Admitting

It's a beautiful fall Saturday outside in California, but Declan and I have no idea what it looks like. Declan was admitted to Packard Children's Hospital yesterday with Osteomyelitis, basically a bone infection. We have no idea how he got this, but we do know he has been in a lot of pain over the past week.

It's great to be in such a well-resourced hospital, but our medical system is so screwed up. Every time a doctor or nurse comes in to see him, it's as if there is a "reset" of information and we start all over again. Information takes so long to flow. Even last night when Declan had the MRI, the results were available immediately according to the tech. But 12 hours later, we haven't heard anything from a doctor.

While this is a serious medical condition, we're grateful that there should be a straight-forward course for recovery.

Ellie

Summer

I have finally decided to write on here again after such a long time. I am now ten and enjoying my summer like any outdoorsy american kid would do. Running around, riding my bike, running, exploring, and so much more! Our pool is finally done and I am always in it having the most fun a kid can have. Falling of pool toys, having water gun fights, and jumping into the water doing diving contests. But summer is coming to a close and i'm enjoying it as much as I can.

Things to do before I die:

Things to do before I die:

• Be a great mom
• Put my kids through college
• Raise my kids to be compassionate 
• Run a half-marathon
• Plant 100+ trees
• Learn how to make cupcakes better than Sibby's
• Give a TED talk
• Speak Spanish fluently
• Live in Argentina
• Safari in Namibia
• Meet the Dalai Lama, Nick Kristof and Maureen Dowd
• Dye my hair purple (pink is OK, too)
• Make the world a better place

Hello, this is Ellie!!!!!!!!!


on 1\20\09 I saw the integration of Barack obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it was sort of the greatest day. The thing that wasn't good was that I threw up. But I feel happy now and am so happy for this great new President!!!!!!

Here are some pictures!

Dear everybody
I hope you had. a great cirstmas and. new years eve today. i went to the . inauguration to see Obama!. today is a bushis. last day
and it. was so so crowded.
OBAMA IS THE BEST love kiki

A blog post from Ellie:

I am in Washington Dc with a cold virus. I have had a lot of fun. I can't wait to see the INAGRATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're in DC!

After a painful redeye via a 5 hour layover in long Beach, we arrived in DC at 5am today. It was amazing to see so many people actually exhuberant taking the redeye! And despite having the kids spill 2 cans of seltzer on me and Ellie ending the flight with cough syrup like vomit over the 2 of us, we are thrilled to be here.

Kids snoozing now as we gear up to check out the city!

Happy New Year