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A vision of love

  

Four years ago today, my baby boy graced us with his presence.  What a perfect gift that I've been praying for for as long as I could remember.  More to come but for now...I just want to embrace this day.  Happy Birthday My Darling Ethan!

Unequivocally special

In the words of my mother, "bo thong aang", this translates to don’t brag.  In the words of my mother-in-law, "ruk kun tharot bai", which translates to love one another forever.  Within the context of these words, I know how to measure true happiness in my life.  Although I don't think that I'm bragging when I talk about my family, but what can I say when I feel so truly blessed?  Am I too strange to think that we are special?

 My mother has taught me that if you are doing a good deed, you don't have to brag about it.  She said that "hit dee, dai dee", this translates to doing good and you will receive good.  She said that even if others don't see the good that you are doing, all that matters is that you know yourself.  In all the years that my mother has done good, she’s never had to announce to the world of what she's done.  She never had to preach to others to follow her footsteps, but for me, I was fortunate enough to see all of the sacrifices that she's made.  Now, I'm not saying that she's a saint...I know that we all have room for improvements and thank God that we still have a chance to do so.  What I’ve passed on to my children is for them to just do good even if you don’t receive good.  I never want my children to expect anything in return when they give from their heart…not even praises from others.  I’m teaching my children that the worst thing in the world is to feel obligated to do something rather than just doing something because they want or love to do.  

As for my mother-in-law, what an amazing lady she is.  She has taught me that no matter what is going on around me, as long as I have love or that I share my love with my children and my husband, then all will be fine.  She said that nothing is worth my dignity so she said to always be honest.  What I’ve gained from her is that I don’t have to pretend, in my words nor my actions.   She said that being a good mother, the rewards is in seeing pure happiness in my children’s eyes. With this lesson, I’m able to pass along to my children that happiness is being true to oneself.  I am teaching them that they must have passion and convictions.  At times, it will be difficult to stand alone but knowing that they did not compromise their self-worth, they can still keep their heads held high.   

True happiness is knowing your own worth without an entourage.  Pure happiness is seeing how my children are to one another.  True love is being able to look yourself in the mirror and unequivocally thank God that you are who you are.

Getting Old

I know I’m getting old …

1. When my daughter told me that I was swerving too many times to the right while driving
2. When my daughter doesn’t want ME to drive HER to school
3. When my daughter said that the eighties’ music are great classic oldies
4. When my son have to hold my face with both hands while talking to me ~ like this is going to help me understand him better
5. When my heart skipped a beat when my son jumps from the couch & did a tuck & roll
6. When my son takes my hand & showed me how to dance his animal dance
7. When my husband asked if I would like to treat myself to a push-up bra from Victoria Secrets ~ when these girls fall below my belly button, I would need to reconsider
8. When my eyes can’t stay open past 9:00 PM
9. When preferring flats over three inch heals to a formal outing
10. When my body aches from just sitting
11. When I’m up by the crack of dawn & being exuberant (banging pots & pans like my mother used to do while I was trying to get some sleep) 

I'm so grateful that I'm still young enough to appreciate the awe inspiring beauty that surrounds us!

♥ Fall in love ♥

Don't let precious moments be too far in between...make it count every second.   Daddy surprised Ethan by showing up at the bus stop...it was great walking home with these boys!

School ~ day 1

1^st day of school (August 29, 2011).  It was only for a short moment that my son was away at school but oh how I miss him.   Not that I don’t enjoy having some free time to do as I please.  Yes, every now and then, I’m able to do things that helps me to relax…scrap booking, knitting, crocheting, reading books, wishful thinking, planning for school for both kids, surfing the internet, etc.

As we walked Ethan towards his new classroom, Marisa said that it's now a THAN ritual to take our boy to school on his first day.  It was music to a mother's ear to hear how my daughter was saying the same exact words that I was thinking...it would be perfect to have this collaboration, year after year.  I told my daughter that I was going to hold her to this since Ethan still have many more “first days” of school left.  As I sigh a little deeper, I still can’t fathom that Marisa is in the eleventh grade.   I’m so scared but also excited that she’s gotten her wings and she’ll be ready to fly soon.  I hope and pray that with all of the years of nurturing her and completely was devoted to her wants and needs that she’ll be prepared to go out into the world.  Whew, whew, whew…just breathe in and breathe out!

Before I was able to finish this blog, I had to rush to Ethan's bus stop.  As I walked towards the bus stop, my mind was focused on the many blessings that our family have received by having two amazing children in our lives. 

Just Exhale....

My heart is filled with joy as well as sadness.  A sign that our summer is coming to an end...today, Ethan and I walked through the front doors of his school.  I knew that this day would come especially when we've been preparing Ethan's backpacks with all of his school supplies.  As I walked along side my buddy, I wondered what was on his mind.  Was he as excited and scared as I was for another year of school?  Was he going to miss me as must as I was going to miss him?  Was he going to stay healthy enough to stay in school for more than sixty days?  Was he going to like his new teachers and new classmates?  Have I taught Ethan enough during the summer that he would be well adjusted for school?  Was I too easy on Ethan when trying to get him potty trained?  Was Ethan aware that he will spread his wings?  Have I given Ethan all of the tools to succeed?   I want Ethan to have all of the opportunities to be happy but I hate having to miss every second in his life.

