midwesternpinay

Mild Winter Day

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:35:00 +0000

It is a record warm winter. It got to almost 60 degrees here. To the library we went...

Benji participating more in library activity this winter where he meets new friends.

But he prefers to be outside today...

Pure joy at the park, in February?

Warm enough to share milk shake!

Missing him...

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:25:00 +0000

It's been almost 2 mos. since my father passed away. I still miss him. I still feel the guilt because I was not able to take care of him as much. I was too busy with my life. I thought I still have time. I never thought his passing will be swift. I thought we had more time than that. I just applied for my FMLA leave the day before he passed. I was hoping that he would somehow make it to Christmas 2011. I think he believed he would make it to Christmas too. I am haunted by the look in his eyes the last time he was conscious. His pupils were dilated from anxiety. He was fish out of water. The hospice nurse (and I) believed that he had pulmonary embolism which caused labored breathing and rapid decline.

I feel tears swelling up my lower lids everytime I pass their apartment and places that remind me of him. My heart stops whenever my baby mentions the word "tatay," which he does everytime we visit the apartment that my father shared with my mother who still lives there.

My grief is still fresh and raw.

Our relationship was far from perfect. It was dysfunctional at best, hostile at it's worst. It is a long story. However, since he passed, I just remember the good times, the good Tatay (Filipino for father). I think of his sacrifices, his hardwork so we could have good education and life. The thing that I would never forget is how his hands looked. I remember how his fingers had gotten crooked as he aged from arthritis and decades of menial jobs. I remember he told me to cut my home-made soap smaller as he had difficulty holding it. When he died that's the only part of his body that did not really changed. He lost a lot of weight. His muscles atrophied. His skin discolored and pale. He lost his hair. But his hands remained the same, immortalizing in my memory his life of hardwork and sacrifices for his family.

It is difficult to lose a parent, no matter how imperfect the relationship was. I prefer him alive. I know my life was better when he's just 11 miles away. I love you, Tatay.. Thanks for everything.

P.S. Despite the breathing difficulty at the end, my father passed away peacefully in Hospice. He was given meds to slow down his breathing and relieved his pain and anxiety.

Sad Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:12:00 +0000

My father passed away peacefully in Mercy Hospice in Johnston last December 7.

He was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma last June. He undergone several chemotherapy and radiation therapy. We were told in early November that his cancer was worst. He was at home but for his final hours. Although his passing was expected, his quiet presence is missed, especially this Holiday season...

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:58:00 +0000

Happy 2nd Birthday to the only baby who survived my "toxic womb." I Love you Benji... I still can't believe it... I could have just imagined you!

I Wish

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:58:00 +0000

I wish I could be a better mama for you...

You love your daddy.
You cry when he leaves...
You cry when you wake up and he's not at your side...
You look for him when you don't see him...
You cry for him even when I'm here, trying to console you...

I admit, my feeling is hurt...
My heart breaks when you stand by the door, your face against the glass door with fists banging while you scream "daddeee." This happens each morning your daddy has to work. You're never like that when I leave...

I admit I let you cry and don't give in to your demand for cookies and skipping nap time...
I admit that there are times I just let you play by yourself when I'm busy with household chores...
I admit that I force you to eat your veggies and fruits...

I admit, I've been so busy lately...
I admit to bringing my work home because my job can be demanding...and when you want my attention you would close my laptop and tell me "All done." I think you're a very smart boy! But then I would go back right away to work and have your daddy distract you away from me because I have too much in my plate....
I am so sorry! I promise tomorrow you will have my undivided attention...Did I say that before? Oh, yeah...

They say this is just a phase...
You'll grow out of it...
I hope they are right..
Because right now I feel pretty rotten...

Pure Summer Joy

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 02:52:00 +0000

During a carousel ride at the Iowa State Fair.....

Squash and other Happenings

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 07:12:00 +0000

Each year, since 2005, we 've been planting zucchini because we heard that it is relatively easy crop to grow. One of T.V. cooks once said that her father brags about the abundance of his zucchini crops. She added that zucchini is so easy that it could grow on cement. Not in my experience. Our first year's crop was good but after that we did not have much luck. Last year, we just harvested about 2 or 3 zucchinis. Not good considering we planted 6 plants. We suspect the soil in our backyard was spent. We added compost, rotated crops but still....

