3 Years, 49 Weeks.
This definitely was an emotionally draining week for me.
For all of us.
After 26 years in the United States, my maternal grandparents have decided to return back to the Philippines, and spend their remaining days back with our family there.
It's a bittersweet situation, actually.
For most of my life, I've been lucky enough to have all 4 grandparents alive and living close by. Even after I grew up and moved away, getting married and having kids, it was always nice to know that I could see them anytime we came back home.
After their car accident 2 Christmases ago, they never fully recovered to where they were before. They now have to walk with canes; Grandma especially has difficulty keeping her balance, even for short periods. And although they continue to be healthy for folks their age (91 and 85), their quality of life was quickly deteriorating due to their injuries.
I'm sure it was a difficult decision for them to return home for good. But they wanted to be surrounded by friends and family who could be there to help them when the time comes. Most of their children here in the US had either moved away to other parts of the country, or were very busy taking care of their own lives, work, and families. They also wanted to see family members they hadn't seen in a quarter century, as well as to meet new grandkids and great-grandkids born while they were away. I can just imagine their reunion. And as I accept and continue to process the thought that I may very well never see them both again on this earth, I am comforted to know that this isn't the end; I hold on to the promise of a Heavenly reunion in the future.
My grandparents showed me how to love and endure, as they have loved each other in their 72 years of marriage (yes, I said 72) along with raising 9 children. I will always cherish and remember Grandma's last words to me before we left for home on Sunday: "Be a good dad." Simple and to the point. She knew how important it was to have a positive, lasting impact on children, as both had had with theirs.
Thank you Grandma and Grandpa, for taking care of your family, for your patience and understanding, for your unconditional love and support, and most importantly, for your time with us here in the United States.
We love you, and will miss you greatly.
Here was our week:
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| About to head out for a morning excursion, clowning around. |
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| Playing hide n seek...found you! |
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| Brae working on her new routine for gymnastics. |
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| She told me that she was the "boss" of her group. |
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| When I asked her who made her the leader, she replied, "I did." |
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| Swung by a brand new hydroponic strawberry farm in Ocoee! The farm of the future! |
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| We had to use scissors instead of just pulling the fruit off. |
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| Getting some guitar lessons before heading down to Avon Park for the weekend. |
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| A quick meeting with cousin Preston before getting ready for church Sabbath morning. |
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| Sabbath School at Walker SDA Church. |
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| Maddy and her love for dollies. |
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| Heading back home for lunch and naps. |
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| Taking it easy on the sofa. |
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| Mommy and Maddy lounge in the living room. |
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| Stopped by to see Grandma Isidro at the nursing home and to take some family photos. |
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| The entire Isidro clan. |
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| Afternoon snack back at the house before |
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| taking our bikes out on the lake. |
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| Just a gorgeous day and weekend! |
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| Uncle Mike trying out Maddy's balance bike! |
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| Kohl took a spill and shows his red badge of courage. What a tough kid! |
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| The whole family came over for supper at Lolo & Lala's. The kitchen was a flurry of activity! |
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| With Grandma and Grandpa Fernandez. |
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| Celebrating the 1st quarter birthdays. |
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A quick movie on Daddy's laptop? Any guess as to which movie?
I'll give you a hint: Frozen. Seriously, these kids love it. |
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| Bonding, chatting, laughing way into the wee hours of the morning. |
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| Early morning set-up for the grandparents' farewell party at the church's Fellowship Hall. |
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| The catered buffet line. What a spread! |
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I emceed the program while Mike was my roving assistant, photographer/videographer,
and singing partner! |
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| Photos with the honorees. |
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| The entire Fernandez family here in the US. |
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| We swung by Auntie Esther's for one last goodbye. This is our last photo with the two. |
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| Picking up some fresh eggs for cousin Preston from the farm. Kohl says hello to some kids. |
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| I think he was looking for something... |
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| Working on a science experiment to grow sugar crystals for class. |
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Monday evening met up with friend and former classmate Jan Moravec, who was in town from the
Czech Republic to attend his 20th high school reunion at Forest Lake.
We hadn't seen each other since he graduated 20 years ago! |
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| The twins celebrate putting the large US map puzzle together. |
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| The Clarke's joined us at Tijuana Flats for dinner Tuesday to see Mike and his family. |
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| Mike and crew flying home to California on Wednesday. |
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As were the grandparents heading back to the homeland.
Auntie Esther accompanied them and will stay there for a month. |
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| Working on some art. |
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| Working on her dribbling skills during soccer practice. |
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| Cute fairy girl after her shower. |
Zoe:
We were also saddened to find out that our old pet Cocker Spaniel and first "child" Zoe had passed away last Thursday night. She was 10 years old and was suffering from glaucoma and a skin disease, along with having had seizures and a history of aggression. Apparently silver cockers had a genetic disorder that made her be that way. We knew the end for her was close when we saw her last on Christmas day last year, but it was still terrible to get the news from my aunt Esther who had taken her in for us. She herself, as with Lala, were heart-broken over the event. But at least Zoe was in a good place in her final years, with good people that loved her and took care of her, despite her condition. Thank you, Auntie Es, for loving and taking great care of Zoe. She will be missed!
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| Our Christmas card in 2005, before getting pregnant with Braelyn the following year. |
Quotes:
- Going to leave the house to get Braelyn from school, I told the twins to go use the potty before we left. After waiting for a couple of minutes and not really hearing anything:
Me: "Maddy, did you go potty already?"
Maddy: "Yah."
Me: "When?"
Maddy: "Right now! So did Kohldie."
Me: "Kohlden, did you go potty?"
Kohl: "Yah."
Me: "When?"
Kohl: "Today!"
Me: "Okay, I need you to go right now."
Kohl: "I did!"
Me: "I didn't hear the toilet flush or you washing your hands."
Kohl: [pauses, then runs back to the bathroom] "Oh...yeah!"
- Braelyn was saying prayer for us before we started driving to Avon Park. She asked God to keep us safe and "To help Daddy not to fall asleep because he looks really, really tired."
- Kohlden was trying to go potty standing up in the bathroom all by himself, and he ended up spraying all over the place:
Me: "Why did you do that without Mommy or Daddy's help?"
Kohl: "I was pracnising. I was practing."
Next time, pracnise outside!
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| How can you not laugh with these three? |
Have a great weekend!
