Kevin Joins Adventurers Club

We ended our weekend visit at my parents early, so that Kevin could attend his first Adventurers Club meeting. Kevin had told us that he wanted to join Adventurers because “my whole class is in it.” It turns out that a third of his classmates, along with about a dozen other kids are in his Sunbeam group (second graders). He really had a lot of fun, and can’t wait for the next meeting.

I tried to convince Justin to join the Little Lambs club, but he told me that “Two classes are enough, Mama. Three classes are too many.” I respect his wishes. Smart kid – he already knows to not be involved in too many activities at once.

Kevin’s instructor said that Kevin was very creative. Each of the kids were given a CapriSun juice pouch. When they were finished with their juice, Kevin and two of his friends took their empty juice pouches, pulled the straws over halfway out, folded the pouches in half lengthwise, then folded the pouches halfway widthwise. They created cell phones – clever idea! The kids ‘talked’ to each other on their ‘cell phones’ for the rest of the morning.

In the afternoon, Kenton took Kevin and Justin out to ride their scooters while Brian took a nap. Kevin rides his bike quite fast now and Justin tries his best to keep up. Sometimes they both need a little help. We had a relaxing and fun Sunday.

Sunday's Activities

We ended our weekend visit at my parents early, so that Kevin could attend his first Adventurers Club meeting.

Kevin told us that he wanted to join Adventurers because “my whole class is in it.” It turns out that about a third of his classmates, along with about a dozen other kids are in his Sunbeam group (second graders). He really had a lot of fun, and can’t wait for the next meeting.

I tried to convince Justin to join the Little Lambs club, but he told me that “Two classes are enough, Mama. Three classes are too many.” Smart kid – he already knows to not be involved in too many activities at once.

Kevin’s instructor said that Kevin was very creative. Each of the kids were given a CapriSun juice pouch to drink. When they were done, Kevin and two of his friends took their empty juice pouches, pulled the straw over halfway out, folded the pouch in half lengthwise, then folded the pouch halfway widthwise. They created cell phones. The kids ‘talked’ to each other on their ‘cell phones’ for the rest of the meeting.

In the afternoon, Brian took a nap while Kenton took Kevin and Justin out to ride their bikes and scooters. Kevin rides his bike very fast now and Justin tries his best to keep up on his bike. Since our driveway is a bit steep to pedal up, the boys sometimes need a little help. We had a relaxing and fun Sunday.

Dad And Mom On Front Page

Dad and Mom’s picture was on the front page of their local newspaper this week. The caption under the picture said, “Dr. Prospero and his wife Dr. Elma Lou Roda are making travel plans now that he has announced his retirement.” The article is as follows:

After working as a general surgeon in Tappahannock for more than 30 years, Dr. Prospero Roda recently announced his retirement.

A native of the Philippines, Dr. Roda earned his medical degree from Manila Central University, before traveling to the United States to do extensive residency rotations in several hospitals throughout New York City and Boston. “My brother was a surgical doctor. He came to the United States and I decided to follow him,” explains Dr. Roda.

In July, 1975, having recently finished a fellowship in hand surgery at the Flower and Fifth Avenue Medical College Hospital in New York City, Dr. Roda was in search of a permanent position. Acting on a tip from a friend, he visited Tidewater Memorial Hospital in Tappahannock.

The hospital administrator advised him to “look for a place where you can stay for a few days.” In time, those few days stretched to more than 30 years.

Dr. Roda came to the region with his wife, Dr. Elma Lou Roda, and two children who had been born in New York, Cheryl and Darrell. A third child, Beryl, was born here in Tappahannock. Today, all three of their children have homes in Maryland. Four grandsons regularly visit the Rodas on weekends.

Dr. Elma Lou Roda is an anesthesiologist. She worked in Tappahannock from 1980 to 1990, before taking a position at Retreat Hospital in Richmond. After many years of the fatigue-inducing commute, Dr. E. Roda retired approximately three years ago.

During his time in Tappahannock, Dr. Prospero Roda has been a prominent member of the medical community. From 1976 to 1983 he served as the medical director and president of the Tidewater Memorial Hospital staff. He was a member of the board of the hospital, chairman of several committees, and was vice president of Riverside Tappahannock Hospital Medical Staff from 1989-1991.

Time spent living on the Rappahannock River has been of particular value to Dr. Roda, whose interests include recreational boating and wildlife preservation. He is keeping an attentive eye on the growth of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge. “I am very interested in this,” he states. “God is not going to make anymore rivers. Whatever God has created is what we have.”

After heart bypass surgery in 1994 and a recent heart catheterization, from which he is still recovering, Dr. Roda cites health issues, as well as the rising cost of malpractice insurance, as his reasons for retiring at this time. “Malpractice is so high now,” he states, “I could hardly reach it.”

