Best Digital Forensic Podcast Award

I just needed to give a shout out to Lee. He was in TX last week to present at a conference some research that he has been doing. While there they had the Forensic 4cast Awards. OK OK I know this is his podcast and the awards are put on by him but here is how it works. People in the field nominate people for different categories in which they might receive an award. The top 3 people, product or company with the highest nominations then go out for a public vote. The winner of the public vote then wins the award. Lee created these awards 3 years ago after I suggested it to him. Since then they have gained so much momentum and have actually become a big deal in his industry. This year Lee's podcast was nominated for Best Digital Forensic Podcast. Each week leading up to the actual awards ceremony he kept saying to me, dang it I'm winning or Oh man what am I going to do I cant win my own award. But I kept saying to him why not? He didn't cheat, he didn't vote for himself, he actually wanted someone else to win so it didn't look like a fix, he won it fair and square. When he left for TX on the Sunday night he said I'm going to give it to the runner up and just say they were first. But when he was actually presenting the awards he must have changed his mind and he did award it to himself also saying that his podcast will not be up for nominations next year. I have made a few suggestions for the awards next year which will make a huge difference. One thing is that it will bring in a lot of revenue for his podcast.

Lee does so much for us here. He works so very hard to make sure that we have everything that we need. He also does a lot for his industry and the Digital Forensics field. He has done so much research, is still in the process or developing software which will make the way they work easier. He is such a great husband and father too. I love him very much. He is truly the perfect eternal companion for me.

Tamworth

Greetings all, Lee again.

Today we drove to Tamworth to check out a potential school for Kaylee and to see the inside of our new house (up to now we'd only seen the outside).

Over the last couple of days Kaylee has been very uncertain about going to see her new school and today was no exception. We got there just as the morning break (recess) was coming to an end. We met the Headmaster who took us on a tour of the whole school. At first Kaylee wore her coat, clutching on to Alisha with one hand and to one of her stuffed toys with the other. She didn't say anything and would only respond to questions with a nod or a shake of the head.

As we went around the classrooms and met the teachers and pupils Kaylee's demeanor changed.

The headmaster told us about all the cool things that the children at the school were able to enjoy such as cooking, learning a musical instrument, school dances, how much time pupils got to play on the computer, and so on. As he told us about these things Kaylee's demeanor changed. First she let go of Alisha, then she shrugged off her jacket, and then she handed over the stuffed toy.

After the tour the headmaster asked if we had any questions. Alisha and I didn't really have anything to ask but Kaylee did and she was no longer afraid to ask them. She even went to try on the school uniform on her own. What a dramatic change in just over 20 minutes. Now she's excited about going to a new school. She says that she'll miss her old school friends but she looking forward to making new friends.

We also went to see the new house. It was AWESOME. The bedroom are perfect, we'll have a separate lounge and dining room, a conservatory, a huge study/office (which will become a nursery so Alisha tell me), a utility room, and a garden that has a bunch of lights wired up so we can sit out on the patio or entertain in the dark. Alisha is giddy with excitement, and I'm not ashamed to say that I am too.

Lesson Learned From Kaylee

Lee here (so please don't direct your comments at Alisha). OK, so this is going to be a bit churchy.

As Alisha has already posted last Friday was Kaylee's last day at her current school. She was very upset and cried the whole evening. Even now we can't bring it up without her looking like she might burst into tears at any second.

The thing is, Kaylee doesn't understand or realise that a lot of the reason that we're moving is down to her and Spencer.

The area in which we currently live is not good. You may have gotten that impression from some of our previous blog posts but it is true. Every night there are young kids (around Kaylee's age) roaming the streets looking for things to do. Invariably they get into mischief. Now, I'm not opposed to this but occasionally the mischief expands to criminal damage, shouting, screaming, and the police being called. I look at the kids and their parents and it makes me wonder exactly what lies in store for these children in the future. Well, I don't wonder that much because I can see what has happened since we've lived here. Kaylee's best friend has an older sister that got pregnant at 15, other kids in the area are in 'care' because their parents can't control them or don't care enough about them, and so on.

So, Kaylee complains about missing her friends but I have to say that in this case I know best. I don't want her growing up thinking that the behaviour exhibited by her friends is either acceptable or interesting. We're already bombarded by immorality in the media. I don't want it force fed to my children while they are still young and innocent.

I knows that Kaylee is pained by our move but, in the long term, it will benefit her in more ways than she can imagine at this time. She will be at a better school with friends that have higher values and morals. As her parents we are in a position to see the bigger picture because of our experiences and the things that we see and hear that Kaylee does not. It hurts me to see Kaylee in so much distress and I don't like making her upset. I wish for all the world that we could stay and let her be close to her friends but the long term effects of this would be potentially disastrous.

This got me thinking.

