7.31.2012

Soldier for Christ

Today we celebrate the feastday of St. Ignatius Loyola -- founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and  a soldier for Christ and the Catholic Faith. He is one of my favorite theologians and saints.

Here's a beautiful prayer from today's Living with Christ.

O God, I dedicate this new day to you;
as I go about my work.
I ask you to bless those
with whom I come in contact.
Lord, I pray for all men and women
who work to earn their living;
give them satisfaction in what they do.
Spirit of God,
comfort the unemployed and their families;
they are your children and my brothers and sisters.
I ask you to help them find work soon. Amen.
St. Ignatius of Loyola

My prayer today: Dear Heavenly Father, may I be like St. Ignatius -- humble and obedient. May I be filled with desire to grow in my faith and in my vocation. May I be a fighter for Christ. Amen.

7.24.2012

Big 3-0

Derrick, background is his beloved Bay Area, San Fran.
pre-Daniel and Isabel
during our babymoon 3 years ago

My better half, BFF, dance partner, hubby turns 30 today!

Let me share a wild dream of his before we started dating. We were in college then:
It is his 30th bday party and surrounding him are his closest friends. What he remembered most of all is having his wife and his kids with him! They were faceless then. But your dream came true my love! You married me and now we have two amazing kids. Daniel and Isabel are amazing because of you. It's all you babe!

May all your wishes come true. Happy birthday!

Xoxo
~Isis

7.20.2012

Magic years (Daniel is three!)

With your child’s third birthday, the “terrible twos” are officially over and the “magic years” of three and four begin—a time when your child’s world will be dominated by fantasy and vivid imagination. During the next two years, he’ll mature in many areas.
---Ages and Stages: healthychildren.org (AAP)

My son is three years old today. The magic years have begun! Looking back he did have the terrible two's but it was NOT that terrible. He is an amazing brother. He is smart. He is a happy baby And now that he is potty trained and "better" eater, the toddler-mom disagreements have decreased quite a bit!

Looking at the ages and stages, he has definitely hit the mark on a lot of gross motor, fine motor, speech, cognitive and social milestones! I am definitely a proud mama!

I love his beautiful smile and happy temperament! He may look like this now:


But he will always look like this to me: my firstborn, my love, my baby!


I love you Daniel!
xoxo
~your mummy

Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 19:14


7.19.2012

7 Quick Takes Vol 5

My quick takes entry is a day early this week. Because Friday is a big day!!!


1. My firstborn is turning three years old this Friday! Didn't I just deliver my firstborn? Didn't I just leave the hospital on a wheelchair, with the Carseat on my lap and my newborn inside? Wasn't I just staring at his little newborn body and kissing his tiny fingers?

Oh my time flies. Now my newborn is a smart, amazing 3 year old!!! Who is potty trained! (thank u m&m's! We used them as rewards)

2. Ears pierced. If you're following me on twitter, you've seen pix of my little girl getting her ears pierced last weekend. I was as traumatized as she was (well more for her for sure!) I was worried about post piercing problems. "Gotta keep the lobes clean!"  "Infections stay away." In the end, I gave in. I held her and she cried like she was getting shots. Gladly she was easily consoled. And now, I gotta admit: Isabel does look cute with her gold bling!!!

3. Pals. This week I renewed my pals. Pediatric advanced life support Certification. There's a video during the course that really touched my heart, made me cry. Giving bad news..... worst part of my job.


4. Spiderman present. I still have to stop by the store to get my little boy a spidey present. Derrick wants to get a spiderman action figure. I want to give Daniel either a spiderman mask +/- spidey gloves. Maybe get him all 3?

5. Foursquare. Who is addicted to this app? I am! I have had 10-15% off deals by checking in a few places.

6. Ear lobes. I have to ask a geneticist about ear lobes. I do faintly remember in Elem Bio class that there is a trait/pattern for attached vs. free earlobes.  My mom has attached ear lobes. My sister has attached ear lobes. I, on the other hand, do not -- meaning I have detached or free ear lobes. So I started inspecting other people's ears. My son has free ear lobes like me. My husband's ears are interesting: he has one attached and one free ear lobe.  So guess what Belle has. She has one attached and one free ear lobe like her daddy!!!

To illustrate with a pedigree: attached, free, one attached and one free

Mom-------Dad (I have to ask my dad: my hypothesis is that he will have free ear lobes like me)
            |
      -----------
      |             |
     Lady       Isis ----------- Derrick
                                 |
                         --------------
                         |                 |
                      Daniel          Isabel

7. Book I'm reading. I'm 1/3 done with Gone Girl. Nice to find a summer thriller.

Happy birthday to my handsome boy tomorrow. Will post something special for him!

Check conversiondiary for more quick takes!