This year, we, again, blessed by the squash god, or maybe it's the virgin pasture soil in our new property. Anyhow, I am officially overwhelmed by the amount of squash we have. I am currently scouring for recipes and trying to share my crops to people who would have them. And this is just the beginning!

My favorite recipe is Fried Zucchini Pasta. You could use as much zucchinis you want in this recipe. It just takes time to fry them. I wonder if I could use the deep fryer or use the oven with drizzle of oil. I learned of this dish through Gwyneth Paltrow. I already tried this recipe twice. I admit I did not totally follow it. I added finely chopped garlic to give it a slight kick. I did not have enough Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at one time, so I supplemented with Romano cheese that was in my refrigerator for months and it was delicious. WARNING: This is a vegetarian (not vegan) dish and would make omnivores not miss meat....

1 lb zucchini, very thinly sliced crosswise. (You can add as much as you want)
1/4 cups all purpose flour (approximately, add more if you will use more zucchinis. Whole wheat flour is okay)
Salt (sea salt is preferable)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (approximately)
3/4 lb spaghetti (I use a low-carb variety)
1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Regiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup torn basil leaves. (Can also be coarsely chopped)
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving (If you want, you can squeeze 1 lemon directly to the pasta while tossing Just decrease the amount of pasta water.)

In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the flour and a pinch of salt. In a very large skillet, heat half of the oil until shimmering. Add half of the zucchini and fry over high heat, turning once or twice, until brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the zucchini to a paper towel-lined wire rack and season with salt ( you can omit this if you prefer low salt). Repeat with the remaining oil and zucchini.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot and toss with the 1 cup of cheese, the basil and a generous pinch of pepper. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing well to coat. Transfer the pasta to a bowl and top with the crispy zucchini. Serve right away with lemon wedges and additional cheese.

---------------------------------------------------

I just wat to show photos of the last week and a half.....

The So-called Perk, or Stigma? You choose...

The Entertainment (while waiting for the doctor)

The Chemo (2nd to be exact)

Our town was one of the overnight stops of RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa), a non-competitive bike ride across Iowa. It doubled the population of our town. There were about 15,000 riders who participated this year. It's not Tour de France but town people were excited, none the less, if not irritated because it was more difficult to navigate around town with car. The heat index that day was 103. We braved to walk 6 miles or more to join the festivities and see the riders. Seldom you get to see this bedroom town comes alive....

The town showing their hospitality...

Outside a grocery store.

The park closed to our house became tent city!

Recumbent bike. I would like to have one someday...

All About Carrots

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:00:00 +0000

An elderly lady who used to have a vegetable garden once told me that carrots are not worth the bother. I admit that sowing carrots seeds which are very small and light, almost like a grounded rice hull, is not the easiest task. Then there's that labor intensive thinning of the seedlings. After that though, carrots are relatively easy. I almost leave them alone. Maybe pull some weeds around them once in a while. Pests don't bother them as much. Once the leaves flourished, they are beautiful. Then mid-summer to early fall, you are rewarded with wonderful and nutritious harvest. I know carrots in the grocery are cheap but I think homegrown carrots are sweeter and more flavorful. Definitely worth it!

These are my first harvest for the season. I planted two 3 feet x 12 feet beds , so I have more to come. Most of these will be used for Benji's food. He loves carrots.

Pancreatic Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 01:11:00 +0000

It started as a nagging pain in the left upper abdomen. He thought he strained a muscle from helping my sister in landscaping project. It did not get better. After about a month of this intermittent but unrelenting pain, he finally went to his doctor. Due to his limited English and stoic personality, the doctor initially thought it was an upper gastrointestinal problem and ordered Upper GI scan. Blood test and the GI scan came out normal. He was relieved but the pain is still there. My sister who's a nurse called the doctor and demanded more tests. Reluctantly, my father agreed to undergo CT scan which suggested a metastatic cancer. After more tests (PET scan, more blood tests and biopsy), he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer Stage 4.

