To keep Miadora from going ape crazy, I signed her for swimming classes and she absolutely loves it! It started on Monday and she's so excited to go everyday. I don't know if it's because she made new friends at the class. Like would she have taken the class seriously if she didn't have her news friends there? It's interesting because Miadora has never really made friends here in the United States because we moved to Honduras when she was 18-months. It's a silly question but is making friends the same here as in Honduras? Normally there, if two kids hit it off, then we parents arrange playdates.
I was shopping for a swimsuit last week at the 6yrs girls and up section, even though she is only 4 (I couldn't find her section!) and my goodness, they were so inappropriate! Call me old-fashioned - and I'm actually not - but all I saw were all these two piece suits and all the one-pieces had big gaping holes in the back and the sides. Finally I saw the right section for her age.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
What Does WuWu Mean?
Tuesday night, my dad is watching the two children in the bath. Miadora got out of the bath to use the toilet while Timmy remained in the tub. My dad runs out of the bathroom and asks me what "wuwu" while he was doing the sign language for "change diaper" meant. Apparently, that was what Timmy was doing...saying "wuwu" and doing the sign language for "change diaper." I run into the bathroom and there are two pieces of turd floating in the bathtub. Sweet. I'll spare the details on how I cleaned that up.
I think it's cool how he's doing sign language though. He should get potty trained pretty soon before he gets too bored with it.
I think it's cool how he's doing sign language though. He should get potty trained pretty soon before he gets too bored with it.
My Fun Trip To Stanford
My uncle came down from Arizona the night before to be there for the Stanford appointment. My mom, of course, didn't want to go. She was nervous and shaking before my uncle arrived and I'm telling her to calm down and relax.
So the day of, she was of course nervous, as were we. We had a lot riding on the Stanford thing. It was just a consultation with a neurologist, but we wanted her to stay there until they find out what the hell is wrong with her. But we knew that wasn't going to happen.
We take two vehicles, my dad, the kids and I are in his truck (with the broken AC mind you), and my stepdad, uncle and mom are in the other car. We follow each other almost 2 hours to Stanford until of course we lose each other. But it's ok because my dad has a general idea where it is. Miadora, sitting in the back, wakes up - and throws up all over herself...4 or 5 times. Crap. She's totally soaked. I wasn't familiar with the Palo Alto area but I tell my dad to keep driving until we find a clothing store. Lo and behold, we see Stanford Shopping Center! We drive there and keep driving until I find a store...which took a while. Then I see it - GAP KIDS! Yay! Now, don't get me wrong, I have never shopped at a GAP...you know, for the whole children slave labor/sweat shop thing, but I was desperate. I actually thought the clothes were really cute! I guess I'm allowed to let my social consciousness go to rest every now and then, especially when your daughter is waiting in a truck soaked in her own puke. I pick out two outfits, with shoes, because, yes, she did throw up on her shoes too. Thank goodness it was a watery puke, not a food puke. I go to the counter and I'm rushing big time. "Would you like to apply for a GAP credit card?" she asks. No, not now...
I get to the car and I clean her up and put on her new clothes. Very cute. Although they were made in Philippines, where I was born. Still, they were cute.
So the day of, she was of course nervous, as were we. We had a lot riding on the Stanford thing. It was just a consultation with a neurologist, but we wanted her to stay there until they find out what the hell is wrong with her. But we knew that wasn't going to happen.
We take two vehicles, my dad, the kids and I are in his truck (with the broken AC mind you), and my stepdad, uncle and mom are in the other car. We follow each other almost 2 hours to Stanford until of course we lose each other. But it's ok because my dad has a general idea where it is. Miadora, sitting in the back, wakes up - and throws up all over herself...4 or 5 times. Crap. She's totally soaked. I wasn't familiar with the Palo Alto area but I tell my dad to keep driving until we find a clothing store. Lo and behold, we see Stanford Shopping Center! We drive there and keep driving until I find a store...which took a while. Then I see it - GAP KIDS! Yay! Now, don't get me wrong, I have never shopped at a GAP...you know, for the whole children slave labor/sweat shop thing, but I was desperate. I actually thought the clothes were really cute! I guess I'm allowed to let my social consciousness go to rest every now and then, especially when your daughter is waiting in a truck soaked in her own puke. I pick out two outfits, with shoes, because, yes, she did throw up on her shoes too. Thank goodness it was a watery puke, not a food puke. I go to the counter and I'm rushing big time. "Would you like to apply for a GAP credit card?" she asks. No, not now...