7.14.2012

Daniel's Five Favorite Books

These are Daniel's fave books in general not just for bedtime stories (in response to Stephanie's blog post)

1. Digging machines by Weldon Owen - thanks to Lolo and Lola for getting this book. Daniel is mesmerized by these powerful machines! I learn with him too. Now I know about front-end loaders, skid-steer loader, mini digger, back hoes.


2. Whales - being 3 yo, Daniel loves animals and learning all about them. He has read this book many times that he knows what's coming on the next page.

3. Thomas Pop up book with sounds - a little stimulating for bedtime stories because of the sounds. But Daniel loves the pop up features.

4. Humphrey, the lost whale by Wendy Tokuda - a great story of a lost humpback whale that swam inland to the San Francisco bay.



5. Dinosaur encyclopedia - we never really read this cover to cover. Because we can't. Daniel mainly asked for: maisaura, Troodon and T-Rex pages. Of course instead of mellowing down, we have 5 minutes of roaring.

Check out Stephanie's Friday faves on bedtime stories for her little boys. Would definitely look for those books she listed!

7.13.2012

7 quick takes Vol 4

1. Mo-town: we had a fun time in Detroit this past weekend. (the drive was not the best part since baby belle cried and cried and we had to stop quite a bit) The wedding of a college friend and seeing the gang were definitely highlights. See pix here.

2. Baby Belle is teething. She has her first two bottom teeth show up. You can't see them on the picture below but just want to share it because she's so cute in pink and purple!


3.The Gist: While I was on maternity leave this past winter, I found the show: The Gist on CatholicTV.  They just filmed the second season of the show. I can't wait for the episodes. We don't have cable so I'll be watching them online. Check it out: good show for catholic moms talking about faith, life, marriage, children etc.

4. Park: I took the kids to the park Monday afternoon. I felt like I was a stay at home mom: going to the playground during the week instead of the weekend.....

5. Iced Tea: oh my, McDonald's iced tea can keep you up! I should listen to my own spill of "stop drinking iced tea bec of the caffeine in it" that I give to my headache patients. I am awake on call las t night when all I want to do was rest (before I get paged again!) Was it the caffeine or the sugar high? (I already made it half sweetened/half unsweetened). McD's is the only place open in the hospital overnight. I got myself a mighty kids meal last night just so I could get a boy toy for Daniel.

6. Jesus' name: We went to Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul church in Downtown Detroit. Jesus' name is inscribed in different languages throughout the church ceiling -- beautiful!


If you click on the image, maybe you'll be able to make out Jesus' name below the apostles.

7. Photobooth: At the wedding, the couple rented a photobooth! it was a hit! Derrick and I stopped by multiple times to get our pix taken. Props were inspired by our son, Daniel who loves spiderman. Actually he wants to be spiderman when he grows up!


Check ConversionDiary for more 7 quick takes!

7.11.2012

(Love is like a) Heat wave


Hubby and I were invited to a college friend's wedding (Derrick's HS friend actually). We partied and partied and partied! You could say we haven't been out in awhile so we enjoyed our time out. Look where we danced the night away -- 72nd floor! Felt like the top of the world. Nice view huh?



Beautiful! Neil, Ly and her baby bump


Vivian and Xiao
see, how could we get so lucky? our table was next to the dancefloor! The bride and groom must have done this on purpose. Our group does love to dance (I am sparing you the wild blurry pictures taken from the dance floor)

Ken and Linda
 The specialty drinks from the bar were strong! These two  made their own concoction of sweet fruity drink and named it LindaKen. It has pineapple juice, orange juice and rum? gin? I forgot.... It was a pretty light pink color.

Ken, Hubby, Xiao, Keng, Neil
 Xiao was wearing his mandarin collar suit. He looks like a priest!

Beautiful ladies!
 Finally the bride shows up on our pictures!



 Okay, one more shot of the ladies!

Shout out to my mother and natedogg for coming with us to Mo-town and watching the babies while we danced the night away.

Hubby gave me the title to this post -- he loves Motown music and it was a hooottt weekend.

7.09.2012

Fellowship year

I mentioned on my previous post that I am deciding what to do for fellowship.

Here's a summary of my dilemma (hopefully organizing my thoughts would help me and Derrick; me mostly, Derrick is not a list-maker like me)

Track 1. Movement disorder fellowship for a year
This track requires 9-10 months of training in the adult movement disorder clinic at IU and 2-3 months of away electives in University of Rochester, NY and/or WashU in St Louis (10 hours away or 4 hours away, respectively). My husband assures me that he and the kids will be fine when I am away one month at a time -- I believe them . The problem is ME! Am I gonna be ok away from them for a month? I anticipate mental and emotional breakdowns, and homesickness while away.
This year is appealing because I like helping out Cerebral palsy kids who have contractures and spasticity. I can perform botox injections on their limbs to loosen their extremities so diapering is easier, sitting on their power chair is more comfortable etc.
Movement disorders in childhood are also interesting (just like child neurology in general). They can be secondary to metabolic or genetic disorders.