With their medical practices behind them, the Rodas plan to travel over the next few years. They are actively involved with their university alumni associations, and many of their plans are connected with attending the conventions of these organizations. The couple recently returned from a visit to the Philippines to celebrate the anniversary of their alma mater.

“I’ll be the vagabond of Tappahannock for the next few years,” Dr. Roda jokes of his plans for retirement.

Back At Parents' Home

Brian continues to say new words and form short sentences. His new sentence today was, “Press play, please” when he wanted to watch a video.

We are back at my parents’ home once again. The trip took a little over 3 hours because of traffic. I took pictures while we were driving over the bridge. The scene looking out over the water is always beautiful. I have fond memories of growing up by the river, and always get a warm sentimental feeling as we come into this area.

UPDATE ON DAD:
Dad had his first follow-up doctor’s appointment today. The doctor was very happy with the improvement in Dad’s health. Dad’s edema has gone down, so the weight from the swelling has disappeared also. He is able to go longer and do more without the assistance of oxygen. At times, when he exerts himself, he still gets short of breath - but overall, Dad is well on the way to a full recovery.

Cartoon Cuts

We brought the boys to the mall to get their monthly haircuts. They enjoy going to Cartoon Cuts because they get to watch a video of their choice while getting their haircut. They also get to play games/toys while waiting for their turn. We were lucky because we didn’t have to wait but a couple of minutes. Kevin and Justin got their haircuts, and Brian slept.

The pet store was nearby, so we let the boys pick out a puppy to play with. This puppy was very playful, or should I say, out of control. He kept jumping up on the boys and trying to bite their shorts. He also kept trying to chew on their sandals. He then made an accident (large puddle) on the floor which one of the workers had to clean it up. When the puppy got a hold of Brian’s shorts, he wouldn’t let go. It was the same thing with my jeans. One by one, all three boys climbed up on the bench and didn’t want to play with the puppy anymore.

Before going home, the boys rode on the mall carousel. Kevin chose the black stallion and the other boys sat on the horses in the same row. Here is a picture that Kenton took before the ride started. It was a fun way to end our visit to the mall.

The Boys On A Wednesday

For the class craft in school, Justin made a large picture of a mouse in the shape of the letter ‘M.’ He proudly showed me where he put a poof ball for the nose, the large wiggly eyes, the half circle ears, the whiskers, and an 'M' for the body. It is a very cute picture!

Kevin was very talkative when he came home from school. He told us about the science experiment that they did in class. They tasted four different apples – gala, braeburn, pink lady, and granny smith (his favorite was pink lady). He also told us a little about each of his classmates – who was best friends with who, different things they did and said, who liked who, who was the funniest, smartest, etc. We hope that he will keep telling us about his friends and continue to talk about his daily activities as he grows older.

Brian continues to expand his vocabulary. Every other hour or so, he says a new word or phrase. Today, when he and I were going to pick up his brothers from school, I was singing a praise song that I had just heard on the radio. He began singing along with me. He was so adorable!

Gymnastics

Kevin got up by himself early this morning which is rare (he’s not a morning person). Last night, I had promised him that if he did his whole morning preparation for school and had extra time, I would play Othello with him. I had bought the game yesterday and he was eager to learn/play it. Sure enough, he had an extra 10 minutes to spare, so he and I were able to play a partial game.

Justin had speech class with the grad student as his teacher today. She focused on the letter ‘L’ with him. He has a tendency to say the sound ‘W’ instead of ‘L’ (i.e. ‘wittle’ instead of ‘little.’) He did as was told and kept sticking his tongue out with each word to make the ‘L’ sound. He did very well.

After class, we went back home to pick up Brian, and the three of us went to a nearby sports center for a one hour gymnastics class. It was our first time, and the boys had a fun time. They ran and jumped on the balance beams, the trampolines, the spring floors, the donuts, the inclines, the sponge pit, etc. They probably enjoyed the sponge pit the most - an 8 ft. deep pit filled with colorful square sponges. They would slide in on an incline, then ‘swim’ their way to the edge, climb out, and slide down again.

After about 45 minutes, Brian was tired and ready for a nap. He lay down on the spring floor and just rested. Justin called him to play with him in the sponge pit again. Brian did, but he was so tired that he could barely ‘swim’ out of the sponge pit. I had to pull him out, but at that time class was over. It was a fun and active hour of exercise and fun. We’ll definitely be going again soon.

In the evening, Kenton made a DVD of the video clips that I took of the boys during the gymnastics class. Brian was still awake, so got to watch the videos. As soon as he started watching, he said very excitedly, “Me. Me. Me.” He insisted on watching the video clips over and over again.

Last Week Of September Begins

It is the beginning of another full school week for Kevin. His school has been doing a Sally Foster fundraiser and order forms were due today. We’ve been so busy with going back and forth to my parents that Kevin really didn’t have a chance to ‘sell’ any items. At least he was able to get three orders. Last year, he was quite the salesman – going up to people and asking them to help him raise money for his school. We told him that there will always be another fundraiser, so he could 'sell' more next time.

