Abby update - December 2

Well, I can't really tell you what Abby is up to this evening, because I'm not there. Gordon and I have given up our spot in Abby's room to two of her best friends and one of their moms for a hush-hush little "sleepover." It's not really allowed under Warm Springs rules, but everyone there is pretty cool when it comes to bending the rules a little to make Abby happy. And I can tell you that she appeared to be delighted to be surrounded by friends when I left her this afternoon. (And I can tell you that she had good therapy sessions this morning--I really believe that she's going to be walking without assistance before long.)

We're actually in Wimberley this evening. Frank had a basketball game here today. Unfortunately, his team was among the 50% of the teams that are now tied for second place after the first game of the season. However, Frank did bring home a trophy from a pinewood derby race today in Austin. He's really enjoyed these activities, and we appreciate the friends who have helped keep him involved in so many good things.

The few times I've been home certainly stir up a lot of emotions. It's been hard to be away for so long, but I've really got no desire to be here until we can bring Abby home (that's especially true since all our animals are staying other places right now). We so appreciate the friends who are working hard to get the repairs done in our home--it will be a very sweet homecoming indeed when the four of us walk back through our doors.

Hoping you're enjoying the treasures of "no place like home..."
-the Linams

WHO IS ABBY? - page 6
Abby has a gift with animals. She’s always been surrounded by dogs and horses, but her first favorite animals were kittens and toads. We have many pictures of her as a toddler with a toad in each hand, and Gordon and I have laughed many nights as we watch her and Frank play “fun” night-time games with toads. When she was two we got a kitten whom we named “Forest” after Forest Gump, because when she started chasing him, we would just yell “Run, Forest, run!” But later she showed more sensitivity—winning over several skittish kittens with patience and love. That empathy served her well again when she saved her money to purchase a Senegal parrot, only to discover that “Paquita” has arbitrarily returned her affection with disdain, but Abby takes it all with good humor. In the past few years Abby has come full circle to dogs and horses again. When my old horse, Mo, passed away, we replaced him with a small, pretty mare who wasn’t the kids’ horse that I imagined, but Abby never gave up on her and has worked hard to make her a more responsive horse, while in the process becoming a very good rider herself. Building on experience with our trusted golden retriever Amigo, Abby took a hyper-active 7-month-old golden named Arby and has funneled that energy into winning performances in obedience, conformation, showmanship, and dog agility. But you know what touches my heart most? It’s when I see the two of them in the tree house, with Arby’s head on Abby’s lap as she reads a book out loud to him…now that’s a bond between a girl and her dog…