A week ago Amber decided it was time to spend some of her hard-earned money on a new toy from Target. She used "4 big coins" (quarters) to buy this special Disney Princess bouncy ball. (McD's isn't carrying the My Little Ponies anymore, so she had to modify her plan). Though she didn't understand everything about the process, she thought it was really special to buy her own toy and that the cashier even gave her a coin back!
I get to ride a military shuttle boat to work when I go to pearl harbor. It is a nice relaxing way to beat the traffic and save gas. I decided to take Amber for a ride with me the other day. The first half of the trip we were the only ones on the boat (as it went back to pick up another load of people), and we saw two Canadian destroyers pass us, along with a big tug boat pushing a barge, and at the end of the ride we tossed pebbles to the fishes (didn't have any bread). Of course all Amber would talk about was the rocks and the fishes ;-)
I found these pictures online from a couple of years ago and show the boat when it still left from inside our development, but at least you get an idea. I also tracked down one of the original designs for the utility boat that is is pretty obviously the pre-cursor to what I ride every day. If you look on the diagram it shows all the rows of benches in the boat. The rated capacity is 150 people - but it gets pretty packed around 50-60 so not sure where they would put the other 100 people :-)
Pictures were from this blog post here: http://tmtips.com/riding-the-iroquios-point-to-pearl-harbor-grey-boat-2/
Thank you all for praying!!! Brent did a good job yesterday! It was hard for him to go without food and water for 7 hours before the endoscopy, but... he (and I) hung in there through the various waiting rooms. It was sure nice when we had toys to play with. I was able to be with Brent, holding his hand, as they started putting him under with the gas mask in the operating room. Then the actual endoscopy took about 20 minutes. The Doctor reported to me in the waiting room (based on the pictures they just took), that everything in Brent's system looks pretty normal. Nothing alarming. The biopsy results will come back in a few more days. Those results will better show any inflammation or allergy issues in his system. But the initial report is VERY GOOD! We are so thankful. However, the Doctor then recommended that we put Brent back on the prescription medicine that he was on three weeks ago (the one he's been taking since birth). This was the very medicine the Doctor previously said was not so good/helpful as the simple Maalox. Hmmm. We will get the biopsy results from this current Doctor, but then we are planning to get a second opinion from another GI Peds Specialist. The really nice PACU (post anesthesia care unit) nurse, who was taking care of Brent as he woke up rather out of sorts from the anesthesia, gave me the names of the other GI Peds Specialists who work out of that hospital. We will probably pursue those leads as needed in the coming weeks.
So, though the journey is not completely over, we have good news today that Brent's system is looking normal. Now he just needs to keep growing and eating! :-) "Thank you, Lord!" Thank you all again for praying!
Since his premature birth, Brent has struggled with serious acid reflux and a general disinterest in eating solid foods. It's been a long year and 1/2 as we have routinely taken two steps forward and one giant step back. We are so thankful to God for his overall growth and development, yet... the reflux/GI issues remain. Tomorrow (Wed.) Brent will have an endoscopy done at the Kapiolani Women's and Children's Hospital in Honolulu. The Doctor will take pictures and biopsy Brent's esophagus, stomach, and upper intestine. We are asking for prayer that the procedure goes smoothly and that at the end of the day there are some clear facts on the table as to what Brent is actually struggling with.
Thank you all!
One of Amber's little girlfriends from church lives a few blocks away. Jaycee came over the other day to play; she is 6 months younger than Amber. The girls (and Brent) had fun, but it was a HOT day as you can see from their sweaty curly hair. :-)
Daddy, the well-respected family CFO, was giving Amber one of her first money/stewardship lessons. smiles. Periodically she is rewarded (for exceptional behavior) with coins for her piggy bank. She is saving toward a My Little Pony Happy Meal toy or a helium baloon. Savings and delayed gratification is a tough concept for a 2 year old, (hey, it's even hard for this 28 year old), but Amber is doing pretty well.
Here are a couple pictures of a submarine entering pearl harbor as seen from the fishing dock at the end of the lagoon in our development. Sometimes I get stuck behind these or cruisers when i take the shuttle boat to/from work.
Brent still isn't quite sure what to make of pineapple, but he has at least been willing to try a whole bunch of new foods recently!!