Justin’s class is continuing their study of the letter ‘M.’ For their snack, they spread Marshmallow cream over rice cakes (somehow, some of the marshmallow cream got into his hair). They also made Moon rocks, with a ball of foil as the center. Justin said that he put glue and shiny things (gold sprinkles) on his rock, then black paint.

Brian used the word ‘and’ in a sentence for the first time. He was looking at a picture of himself and his brothers. As he pointed to each person, he said their name, “Justin, Kevin and me! Yeah!!”

Kenton cooked a Chinese meal this evening. He made four dishes – two vegetables, one seafood, and one meat. The kids wanted to eat pizza, so it was just he and I eating all that food. It was delicious (and we won’t have to cook tomorrow)!

Grammie And Grandpa's House

We went to my parent’s house Friday afternoon for a short weekend. I was surprised - traffic wasn’t too bad on the drive there. As soon as we drove over the bridge, the kids saw the river and got excited. As always, they know that means Grammie and Grandpa’s house is near.

Dad is slowly improving in health. He can walk around more than in the past before becoming short of breath. He drove for a couple of miles this past week (with Mom in the passengers seat, of course). He also was able to do a little bit of yard work, although it made him extremely tired and short of breath. He even cooked some food for us for each meal.

The kids had fun riding Dad’s Hoveround. All three boys took turns steering. The control to move the Hoveround is a small joystick on the end of the right armrest. The vehicle can even be controlled with just one finger. The boys always rode two at a time. They rode around the backyard going backwards and forwards and making circles. To them it was like playing with a large remote control toy that they could ride on.

We came back early so that Kevin could attend a friend's birthday party. The party’s theme was sports. There was a lot of pizza for the kids, along with delicious vegetables, chicken, and rice dishes for the adults. The cake was huge - a full sheet decorated as a basketball court. Kevin had a lot of fun blowing balloons and playing group games, especially balloon pop and dodge ball.

Over the weekend, Kevin had lost one of his Lego ‘people.’ He told me, “I prayed that God would help me find it. And you know what? He did!” How beautiful - the faith of a child.

Brian's Vocabulary

It’s been a week since Brian turned two, and his vocabulary continues to grow rapidly. Today he said four full sentences in a row (very short sentences). He and Justin were taking turns playing hide and seek with me and Justin started to take a second turn in a row being ‘it.’ Brian emphatically told his brother, “Me turn. Me turn. No you. Me turn.” He is learning to put his words into sentences! How cute!!

I’ve compiled a list of English words that he uses regularly (he also knows some Chinese). There are more, but these are what I can remember:

all, animal, apple, Auntie, baby, back, ball, banana, bath, batteries, belly, Berber, bird, blue, bomb, book, bounce, bug, bus, bye, cake, cars, cat, cereal, circle, cold, come, coming, crayon, cup, D.J., Daddy, dance, Darrell, diaper, dirty, Doc, dog, done, down, Dora, duck, ears, eat, eating, egg, eight, enough, eyes, face, fall, feet, fight, fish, five, Flo, fly, food, four, Grammie, Grandpa, hand, help, hi, hot, hurt, ice cream, Jaiden, juice, Justin, Kevin, kiss, Leapster, light, love you, Luigi, Mama, map, Mater, me, melon, milk, mine, minute, mouth, move, Nemo, nine, no, nose, notebook, oh no, on, one, ouchie, oval, pants, pee-pee, penguin, play, please, poo-poo, press, puppy, push, Queen, red, rice, run, Sally, see, seven, shapes, Shar, shirt, shoes, side (outside), silly, sit, six, sleeping, socks, soysauce, SpongeBob, spots, stars, ten, tennis, this, three, TV, two, Uncle, up, wait, water, wet, white, Wii, win, yellow, yes

His very first word was 'no.'

Baltimore Inner Harbor

Kevin didn’t have school today because it was parent-teacher conferences day. Since all three boys’ schedules were free, we went for an outing. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the temperature was warm - perfect conditions for being outdoors. We went to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore and the boys watched a boat leaving the harbor. They also had fun chasing some pigeons.

We then went to the Maryland Science Center. The boys dug for dinosaur fossils, played with different science learning stations, and especially enjoyed the Kids Room. We ran into three other mothers and their kids from our church – what a pleasant surprise. We watched part of a liquid nitrogen demonstration. A man poured nitrogen on some balloons which made them shrink and freeze. A couple seconds later, when the nitrogen evaporated, the balloons expanded back to their original size. Kevin also took part in a demonstration on ice-cream making. Each child got to taste the ice cream when they were finished. Kevin said it was lumpy and didn’t have much flavor, but it was okay.

