nice and they understand my situation and they now where I am from. My Spanish teacher, Mrs. Figueroa, is helping me with the words she is teaching the class so I am not left behind. My first hour teacher, Mrs. Evenson, is helping me catch up also. My second hour teacher, Mrs. Taylor, is very nice and I am learning about the Vietnam War and the Cold war. My third hour teacher, Mrs. Sarriano, is making us write persuasive essays (mine is done) and that is the class where I got the 20/20. After that I have lunch. Fridays we have what’s called music at lunch and it is really neat. After that I have math and my teacher is, Mrs. McBeth. We are learning what I have already learned so it is fairly easy. Then like I said before I have Spanish on day 1 and P.E. on day 2. I have a close group of friends and I continue to grow and learn more each day. That is the update on my first week and the upcoming events. The first week at home permanently was excellent. I am really glad that I don’t have to go back to the group home on Sundays. On Tuesday, this was also my first day of school; my dad picked me up from the bus stop after school. In the morning my mom takes me to school. Wednesday I came home and did my homework and did chores. Thursday I found out what was going on for the last week of school and I am glad that I am in the 8th grade and don’t have to hear the announcements saying the 8th graders get to do this and that. At home I did pretty much the same thing and I practiced my Spanish. Friday I had to be quick with my chores and homework because I had 4H cooking and sewing. I learned how to cook Shepard’s pie, horse treats, and any cake mix cookies. Saturday I baked some oatmeal cookies and I helped out with the odd ball stuff. My youngest nephew came over so we babysat him. And Sunday my other two nephews came over and stayed for a little while. Also at school we are doing the talent show. My first week here was a little crazy but otherwise it was an all out excellent week. I am looking forward to more awesome weeks in my life. To nana specifically: my nails are growing out and I have not bitten them once this week and I will not bite them this week either. Love you all!!!

Maureen Karpinski
Help out Abused & Neglected Kids In Need
at the Love House Kids Program Charity.

Love House Kids Program and a Special Child Katelyn or Katie continued

Here we are at Katie's spring break, a time that was suppose to be the appropriate time to move her permanently into her new home. Deena and Tim have jumped through ever hoop possible to accommodate this and the time it has taken and the distance that they drive 5-6 times a week to pick up and deliver and go to the classes and take Katie to whatever appointments she is suppose to be at has just eaten up their lives but with the vision that it would all be over by this time. So much for the PROTECTIVE in child protective services.It is not in front of the Judge and isn't. Not only the miserable disappointment for Katie but here is she at spring break and can still only get the weekend to go home so she gets to stay at the group home that week with just about none of her stuff - Everything she owns is at Deena and Tim's You know exactly what will happen here. They all will be looking at her not getting home until school is out.
What a crying shame. None of them, Katie, Deena or Tim have a voice in this, It is the very same inadequacy that placed Katie in the wrong home the last time. Deena is just burnt out and Katie keeps on keeping on because she has never had any choice,
It just boils me that these kids got dealt the wrong hand at birth and then supposedly are placed in a system that is suppose to take an interest in them and protect them- Bunk-The best these kids can hope for is a bed and food and maybe a foster parent that cares.
Lets us keep Katie, Deena and Tim in our prayers
Next chapter

Well just to update you on the situation with Katie. She got through her winter break with putting up with her new mom and me switching shifts. I had 3 days with her and what a treasure she is. Katie is more grounded than she has ever been since I have known her. She is definitely frustrated and who could blame her. Here she has her family waiting for her and the very system that is suppose to play a positive role in her life is the one holding her back from security and love. Makes me sick. Katie helped me out in the office and I soon learned that she has great organizational skills. We had to meet her new friend so they could go to 4H together and so we needed to meet at Brooke's high school which focuses on horses. Brooke has a goal of being a vet for horses ( what a match for Katie) Katie told me this is where she is going to school next year. I said to Katie "who would have thought that we would be having this conversation, Katie and she looked at me and said "not me" and then went quiet and looked at me and said BUT GOD knew. Yep I wiped out!
She went down to see Keith, our jeweler, who had supplied her Christmas present for her new mom and thanked him. Keith just hugged her and encouraged her to hang on. Deena and Tim were set for their CPS home inspection and get the call the day before that too short staff - need to wait a month or so. Deena had finally taken all she was going to take and asked for supervisors and anyone above this case worker, who all of a sudden became very supportive and suppose to be trying to clear a temporary stay until they can get the judge to sign off on it. It was horrible for Katie to have to go back to the group home after spending a week at her new home and where she was suppose to be permanently by now and have to be dropped off at the group home again. This is so cruel and so unnecessary. People just do not understand what these kids go through, the smallest of things mean the most to these kids. Deena and Tim let me pay for a dresser for Katie's room. Deena and Katie built it together and Katie told Deena, it had been a long time since she had a dresser. Deena asked how long and the answer was since Debbie ( first adopted foster mom that put her back in the system, so that is about 4 years ago and maybe longer since they came here from Colorado) Having a dresser is a big thing to Katie.
Lets all pray that they are able to get the temporary stay and maybe just maybe Deena or me can pick Katie up from the group home for the last time this Friday.