Over-education for nothing?

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 03:47:00 +0000

When I first came here in the U.S., most Physical Therapists that I worked with just have their Bachelor's degree. Then, after few years, they required it to be Master's Degree. Now, it is a Doctoral Degree which means it requires to have 3 years of Graduate education to become a Physical Therapist. New grads call themselves doctors.

My husband and I think it is a ridiculous and unnecessary way to raise the cost of health care. The title holds so much promise but delivers so little. We cannot prescribed any medications nor diagnostic test. Medicare still requires physician's order before we can start P.T. treatments. RN's who only needs 2 years (4 years to have BSN) actually have more responsibilities than P.T.'s. The only draw is that insurance companies pay more for P.T. services compared to other allied health services, hence, pay is better. Average P.T. in the State of Iowa makes more than $70, 000 annually compared to RN which pay about $50, 000.

I admit to toying this idea of getting my Post-professional Doctor Of Physical Therapy Degree which many schools offer online. What stopped me going with it is that it will not really benefit me professionally. It will not raise my salary nor position. Nor my confidence which seems to be lacking. Nor make me several inches taller so many patients will be comfortable of me lifting them. Nor make me a better and happier therapist (I think).

Anyway, I am ranting about this because it's not just P.T.'s who are over-educated but also Pharmacists. I think they keep on raising the educational standard to keep the supply low and demand high. Purely capitalistic intention, in my opinion.

The other day, I called a pharmacist to clarify if my patient's new Fentanyl patch is a new dose prescription or an added dose to the existing patch he already has. The wife reports that she applied both patches which caused too much sleepiness. The wife refused for me to contact the primary physician who prescribed the patch because she is not very happy with that physician. So, to clarify the dosage, I called the pharmacist who filled the prescription. She (the pharmacist) told me that she doesn't know and that I should call the physician to clarify. I was disappointed by her response. I am a Physical Therapist( my medication knowledge is limited) and ,for Pete's sake, it's her responsibility to clarify the order, or, at least, know the answer to my simple question. Is she incompetent or just lazy? Maybe, she just doesn't care. Anyhow, this kind of mediocrity or indifference is not only annoying but downright dangerous. A non-professional person (pharmacy technicians) can dispense medications but what separates a professional from non-professional is the knowledge that they should impart to the clients, and their intermediary role between the prescriber and the client. The latter she clearly neglects. Anyway, I did the calling to the physician myself, going against the wife's request.

The same situation happens to me many times over working in home health. So many occasions, I found out that many pharmacists are not checking drug interactions despite the fact that they have the list of client's other medications. At one time, when I was working as a nurse in Dallas, a new pharmacist asked me what solution she's supposed to dilute the medication with. What in the world! Isn't she supposed to know this? She's the pharmacist. Or, at least, she should call the doctor or ask another pharmacist!

My point is people who are in charge in setting standards should evaluate their motives. I think the best education for healthcare professionals is the clinical experience. I don't deny the need for strong academic background but there are times you don't need to be in school for such a long time burdening students with astronomical loan when a bachelor's or master's degree sufficed.

Household of Part-timers

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:06:00 +0000

Because of inability to leave our child in daycare, we decided to cut back my husband's work time so we can take turns taking care of our baby. It happened just last month when my mother who usually baby sat for us 2 days a week (or more at times) went back to the Philippines.

Okay, my mother is only gone for 6 weeks but we did not like any alternative childcare options we currently have while waiting for her to come back. Everyone tried to assist us in finding solution. My boss. Co-workers. I even visited a daycare closed to our home. But we just cannot do it.

I could have quit my job and be a full-time mother. The reality is we make more money with our combine part-time incomes than with his lone full-time income. I make more money than my husband. He could have quit and be a full-time parent. But my work is demanding of time. For my sanity's sake (and every one's), I could only take part-time of my job for now.

So, we decided that we will take turns taking care of Benji. It is scary because this is out of the norm. We are far from rich. Our future chance to return to full-time employment is questionable as newer graduates are readily available to fill the void.