Brian’s favorite activity was the train table. Kevin went to the Science Center gift shop and ended up buying some Webkinz trading cards. Justin was soaking wet from playing at the water table. Brian was sleepy when we were in the Science Center, but somehow stayed awake the whole time. He fell asleep as soon as I put him in the car seat. I hadn’t even started the car and he was out. It was a fun, activity-filled day for us all.

We then drove to Kevin’s school for a parent-teacher conference. Kevin’s teacher said that he was a very good student – he especially excelled in math and reading. At times though, he rushes through his school work, so an area we’ll work on with him is ‘quality work’ - to take time and make sure that answers are correct and neatly written. We’re very proud of Kevin, and are happy that he is doing well in school. We hope that at this age, he’ll learn good study habits and keep them throughout life.

Justin's First Picture Day

It was picture day at Justin’s school. This was his first time with school pictures, so of course I had to stay and take pictures of the event. His 4-year-old class was well behaved – they lined up, walked to the gym, stood very patiently, and waited for their turn to be photographed. Justin kept making silly faces when the photographer told him to smile, but hopefully one of the pictures will turn out well.

Both Brian and Justin were very tired in the afternoon. I kept them up (didn’t want them nap late and stay up into the wee hours of the night), and both were asleep by 7 pm. Kenton went to the gym to get some exercise, and Kevin and I had some good reading time together. We also played a game of Life with my sister. I thought I was possibly going to have some alone time. Of course, that didn’t happen – Justin got up right when Kevin was getting ready for bed, and Brian was up an hour later. It was a long night – Justin and Brian were wide awake and stayed up past 1 am playing. I kept falling asleep on the sofa, but they would wake me up to show me something, to have me to read a book, to eat or drink something, etc. Then after that, Brian woke up several times throughout his sleep.

The younger boys aren’t on a regular schedule yet. Justin’s preschool is every other day, and he still needs a nap about twice a week. Brian hasn’t gotten on a regular schedule since he switched from two naps to one. Some days he falls asleep at noontime while bringing Justin to school (my ideal schedule for him). Other days he doesn’t fall asleep until we go to pick up his brothers. Then once in a while, such as yesterday, he goes just about the whole day without a nap and doesn’t sleep well at night. I’m finding it much more difficult to get Brian on a regular schedule, because his schedule includes his older brothers’ schedules. I suppose that is just a part of being the youngest sibling.

Dad Interviewed For Newspaper

UPDATE ON DAD: A reporter from the local newspaper went to my parents’ home to interview Dad today. The interview, which lasted for over half an hour, was to get information about Dad and his retirement. The paper plans to print an article about Dad’s career and retirement as a physician in the community for over 30 years.

Justin had speech class today. The teacher worked on his pronunciation of the consonant ‘k.’ She said that Justin does what is called fronting - instead of making the sound of a letter from the back of his mouth, he makes it in the front of his mouth (i.e. his ‘k’ sounds like a ‘t.’) Fronting usually disappears in children between the ages of 3 and 4. Justin did quite well with what the teacher was having him say and do. He said that liked class today.

After school, Kenton took Kevin out to play tennis. Tennis is the sport that Kevin seems to enjoy the most. He kept trying to hit the ball with using only one hand on the racket. His hand-eye coordination is pretty good (he gets it from his dad). Good exercise, and good one-on-one time with Dad – couldn’t ask for more.

Picture Day For Kevin

Today was picture day at Kevin’s school. I went in to pre-pay for the pictures that we wanted to order, and couldn’t help but run back out to the car to get my camera and sneak in a picture of Kevin getting his picture taken. The photographers were helpful – helping keep the kids’ stray hairs down, making the children feel at ease in front of the camera, and just overall being very friendly.

Justin’s class began the study of another letter - the letter “M.” They used Mini Marshmallows to make a capital M and a little m. They also colored a picture of some mice. He brought back Mzee (class mascot), and for ‘letter show and tell,’ he brought Mater (Cars character) and a Monkey.

After class, one of the teachers told me that she was amazed at how Justin took the plastic letters and spelled several words with them. He would spell a word and show it to her, then spell another and show it to her. I told her that letters, reading, and writing have been a strong interest of his for over a year now.

UPDATE ON DAD:
Dad got some new wheels today – the Hoveround, a personal mobility vehicle. The doctor at the hospital had written Dad a prescription for it when he was discharged, and it was delivered to their house today. Mom says that he seems happy to be able to use it. He plans to use it for getting around when he is outside the house in the yard.

The hospital Dad used to do surgeries at put an announcement with a picture of Dad in the local newspaper. “Congratulates – Prospero C. Roda, M.D. on his recent retirement. Prospero C. Roda, M.D. has announced that he is retiring from the practice of general surgery and family medicine. Riverside Hospital congratulates Dr. Roda on his retirement after a dedicated career serving the healthcare needs of the community. Thank you Dr. Roda for your commitment and caring!”

Weekend With Grandparents

Once again, we made the trip to my parents’ house to have the boys spend time with them, and to help out with whatever work needed to be done. My brother and his family were also there.

