pics with my Dad

Grandpa 2003
Grandpa with his wife Dianna and Caleb and Malachi

Romaine and Tracy's Wedding

The Birth of the AquinoClan

OK, I'm feeling more balanced now. The pressure of getting the house on the market by next month is off, no, not for any particular reason, other than what I said before. I am working on doing what I can, leaving the rest to God, and there is a lot of 'the rest' let me tell you!

I just learned from my Realtor, that only 18% of short sales end in escrow. This means the rest end in foreclosure. If we don't get this house this round, we can try again if/when it goes into foreclosure. Apparently the banks get a tax write off for their losses with a foreclosure, not so much with a short sale. If any of you are really into write offs as I am, you can see how these lenders would choose the higher write off, not necessarily the highest moral integrity, considering these same lenders contributed to the problem we see here in the Bay Area.

Many people were approved with 'creative' negative amortization loans that borrowers couldn't possibly pay when the initial low payment terms ended, 3/5/7 years usually. Over the last years here, before the bubble burst, you could just refinance, the equity was growing so fast it easily accommodated this 'creative' financing. I think it had been going on for years, just the people at the tail end of the curve took the hit.

So Lawrence and I have sent a letter of invite to Lawrence's mom, Cecilia. The prayer is that God do what is the best, so if having Lawrence's mom living with us is too hard on family life, that she not come. The letter outlined basic boundaries and norms. We even included a list of American values to help a foreigner understand Americans better. My aunt and uncle sent Lawrence and I a copy over 15 years ago (I know, can you believe it's been that long?!). It took us about 7 years to come up with a workable culture of our own, and the Aquino Clan is born:). If Cecilia can make it through the paper, she will have a better understanding of the things we do. A very interesting paper. http://www.cmc.edu/math/alee/extra/American_values.html Re-reading this paper, I laughed, and found it funny. So much truth. Perspective, with 15 years of seeing the truth play out. Asian and western values are so different. Without Christ, we wouldn't have had a foundation for unity.

A Caulking Story

I have been working my self into total exhaustion and have become completely overwhelmed . As I shared this with my sister, she reminded me that if God is going to give me the next house, it would not be based on my exhausting myself, but God doesn't need me to work miracles. Imagine that! Don't misunderstand, I believe in doing my part to be available...but giving from what I don't have..... always relearning and applying these lessons. I am so relieved, I spent today doing nothing! At the end of the day, I was able to finish caulking the shower.

After "un-caulking" the shower several days ago, and not having access to the shower all this time, I am so tiredly excited to have this project completed! Not so simple as I had hoped.

We are still waiting on the house I mentioned earlier, Dennis Ct. While it seems so perfect, we don't have our ducks in a row to get it if they offered it to us at this point. The Realtor said the lenders were planning on making a decision this upcoming week. So, we continue to prepare the house for sale, and need to sell before we can purchase. God can do anything, so we wait and live while the future unfolds.

Wontok Children

I recently realized I haven't shared much about Wontok Children, the non-profit I am working on starting. If anyone has started a 501(c)(3) and wants to help get the bylaws and paperwork set up, let me know:)

Some great service opportunities if you want to join in this project. We need many things for the backpack project. You can buy backpacks, or any of the supplies. In August, there are so many sales! Backpacks are on sale in September. I bought them for only $5 at Walgreens and Longs last year. We also need donations for shipping costs, and then a fun day of packing the backpacks. Bring your kids and get them involved blessing other children! We have so much here, our struggles financially are a far cry from the true poverty of this province. What an amazing opportunity to help others. To touch those starving children in Africa, if you don't know what I'm talking about......... You know when you had to clean your plate as a kid because you had food, albeit gross, and the kids in Africa are starving, how did this help them exactly?

Below is a rough idea of what WONTOK CHILDREN is, and where I see it going.

Do you believe in co-incidences? I don't. Many things come together at just the right time, providence, God's sovereignty? I think so.

WONKTOK CHILDREN

Mission Statement:
· Share Christ’s love
· Discipleship
· Empowerment through education, reading
· Teach living intentionally


Vision:
Broaden minds of children through education, literature, teach basic life skills, parenting, vocational training, entrepreneurial development, provide job opportunities. Help impoverished girls to see hope in their future, not end up using their bodies for survival.


Project List:

1. Lending Library at local Mapandan School- donated children’s books
2. School Supplies – providing teachers with supplies
3. Backpack Project- each child gets a backpack at the school
4. Building Library on commercial land in Mapandan
a. Pay back taxes on land, get title (Lawrence's family owns a small property there)
b. Building structure
c. Librarian – story hours, filing books, managing library
d. Shelving
e. Computers with internet service ??
f. Music listening area ??