Many people don't understand why we're kind of over-protective. My husband and I have different but very significant reasons. His reason is that we'd been through hell and back to have this baby. That made it more difficult for him to let go. Mine is sadder than his -- child abuse. I was abused by a trusted caretaker. I am aware that day cares screen their staff and history of child abuse in daycare is probably nil or really small. But I am paranoid.

I know someday we have to let go. We're aware that we cannot sustain a comfortable lifestyle if we continue this path. We talked about waiting until the baby can talk or when he starts school. It will come eventually. For now, though, we are at peace with this set up.

"I'm tired!"

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:03:00 +0000

Benji imitating us saying "I'm tired!"

He Knows His Dr Seuss

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:09:00 +0000

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a son about his father

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 02:05:00 +0000

This documentary has been sitting in my Netflix queue for couple of months now. Last night, I decided to watch it. Alone. It just grabbed my heart from the very beginning, and it did not let go way after it ended. I am a person who cannot wait what will happen. So, I googled the movie and found out how it ends while watching it. I was so heartbroken when I found out what happened that I did not finish it. I ran upstairs, in our bedroom, and cried my way to sleep.

This is the saddest and rawest movie I've ever seen. One of the reviews stated that it is not for the weak of heart. The writer was not kidding. I eventually finished the movie with my husband. It made him cry, too.

I have some tips before watching this movie:
1. Have a box, or 2, of Kleenex.
2. It is better not to know the end of this movie.
3. It is better to watch this with someone. So, someone can relate to your sadness afterwards.

Anyway, it is not all bad. (I mean "bad" emotion like non-stop crying, feeling heartbroken, etc. This is actually a very good documentary. There were many hours of research and editing here. Kurt Keunne will be in my short list to follow from now on) It is tragic but in every tragedy there is redemption. I think I found redemption at the end. Despite the evil things that happened, love and goodness prevail. No matter what, life goes on with a purpose. It also made me realized how lucky I am to have my baby. I promised to be more patient and more attentive to him. I will never take him for granted, ever...

I will give a short synopsis: This is a documentary made by Kurt Keunne in memory of his friend Dr. Andrew Bagby who was killed violently. The suspected killer was his ex-girlfriend Shirley Turner who went back home to Canada when police begun questioning her about the murder. What complicated things was Turner got pregnant with Andrew's son at that time. She named the son, Zachary. Originally, this documentary was for Zachary to know his father. Then, it turned out to cover the custody battle between Turner and Bagby's parents, David and Kate.

This is a big time heartbreaker but thumbs up...

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:45:00 +0000

Not all who wander are lost.

j.r.r. tolkien

New Year, New Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 03:36:00 +0000

It's a late posting. Everyone has been busy lately. My whole family, including myself, was sick for 2 whole weeks right before Christmas. It's not quite done yet. My mother will undergo an outpatient surgery tomorrow. It's another story.

Anyway, I am really thankful for the New Year. I am glad to be given another chance. And we planned so many things this year.

The big thing is to start a big vegetable garden and an orchard. Last summer, we bought an 11.5 acre land. It was a big financial risk for us. But we dream of this for several years since our brief Dallas stint where we found out how exhausting and unsatisfying our urban/suburban lives can be. Upon returning to Iowa in early 2004, we looked at few acreages for a home. Most of these acreages were way beyond our price point. Those few "affordable" ones were either requiring too much work/money to be livable or too far away from paved road which is very critical for us considering we live in a snow country and we plan to keep our city jobs to pay for the mortgage. Driving 10 miles of unpaved road during winter will be dangerous and just not practical. The dream of owning an acreage was set aside for a while but not forgotten.

In the fall of 2004, we decided to settle in a nice comfortable house in town with manicured lawn and small backyard. It was what we need. We decided that we can still do our gardening in the backyard. We built raised beds for vegetables. We planted grapevines, strawberries and a dwarf apple tree. We have some successes and failures in our suburban homesteading. We learned a lot.