We trimmed some hedges, pruned a tree, set up a wireless network, and moved furniture out of Dad’s office. We also got to eat some delicious Filipino food (lumpia, chicken adobe, ube ice cream). The boys had fun playing with their cousin, and just enjoyed hanging out at Grandpa and Grammie’s house.

My brother found several of his old records and played them on his record player from long ago (Boy George, Michael Jackson, The Police, etc). It was fun listening to the oldies as we used to listen to them. When the music was playing, Brian went to get the guitar. He held the guitar like a cello, strummed at the neck part, and at the same time danced to the music. He was so cute (I missed a perfect picture opportunity)!

Kevin pointed to a record and asked what it was. We explained that it was an old type of CD that played music – just much larger. He got to see how a record player worked for the first time. His generation doesn’t know what records or cassettes are. I remember one time last year, he pointed to an old phone in my parents’ bedroom (where you dial the numbers) and asked what it was. The boys won’t even know what a video cassette is - they only watch DVDs.

Justin was assigned to take the class mascot, Mzee the turtle, for the weekend. He is then to report on the activities that he did with Mzee. Here is a picture that we'll use for Justin's report. The boys sat on the jetski pretending they were on the river (the weather was a bit too chilly to swim in), and posed for a picture with Mzee.

Another picture we'll use is Justin with Mzee at bedtime. Justin said to write: "I had fun playing with Mzee in my bed. He turned around and around and crashed into the wall. He’s so funny."

UPDATE ON DAD:
Dad continues his recovery. Several times a day, he tries to go around without using any supplemental oxygen to help him breathe. It is a lot of exertion for him though. Each exertion wears him out, but he is determined to wean off the oxygen.

End Of Full Week Of School

We made it through our first full week of school for both Kevin and Justin. As soon as I picked them up from their schools, both boys wanted to sleep. They were so tired from staying up late last night. They made it through their classes though, and lasted awake until bedtime.

Once again, Justin was eager to go to school. As soon as we got to his classroom, I asked for a hug and said goodbye. He hugged me, gently pushed me out of the doorway, and said, “Mama, it time for you to go home now.” Kenton and I are glad that he likes school and is fine with being on his own for a couple of hours now. His projects in class were making applesauce, and crafting a paper apple tree picture.

Brian Turns Two

It is Brian’s second birthday today!

After dropping Kevin off at school, Kenton and I took Brian and Justin to ‘Pump It Up’ - a place that has giant inflatable structures to jump, bounce, climb and slide in. There were only about a dozen other kids there, and with two rooms to play in - they had so much fun! It amazed us that after half an hour or so, Brian wanted and was able to climb and do the obstacle courses and slides all by himself. He is such a big boy now!

We had to pay for Brian’s entrance fee. It dawned on us that since he is now two, he would no longer be free anywhere. Oh no – now we have to pay entrance fees for three kids wherever we go!

After ‘Pump It Up,’ we ate a quick lunch. The boys were so tired from all their play that they fell asleep on the way home. What an exciting and fun morning!

In the evening, my sister, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew came over to celebrate with us. Brian enjoyed blowing out his two candles over and over again, eating Ube (Filipino) ice cream, and opening up his presents. He screamed with excitement when seeing the Cars gifts. The boys played with Cars toys, watched the Cars movie, and played Cars on Wii. It was almost 11:00 pm when the kids finally went to sleep - a late, but very enjoyable Cars birthday celebration!

Happy Birthday Brian! We are so proud of you and how you are growing to be a big boy!!

Justin And Kevin Enjoy School

UPDATE ON DAD:
Dad continues to recover – I suppose that a heart just needs time when it comes to recovery. Dad went to the shed to try to do some work, but once again needed to use his cell phone to call for help. Mom brought him his oxygen and after a while, he was able to go back into the house to rest.

THE BOYS:
Justin was so excited to go to school today. When we were getting ready to leave for school, he kept telling me to hurry because his teacher was waiting for him. When we got to the entrance of the classroom, he just ran in pulling his backpack on wheels behind him. I had to ask him to come back, say goodbye, and give me a hug. I lingered in the hallway for a couple of minutes talking. He must have heard me because he came back out, took my hand, and began to pull me away from the classroom entrance. He told me, “You go home now Mama. Go home. Come back at 3.” What a contrast to last week! Today they drew and colored a Firefly in class.

Kevin had a fun day at school. He kept telling us all the fun games they played, the different things that his teacher said and did, and the different things that his classmates said and did. It was non-stop story after story. Right before he went to sleep, he said that he couldn’t wait until morning to be in school again. His teacher said they were going to play some fun game in class.

First Full Week Of School Begins

THE BOYS:
Kevin has caught up with all his missed school/homework, and is enjoying second grade. His favorite class is P.E.