Track 2. Epilepsy/EEG fellowship for a year
Since I was leaning towards pediatric movement during application time for fellowship, the 2 spots for Epilepsy fellowship are already filled at IU. If I choose this track, I will have to wait for 7 months after residency to start. If I am already working "regular" doctor salary for 7 months, will I be able to go back to "fellow" salary? Some people have done it that way for sure (work for months to years in the "real world" then come back for a pay-cut to train some more). This epilepsy/EEG year will certainly help me with my work as a general child neurologist. There's a lot of seizures in general child neurology.

Track 3. No fellowship. I will be practicing out in the real world by December 2013! Some child neurologists have also taken this track and are quite successful and competent.

Decisions, decisions!
Please send prayers my way!

For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

7.06.2012

7 quick takes Vol 3

1. Summer heat. Indy is experiencing record breaking highs -- 102-104F!

2. Countdown begins. 4 more months of in-hospital call. I don't bounce back as easily post-call. Even though in-hospital calls are spread every 6-8 days, I cannot quite get back to my baseline easily. I need sleep...

3. Crazy for designer purses. So addicted "dreaming" of owning a Gucci, Prada or Chanel purse. Decisions, decisions on how I will spend (or waste?) my first paycheck as a "real" doctor. A good friend of mine who has great taste and who is Italian says I should get a Gucci or Prada splurge purse. But I also dream of owning a Chanel purse.... I still have months (and years) of residency left before I even make enough money to pay my loans!

4. NFP:  I have been following Kayla (@alluringworld) and Katie (@nfpandme) on twitter. The conversations have been infornative and interesting. check twitter #iusenfp  their website http://www.iusenfp.com/ is still in the works.

5. NFP buttons: check out these buttons Katie made. Sharing my faves!


 

showed this button to Derrick >> he loved it. Thought it was funny.
6. Zumba: check out pics of my dance workout partner.



7. Fellowship: Asking for prayers as I decide the next step in my career. Hubby has been such good support. "Do whatever would help your career" (isn't he amazing?).  wait for a future post for details of fellowship.

check out Conversiondiary for more 7 quick takes!

7.04.2012

Happy Feast day Isabel!

Feastdays are big in the Catholic community. In the Philippines, since towns are usually named after saints, there are parties all over town celebrating the saint's feastday. There will be dancing, singing, fair, carnival rides and TONS of food! Friends and family from other towns come and celebrate with the host town.
Recently, we celebrated St. John the Baptist' feastday (June 24). Besides the food and dancing, there's also the tradition of spraying, sprinkling, showering everyone who passes by San Juan (town) with water, following the lead of our Lord's cousin with baptizing with water! When I was in the Philippines, cars and jeepneys avoid passing by San Juan on my way to school. We did not want to be drenched in water!

Our family took the tradition of celebrating our saint's name feastday. Today is a special day for my 7-month old. July 4th is the feastday of St. Isabel of Portugal -- the saint my little girl is named after!
I am thankful it's my day off. We have a relaxing day planned! Hanging out at home, spending time with the family, trip to get some cupcakes (one reason to splurge and eat the gourmet cupcakes sold near our house), watch fireworks display downtown since it's also Independence Day. Most of all, Derrick and I take this opportunity to teach our little ones (better start early even when they are young) to teach them about the rich Catholic culture and tradition. Saints are our friends, our brothers and sisters who have gone before us who lived as witnesses of Christ's love for the world. We can ask for our patron saints intercession. (I have my testimonial of prayer answered with a saint's intercession --- a future post!)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 RSV

Apostles creed:
...I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
 
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church footnotes added
956 The intercession of the saints. "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness.... They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."493 (Pope Paul VI, Lumen Gentium 49, 1964)

Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life.494 (St. Dominic, dying, to his brothers)
I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth. 495 (St. Therese of Lisieux)

957 Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself"496 (Pope Paul VI, Lumen Gentium 50, 1964)

We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!497 Martyrium Polycarpi, 17: Apostolic Fathers II/3, 396)



Delima family feastdays:
Daniel - December 17 (prophet Daniel)
Derrick -December 29 (King David, his confirmation saint name)
Isis - August 11 (St. Clare, my patron saint), August 28 (St. Gianna Beretta Molla -- my patron saint I became a wife, mother and doctor)



And now the obligatory baby Isabel pictures of cuteness!



St. Isabel of Portugal, pray for us!
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