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.

19 April 2008

Loveland-High-To-Waites


Loveland-High-To-Waites
Originally uploaded by Mark Waite
In case you need driving directions from Loveland High to our house.

13 April 2008

Eric in a Swimming Article


eric-swim-article
Originally uploaded by Mark Waite
A local startup newspaper is being distributed by mail. In that newspaper, they included a nice picture of Eric and one of his teammates swimming the 500 meters for Loveland High School.

I took the liberty of scanning the page for safe keeping. I realize I am most certainly violating copyright to do so, and I apologize for that, but it seems like the best way to remember the article, and the nice picture.

I also was proud that I used a Linux machine to run the scanner, without any Windows machine anywhere in the mix.

06 April 2008

Roll Roll Roll your baby...

Eliza Rolled over for the first time today! Wahoo!! She is getting so big! Oh and she has also discovered the ability to pick things up and put them in her mouth! This is her Bug and she just loves that bug it has crinkly wings and feet that are the perfect size for her mouth. The sad thing about her love to put things in her mouth is that i have to actually keep my house baby proofed (bummer). Oh well it wont last forever (at least we hope so)

01 April 2008

Rough Day

It was a rough day yesterday for the family...
  • My manager visited the office for the first time
  • Coleen had a rough start to the day
  • The plumbing clogged and we had raw sewage in the basement bathroom (~$300)
  • The plumber noted that our hot water heater needed to be replaced (~$1000)
  • One of Coleen's dear friends called to announce that her twin sister has gone home, expecting to die of bone cancer within 3-6 months

02 March 2008

Nana ER Trip

Nana was transported from the care facility where she lives to the hospital this morning. Her oxygen saturation levels were down, and her lungs sounded very rough. I'll go to the hospital to sit with her while they decide if she has pneumonia or if it is something else. It is a good thing she is in a care facility, we would have never detected such a thing at home.

25 February 2008

CUTE PICS!!!

Eliza and I can't wait for spring!!! I'm ready for bare foot season and swimming! In contrast there is the picture of us going on a walk in late february... a bit chilly if I do say so myself.