I get to the car and I clean her up and put on her new clothes. Very cute. Although they were made in Philippines, where I was born. Still, they were cute.
(pictured) Miadora's new GAP outfit, outside Stanford Medical Center.Finally we go to the Stanford Medical Center and we catch up with my mom.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Getting Nervous...
Tomorrow is the big Stanford Hospital appointment for my mom. I'm so nervous. What if I hear those damn words again..."sorry, we can't help you?" I keep praying to find that special doctor or medical professional who will think outside the box and help my mom. Obviously what she has is something rare. I hope that we will find that person in Stanford. This is probably our last hope.
I'll tell you what pisses me off about healthcare here in the United States. Why does it take so damn long to get the test results back? Last week, my husband, still in Honduras, was not feeling well. He got his blood drawn Monday morning, and by the late afternoon, he had gotten the results back! When my mom takes a blood test, it's not back for at least a week. In the meantine, we're waiting anxiously and she's suffering.
I'll tell you what pisses me off about healthcare here in the United States. Why does it take so damn long to get the test results back? Last week, my husband, still in Honduras, was not feeling well. He got his blood drawn Monday morning, and by the late afternoon, he had gotten the results back! When my mom takes a blood test, it's not back for at least a week. In the meantine, we're waiting anxiously and she's suffering.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Lee's Sandwiches
We went to Lee's Sandwiches in San Jose today. I ordered the Fish Ball Baguette Sandwich and it was really, really good. BUT it was so spicy, I had to stop a few times and take a drink from my Thai Iced Tea Pearl Drink. I had the fish ball sandwich before but I don't remember it being that spicy. I have a high tolerance for spicy food so I know this was pretty spicy.
The fish balls were sliced thinly with a spicy relish of carrots and I think radishes. Cilantro topped the baguette sandwich off. It was good but I remember it being better. This was an interesting restaurant. They had Asian and European sandwiches along with other Asian foods like fresh eggrolls and other dishes I wasn't too familiar with.
One thing I didn't like was the smell of the bathroom cleaning equipment next to us. And mops, I hate mops.
The fish balls were sliced thinly with a spicy relish of carrots and I think radishes. Cilantro topped the baguette sandwich off. It was good but I remember it being better. This was an interesting restaurant. They had Asian and European sandwiches along with other Asian foods like fresh eggrolls and other dishes I wasn't too familiar with.
One thing I didn't like was the smell of the bathroom cleaning equipment next to us. And mops, I hate mops.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
PF Chang's Is Awesome
To get my mind off of the situation with my mom, I went to PF Chang's with my dad, kids and sister. I have to say, it was DELISH! The Ma Po Tofu was absolutely amazing! We also ordered shrimp with candied walnuts and some other noodle dish.
I'm such a foodie and sometimes enjoying great food helps me cope with the situation at home.
I'm such a foodie and sometimes enjoying great food helps me cope with the situation at home.
Give Me Window Seats or Give Me Death!
I took a different route to California this time around because of the airport situation in Honduras. I took a 5 hour bus trip to San Salvador, then waited for 4 hours, then took a 6 hour flight to San Francisco. Yes, it was as rough as it sounds. I had two children with me, one who had a fever that wouldn't go down and who was also teething.
I didn't think the bus trip would be a big deal, but it actually was. True to Honduran tradition, it actually didn't leave until about an hour after the original departure time. The bus stopped by Wendy's for a to-go breakfast. Cool, I thought. On the TV monitor was a Martin Lawrence movie. Not so cool I thought. The first two hours were super rough because of the winding roads. I've taken those winding roads before but this was rougher because we were on the second level of the bus and not being able to see the whole road made me car sick. Luckily the baby was asleep for most of the first two hours. Then he woke up...and cried almost the whole way. We didn't know what to do. He was teething and had very little sleep the night before - nothing was soothing him.
We arrive at the border between Honduras and El Salvador and I was actually kind of excited. I had heard that El Salvador was very similiar to Honduras, only the roads are better. We drive slowly past a bridge and I see this beautiful mountain overlooking this dirty river. Still - I focused on the mountain. Nice, I thought, we're in El Salvador, how exciti...just then...a man with a garbage can walks alongside the bus and throws the contents of the can over the freaking bridge and into the river! WTFH????
We go through immigration and I hear a man outside repeatedly yelling in Spanish if anyone would like to exchange lempiras for dollars, the currency in El Salvador. I didn't feel like I was in danger or anything, it just reminded me of a Harrison Ford movie.
