WARNING: BRAGGING PARENT AHEAD

OK, I warned you.

We are always proud of our kids for their gifts, talents, and accomplishments. Today was no different for me. Alex went to school today and looked so big sitting at the table waiting patiently to get started with his first task. It finally hit me that he is such a great student in his class. We heard his teacher tell us how hard he works and that he spends free time with his friend Kate doing math, but sometimes it is easy to fixate on his home persona and forget the kind of student he is. I am so proud of him. The other day he subtracted 12 minutes from 5:08PM and come up with 4:56. Scary, I know. If you need to see a little of Alex the student, try and spot his intense bell ringing face here... http://www.bolivarmonews.com/articles/2008/12/02/news/doc492c7736a136b592866567.txt

Katie and I always get a little special time going from PCCS to BUM Kids where Katie gets to ask me 100 times "BUM Kids daddy?" or "Going to BUM kids daddy?" or of course "Katie BUM Kids?" Then she gets to grab my leg and play shy (while giggling the entire time). Finally, I offer to stay and play here while she goes and cleans the house and she says "Nooooooo daddy" and runs off to play. Then when I go pick her up, she always yells "DADDY!!" and runs up to hug me. The feeling is soooo awesome. She loves to snuggle with me and really grabs my neck and squeezes.

Ryan, on the other hand has always been the one who shows his gifts and talents as much as possible. He loves to perform and I found out how much he loves it today. His music teacher asked if he could go and sing at a christmas party with some of the other kids at PCCS for Bank of Bolivar's christmas party. He seemed a bit overwhelmed at first but there were times I could hear his little voice singing over all the other voices. I stood there videotaping the group singing but I was filled with such joy seeing him having fun and doing something he does very well. Each gesture and word were sung from his heart with such pure joy that I probably looked goofy with a huge smile on my face. When he was done, we went back to the van where I told him how proud I was of them for doing such a good job. Ryan said to me, "Daddy, why can't I be as good at P.E. as I am at singing?"

It was then I realized exactly how much he was like his mother. I remember the first time I heard Lori sing (it was on tape though) and how her voice was so amazing. She was shy back then and hearing her sing was just the most beautiful music I had ever heard and now I hear that same joy and beauty in Ryan's voice.

Anyway, enough rambling..... I tried to take pictures but they came out dark, so here is the best I got. Have a wonderful holiday season! :D

Just Random Stuff

I think I might just be going insane. I am spending time daily being more thankful every day for the blessings in my life. Mostly, I am focused on my family. I realize that one of the side effects of the depression that seems to infect so many people is the inability to truly count our blessings on a daily basis and put them in their proper perspective. It seems easier to focus on what we aren't and what we wish we were than what we have and what blesses our lives daily.

My kids are tough for me to really appreciate because they are my full time job. They consume my patience and my fears. I worry about everything to do with them and feel sometimes feel like being with them is a chore. But in the silliest and sweetest of moments, I truly get a chance to see the blessings my kids are to me and the wonder and joy they bring to my life. From Alex's joy of the change in time to Katies demand for her Teddy bear Blankee to the lengthy history of the continents of the earth from Ryan; I am a truly blessed man to have the time to spend with them as they go on with their day to day lives. Sometimes I know I take it for granted.

It is easy for me to appreciate my friends, our town, and our church, but it is tough sometimes to tell them what I feel about them. Either way, I doubt Ill be writing them mushy cards but suffice it to say I am very blessed with the people God has brought into my life.

My family (both the one I have and the one I've always had) are a blessing I sometimes take very much for granted. How many people can offer their kids 3 generations of advise from many different perspectives on any given day? My kids have 4 great grandparents, 4 grandparents (plus), an uncle, and 3 aunts (who pronounce aunt 2 different ways). while I wish we were able to spend more time with each and every one of them, we are just flat out blessed to have them.

Finally, Lori is often overlooked as the source of my strength and the receptor of the garbage I spew when I am stressed. I am proud to know her, let alone get the chance to share my entire life with her. Today I was telling a customer how I think people shouldn't congratulate Lori for our anniversaries because I am the one who should celebrate another year of her putting up with me. I guess in any good relationship a person will feel like they give more than they take and in the best relationships, both partners feel that way. I know I say I love you a lot to her but I dont think I show her often enough.