Justin seems to be used to the idea of going to preschool now. In the morning, he kept saying that he didn’t want to go to school. He said that he wanted to go to the library first. I told him that we could go to the library Friday morning – then he was fine. Their class is still studying the letter ‘F,’ and today he drew a picture of our Family. His teacher displayed their pictures on the wall, and Justin pointed out each family member that he drew.

Then Justin and Brian went for their doctor appointments. They both needed to have their immunizations, which we opted to have done after going to China. Each received two shots. Justin was so tired that he didn’t cope very well with his shots – he cried and kept saying that it hurt. Brian fussed a little, but was fine after a couple of seconds.

We all went to bed around 8:45 pm. I suppose we are all pretty tired. I think that Dad and Mom have to be even more tired than us. Mom told me that when she has time to check emails, she is so tired that she falls asleep before having a chance to respond. Dad is weary of not being able to get around and do his regular activities. In time though, they both will be back to their normal schedules and activities. We kids are here to help and support them.

I spoke on the phone with two of my girlfriends today. Each one is dealing with their father being in the hospital. We talked about entering the sandwich generation - ‘sandwiched’ between two generations - raising kids while helping care for aging parents. I read an article that said that 16 million Americans are now in the sandwich generation, but in 25 years, that number is estimated to be at 60 million. There is also the club sandwich generation – those sandwiched between aging parents, adult children and grandchildren; or those with children, aging parents and grandparents. Kenton and I don’t have any grandparents now, so it will be quite a while before we enter into the club sandwich generation.

Justin Begins Speech Class

Justin had his first day of speech class. His pediatrician and even his teacher say that his speech is within the normal development range, but I feel that the classes would only benefit him. He has a teacher who is excellent, along with a grad student who began teaching him today. Today they assessed Justin’s pronunciation by having him look at a picture book and say what the pictures were about. They also asked him questions about what he did before class, what he ate for breakfast, what activities/games he liked to play, etc. He'll be going to 'the big school' once a week.

FLASHBACK – September 11, 2001: Six years ago, a new term was added to the American vocabulary, “nine eleven.” Every one seems to remember what they were doing that day. Me - I was on a plane headed to Chicago for a conference. We passengers boarded the plane early that morning, but ended up sitting for almost two hours. No one knew details, but we knew that there were incidents involving planes crashing into buildings. Eventually the pilot made the announcement for all of us to calmly exit the plane. He said that we were under attack and it was very possible that our airport was a target. That is when ‘fear’ hit - people became very alarmed. They began to push their way and even run to get try and get out of the airport. I couldn’t reach any of my family members (phone network was busy) so I waited - as with hundreds of other stranded people – for an available taxi. While waiting, many of us saw the live coverage of the twin towers in New York on TV. We all gasped with the same reactions when the first tower fell – horror, shock, more fear. After hours of waiting, I was eventually able to get home by sharing a taxi with others. All I wanted was to be with my husband and baby. My heart still goes out to the families who lost a loved one that day.

Weekend At Dad And Mom's Place

We spent the weekend at Dad & Mom’s place. My cousin, Manong Orlie and his wife came and spent an afternoon there too. We cleared out my parents’ rose garden and pruned the apple tree (talk about a lot of exercise!). There were weeds and vines so tall that they were entwined with the apple tree branches above it. I loved using the Alligator Lopper – an awesome power tool with a mini saw and lopping shears put together - it was so easy to use. Anyways, we all had an enjoyable afternoon together - cooking, visiting, gardening, harvesting, and eating.

Dad was outside for a couple of hours with us. He sat on a chair using his oxygen. When he decided to get some vegetables from the garden, it was too much exertion for him. He was uncomfortable and achy for the rest of the day. He was able to get a handful of tomatoes and green beans though.

Later, Mom and I picked up all the cleared brush from the rose garden and weeded part of the vegetable garden. Kenton drove and dumped the brush using the trailer, and Beryl watched the boys. The boys helped a little too, picking up sticks and putting them in the trailer. Two of Dad’s friends came and mowed the lawn. There is a lot more yard work that needs to be done, but we’ll work on it a little at a time.

THE BOYS: The boys took turns hovering over Dad. They kept checking his oxygen saturation with a finger pulse oximeter. They also made sure that Dad was using his nasal oxygen. When Dad wasn’t on his hospital bed, one or more of the boys would lay on it, pressing the buttons to go up and down.

We had a mini birthday celebration for Brian over the weekend. He turns two years old this week. Dad and Mom gave him eight die-cast cars from the movie Cars. Brian unwrapped the gift all by himself and was so excited when he saw Lightning McQueen. He had Mom help him open the cars, and posed for a picture with each one. His favorite car is McQueen, and Luigi is his second favorite.

Justin Enjoys Preschool

After dropping Kevin off at school, Justin, Brian and I went to the library. The library we went to has two designated computers for kids. Justin played phonics and math games for about 45 minutes. Brian ‘played’ too. We checked out some DVDs and books, ate some food, then headed for Justin’s school.