Two hours later, we arrive in San Salvador, the capital city. Our friend, his daughter and their driver are there waiting for us. They take us to their house. Their daughter is my daughter's best friend from when they used to live in Honduras, so it was a great reunion for the children. They have a baby too so it was perfect combination. We stayed at their house for about 4 hours. We ate lunch and the kids played, just like old times in Honduras. About an hour and a half before my flight, the driver takes us to the airport. My daughter starts dozing off and so does my son for a little bit. Great, I thought. I was counting on them sleeping during this night flight.
So anyway, we get to the airport ticket counter and for some unknown reason to fuck up everything, they have changed my tickets from a window seat, sitting together with the children to middle seats several rows apart! Great idea, idiots. So not only will I travel alone with the children, but I'm going to have to fight with these crapheads to get us to sit together. I show the dude my printed confirmation with our assigned seats that were supposed to be CONFIRMADO. He says I'll have to change it once I get in the gate. Shit. So I started to walk to the gate and I look at my teething, crying son and I'm like...well, shit. I start to have a minor panic attack at the thought that my husband will not fly with us and I will get NO help. So I say goodbye to him and I'm like, I don't feel good. But I had to suck it up I guess and I promptly said goodbye to my husband. I go through the gate and my daughter drops her cup. As she's getting off the stroller, the whole thing topples over. I'm like, nice. So I go through the security totally tired and not looking forward to the flight. I go through the other ticket counter and I'm like, dude, I have confirmed seats together, what happened? He gives me some babble and walks me over to the other counter. The baby is in the stroller screaming his head off. Other passengers to-be were probably like, great, I have to fly with her? But at that point, I couldn't care ANY less. As I open my purse, the zipper breaks. Ugh.
I go through the other gate and they said that they can find seats for us together, but it's not a window seat. I tell them that I have confirmed seats that were supposed to be by the window. This is a 6 hour flight, I'm not going to back down. I'm going to be a bitch here. I have a crying baby with me after all. I say that I'd like to speak to the manager. If I can't get a window seat, I'm going to accept a free travel voucher or whatever, but I'm not going to let them do this to me and my children. The manager comes and he speaks with the representative. He doesn't even talk to me. He goes out walking to the waiting area and speaks to a few people. Great, he was going to make me look bad and persuade others to give up their seats because of me, when I had window seats to begin with. Finally he comes back and tells me that I got window seats together. Mission Accomplished. Kind of.
I didn't think the bus trip would be a big deal, but it actually was. True to Honduran tradition, it actually didn't leave until about an hour after the original departure time. The bus stopped by Wendy's for a to-go breakfast. Cool, I thought. On the TV monitor was a Martin Lawrence movie. Not so cool I thought. The first two hours were super rough because of the winding roads. I've taken those winding roads before but this was rougher because we were on the second level of the bus and not being able to see the whole road made me car sick. Luckily the baby was asleep for most of the first two hours. Then he woke up...and cried almost the whole way. We didn't know what to do. He was teething and had very little sleep the night before - nothing was soothing him.
We arrive at the border between Honduras and El Salvador and I was actually kind of excited. I had heard that El Salvador was very similiar to Honduras, only the roads are better. We drive slowly past a bridge and I see this beautiful mountain overlooking this dirty river. Still - I focused on the mountain. Nice, I thought, we're in El Salvador, how exciti...just then...a man with a garbage can walks alongside the bus and throws the contents of the can over the freaking bridge and into the river! WTFH????
We go through immigration and I hear a man outside repeatedly yelling in Spanish if anyone would like to exchange lempiras for dollars, the currency in El Salvador. I didn't feel like I was in danger or anything, it just reminded me of a Harrison Ford movie.
Two hours later, we arrive in San Salvador, the capital city. Our friend, his daughter and their driver are there waiting for us. They take us to their house. Their daughter is my daughter's best friend from when they used to live in Honduras, so it was a great reunion for the children. They have a baby too so it was perfect combination. We stayed at their house for about 4 hours. We ate lunch and the kids played, just like old times in Honduras. About an hour and a half before my flight, the driver takes us to the airport. My daughter starts dozing off and so does my son for a little bit. Great, I thought. I was counting on them sleeping during this night flight.