I was dreading the part where my baby would get so sick that he would have to stay home for months at a time.  I was dreading that I would miss him so desperately.  With the same breath, I was full of hope that Ethan would have the chance to grow and take the world in his hands.  As I stared at Ethan waltzing through the familiar hallway, I noticed the sparkles in his eyes and his gleaming smile on his face.  I knew that he was going to be okay.  Ethan did his little twirl as he got closer to his classroom.  He stopped to give hugs to most of the teachers.  He waved good-bye to them as he walked closer to his homeroom.  He continued towards his old class but when I stopped him mid-way, he was not a happy camper.  He was determined to walk towards his old class but fortunate for me, he was familiar enough with his new teachers' helper that he allowed her to walk him into his new class.  Ethan eased into the room and made himself at home.  I was told that there are three boys in Ethan's class...Ethan plus two other boys.  I was pretty happy that he'll have girls in his class but when the teacher said that that was all the students that she had assigned to her...I didn't know if I should have been happy that this was a really small class!  Well, it was only an orientation…I hope that Ethan’s class will be small so that he will have more of a one-on-one opportunity with his teacher and her assistant.

Wordless Wednesday

 

 Muah, Muah, Muah

Van said that Ethan has brought life into our lives.  Yes, not only did BOTH of our children have brought life into our lives, they also have brought pure love & their contagious laughter.  All that I hope for is for them to know of their worth to me and my husband.

Dance, Eat & Lots of Love

Saturday, 7/27/2011 ~ We were so pumped to get things started!  I was really excitted that my family was heading to DC to help celebrate National Dance Day.  My husband was up to the task of driving...by the time we headed out, traffic was so unbelievable!  We ended up making a detour to The Cheesecake Factory to help celebrate the national cheesecake day.  I'm glad that my husband and children were amenable to the switch...it was way too HOT to be trying those dance moves at THE MALL...maybe next year (that's what I said last year).

 

Sunday, 7/28/2011 ~ I thanked my husband for being such a good sport yesterday.  Ethan woke up and continued his play with daddy from last night.  Oh yes, my husband raced against Ethan to an arm chair in our bedroom.  Not realizing that he is soooo much bigger than Ethan,  they ran so hard that my poor baby missed the chair  (leather portion) and landed on the wooden portion.  Ethan now has a golf size bump on his forehead.  Way to go daddy!  I'm just amazed that Ethan could just pick himself up, dust himself off, gather kisses from all of us and then go on his way as if nothing could keep him down.  I am a proud mommy even though I scolded my husband for playing so hard with Ethan.  What a mother to do?  I have a husband who is still a child at heart...I have a child who loves to play rough with his daddy...I have a daughter who is able to comfort her brother...I have a heart that is unbearable to seeing my baby in pain.  Yes, boys will be boys!

Again

 A trip to DC (8/21/11)

 Today ~ Thursday, July 28, 2011

I wish that we could go for six months without Ethan getting sick!  Ethan's appointment with his ENT doctor last Thursday caused Ethan to develop an ear infection, I know that it did!  The doctor's assistant examined Ethan.  He was unable to see into Ethan's right ear so he vacuumed (suctioned) some of the wax & out came the tiniest ear tube. Ethan was not a happy camper & I was not a happy camper.  I just hate having to drive into DC to see this doctor.  I really have to find another doctor closer to home for Ethan.

On Friday, I noticed drainage from Ethan's right ear but assumed that because of the procedure from Thursday that it was okay.  By Saturday, it wasn't clear liquid but greenish/yellow pus!  On Monday, we went to his doctor's office & they took a sample...today, the nurse called to confirm that it's a staph infection.  What the heck?  

Ethan's been on Augmentin & ear drops for four days now but the infection still looks really bad.  The nurse from Ethan's pediatrics's office advised for me to get Ethan into the ENT's office to get his ear vacuumed.  Of course I dreaded having to take Ethan back to DC but I know that Ethan needs to be seen.    One, I hate having to contact folks at the Children's Hospital because it takes forever to get an appointment with them.  Two, when I finally got through to the nurse, she made it seem that the situation was not dire.  She said that it was normal for Ethan to show some blood together with the greenish pus draining from his ear.  For me,  if you see any blood draining from a child's ear, it would be considered urgent.  She advised that the ENT doctor said to bring Ethan in on Monday to have his ear suctioned in order for the medicine to penetrate into his ear canal.  Duh, but Monday?  Now, I'm not in the medical field, but a staph infection is no laughing matter.  Ethan's been in so much pain so I asked the nurse if he could be seen sooner rather than later.  She said that I could bring Ethan in on Friday & she would have to drain his ear but the wait would be long since she will not have another nurse to help her hold him down.  Yeah right, I told her that I'll hold him down.  Secondly, it won't be any trouble for me to wait since anything was better than having to put Ethan through so much pain for another day longer!