Justin was excited to go to school today. We got to the school about 20 minutes early, so we sat in the van for a while. He could hardly wait to go to his classroom – he kept saying, “I’m ready to go. I'm ready to go.” In the classroom, I said goodbye to him and that I would pick him up at 3:00, and he smiled and said, “Okay.” (No loud protests - we've made progress!)

His class is still studying the letter ‘F,’ and today they ate French fries. Each student brought items that began with ‘F’ to class to place in the letter box. Justin brought Froot Loops and a Chinese fan. For crafts – each student made a picture with a firetruck.

At home, when Kenton asked Justin how school was, he said that he didn’t cry. We told him that he is a big boy now. He learned to handle being on his own (and enjoy himself) for a couple of hours – and this after only two classes. We’re so proud of him!

UPDATE ON DAD: Yesterday, Dad decided to go outside and do some yard work. He told Mom that he was tired of being on his back and wanted to get some fresh air. Later, Mom got a phone call from Beryl telling her that Dad needed help (Beryl was at work in D.C.). Mom ran outside and found that Dad was on the ground. He had fainted, and tried to call Mom with his cellphone, but had dialed Beryl instead. Mom couldn’t lift him up. She didn’t want to leave Dad to get help from the neighbors, so she called some friends who quickly came, carried him inside the house, and placed him in bed.

I spoke with Mom earlier today and she said that Dad is doing well. He is taking it easy today. I also spoke with Dad a little while ago, and he said he is feeling fine.

Dad And Mom Visit / Back To School

Mom and Dad came to visit (Beryl had stayed with them last night and drove them here). It was really nice to see Dad out and about, although he didn’t look well when they first arrived. He didn’t have the strength to get out of the car, and just sat in the car in our driveway. Dad then began having chest pains. Mom changed his oxygen tank, and after a few minutes, he felt much better and was able to come into the house. We ate supper together, and then Dad and Mom left for home. We wanted them to stay longer, but they needed to get home before Dad’s tank of oxygen ran low. Dad was very tired when they left – he exerted himself a lot for his first day out of the hospital. He needed to get home and into his new bed - a hospital bed set up in their family room.

I’m so glad that Dad and Mom came, but I’m afraid of Dad over-exerting himself and having a set-back. We’re planning on going to their place this weekend so the boys can spend time with their Grandpa again.

THE BOYS:
Justin was reluctant to go to school, but after some convincing I was able to get him into the school building. He kept saying that he wanted to be with me. I eventually had to pick him up and carry him into his classroom. Brian had fallen asleep on the drive to Justin’s school, so I was carrying him in one arm while carrying Justin (who was resisting the whole time) in the other. By the time we got into the classroom, I was dripping with sweat and felt like my arms would drop off. That, along with Justin’s loud protests – nice third impression on the teachers. They understood though, and worked on calming Justin. They had Justin say goodbye to me, and I went into the hallway. Within 3-4 minutes, Justin calmed down. I peeked into the classroom and he was already enjoying himself. They are studying the letter ‘F,’ and today was ‘fish’ day – ‘Rainbow Fish’ book, making ‘fish’ art, and fishing in water using magnets. Justin said he had a good time at school.

During the summer, Kevin worked on several workbooks – Summer Bridge Activities, Crystal Forest Economy Reading, Master Skills Spelling, and Virginia Math Connections. Each time he finished a workbook we gave him twenty dollars. He finished up the math workbook over the holiday weekend and earned $20. He is allowed to spend half of whatever money he gets, so after school, he purchased a panda Webkins. His Webkins are his pets, so he was excited to get another pet.

Brian slept for four hours this afternoon. He hasn’t fully adjusted to the time difference yet – staying up late, but getting up when he hears his brothers in the morning. Hopefully he’ll get back on a regular sleeping schedule soon.

Dad Discharged

10:40 AM: We just found out that Dad will be discharged around 11:00 AM today. We're all excited. Dad has recovered well enough to go home! Kenton and I and boys plan to help Mom with getting Dad settled back home.

5:30 PM: Dad just got his discharge papers. We've all been waiting and waiting. It took over six hours to get his paper work after being discharged. Now it is time to get back on the road again.

10:00 PM: We are back home. Home sweet home! We haven't been home for more than two days in a row since the middle of July. It was getting late when seeing Dad after being discharged, and we decided it would be too much on all of us to go to my parents home, then return to our home. Kevin has school in the morning and Kenton has to be in D.C. at 8:30 am. I would have to have all three kids up, dressed, and out the door by 8:15 am latest to get Kevin to school on time - that would be very difficult if they stay up late. We're just so thankful that Dad is able to continue to gain his strength at home!

Dad Looking Good / Amazing Mom

Kenton and I and boys went to see Dad in the hospital. He looks the best he has since being hospitalized. Dad says that he has been walking around his room for exercise. He says he really is ready to go home, and hopes that the doctor will discharge him tomorrow. Kenton and I have decided to stay another day, but then need to return home for the rest of the week for work and school.

