Northern Apex

KC is the most friendly and loving human I know - everyone knows her, and no one has anything bad to say. She is outspoken - I can attest to that personally as I was up until 2 AM last Tuesday helping her formulate her argument on why we shouldn't drill for oil in ANWR for a school paper, even after I explained to her that made her unique among Alaskans (honestly, I learned a lot from the research - there is an oil spill on the North Slope every 18 hours, on average, involving 1.7 million gallons of hazardous substances between 1996 and 2002). She is a dare devil - the first two pictures show her visiting her Aunt Robyn on the North Slope and earning her Polar Bear Certificate (the first person ever at the Alpine Drill Site - the water was 38 degrees), and she broke a rib jumping her snowboard at Alyeska last week. She is so beautiful and can gauge the mood of a room in a second and come up with a plan to make things better. She fiercely defends her younger sister - if anyone is going to mess with Lydia, she wants it to be her and her only. She has been a cheerleader, ran track, and was on the swim and dive team last fall. She has an instinct on when Dad needs a hug, and is quick to offer one. She is my morning coffee buddy - I love you KC, now and always.

Lydia is intelligent, oh-so-beautiful, and picks her friends with care. Pretty much everything a Dad could ask for in a daughter! She has stuck with the trombone for a couple years now and is part of a group that will tour elementary schools this month and give performances. She ran cross country last fall and is trying to decide between soccer and track right now. She has mad skilz on the snowboard she got for Christmas, and always has the most gorgeous bruises and scrapes from her active lifestyle. She marches to the beat of her own drummer and has an eye for style. She wants to be a pilot, and has a plan on how to achieve her goals and is willing to work to get there. It is very tough to make it into Lyd's inner circle, but once you're there she's loyal and will defend you to the ends of the Earth. If you mess with others in her inner circle, you will regret it. She is a bit of a deep thinker and comes up with some amazing insights - she doesn't miss much. I love you Lyd, now and always.

P.S. I have no idea why she is sitting on a walrus . . . . she is the female version of Trevor . . .

I'm really proud of where Trevor is at in life right now. He has embraced his upcoming fatherhood as the biggest adventure of his life, and his unconditional love for Meagan is inspiring. He has done what Tompkins males always do when needed and gotten a full-time job, working nights, and attends his classes during the day. He is working at a nursing home, training to be a CNA with additional training specific to the Alzeimer's ward. I think he will have an amazing impact in this position, and I know he will be a fantastic nurse if he continues his training as planned. I have to say he sounds like he has aged 10 years - his voice hasn't changed, but his attitude has. He is really growing as a Christian and I have benefited immensely from discussions with him - he actually helped me come up with my spiritual goals for 2006 that I will post later. He will be an great Dad with lots of love and energy! Trevor, I love you and can't wait to see you in LA in two weeks!

P.S. No, I have no idea what he is doing with the cow . . . . . . it was either that picture or the one of him sitting on top of a police car . . . . . . he's an active child.

Okay, no deep thoughts, just a general update on how everyone is doing and sharing some photos. Here is the whole family just before dinner at Simon and Seaforts. Anyone that has eaten there knows we had a great time - I had king crab and prime rib, Kerri had the prime rib, Trevor had caribou steak, I can't remember the rest - and that the resulting dinner tab was astounding (several of the cars I've owned cost less), graciously picked up by my work. This was the summer before last and I loved having everyone together for a night out. We just recently all had a nice meal downtown at Sullivan's Steak House for Zack's birthday, equally astounding, graciously picked up by my wife. I've learned over the years that sometimes, in the right circumstances, meals eaten together - whether a simple picnic by the ocean or something much more extravagant - transcend the money issue and become part of the fabric of the family history. I know there were times when my Dad's wallet hurt after a meal, so I want to assure him here that Dad - I remember those meals. I don't necessarily remember what I ate, but I remember eating at the Casa Bonita in Denver, I remember eating at the Red Lion in Bangor, I remember eating at the Silent Woman in Waterville (and yes Bro, I remember you worked there), I remember eating at Martin's Manor on College Avenue, I remember many awe-inspiring all-you-can-eat buffets on trips to Florida when vacationing, I remember eating lobster all up and down the Maine coast at a dozen different favorite spots. I remember fudge from Perry's Nut House and onion rings from Belanger's. I remember picnics with the red cooler and corn on the cob at Canadian campgrounds. I remember sandwiches at Webber Pond and eating at McDonalds by the Elm Plaza when it was just "millions served", and how the Waterville French fries were somehow better than anything we found anywhere else in the United States. I remember that just like the paneling in my bedroom (inside joke, worth a story another time), you let me order what I wanted when we went out to eat. And Dad - I remember that I never went hungry, ever, while I lived under your roof. And - just now - I've remembered to thank you for that, and all the other meals. I love you.