Last summer, the land dream came true. We found the perfect parcel through Craig's list. We were both scared and excited. In the end, we decided to jumped in and realized this darn nagging desire. Here we are -- broke but happy land owners.

My wish this year is to continue with blogging, chronicling our small farming experience. Wish me luck!

P.S. Many people including family members think we are crazy but I agree with Howard Hughes when he said "Passion will make you crazy but is there any other way to live?"

37th Year

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:29:00 +0000

This picture was taken 36 years ago. It was my first birthday.

My weekend was busy due to work. The blizzard made working in homecare one of the most dangerous jobs in America. I did not sleep until the wee hour of the morning because of paperwork, chores and baby crying in the middle of the night. Though lack of sleep, I was pleasantly surprised that I am not tired at all this morning. Thanks to the Monday morning adrenaline rush! With all these unusual morning energy, I decided to check my e-mail, my mailbox was full of Facebook notifications telling me of my long lost friends writing their greetings and wishes. I am touched by these unexpected outpourings.

It is taking me a while to realize that what makes LIFE worth living is good relationship with people you care about. I hear it a lot. I know it intellectually. But I am yet to learn to practice it. When things get rough, I easily fall into despair. I cannot help it at times. I am a weak person. It is in my genes.

My life is full of uncertainties right now. Sometimes I wonder if I made some wrong turns along the way. That's the problem of living in a democratic place, where we have so much choices. Did I choose the wrong path? Will I be happier if I had chosen the other career path, or partner? Or should have I done things differently 10 years ago? That's the peril of living in the free world! We tend to contemplate on what could have been when things did not go as we planned it.

But hey, I am still lucky. I have an intact family which I consider happy and (thank God)functional, and a miracle baby whose birth is the highlight of my 37 years.

Look who's one!

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Happy Birthday Benji!

Love,

Mommy

Just feeling down!

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:03:00 +0000

The result of the midterm election makes me want to lie down on the floor in a fetal position and stay there for days! I am so disappointed on people forgetting so easily what caused our current ailing...

I am not a political person and I am actually not comfortable opening up my political view. I am just depressed about the result and I want to rant. But, I am still optimistic about the future of this country. However, if Sarah Palin got elected as President, then, it will be time for me to move somewhere else... Hopefully it will not end that way. I know Americans are smarter than that, I hope.

Recent Photo

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 05:06:00 +0000

Yes, I am still here. Just too busy, most of the time. Working more now. Baby boy is also more demanding. Here's our most recent photo!

On Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:52:00 +0000

I am currently listening to an audio book entitled Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert who also authored the best-selling book which was made into movie starring Julia Roberts Eat Pray Love. I admit I find Committed more interesting because I can relate to it more because I'm married and a woman. I had several AHA! moments while listening to this book that I decided to read it in print. I haven't actually read it yet but I already borrowed the only available copy in our local public library and it happens to be in large print. I don't care. I am obsessed. I cannot even wait to finish the book to start mentioning it here.

Anyway, one of the topics that fascinates me that Ms. Gilbert discussed is about how marriage benefits a man more than a woman. She calls it the Marriage Benefit Imbalance. According to study, married men perform better in life than single men. Compared to single men, married men live longer; accumulate more wealth; excel more in their careers; far less likely to die a violent death; happier; and suffer less from alcoholism, drug addiction, and depression. On the other hand, married women do not fare better than their single counterpart. Married women actually take a 7 percent cut, on average, of their paycheck. They are less healthy than single women and more likely to suffer from depression.

Well, in my experience, marriage has been mostly good. Financially, I think I am better off because expenses are shared, therefore, more disposable income for both of us. There's that companionship. Lot's of things are just better experienced when you're with someone special. The biggest thing, perhaps, is the opportunity of being able to stay at home with the baby. I don't think this will be possible if I were a single mother, unless, of course, I were super rich which I'm not. Child-rearing is also easier with a partner as we can tag-team the responsibility. I cannot imagine, and probably will not survive a life of a single mother.

I will read this book and write more about it.

Quick Update while He sleeps!