Mom has been visiting Dad several times a day. Every day, she brings him mail/email to read, some garlic and pluots to eat, and gives him updates on family and friends who called. In addition, she returns to their home every couple of days to run Dad’s office in his absence. Dad officially retired at the end of July, but kept the office open until the end of August. Friday was the last day the office was open. Mom continued to manage the office workers and their duties. In addition, Mom took charge of the packing up and moving out of all the office equipment and supplies. It is amazing how Mom keeps going and going. She even takes time to cook delicious Filipino foods for us in the apartment. Mom is truly a virtuous woman as described in Proverbs 31:10-31. We kids admire and appreciate her!

The boys: We took the boys to the swimming pool for some fun in the sun. We swam for a couple of hours. My brother and his son joined later, then my sister and sister-in-law. There was a nice grill at the pool for anyone to use, so we had a barbecue there. What a relaxing way to spend Labor Day!

Dad Still Improving

Mom, Beryl, and I spent a couple of hours with Dad today. He continues to improve - now he is trying to walk around in his room to build up some strength. He continues to use a nasal cannula (tube with nose prongs that is connected to the wall and delivers oxygen). The flow is at 1½ liter per minute.

Dad was hoping to get discharged over the weekend. He is so ready to go home, but apparently the doctors want him to recover even more. Dad’s IV site was changed again today. The nurses change it every three days to lessen the risk of infection. This is a difficult process because Dad’s veins are difficult to find and easily blown. His arms have so many red marks/scabs where the pokes were unsuccessful. Also, Dad is allergic to the plastic tape that is used to keep the IV in place. The plastic ‘burns’ his skin – it really makes his skin raw. Even though he has asked each nurse to use paper tape, several of them have insisted on using the standard plastic tape. So in addition to many poke marks on his arms, he has reddish/purplish ‘burn’ marks. We’re thankful though, that the IV medications being given are helping him to recover.

The boys: The boys are still enjoying their home away from home. It is amazing that with six adults and four children, we’re pretty comfortable in this two bedroom apartment. Yesterday and today the boys watched a new video (new to them) – Milo The Mantis Who Wouldn’t Pray. They enjoy the videos in the Hermie series (by Max Lucado). I enjoy the lessons taught in the videos - definitely positive for kids.

The boys (and Auntie Berber and I) have downloaded a computer game called Super Collapse! 3. You click on groups of different colored blocks to get rid of them. Each level gives you more lines of blocks. There are special pieces called bombs which help you blow up the blocks. Kevin is the best at this game, and Justin is almost on my level. Brian even gets into it yelling, ‘Bomb, Bomb’ whenever he sees one appear. Another game the kids really enjoy is called Feeding Frenzy. You are a fish that eats other fish. You grow as you eat and move up the food chain eating larger fish. You also can get eaten by fish larger than you. It is so funny to hear them squeal every time a larger fish (shark or barracuda) comes by.

Dad Continues To Improve

It is the first day of September. Where did the summer go? How is it that time seems to go by faster and faster?

We are back in the Richmond apartment again, and Kenton and I and boys went to visit Dad in the hospital. We are amazed at how quickly Dad is recovering. He walked from his bed to the bathroom (in his room) and back. It was still a bit of a struggle for him, but he was able to do it without any assistance. Then he needed a while to catch his breath when back in bed, but he is truly mobile again. He says that he still has pain in his right leg and groin from the first cardiac catheterization. There is a lot of bruising on his leg even to his back. If the healthcare providers had just listened to him and cut down the heparin drip last weekend, he wouldn’t have to deal with this pain or even have had to have a blood transfusion. At least his left leg and groin, where the second cardiac catheterization was done, are fine – no pain and there was very little bleeding after the procedure. Perhaps the doctor will discharge him tomorrow – we’ll see …

The boys: The boys wanted to give their pets (stuffed animals) a bath. Since these ‘pets’ have been to the hospital many times and played with on the floors, walls, elevators, etc., I reluctantly agreed. They used handsoap, scrubbed each ‘pet,’ and rinsed (splashed water everywhere) them in the bathroom sink. When they were done, each pet was sopping wet, but clean. We put the wet ‘pets’ in the dryer, along with several wet towels that I used to wipe up the splashed water, and their ‘pets’ were good as new. Afterwards, here is what Justin and Brian said: ‘My shirt is wet, Mommy. I need a new shirt.’ and ‘Shirt, wet, oh no.’

Mom played ‘clubhouse’ with the boys. The dining room table was the clubhouse. Beryl and I were laughing because we had never seen Mom under a table before. Then the boys kept insisting that Mom go out and come back in – very funny. Mom would have to crawl under and hunch down when sitting, and then it would be crowded with her and the boys huddled together (it's a small table). I wish I had thought of taking a picture at the time.