Zion and Ben--Cupcakes

We had Ben over to spend the night the week before Christmas. Our big project was making 150 cupcakes for church the next day--here are some pictures of our efforts.

Christmas Party at NWMH

Every year, the doctors at the clinic where Zion and Zen were born throw a big Christmas party so they can see the little ones grow up. We were there for the first time in years; it was so nice to see Dr. Garcia,(pictured here with Zen) who helped with both pregnancies. She is my hero--the picture of patience, faith, peace and calm. I am honored to have known her.

Zen was, again, very intrigued by Santa (this was his third visit to Santa's lap, very unlike his brother's first encounters). Zion was dressed up for his Christmas pageant. Everyone commented on what a handsome, polite young man he was. Both boys had a good time watching the balloon artist and face painters.

Zion's Gingerbread House

The kids at Bethesda spent the morning making these a few weeks ago. Zion was quite proud of his and shared it with the rest of the family that evening.

Pictures with Santa

We went to the Children's Memorial Hospital Christmas Party on Friday night. We had a great time--there was a DJ and dancers who circulated, getting all the kids up on their feet. This is the party where Zion had his first, infamous picture with Santa taken--the one in which he is screaming his head off, absolutely terrified. Zen had a different take on Santa, perhaps because his big brother was near.

Here are the boys with Santa, and Zion showing off some of the many tattoos he got.

New Car Seat

I had to get a picture of this because it was so amazing. Usually when Zen gets anywhere near his car seat, he is anything BUT Zen-like...he arches his back, locks his knees and screams. I have perfected a wrestling move that consists of using my left forearm, both hands, and a significant part of my bodyweight to strap him in. If I have remembered to bring the pretzel stick that I usually placate him with, he calms down within seconds, only pausing to give up a few more howls of indignation just to let me know how much I have inconvenienced him. If, however, I have forgotten the pretzel, he sometimes continues to screech until I have made it all the way out of the parking garage from our 8th floor spot. I usually do this at least twice a day, and it is for sure the absolutely most exhausting part of my day. Add the warm-up stress of wrestling him into his snowsuit, hat and gloves, and you have one very tired mommy. But, here he is....new car seat, smiling.

Big Stuff!

Zen started walking right around his birthday.enjoy!

pac man

my favorite video game is now available on our blog for those of you who have too much time on their hands!!!! pac man is actually the only video game that i still like (after atari and intellivision fell out of vogue, i stopped playing altogether). anyway, i know that those of you who logged on hoping to see some cute new pictures of the boys must be disappointed, but they're coming soon, i promise :-)

play the game!!

Worms and Dirt

Zion 's school had a Thanksgiving potluck on Wednesday. All 4th graders were supposed to bring desserts. Zion's class is reading "How to Eat Fried Worms," so he got Grandma Pam to help him make this worms and dirt cake. Apparently the dessert was a big hit--there wasn't even a morsel left over.

Cake #2

Zen will continue the family tradition of stretching out the birthday celebrations over days or even weeks...here is cake #2, at Aunt Denise's house on Thanksgiving night. Note to parents of future 1 year olds: the blue icing was probably a bad idea :-)

Milestone Birthdays!

As you can see, Zen did demolish his cake.
you won't see too many pictures of zion; as soon as he opened his present, he was on a mission to put it together and see how it worked. Uncle Michael was good at this.


Zion and Zen celebrated their 10th and 1st birthdays, respectively.

It Happened

so i've got an issue with people equating "cold" with "germs". all my life i've been told by folks from my grandmothers to my mom to Sam and the rest of his family that i'm going to get pneumonia. i go out to the car, barefoot, to retrieve something i've forgotten. it's not even freezing outside, but oh, my gosh---"you're going to get pneumonia!" they admonish. i walk the dog down by the beach, feeling the brisk wind in my hair. "you're going to get pneumonia!" Sam promises darkly. i walk outside for an errand--so what if i've forgotten my scarf? "DID YOU GO OUTSIDE LIKE THAT?" my mother in law may screech. "YOU'RE GOING TO END UP WITH PNEUMONIA!" the last time my mom was here, it was unseasonably cool. we took a trip to the grocery store, and as the bitter wind whipped through my light spring outfit, she scolded me. "why are you out in such a skimpy outfit in this kind of weather? you're going to get pneumonia." i laugh at them, sophisticated in the truth of my usual retort: "cold doesn't make you sick. GERMS make you sick!" humph. old-school thinkin' people.

so the experience i had this week just might've been some karma i've been collecting over the course of my entire life.

i blogged about the unfortunate series of illnesses that swept through the family, dropping us like flies, like dominoes, the week of our move-in. the kids soon recovered from their hideous symptoms, but my sinus infection lingered through a course of antibiotics (taken faithfully) and attempts to nap every time Zen did (even if it meant that no one could find a clean shirt for awhile).

