Ray finishes the year...

End of the year news for Ray:

Rays prize winning hamster Sweetie dies but Ray handles it with grace and buries her next to his other two hamster Finnigan and Jumpy.

With moms help, Ray catches a lost pet rabbit in our backyard. The owners ask us to "bunny-sit" over the Christmas break. The giant cage arrives with great excitement.

Ray holds the rabbit and immediately sneezing, swelling eyes, and itching commences! Allergic! He loves the rabbit anyways and names it Sam.

Ray is invited to the Make-A-Wish center to meet retired Naval Officer Ron Lins. Ron tells Ray of his years serving on an aircraft carrier, The Eisenhower, and gives Ray his very awesome memorabilia; plaque, book, hat.

Ray loves every minute of it and asks Ron questions like, "Did you eat fish? Where did you sleep? Did you have a gun?"

Ray sets up a showing of his new items in mom and dads closet. Invites cousins over, gives out tickets, and one by one takes kids into the closet to show them the Navy things.

Ray also asks school teacher if he can show them in his class for a special show and tell. Ray's mom joins him in class and 20 minute discussion follows with students about the Navy, Ray's cancer, and how big an Aircraft Carrier really is. ("Is it bigger than the Statue of Liberty?")

Ray is looking forward to getting new legos for Christmas, is reading Harry Potter, and is glad to be finishing the year at home with no cancer.