So anyway, we get to the airport ticket counter and for some unknown reason to fuck up everything, they have changed my tickets from a window seat, sitting together with the children to middle seats several rows apart! Great idea, idiots. So not only will I travel alone with the children, but I'm going to have to fight with these crapheads to get us to sit together. I show the dude my printed confirmation with our assigned seats that were supposed to be CONFIRMADO. He says I'll have to change it once I get in the gate. Shit. So I started to walk to the gate and I look at my teething, crying son and I'm like...well, shit. I start to have a minor panic attack at the thought that my husband will not fly with us and I will get NO help. So I say goodbye to him and I'm like, I don't feel good. But I had to suck it up I guess and I promptly said goodbye to my husband. I go through the gate and my daughter drops her cup. As she's getting off the stroller, the whole thing topples over. I'm like, nice. So I go through the security totally tired and not looking forward to the flight. I go through the other ticket counter and I'm like, dude, I have confirmed seats together, what happened? He gives me some babble and walks me over to the other counter. The baby is in the stroller screaming his head off. Other passengers to-be were probably like, great, I have to fly with her? But at that point, I couldn't care ANY less. As I open my purse, the zipper breaks. Ugh.
I go through the other gate and they said that they can find seats for us together, but it's not a window seat. I tell them that I have confirmed seats that were supposed to be by the window. This is a 6 hour flight, I'm not going to back down. I'm going to be a bitch here. I have a crying baby with me after all. I say that I'd like to speak to the manager. If I can't get a window seat, I'm going to accept a free travel voucher or whatever, but I'm not going to let them do this to me and my children. The manager comes and he speaks with the representative. He doesn't even talk to me. He goes out walking to the waiting area and speaks to a few people. Great, he was going to make me look bad and persuade others to give up their seats because of me, when I had window seats to begin with. Finally he comes back and tells me that I got window seats together. Mission Accomplished. Kind of.
The plane ride was equally horrible. Daughter slept almost right away and didn't wake up until we were there. Teething, fevering son didn't fare as well. While he did sleep an hour into the flight, he kept waking almost every hour, crying. Loudly. It took about 15 to 20 minutes put him back to sleep. It was a nightmare. The passengers probably thought he was a difficult baby, but they had no clue that he's teething. He's such a sweet and happy baby and it sucked seeing him like that. Then, we arrive in SF. Finally.I didn't realize that I had to get my own bags. Before, our usual route in Houston, I had to pick up my bags, I knew that. But SF was my final destination, I just didn't realize that I had to pick up my bags inside the terminal, and not outside, where my dad could help. I grab 3 huge bags and put them on the cart thingie. Baby is in the stroller and daughter is walking. I'm pushing a stroller and a cart of 3 bags, plus holding my daughter's hand. Finally someone asked if I needed help. At first I was relunctant, then I said, screw it. Hell yeah, I needed help. He walks me over to where my dad is waiting on the other side. I give him $5.
Next came the 2 hour drive home. Baby was of course crying the whole way. But we reached our destination safe and sound so I can't complain too much.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
So Someone Who Works For An Ex-Prez Just Happens To Call You...
Here's the deal. A few weeks ago, we saw a former Honduran president at the gas station pumping his own gas. My husband was like, "Do you know who that is?" I'm like, "No." "He's like, that's former president so and so." I'm like, Hmm ok. So my husband walks over to him and they start talking airport situation. Then after they chat, he and my husband walk over to me sitting in the passenger seat. I'm like, uh oh.
Ok, I'm not impressed just because someone used to be the president. I was just a luncheon the other day with the current president and I didn't go up to him and start chatting it up. That's because I'm very angry with the state of Honduras and I have to blame the syphoning of funds on whoever is in charge. If the government wasn't corrupt, we'd see a lot more change wouldn't we? Case in point, if the United States or another first world nation decides to "take over" Honduras today, I guarantee you that in less than one year, you'd see a lot less poverty, which means less crime, more children seeing the light and wanting to get an education. Yes, the United States is not perfect, but there are checks and balances, there are audits, however Honduras - nada. It just makes me so sad to think of the state of this country and how there is such a seperation between rich and poor.
Anyway, he walks over to me, and as I said, I'm not highly impressed with the sort. After talking to him though, I was like, "shit! He seems like a nice guy! WTF?" I wanted so bad to hate him and be mad and blame him for all the bad things happening to the poor of Honduras, but I couldn't! I want to hate you! I think it was because he had such a warm and likeable personality. Damn you I thought! Why can't I hate you! The dude was pumping his own gas! And my husband says that he's seen him at the airport getting his own bags. Low maintanence people I like.
So we start talking about how to help the people and he tells me that he's set up this educatonal foundation...and that's when my horns started coming out. Education eh? I'm so disappointed with the education here. The teachers aren't getting paid. There are no supplies. Public schools are supposed to be free, yet they have to pay for uniforms and supplies. Ugh, don't get me started. I've heard from my sources that during an inspection there were tons of school books locked up in a warehouse...which means they have not been distributed to the the students. Their reason? There hasn't been an accurate head count of the schools so they could not distribute the books yet. Um, ok.