Maureen Karpinski
Help out Abused & Neglected Kids In Need
at the Love House Kids Program Charity.

Love House Kids Program update from Christmas

Love House Update
Wow! What a Christmas! We had more kids than ever in need for Christmas
and people came through with unbelievable generosity. We supplied over 850 kids this year with toys and 55 of them were complete wish lists for teenagers living in group homes.With the economy not so great and so many fears of what is coming, I was concerned about our
Christmas needs getting met. People didn’t leave us. They got more creative and
it turned out fantastic. Instead of one person or family taking on one child a two or
three families took on the one child. People reached out to friends and co workers
that didn’t know we existed and got them involved. From that great effort, not only
did the kids get Christmas but the Love House Kids Program got more exposure and
from that we have received more offers to volunteer services. Everyone won.

The Girl’s Place has certainly had its breaking in time and what a trip it has been
It is a place for the exceptional girl that really is putting her own actions and accountability into a customized program leading to success for a lifetime. There are
lots that want it but few that are truly willing to work it. Even the willingness to learn
how to work it and be accountable can be the difference in a life time for these kids.
We will work with them on breaking the dependency on the system and becoming
completely reliable on themselves creating a healthy life style. I don’t know who has
learnt more, them or me. I certainly can attest to knowing more about some subject matter than I ever dreamed of. We never know where the success will come from but
it will and in some situations, we may not know about it for years later but in the
meantime, we are the front seat audience.

We have had a gal that was at our fund raiser jump on board the love train with her
talents in socialized internet marketing and put the Love House Kids Program and Girl’s Place on Face book. She is so energized and already making a difference, She is also
looking at some fund raising events that she may put on. This is going to be an exciting time for all of us and if Christmas is any indication of what people are willing to do for our kids that range from 0-19, the economy won’t be allowed to restrict us. Everyone will
just get more creative so the burden is spread out and not so heavy. The power of one person doing one thing has never ceased to amaze me. One person does make a difference; the Love House Kids Program is full of those stories and is where it is today
because of them. All of the kids at the

Love House Kids Program

and me thank you for caring about us and being there for us. Those that don’t know who we are, please visit us at http://www.lovehousekidsprogram.org/

Market Report-Credit Card Rates-

Thanks for this Kevin



Provided to you Exclusively By Kevin Host
Kevin HostSales ManagerCountrywide Home LoansDirect: 480-314-7820Fax: 480-661-1825Email: Kevin_F_Host@Countrywide.ComWebsite: www.KevinHost.com

For the week of Apr 07, 2008 --- Vol. 6, Issue 15


Last Week in Review




"I KNEW THE RECORD WOULD STAND UNTIL IT WAS BROKEN." ~ Yogi Berra A record was broken on the job front last Friday as the Labor Department reported a much worse than expected loss of 80,000 jobs in March - the greatest jobs loss reported in five years. In addition, revisions to both January and February's Jobs Report delivered an additional loss of 67,000 jobs - that's on top of the previously reported loss of 85,000 jobs for that two-month period.
And...the story might be even a bit gloomier than it already appears. The Labor Department uses a lot of averaging to help it come up with its numbers more quickly, but this practice can skew the current picture significantly. Think of it this way - and because it's now baseball season, here's a Baseball analogy - let's say that mid-way through the season, a red-hot hitter with a batting average of 340 declines into a bad slump for several weeks. While he now can't even hit a basketball thrown underhand to him, his average - while lower to 300 - is still very strong due to his previous hot performance. So someone looking at just the statistics may think that this batter is still absolutely terrific, but he is really someone the fans are booing as he approaches the plate. This is not very different from current numbers being reported by the Labor Department - previous averaging is likely causing an understating of the ACTUAL number of job losses...which somewhat masks how b ad the job market really is.
This bleak Jobs Report greatly boosts the odds of not only a first-quarter recession, but perhaps a worse economic downturn than many economists fear. The Federal Reserve may respond to this increasing trend in job losses with additional interest rate cuts when they next meet to determine monetary policy on April 30 and June 25. As we've seen in the past though, such rate cuts do not translate into lower long-term rates for mortgages, so there is no better time than right now to refinance an existing mortgage or to structure a new one. Let's work together to make sure your current financing is a home run!
SPEAKING OF HOME RUNS, ARE YOUR CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATES IN THE RIGHT BALLPARK...OR WAY OUT OF SIGHT? CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW FOR TIPS ON MAINTAINING A WINNING CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATE!



Forecast for the Week




Another classic Yogi Berra-ism is, "I never said most of the things I said." Luckily, the Fed can't make the same claim. This coming Tuesday, the "Meeting Minutes" or open commentary of the Fed's last monetary policy meeting will be released to the public. If there are inflammatory comments, the market could respond quickly.
Remember, when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower. And as you can see in the chart below, Bonds have rebounded higher off of their key 50-day moving average support level, and are moving back toward the upper portion of their current trading range. This means if Bond prices continue to move toward the upper boundary of the range, we could see home loan rates improve slightly.
Chart: Fannie Mae 5.5%% Mortgage Bond (Friday Apr 04, 2008)



The Mortgage Market View...