Anyhow, don't ask me why I posted today, I just felt like it. I have 2 thoughts for today:

Always count your blessings
Peace isn't the absense of conflict, its the ability to deal with it.

Have a wonderful day/night.

Race for Parkinson's

I ran my first 5K on Saturday. I have never run in the cold like that before, but it went well. It was a race to raise money for the Parkinson's Disease foundation. I was running for my grandfather, Farrel Dablemont, and for a friend and extended family member, Harold Wolrich. I felt a bit odd at first and nervous but everyone was very nice and encouraging. It was my best time so far, but far from where I'd like to be. I'm thinking someday maybe Ryan and I can run a marathon together.

"A Walk to Beautiful"

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beautiful/

I am still on a listserv for my residency program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester. I met so many wonderful people and physicians there - it is nice to stay in touch with them. There was an announcement that they were having a showing of this film somewhere and I was intrigued. I was amazed to find the "NOVA" version free on line for viewing. INCREDIBLE! I emailed the link to Eric and asked if we could either: move to Ethiopia so I can work in obstetrics there OR adopt an Ethiopian orphan. While I'm not quite ready to do either of the above yet, I am more and more convinced of God's calling to me in my "second life." When my rambunctious three are grown and I am "retired" - I am headed out to live internationally to do medical work. My first love, of course, is China. (I am hoping for opportunities as the kids grow older to do short term medical work overseas as well.)

Anyway, this is an incredible film that impressed upon me how wasteful and selfish I can be. I do take so many things for granted as a woman and a physician. I am renewed in my committment to make an effort to help others in need - to raise money to support activities like this and New Day Foster Home. I want to be a part of the "solution" to poverty and suffering as much as I can where I am now, as I pray for God to show me how and where the "next step" will come. This film was a challenge to me to make my time, my money, and my actions really COUNT for something. I don't want the craziness of life and my innate desire to chase after my own personal happiness to make me forget - every minute and second - what is REALLY important in this world.

If you have a minute (50 actually), check out this great documentary. I don't think you'll be sorry. LJC

World's Best Daddy

The boys had their first quarter report cards and Parent-Teacher Conferences last week. They are doing wonderfully. I hope that Eric realizes what a testament this is to his great job of "Mr. Mom" for the last six years. I don't tell him often enough how great he is and his job is so behind-the-scenes, under-appreciated and thankless. There aren't any raises or promotions, no "Employee of the Year" awards. BUT he is "Daddy of the Universe" to us and the least I can do is remind him publicly how much we need, love and appreciate him. Thank you, Honey, for the great job you do every moment of every day. None of us would be functional without you.

Mama, Ryan, Alex and Katie Hui

Election Day

I am praying for this great nation that we live in. It is a wonderful and historic day and whatever the outcome, I am asking God to pour out his blessings and favor on the United States of America. I am praying that he would allow us all to come together - this great melting pot - to overcome partisan politics and petty arguing.
Our nation is singular in it's history of freedom and democracy - a light shining in the darkness of dictatorships and despots - terrorists and tyrants. Truly the greatest Land of Opportunity in the world - look at all the immigrants trying to get here. They can see what so many of us take for granted. I don't believe in ethno-centricity and I am in awe of the diverse and beautiful world our Creator has fashioned. I love to learn about and visit other lands and cultures. BUT I think we here in the US need to remember and be proud of our great heritage. I am tired of hearing nothing but criticisms and complaints about this country. I'd like to see her citizens roll up their sleeves and really WORK to make this nation great again. We are all talk and no ACTION. We are in danger of forgetting who we are and what we stand for. In all our differences - we must still be able to come together to focus on our common purpose and our common love of freedom and love of our country. The world can not afford for the United States to falter. They need our light to continue to shine brightly and NOT to fade away. LJC

Questionable Parenting....

Tips for others parenting preschoolers...if you let them play with swords and knives, they will lose an eye. These poor children learned the hard way.






HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!