My fatigue and lingering sense of general listlessness didn't worry me too much because, although i wasn't feeling up to speed physically, i have been wildly happy since our move to this amazing apartment in this amazing town. having friends right down the street, meeting people on every walk, soaking in the general anti-schaumburgness of evanston, having the opportunity to attend a cornucopia of events at church, at zion's school, with friends, has been delicious, like a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter's day.

we got free passes to the gym in our building and i worked out a few times. (they have yoga classes, yay!) we've been eating good food and spending quality time with loved ones--i figured that with all of this good-for-the-soul activity, that physical health would soon follow. so when i started getting sick again, i popped the nyquil and advil and kept on charging full speed ahead. I felt pretty bad on Thursday, but with enough dayquil and red bull in me, i got through the day. Friday came with more events to look forward to, including a movie night at Bethesda School and an overnight visit from zion's best friend, ben. i took the boys with me to work on saturday for an international festival we were having. we had a blast, and the red bull AND the starbucks i drank really helped me finish out the day. sunday came--i felt pretty lousy, but there were church events to attend and loved ones to cherish. i knew that it was probably time to see a doctor, though. i had looked up some local docs who sounded good and resolved to contact them on Monday morning to see who might be willing to see me that day and give me some antibiotics.

maaaaaaaan, did i feel punky on sunday afternoon. almost punky enough to try to locate an urgent care clinic, if i weren't so TIRED. ok, now i'm sick. i went to bed early and tossed and turned in misery all night. i knew i had a fever, but the thermometers were in zen's room and i didn't want to wake him. by 5 a.m., i couldn't see straight OR walk straight. sam had an important meeting to attend at work that morning. i decided to head straight to the ER and possibly get some treatment before he had to go to work, so i jumped in a cab and went to the hospital. as i got into the emergency room and checked in, i couldn't help but to be ashamed of being one of THOSE PEOPLE--you know, the ones who use the ER as a friggin' doctor's office instead of having the foresight to be sick on a weekday during office hours. i apologized right away as they took my temperature (almost 103 degrees despite the 800 mg. of motrin i had popped an hour earlier). i continued to apologize as they took my pulse (150) and plopped me down into a room immediately and started the i.v. my nurse told me to "stop that nonsense" as she pumped me with tylenol and fluids. and, later, gave me a narcotic for the strange, searing pain i had in the middle of the back that hurt whenever i breathed. and wheeled me down to take x rays and a cat scan. and gave me more narcotics. and introduced me to several rounds of doctors. and admitted me to my room on the cardiac floor upstairs.

the final diagnosis: wicked, drug-resistant sinus infection, racing heart rate, high fever, possible sepsis (blood infection), and pneumonia. Who knew that hours and hours of having a temperature hovering around 104 could make your whole body feel like every bone was breaking? or that narcotics, even when given as often as legally possible, do NOT mask the searing pain caused by fluid in the lungs? or that when you joke with the nurse and ask her if she'd tell you if you were dying, right? hehhehheh, and she DOESN'T GIVE YOU A STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER, that maybe it wasn't really a joke?

i spent 3 days in the hospital in a marathon of pain and under an umbrella of prayers coming from the east coast to the west. moral of the story: i am alive, but i need to take it very slow the next few weeks or perhaps even months. i need to listen to my body when it tells me it's breaking down. i need to ask for help even when it's hard (the story of how people pulled together to wrap us in prayers, provide meals and transportation and childcare and support and encouragement is another story in itself). and finally, to all you people out there who forecast this event--i humbly bow down to you. yes, i will eat my veggies. yes, i will wear my sweater. and my socks. and my scarf. yes, i will take my vitamins, get more sleep, and see the doctor as recommended. i'm glad you love me. i'm glad i'm alive.

xoxoxox

More pictures from Election Night Rally

John Tanagho holds his vote receipt; Joyful Chicagoans dance in the streets; High-rise lights get in on the patriotic action; a new hope (but not for grammar), Kristin buys historic t-shirts for the family, Jennifer strikes a pose.