TAKING AN INTEREST IN YOUR CREDIT CARD RATE...
Credit cards are one of the most pervasive forms of your financial picture. On a daily basis, they provide the flexibility and freedom to reserve a hotel room, travel without carrying cash, and purchase just about anything at anytime.
As such, your credit cards can have a major impact on your financial wellbeing and even your credit score. But did you know that your credit score can also impact your credit cards...specifically your interest rates? Although some companies have abandoned the practice, many won't hesitate to raise your interest rate if your credit score declines - even if you are paying them on time! By following these tips, you can help avoid inflated interest rates on your credit cards...and perhaps even enjoy more trips to the ballpark:
Understand the terms. The best way to protect yourself from high interest rates and hikes is to read and understand your credit cards policy terms. Pay particular attention to the interest rate, how long that rate is in effect, and what actions can lead to a hike - such as a late payment on your card, a declining credit score, or even a late payment on a completely unrelated bill.
Don't be late. Making a late payment can lead to increased interest rates on all your cards. In addition, they can lower your credit score, causing you even more problems down the road. So make a schedule and always pay on time.
Watch the mail. We all get junk mail, but some of it may not be junk after all. Whenever you receive any information in the mail from your credit card, read it carefully in case any policies or interest rates are changing.
Make a call. If your rate does change, call the company. If you've made your payments on time consistently, you may be able to get your original rate restored. If the company seems hesitant, you may want to threaten to transfer your balances to another card - customers in good standing may find they have more bargaining power than they realize. And don't just threaten to make a change...actually do it if it makes sense. You may find the grass actually is greener on the other side.
Be careful what you close. Closing a card that has a current balance will likely send your interest rate soaring. In addition, closing your oldest credit cards can have a negative impact on your overall credit score. So make sure you check and double check which cards are best to close

LOVE HOUSE KIDS PROGRAM JULY UPDATE

First of all a huge “Thank You” to the Great Escape Lounge for making us the beneficiaries to their golf tournament. They raised 1400 dollars for our cause and also sold our Love House Kids Sponsor bracelets to everybody . It is just amazing, the patrons, the staff they are all into our kids and we are treated like family. They have been there when we need them the most and Carole and Andy continue to do just that. If you want to visit a true neighborhood bar in Phoenix drop in and see them at 4228 E Indian School and tell them thanks for helping our kids.

Our annual fund raiser is coming up September 15th 4 PM- 10PM at the Moose Lodge at
95th Aveand Peoria . The Moose lodge held this event for us last year too and what a job they did. Don and Denise Green with all the staff are just there for the kids. We have our “Tribute to Tom Petty Band” performing again this year-they are awesome! Scott who owns Blackwell Business Services ( tops in copier and computer services) and Eric owner of Strictly Business ( a computer and computer networking garu) not only do they perform for our event but they sell Love House Kids Sponsor bracelets all year through their business and their other shows. “Into Wishin” will be there again this year and they too never say no to us. Joyce Guyett also organizes the whole entertainment venue for our event , is an awesome Realtor and on the board for the Love House Kids Program. We have an added act this year. Jeremy Scott – comedian has given us a Yes thanks to Danny O Donnell from O Donnell Appraisals. Danny has made us a beneficiary for his Christmas benefit and still gives us Jeremy. Isn’t it amazing how people that give just keep giving? We are entering a rough time right now since most of our network of supporters is involved in the Real Estate industry and that market has not been kind, however we are trying to reach out to other businesses to get support. Any ideas any of you have or if you can contribute, it would be most welcomed. As tough as the industry has been in this past year Jeff Miklus from Budget Brothers Pest Control is still with us- Jeff ’s group have sold 20 tickets 2 years in a row and he is aiming for that again. The title company that has picked up the cost of the meat in the past just can’t see their way clear to do it this year. Kevin Host from Countrywide Home loans and Gary Kirkpatrick from Global Electronics Inc have picked up the cost of the meat for the event and once more 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty have picked up the cost of the sides. That means all the money from the tickets goes directly to the kids program which is 100% to the kids. The tickets are 25.00 and for that you get a steak/chicken meal, live entertainment, silent auction, raffle prizes and the opportunity to do something great for abused neglected kids. If you can’t attend but would like to help you can donate thru our web site at http://www.lovehousekidsprogram.org/ or call me at 602 971 3331. Now the trick is to get the tickets sold. Our fund raiser proceeds need to cover our Therapy program that has a cost of $35,000, school supplies for 400 kids, clothing for 200 kids, sponsorship for special needs and projects in 5 group homes, a shelter for moms with kids, 2 outreaches for the very poor kids and Christmas for 400 kids. These lists are without the emergency calls that we have never had to say “No” to and are in no mood to start now. One ticket, one dollar- when we start there, we can make it- we don’t have to have huge commitments but we do promise that we will be responsible with that one dollar you give and it is appreciated. We need your help to make this year’s fund raiser a success.