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

The older he gets, lesser time I have for doing anything else. He's now 8 months and very mobile. He started crawling 2 weeks ago, creeping 4 weeks earlier. He would not sleep in his crib. So, we are now co-sleeping in our newly bought king-size bed. I still nurse which is a miracle and he is an all-night-er. He has 2 fully sprouted bottom teeth and 3 teeth on their way out (ouch!). I haven't had an 8 hour of sleep straight for almost 3 months now since he started teething. He loves sweet potatoes, apples and pears. Everything I feed him is home-made except for the cereal. I obsess about his food. I spend more money on his food than our food. Everything is organic. It can be expensive because it takes him several tries before he will take on new food. My favorite time with him is bath time as he squeals with glee when water splashes every time he slaps it. He hasn't been sick (knock on wood). His biggest problem is his eczema. He loves to be read to. He smiles and looks at me when I change my voice for the characters in the book.

Okay he's awake now. I have to go!

He's a Handful!

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:09:00 +0000

He loves to eat everything except his food. He loves to play with everything except his toys. He has energy that could outlast anyone over the age of 30. Are boys like this? I sound like a sexist...maybe I am.

Honeymoon's Over?

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:34:00 +0000

Our 10-year wedding anniversary is less than a week away. I wish I could say it is as sweet as the day we'd met. It is not. It is not bitter either. It's just different. No, we haven't grown apart. We are just overwhelmed by LIFE lately. Our arguments are more frequent. Frustration is deeper and more difficult to subside. We talked about counseling but we do not have the time. And who will take care of the baby while we're at it. For now, we just made the pact not to be critical of each other.

I am saddened to learn about the separation of Former VP Al Gore and his wife Tipper after 40 years of marriage. The reason they gave is they've grown apart.

Marriage is such a delicate institution. I was told that the first 5 or 7 years the most difficult. After that, relationship will be stable. I don't believe it anymore. I think every moment is delicate. Unkind words and neglect can ruin it just like that, no matter how long you've been together.

Mix

noreply@blogger.com (malor) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:52:00 +0000

I should not be here blogging because we are so busy preparing for our road trip to Connecticut to visit my sister and her family this coming Thursday, but this is a release for me.

Oh yeah, we also plan to go to NYC. It's been 10 years this month the last time we were in NYC. It was April 2000 -- we were not married yet and the Twin Towers were still standing. How things change! In any case, I am very excited. The drive, according to Google map, should be about 19 hours. It will be longer than that for us because of the baby. We have to stop frequently for feeding and diaper change. Outside of Cleveland, Ohio is our planned overnight stay. We hope to make it in Cleveland before midnight.

-o-o-o-o-

We have new neighbors. I think there are 2 families who moved in that house next door. One couple is older; the other ones younger with a baby. We met them briefly one day last week. Benji was fussy that time. The older man talked to me but I cannot hear him that well. I thought he asked me when we had Benji, so, I told him November. I excused myself after that because Benji decided to cry louder. Jason took over in conversing with them. Before I left to go inside our house, the younger woman invited us to her baby's first birthday which was last Saturday.

I worked last Saturday. When I came home, I told Jason that I cannot go because of computer work. Jason was torn if he wants to go or not. Anyway, because we wanted to be friendly with our new neighbors, he decided to stopped by briefly with Benji. Upon return, my husband told me what happened there.

Our older lady neighbor introduced him and Benji as "This is our neighbor with his adopted son." Jason was stunned by this. Was it an assumption? Perhaps. Nevertheless, it was, according to Jason, very awkward. He doesn't know what to say after that. The thing is he was introduced to a crowd. He said "If it was just one person, I could easily correct her!" He eventually told her the "fact" in private. So, if we don't get any invitation next time, we know the reason. Ha ha ha!

-o-o-o-o-

My mother and I with Benji went to the Filipino Store in the South side of Des Moines. We were the only customers that time. The owner who is very friendly approached us to look at the baby. She said the baby is cute and asked me if the father is Chinese. I said no, he's an American. She quickly said after I told her that she can see it now after looking at the baby's nose because it is not pug.

-o-o-o-o-

Poor Benji. There will be more situations similar to these for him because he's a mixed race. It's not that bad. Really.