YES, WE DID...Election 2008

Jennifer and I joined a sea of people in downtown Chicago to anticipate Obama's victory speech on November 2. It was an amazing, historic moment--the streets around Grant Park were teeming with thousands of people of every age and culture, dancing, shouting, crying, laughing---the city was electric; alive with pride and amazement. We stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the giant screens, watching people literally climb to the tops of trees hoping to catch a glimpse, strangers hugging strangers, everyone awash with love and awe as this great man took the stage and made his acceptance speech. Thousands of jubilant voices hushed as he began to speak. It was a Chicago moment; it was an American moment...the city was on a high like never before. Know that THIS WILL BE A GREAT TIME FOR OUR COUNTRY!!!!!!!!

The Last Nice Day of Fall

We got a bonus week last week--temps in the 70's, everyone healthy, lots of walks and visits to dog beach. Chicago was just a happy, happy place to be--great weather, great political victories,(more on that later :-)

Zion's New School

Zion is one of only 5 4th graders in the entire school--the one boy who previously made up 100% of the male 4th grade population was thrilled to have another friend! Zion groused a little about having to wear a uniform (khakis and a white polo shirt) everyday, but he's getting used to it. Zion is taking all of his normal classes, with the addition of Spanish and weekly religion classes.

Week of October 27-November 2:

It was a hard week. I started getting sick with a cold the night we moved our stuff from Schaumburg. The fact that it was cold and raining and that I got so little sleep for a few days in a row probably didn't help. I worked on Saturday and then took the dog down to the beach--by the time I came back home, I was pretty miserable. Zen started getting sick on Saturday night. He woke up a few times and had a fever. By Sunday morning he was vomiting, and by Sunday night he was vomiting AND having explosive diarrhea. Sam was exhausted, I was exhausted...I woke up every few hours on Sunday night to change Zen's diaper, pajamas, and sheets as well as put him in the tub. We all went to the doctor on Monday. Zen was diagnosed with rotovirus--I changed his outfit 13 times on Monday and gave him 11 baths. There was a mountain of laundry quickly piling up, and I wasn't feeling any better. Sam was putting in some long hours at work to make up for his absence on Friday. Then, on Tuesday night, Zion got sick with vomiting and a high fever. I was at my wit's end--there were boxes everywhere. Our kitchen wasn't unpacked enough to be functional. The dog needed her 3 walks a day. I felt horrible. Zen and Zion were miserable. I didn't feel like I could call anyone, as we were obviously an incubus of virus. Kristin Devine came over to take Jedi to dog beach on Wednesday night, and just having that little relief was huge. We were all feeling a little bit better by Thursday night, and well enough to go trick or treating by Friday (pictures coming). It was probably the most demanding week I've ever had as a parent, and I'm really glad it's over.

Pictures from Move-In

Welcome to Evanston

We're here! It took us 2 days to move. Joel and Brian were nice enough to help us out on Thursday night, and Brian brought a strong friend. The move started at 6 p.m. and ended at 4 a.m.--All the boxes I carefully packed and labeled and sorted throughout the previous week gave way to me frantically throwing random things in trash bags because I was just too tired to think anymore! And I don't know why I thought we wouldn't need childcare on Thursday. Denise and Kim stepped in last moment.

I left the house at 1:30 a.m. with a car packed to the hilt with boxes, 2 kids, a dog, a plant and a snake. It had rained all evening, so it took us an extra long time to get to the empty apartment for our 1-night camp out (All the furniture was going to stay in the truck overnight). The boys were wound up and decided it was play time after we got here--Zen chased Zion through the long, empty hallways while Jedi sniffed around nervously. We were so exhausted by the time Sam crept in at daybreak that we could have slept all day, but we had reserved the loading dock at our building for 9:30.

It was such a welcome sight when volunteers came pouring in to help us--Uncle Joel showed up again, and a crew of folks from Sojourner. It took about one-tenth of the time to move everything upstairs than it did to move it out of our old place. Our day wasn't done--I still had to make a run to Schaumburg to clear the house of wet leaves and fridge food, as well as pots and pans (whoops--maybe I left them there subconsciously so we could eat out every day). Back in Evanston, we spent the early evening exploring the building and the neighborhood. We found our bike storage spaces and parking spots and figured out which elevator took us where. I found some good, close places to walk Jedi, and Zion decided that he really liked livng in the same building as a Barnes and Noble bookstore and right down the block from Panera.