I'm going away from the point here. So we see him at the gas station and he tells me about this foundation. He starts naming out statistics, one thing I hate. Statistics are one thing, but do you have anything tangible to prove that they are true? Hubby explains that I've been very active with the community and helping anyway I can. Anywho, husband and him exchange phone numbers and I thought he'd never call.
Well he didn't. But the head of his education foundation called my husband's work asking for me. I called her, but not right away. She wasn't in but she would return in 15 minutes they say. Now I'm like...should I call her? Yeah maybe I'll call right now. I need to get active again. I haven't really done anything in the past year, except for my toy drive. We'll see. Here I call.
Ok, I'm not impressed just because someone used to be the president. I was just a luncheon the other day with the current president and I didn't go up to him and start chatting it up. That's because I'm very angry with the state of Honduras and I have to blame the syphoning of funds on whoever is in charge. If the government wasn't corrupt, we'd see a lot more change wouldn't we? Case in point, if the United States or another first world nation decides to "take over" Honduras today, I guarantee you that in less than one year, you'd see a lot less poverty, which means less crime, more children seeing the light and wanting to get an education. Yes, the United States is not perfect, but there are checks and balances, there are audits, however Honduras - nada. It just makes me so sad to think of the state of this country and how there is such a seperation between rich and poor.
Anyway, he walks over to me, and as I said, I'm not highly impressed with the sort. After talking to him though, I was like, "shit! He seems like a nice guy! WTF?" I wanted so bad to hate him and be mad and blame him for all the bad things happening to the poor of Honduras, but I couldn't! I want to hate you! I think it was because he had such a warm and likeable personality. Damn you I thought! Why can't I hate you! The dude was pumping his own gas! And my husband says that he's seen him at the airport getting his own bags. Low maintanence people I like.
So we start talking about how to help the people and he tells me that he's set up this educatonal foundation...and that's when my horns started coming out. Education eh? I'm so disappointed with the education here. The teachers aren't getting paid. There are no supplies. Public schools are supposed to be free, yet they have to pay for uniforms and supplies. Ugh, don't get me started. I've heard from my sources that during an inspection there were tons of school books locked up in a warehouse...which means they have not been distributed to the the students. Their reason? There hasn't been an accurate head count of the schools so they could not distribute the books yet. Um, ok.
I'm going away from the point here. So we see him at the gas station and he tells me about this foundation. He starts naming out statistics, one thing I hate. Statistics are one thing, but do you have anything tangible to prove that they are true? Hubby explains that I've been very active with the community and helping anyway I can. Anywho, husband and him exchange phone numbers and I thought he'd never call.
Well he didn't. But the head of his education foundation called my husband's work asking for me. I called her, but not right away. She wasn't in but she would return in 15 minutes they say. Now I'm like...should I call her? Yeah maybe I'll call right now. I need to get active again. I haven't really done anything in the past year, except for my toy drive. We'll see. Here I call.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wow, No Way
Yes, there are worse things that can happen right now in my life, and I'm very blessed and lucky that for the most part, it's not too bad. But I just came home from work with a shitload of not so good news. My mom and my sister called because I saw their numbers on the caller id. Not good news, I thought, so I called my mom. She and my sister had been arguing. Great, I thought. I've always hated when people in my family fight. It's just not right and it makes me sick to my stomach. I feel horrible for both parties - one for my sister because I know my mom's sickness is really stressing her out, and two I'm worried for my mom because I know that her weak physical and mental state is unable to handle even the mildest of tasks, let alone something this major. I hate it. Then I call my sister but she couldn't talk because she is had midterms but she tells me that dad just got laid off. I'm like wtf? Where did that come from? So I call him and it's true. Now I have a huge headache and I'm stressed the fuck out, but what I can do? And here I am coming this weekend.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Sometimes Things Just Happen Like That
So I was at the 4th of July Celebration and chatting and mingling with some people. The topic of going to California on "vacation" came up and I mentioned that it wasn't all fun and games because I was actually there to visit my sick mom. And one lady said something that totally stuck with me, and for all it's worth, put things in perspective and made me feel slightly better. She said, "ah well, sometimes things just happen like that." Normally, people give me all kinds of sympathy and pretend to know what I am going through, but this was clear and precise. Yes, sometimes things to work out like that.
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