Our Heavenly Father much feel the same way all the time. He gives us rules and tests that we must face every day. Sometimes we suffer pain, sometimes we feel like things are too much for us to bare. Our loving Father must feel terrible seeing us in pain. I can only imagine that he would love to do nothing more than stretch out his hand and stop our pain and suffering but what would that accomplish? What would we gain from that experience? It would be the same as letting Kaylee have her way and stay in this area. In the short term it would be fantastic but it would deprive us of an opportunity to learn and grow.

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations and wonder 'why is that happening'? We may even apportion some blame to our Father in Heaven but, as his children, we don't see the big picture. He knows everything about us and the earth that he created. He sees into our souls and he knows that we can endure and that we'll be better because we've passed through the refiner's fire. He gives us these tests so that we can become stronger. He knows what lies in store for us in the future and is preparing us so that we can endure.

What may seem destructive and heartbreaking at the time only helps to lift us and purify us. Our muscles do not grow and become strong when life is easy, they become strong through resistance and opposition.

Just as Kaylee must put her trust in her earthly parents at this point in time, so we must also put our trust in our Heavenly Father. He knows what is best for us regardless.

Do you Live in England? Are you a British Citizen? If so HELP!!

Ok So I think that the NHS is amazing. I am so excited for the United States to have a president who supports the idea of Socialized health. It has so many benefits. I know a lot of people (americans) are scared for Socialized health but if you dont have any health insurance right now whether it be because your work doesnt offer it, if you have recently been "let go" by your employer or you are self employed than you will love socialized health. We currently only pay £7.10 for all prescriptions and all Dr visits are Free of charge. It doesnt matter whether we go and see our family Dr, or a specialist we pay nothing to see them. We do however pay a small amount to go and see an optometrist and to see a dentist. It is only Lee and I who have to pay for prescriptions, optometrist and the dentist. The children have all medical dental and eye exams completely free until the are 16. And even then once they turn 16. If you are on a low income or have no income you then dont have to pay for any of the above and yet the service is still available to you and your family. Whilst pregnant all of the above are free too and until the child is 1 year old.

I do have one small issue. One which I am looking for a bit of advice on from British Citizens who know how to work the system a little. See in order to see a dentist you must be registered with a dentist. When we were living in Chorley I was registered with a dentist. In fact we had private dental while we were there. Since moving to Wigan. I have not had a dentist. In the first 6 months of moving here we signed Lee up to a dentist and Kaylee. But for some unknown reason we didnt sign me up. Now for the last 6 months I have had a tooth which has been KILLING ME!! I have rang the dentist where Kaylee and Lee are and they agreed to take Spencer on as a patient but they wont take me. I have rang around every dentist in Wigan asking if they were taking new patients and no one is. We dont have private dental anymore, Lee's work doesnt offer it. But I am not getting to the point where I am considering pulling the tooth out myself. Someone said to ring NHS direct and they can try to give me an emergency appointment to see a dentist. So I am going to try that in the morning. But has any one else got any ideas? I cant complain because when I do finally see the dentist it is only going to cost me pennies to get any kind of treatments done. It is just finding someone who will agree to see me. I think I need a root canal. I dont like that idea at all!! If it takes the pain away though I would be only too happy!

Heart-Breaking Story

I'd like to be serious, if I may, for a few moments.
During my lunch break today I was reading the regular news websites that I frequent and found an article about a 16 month old boy, Benjamin Kingan, who died after an incident at his day-care facility.
The story says that the day-care worker, 22, became annoyed when Benjamin was making too much noise and threw him on the floor. The young boy was upset, picked up his security blanket and crawled to his 'comfort zone' under a bouncer seat. There he lost consciousness and passed away.
This story hurts for so many reasons.
I am a father of two beautiful children. I can only imagine the despair that the parents would have felt when they got that call at work saying what had happened to their little boy. I feel for them and, even though I do not know these people, I wish there was some way that I could help them. Can any of you imagine getting such a phone call explaining that your baby had died at the hands of someone you trusted with your most precious son? Further, that one of the carers had killed him?
Also consider little Benjamin, he is in a better place, thank God. But what about the moments before he died? Someone he trusted hurt him. With that trust gone he was left, clutching his little blanket on his own in the only place he felt safe. This breaks my heart and makes me cry just thinking about it. I can picture Spencer doing something similar if the same thing happened to him, and that is why I think this story is so potent to me. I can only hope that Benjamin died quickly so that the pain wasn't too great.
Please remember the Kingan family in your prayers tonight, and, thos of you with children, take a good look at them, give them a little hug. Even when they tip the TV over, breaking it, or smash something of personal significance, just think of how much you would love them to do something like that if you were Benjamin's parents, because that would mean that he was still there. Be greatful for all the things your children do because it means you still have them.

Lee