I had to stay up late, late, late doing lesson plans and grading papers so I could teach class the next day. Sam and the boys had a very productive Saturday--by the time I came home, almost every room had been at least partially set up. Jedi and I had a glorious walk on the beach and met some nice people and friendly dogs. Jedi is still healing from an incident with a Great Dane earlier in the week. A few staples and over $200 later, she's wearing Sam's old T-shirts so she doesn't get blood on anything. Great Danes have big teeth...

Anyway, I'll download pictures when we take some. I am ecstatic that we have the computer back up and running--send us some happy emails, and we'll keep y'all posted. xoxoxox

Dreaming of Mexico

We've been using our computer as a digital picture frame--we're able to have pictures from the past 5 years flash continuously across our screen; it's really nice, kind of like having all of the photo albums you ever made hanging around and triggering warm memories. Anyway,these pictures are from our last trip to Mexico, when I was pregnant with Zen. The way the economy is going, it'll probably be awhile before we get back down there. We all really miss it. I can't wait to introduce Zen to the pleasures of riding on mommy's back while snorkeling. Maybe it's a good thing Zen can't go yet--he's still very much in the "eating sand" stage. We didn't start this blog until a few months after our trip, so here are some old pics--enjoy.

Zeni's Little Nippers

We're up to 4 teeth now--he's showing off 3 of them in this picture taken last week. The last one just made an appearance over the weekend. We've been super busy here. Our move and closing on the house are in 10 days. Sam is entering his VERY busy budget season at work, plus playing fall baseball. Zion is doing gymnastics and an ADHD social group downtown at Children's Memorial Hospital once a week. I am finishing up a 3-week intensive online class (1 semester's worth of work in 3 weeks. Insane, yes), plus I just started teaching 2 classes at a community college in Skokie. The classes are adult ESL--almost all of the students are from Poland and Russia. It's been interesting so far. I've never taught adults before, and it's been interesting to figure out the similarities and differences between adult students and teenagers. Anyway, give us a shout at our new place--we'll be keeping our cell phone numbers and not getting a home phone. This may be our last post for awhile.

View from Our New Home

We stopped at the new place today after church to bring over a few boxes...moving day is October 23. We are SO EXCITED! Here is a view from one of our balconies.

Zion's Best Friend

Zion and Ben, always together. It will be hard to be further away from Ben; he's like a part of the family. Both families are committed to making the effort to get them together as much as possible after the move.

Kristin and Jen

On our trip to the apple orchard last weekend. One of our favorite fall rituals together. I know I will soon receive some of her yummy homemade applesauce.

We ARE---ND!

Zen is a canvas for Dad's sports alliances, including the Bears, Notre Dame and the Sox, who pulled off their win this evening despite Zen's having poopy caca all over his White Sox onesie before the game.

Sick and Scared of Sarah Palin

Yes, I know this is a family blog--I hope to somehow print and keep this diary of our lives and all of the pictures so the boys can cherish them for years to come. I also feel that it's important for them to have a picture of the history of our times and their parents' take on important events...so with this justification in mind, here goes...

I read an article in Newsweek tonight that effectively articulated the feelings of fear and dread I've had about this campaign for the past few weeks. In fact, my husband has strongly discouraged me from watching the news these days (perhaps it's a sweet gesture to protect me from the anxiety attacks I've been having after the coverage of the antics and smear tactics of the Republicans. Maybe it's to spare himself for the inevitable rants that come after wards, or maybe he just wants to protect his precious television from the objects that may come flying at it).

So, I'm going to quote some of the highlights of this essay by Sam Harris:

...Palin may be a perfectly wonderful person, a loving mother, and a great American success story--but she is a beauty queen/sports reporter who stumbled into small-town politics, and who is now on the verge of stumbling into, or upon, world history. The problem, as far as our political process is concerned, is that half the electorate revels in Palin's lack of intellectual qualifications. When it comes to politics, there is a mad love of mediocrity in this country. "They think they're better than you!" is the refrain that (highly competent and cynical ) Republican strategists have set loose among the crowd, and the crowd has grown drunk on it once again. "Sarah Palin is an ordinary person!" Yes, all too ordinary.

