2011 has shown some changes from the past few years. We have changed more as a group and team and also as a family. We have seen the economy try to improve. The jobless rate is still high and things are still tough. I feel this is the new "norm". Things that we thought were a given have not been. The future is untold but I feel we will never take it for granted.

We again commited to the community. We feel so strongly that we need to give back to the place that gives so much to us. We are going into year 5 as the sponsor of the Birkdale Animal Hospital Kids Triathlon series. We encouraged our staff to try a 5k and had many do something they thought was impossible. We continued our support of Barium Springs. If we wcould have one wish it would be that homelessness and children could all find peace.

Our family has been involved in some great things. we started a Mentorship program at Hopewel high school. Sarah is in year 4 of Love INC. She has been a dear friend and companion to Connie Roberts. What connie does not know is Sarah has gain more from this than she has. We hit the lottery again this year with healthy, wonderful children. Emma has tried dance and we are in the process of going to middle school. Jack qualified for the 1 meter and 3 meter natioanls in diving. Ava has blossomed into a tremendous child and has thrilled all with her jumps of the 10 meter diving platform. They all enjoy trips to the beach and we can't go without Newman. The dog demands his walks on the beach! Sarah and I will have our second chance at the Boston marathon and we will try to beat the course this year because the course beet us last year. We also will have the thrill of doing Ironman New York city. We have lost a very dear client and friend in David Raines. He was a tremendous supproter of the charlotte community, wonderful person and dominant lawyer. He will be greatly missed and so will his wonderful books and poems. I hope we all find more security in this new economic world we are in. we always try to find value for our clients and control costs. We love what we do and that people trust thier babies to us when they are well and sick.

Mark and Sarah