Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Lots of great memories from 2011:

• Jonah's first hit in tee-ball.
• Jake's state championship soccer tournament game.
• Disney World with the family.
• Revolutions in Egypt and the middle East.
• A healthy Mom. (YES!!)
• Standing in solidarity with the 99% in Chicago and at home.
• Successfully advocating for expanded services for children and families.
• A job I love working with brilliant, funny and passionate people.
• My beautiful, crazy wife and family.

It's been a great year. I hope that 2012 will be even better for all of us.

Happy New Year!!

Peace of Earth

In this time of holiday thanksgivings, it is truly a joy that the last of our U.S. troops have left Iraq today.

The following is the message from President Obama that was sent out from the Obama for America Campaign.

Jim --

Early this morning, the last of our troops left Iraq.

As we honor and reflect on the sacrifices that millions of men and women made for this war, I wanted to make sure you heard the news.

Bringing this war to a responsible end was a cause that sparked many Americans to get involved in the political process for the first time. Today's outcome is a reminder that we all have a stake in our country's future, and a say in the direction we choose.

Thank you.

Barack

It's heart wrenching to consider the loss of life and devastation caused by this war - especially in light of how the threats were exaggerated to justify military action. I pray that our nation has learned its lesson and that the Bush Doctrine of Preemption will be relegated to the trash heap of history.

But today, our brave soldiers are returning home. Thank God the war has ended. I pray that our soldiers in Afghanistan will be home soon too.

Veteran's Day

Happy Veteran's Day.  Thanks to all who have bravely defended our country and fought on behalf of liberty and justice for all.  

You deserve all our support, which unfortunately tends to go more towards defense contractors than to those who serve in the military.  Thank you for your tireless support.

Hope in the Unseen

My cousin Josh Mallett, Nov. 1987

In honor of today's solemn anniversary, this is my all-time favorite New York picture. This is my cousin Josh during our Thanksgiving trip to NYC in 1987.  This photo was taken as we waited for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

Seeing the World Trade Center juxtaposed behind a youthful Josh is so powerful to me.  In the time since this photo was taken when I was in college, Josh has gone on to graduate from Georgia Tech and now has a successful business career.  I now have a family of my own and am the proud father of two sons who both look an awful lot like Josh.

Meanwhile, the Twin Towers have fallen, and our nation has endured countless challenges since we were attacked 10 years ago.  Both of my sons have lived their entire lives in a nation that is perpetually at war.  Wars that have cost our nation greatly in lives, treasure, and human spirit.

Yet, despite our nation's challenges, when I look at this photo, and as I see my own children growing up, I realize that the strengths of our nation, of our people, and the grace of our Lord, are enough to help us move beyond the fear of 9/11 and beyond the violence that has followed.

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

As we look upon the New York City skyline, we no longer see the World Trade Center, but with faith we can see the true greatness of America isn't found in our skyscrapers -- it's found in the unseen hopes and dreams of our children. For our country to truly be great, let's use the next 10 years to focus on helping all children achieve their dreams with the same steadfast commitment that we have pursued in demonstrating our military power for the past decade.

On this anniversary, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those who perished and sacrificed on 9/11, and during the decade since. By God's grace, may our world now be filled with peace and the joy of children smiling at the prospects of a bright future.

Say YES to Safe Sleep

Sadly, and somewhat surprisingly, unsafe infant sleep is the leading cause of death for infants one month to 12 months old in West Virginia. A baby dies every 10 days in WV due to accidental suffocation or strangulation when parents co-sleep with their babies or have their babies sleep on couches, recliners, beds or other adult furniture that is unsafe for babies.

To help address this issue, we launched the Our Babies: Safe & Sound campaign last year.  The campaign now includes over 125 community organizations across WV, who are sharing posters, brochures and other information with parents and caregivers of infants.

More than 75,000 materials have been shared across the state in the past 14 months.  We also have public service announcements airing statewide through a partnership with the WV Broadcasters Association.

Our latest update to the campaign is this new 5 minute Say YES to Safe Sleep video based on recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

I hope you will take a few minutes to watch the video, which features the most awesome pediatrician, Dr. Hana Zibdeh-Lough, describing how pediatricians recommend that you help your baby sleep safely.

Take a look at the video and share it with others.  Then head over to our website at http://www.safesoundbabies.com for more information and order some free materials.




Thanks also to the great folks at The Manahan Group and Morgado Design for helping us produce a great video.  Many thanks also to the West Virginia Children's Trust Fund and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation for funding the campaign.

Help babies in West Virginia grow up safe and sound -- say YES to safe sleep!