We have now witness apparently sentient human beings, once provoked by a reporter's microphone, saying things like, "I'm voting for Sarah because she's a mom. She knows what it's like to be a mom." Such sentiments suggest an uncanny detatchment from the real problems of today. The next administration must iimmediately confront issues like nuclear proliferation, ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, global climate change, a convulsing economy, Russian belligerence, the rise of China, emerging epidemics, Islamism on a hundred fronts, a defunct United Nations, the deterioration of American schools, failures of energy, infrastructure, and Internet security...the list is long, and Sarah Palin does not seem competent even to rank these items in order of importance, much less address any one of them.

Palin's most conspicuous gaffe in her interview with Gibson has been widely discussed. The truth is, I didn't much care that she did not know the meaning of the phrase "Bush Doctrine." And I am quite sure that her supporters didn't care either. What I do care about are all the other things Palin is guaranteed not to know, or will be glossing only under the frenzied tutelage of John McCain's advisers. What doesn't she know about financial markets, Islam, the history of the Middle East, the cold war, modern weapons systems, medical research, environmental science or emerging technology? Her relative ignorance is guaranteed on these fronts and most others, not because she was put on the spot, or got nervous, or just happened to miss the newspaper on any given morning. Sarah Palin's ignorance is guaranteed because of how she has spent the past 44 years on earth.

What is so unnerving about the candidacy of Sarah Palin is the degree to which she represents--and her supporters celebrate--the joyful marriage of confidence and ignorance. Watching her deny to Gibson that she had ever harbored the slightest doubt about her readiness to take command of the world's only superpower, one got the feeling that Palin would gladly assume any responsibility on earth.

"Governer Palin, are you ready at this moment to perform surgery on this child's brain?"

"Of course, Charlie. I have several boys of my own, and I'm an avid hunter."

"But governor, this is neurosurgery, and you have no training as a surgeon of any kind."

"That's just the point, Charlie. The American people want change in how we make medical decisions in this country. And when faced with a challenge, you cannot blink."

The prospects of a Palin administration are far more frightening in fact than those of a Palin Institute for Pediatric Neurosurgery. Ask yourself, has "elitism" become a bad word in American politics? There is simply no other walk of life in which extraordinary talent and rigorous training are denigrated. We want elite pilots to fly our planes, elite troops to undertake our most critical missions, and elite scientists to devote the most productive years of their lives to curing our diseases. And yet, when it comes time to vest people with even greater responsibilities, we consider it a virtue to shun any and all standards of excellence. When it comes to choosing the people whose thoughts and actions will decide the fates of millions, then we suddenly want someone just like us, someone fit to have a beer with.

I believe that with the nomination of Sarah Palin for the vice presidency, the silliness of our politics has finally put our nation at risk. The world is growing more complex and dangerous with each passing hour, and our position within it is growing more precarious. Should she become president, Palin seems capable of enacting policies so detached from the common interests of humanity and from empirical reality as to unite the entire world against us.

Margo Kay Wodstrchill Passes On

We are so happy to have known Margo. There was never a time when we saw or talked to her that she wasn't looking at the bright side of life and helping to put a smile on someone's face. She loved her family so much, and we are fortunate to have had the opportunity to introduce her to the newest Huzar this summer. Margo leaves behind two wonderful children, a son in law, and two precious grandchildren. Her memory will live on in them, but she will be missed.

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun? And what is it to cease breathing but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

--Kahlil Gibran

Zen's Halloween Costume

Ok, I wasn't going to do it...I WASN'T going to buy Zen a Halloween costume. I was just going to throw some orange and black PJ's on him and take him around to a few houses before he retired for the night (Sam and I might have to arm wrestle for who gets to go door to door this year...we both love to do it!). "Ok, money is tight right now, Zen doesn't really care, the costume won't fit him next year, he doesn't know what's going on, etc, etc, etc..."

Ok, then we went out to get Zion's costume, and I just couldn't resist having Zen just try some things on, just for fun (well,fun for his mama. He squirmed and fussed during these outfit changes, like he does for any other wardrobe change).

The Yoda costume was irresistable--I left it on while we were in the checkout line. He got a lot of ooohs and aaahhhs from fellow shoppers, and a free helium balloon from the cashier because of his general adorableness.

Yes, I bought the costume!!!!!