31 May 2008

Jaron's High School Graduation


HPIM1765
Originally uploaded by Mark Waite
Jaron turned 18 last October, and today he graduated from Loveland High School. We're delighted with him and with his progress.

He is preparing to serve a full time mission, with earliest eligibility date in October 2008.

Congratulations Jaron!

25 May 2008

Alan's Arm - Another Angle


Alan-X-Ray-2
Originally uploaded by Mark Waite
Here is another X-ray view of Alan's arm. This shows the angle of the break a little more clearly

Lindsay's Graduation - UCCS

Lindsay graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs on Friday, May 23, 2008.

She was awarded Bachelors of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She's a lot smarter than dad and mom...

She's made it through school on her own earnings, and her own initiative, and has learned a bunch in the process.

She's worked at a microelectronics firm in Colorado Springs while going through school, and they've now offered her a full time position as a design engineer. (Yeehaw, engineering job!)

What a delight to see her justly rewarded for years of hard work in school and at work. She made it through school with very little debt (working as much as 30 hours a week in addition to full time course work at the university), and see great things ahead for her.

Alan's Arm Angle - Broken Bone


Alan-X-Ray
Originally uploaded by Mark Waite
Alan was riding the Loveland bike trail with the family on Saturday, May 24. He bumped into Eric while riding, went out of control, and crashed.

While falling, he went face first into the dirt beside the bike trail. While trying to stop his fall, he broke the radius bone in his forearm. The doctor said it was a 30 degree break, very clear to see in the X-ray.

The broken arm is his right arm, so he'll be learning to use more of his left side than he ever expected to learn. Thankfully school is almost over for this year, so he won't have to re-educate his teachers about how to read his hand writing from the "wrong" hand.

The crash happened on the northernmost end of the Loveland bike trail, about halfway between the entry to the trail and the northernmost parking lot of Boyd Lake State Park.

Coleen drove the van into Boyd Lake State Park, and Alan walked (arm cradled in his shirt) from the crash site to the car. We loaded the bike into the car, and Coleen drove him to the clinic. He didn't really want to ride the bike again, one handed, using his weakest hand to steer and brake...

Coleen was caring for a friend's child at the time as well, so she spent two hours at the urgent care clinic with Alan, a 3 year old, a doctor, and some nurses.

Alan was incredibly tough about the whole ordeal, or he just doesn't feel pain (unclear which). After the fall, he didn't shed a tear, and when I had him move the hand in various ways, he could say which hurt and which didn't, but was yelling or shouting in agony.

When the doctor moved the bones just before splinting, he apparently flinched a little, but no tears, no agony, and no shouting. He's a lot tougher than his dad!

22 May 2008

Jaron Graduates from High School

Jaron will graduate from Loveland High School Saturday, May 31, 2008. He's had a good year swimming, a good year learning wood turning techniques, and is preparing for a full time mission.