Christmas 1994

Wow.. What a year for the Martins. I hardly know where to start. This is not going to be a short note, in fact I think this

letter will need at the least two pages.

We started the year out on a very difficult note and considering I don't like sad stories I will leave the details out of the

first page and tell it on the next. (that way if you don't like sad stories you can throw away the second page). In spite of

this we have had the best year ever. Life is great, business is super, friends are marvelous and GOD is incredible.

Nate has not grown much in the last year(thank goodness). He seems to have leveled out at about 215 LBS and 6'3".

His neck is about the size of my waist when I joined the Service. Our bright idea(carrot method) to get him to do better

in school seems to have fizzled out. He now has a drivers license and the pickup truck is his when he decides to study

more than play. Right now the pickup has more HP in the sound system than the engine... noticed a heavy electrical

cable running into the speaker system filling the rear compartment.. turns out it was needed to run the 1,000,000 watt

amplifiers.. Truck will never be the same. Warning to adults entering this vehicle - wear ear plugs! If you have a Pace

Maker - Stay clear!

Nate went on his first formal date earlier this year (Senior prom).. Tuxedo, corsage, aftershave and all the fixings.. Nate

15 and a sophomore, looks like a very big little kid; no drivers license & no car; I was skeptical; Then his date came to

pick him up... WOW this girl stepped out of Vogue; not only was Nate nonchalant about it, but he suddenly looked 20

yrs old beside this fox. If that girl came to my door when I was 15, I would have laid on the floor and died!!! (I carry

their picture in my wallet as proof).

If my memory is accurate, we left off last year with my Christmas wish list as being covered in leather, chrome and lots

& lots of lights (42 at last count). Well folks, that happened and I am now the proud owner of a Harley (FLHTP) police

special. This is a machine that all small boys and old men dream about. I fall under the first category. This machine

matches the decor of our living room perfectly and when Gara Ann suggested that the room seemed crowded I agreed

and suggested that the piano would fit nicely in the garage.

I did 3 weeks in September/October in the Smoky Mountains around the National Park on the bike; camping and

enjoying the cool weather and fall colors. I have my vacation request in for this same time next year. My boss, GAM, is

good to me... Three weeks paid vacation every year and weekends as I need them.

Gara Ann went to Missouri this summer to pick up Nate at his summer camp and spend time with her mom, sister &

brother (and extended family). I stayed home and looked after business in her absence. She is in the running for top

agent in our office this year and was one of three agents in the state honored with the Florida RE/MAX Spirit Award at

the Awards Celebration in Orlando. What a gal, particularly when you read the second page. Still involved in

everything and looks better than ever.

We went up to the Last Resort (Beth & Joe's) in Blue Ridge for Thanksgiving - Wednesday to Saturday; Super time!

Nate & I wore out those horses again. Turkey (cooked by Beth) was Great! Weather was coooold by Fla. standards - 24

in the morning but we were snug in one of Joe's new cabins W/Gas log fireplace and central heat. Grandma Martin flew

up to stay with Beth for 12 days and was surrounded by a bunch of huge grandsons (5). Nate has size competition in his

GA. cousins. He also has indicated a desire to work for Joe this summer.. Not as a "Florida Boy", but really work: shovel

horse s___t, "bust wood" and dig footers. I hope Joe can put up with him.

Grandma Martin had an operation this summer and recuperated on Marco with us. She is doing well and hopes to get

to GA again next summer. Grandmamma Toalson spent 2 weeks with us last season and we look forward to her return

in 1995...we especially like her cooking and her church friends are always eager to see her too.

Early in December, Gara Ann Discovered a lump in her right breast. After many doctor appointments with many

doctors and just as many X-rays she was advised to have a biopsy. This was done at Naples Hospital by a local surgeon

in January and the lump proved to be malignant. Gara Ann's mom was down at that time for a visit and was not aware

of her problem till about a day ahead of the biopsy. She was at the hospital, waited with me and heard the diagnosis

with GAM and I and we both appreciated her strength.

Diagnosis: Malignant.. remedy: Total mastectomy.. Guys, let me tell you, I felt like someone hit me with a 2x4. GAM

was composed. She had been to Miami (Mt.Sinai Hospital) to a breast specialist before the biopsy and was impressed

with the facility (more like a campus) and wanted a second opinion. The specialist referred her to an Oncologist and we

were given a appointment on short notice. As we sat in the office waiting we both read the doctors brochure. What a

pedigree.. this guy had to be 100 years old (turned out he was in his 50's) to have accomplished all that he had. This Dr.

Vogel obviously knew his business. When he came out into the waiting room to greet us, his first statement was, "This is

going to be an easy one", "Generally, I only get the hopeless ones"! That one statement was the best news I have ever

heard and made that the best day of my life.

After reading the X-rays, biopsy reports, mammograms and consulting with his assistants, Dr. Vogel said an

appointment would be made for a lumpectomy operation there at Mt. Sinai Hospital. The surgeon he brought in to do

the operation looked too young to drive, however he was doing 5 of this type of operation each week. He also knew his

business!!!

The operation was a success!!! The morning of the operation we were at the hospital at 5:30AM for the prep work and

who should appear but Randy Book (our friend, and my Sunday school teacher). This is a story that needs to be told

again. Randy (small town boy) leaves Marco at 3:30 am, finds his way to this huge complex(maybe 50 buildings on 200

acres), pulls up to a parking gate that needs a doctors pass to enter and it opens??? and finds the one building we are

in... inconceivable, he was led. Again, we both appreciated the support and strength. His wife Jeanette, GAM's assistant

had to stay home to run things while we were away or she would have been there also. Buy the way, the amount of

flowers was phenomenal along with the overwhelming number of cards, the prayers and other evidences of love and

caring. "THANK YOU" is a simple expression, but one we share with overflowing hearts.

Gara Ann recovered after many trips to Miami for checkups and more trips to Naples for radiation treatments. She still

has pain in her arm and breast but is not a complainer. God led us to Miami and put the most skilled practitioners in the

world, within our reach. Did I say incredible? I meant INCREDIBLE!