5. Boarding School style Community-
a. To build a community, boarding school style to house, feed, and educate orphans and local children. Parental involvement will be required for children with parents. Co-op style.
b. Where Christ is taught as truth, with biblical values.
c. Charlotte Mason style education. Math, reading, phonics, writing taught up to lunchtime with well supervised time to explore the world with magnifying glasses, bug nets etc… after lunch.
d. Strong work ethic will be learned. Everyone will have a job.

Backpack Project-

Our goal is to give each child a backpack, one entire classroom at a time(43-45 students per class). Each backpack includes:

Optional items(find sponsors)
Toothbrush (instructions for use)
Hand sanitizer
toothpaste

Spiral Notebook
Crayons
1 book
1 biblically accurate story book or Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Voss or Egermeier’s Bible Story Book
Pens
Pencils
Pencil sharpener
Small toy or stuffed animal
Library

Opening minds through reading is the best gift to assist impoverished people out of poverty. The world is at your fingertips if you can read. Readers are leaders.

School Supplies
Our goal is to provide "Mapandan Elementary" with the teaching supplies the teachers need to properly teach.
· Chalk
· Classroom pencil sharpener
· Age appropriate writing paper
· Teacher planner
· Large hand sanitizer dispenser


Shipping Costs
We are prayerfully considering using a shipping container and sending books , backpacks and any other supplies all at once. We are accepting donations to cover shipping costs. The shipping container is from port to port, Oakland to Manila. Vans, and or trucks will need to be rented from Manila to Mapandan, as well as drivers.

another link for pictures on Zillow.com

http//www.zillow.com/search/RealEstateSearch.htm?dg=dg1&addrstrthood=38423+Dennis+Ct&citystatezip=Fremont%2C+CA+94536


http://www.visualtour.com/applets/flashviewer2/viewer.asp?t=1301549&sk=30

Now you have all the pictures that exist on this house.

Please keep praying for God's best. Also, for the right situation for our current house, best renters, lease to own, bless another family. Wisdom and discernment before we go mixing things up for others. THanks

Dennis Court

We put on offer on a house that is a one-in-a-million chances. Let me tell you about this house!

1. In Glenmore - 1 minute drive to my friends house!
2. Huge tree in large backyard - already has a swing
3. In very good shape, has lot of original parts - great bones
4. kitchen is in the center and has so much potential.-and is eat in!
5. floors are hardwood throughout. living room looks good already. Bedrooms have expired carpet:)
6. There is already a sandbox!
7. large back yard, covered patio
8. The house is 1900 sf which is laid out very usably.(is that a word?)
9. No garage - but 2 huge sheds/outbuildings - tons of storage with possibility of turning one into Lawrence office.
10. A large room to use for homeschooling (the picture with lower half of wall with panelling)
11. 2 large closets- 1 could be a games closet (we have so many games I've been wondering where to keep them, so they are organized and accessible!)
12. Room for a dog if if if we so chose.
13. Definetely a large grassy area with auto sprinklers and.....a dirt area.
14. We could compost, worm compost, dig holes in the dirt with out digging up all the good stuff, and very excitingly, there is a mud remover affixed to the back porch!

http://www.movoto.com/real-estate/homes-for-sale/CA/Fremont/38423-Dennis-Ct-12_40329994.htm

There are pictures on this link. Not good perspective to show what it really looks like, but a glimpse.

I know our next home will be a miracle home so why not this one? Some things to pray for. This home is a short sale, which means the owner owes more than the property is worth, and the bank decides how much they are willing to lose. There are 7+ offers on this property, so the likely hood of ours being accepted is low as we are not the highest bidder.

What I do know is that if this house is ours, what appear to be obstacles to us, are like mosquito's to God, or even less actually. I know God will either clearly work miracles to give us this home, or clearly close the door. In this case, it will slam loudly. Aside from the house meeting so many of our desires/needs and matching the list of things I have been praying for, I would never expect us to be able to get it.

With this house we would consider bringing Lawrence's mom over. There would be enough room to comfortably have her here. I know, those of you whom have walked with me for a while are stopping to re-read that last sentence. I NEVER thought I'd be willing, but I am open to it, really. The thought of taking care of her was never an issue, just needed more space to accommodate. I always assumed it would be in a separate living space, but God has opened my heart to it....... I am thankful that God will not bring this about if it isn't the best situation for our entire family. There are good things for our children to see about taking care of family.

I have to confess some of the challenge that made the 6 months she stayed with us so hard, We didn't have a place for her, no discussing ahead of time, and many unknowns. I was at the end of my pregnancy with Silas, and the first few months of a newborn. More importantly, I have had to work through forgiving her for the parenting decisions she made that have affected Lawrence.

Another prayer, unrelated to the house, please pray my mother-in-law will go spend time with Sherwin in the Philippines. He's in rehab over there, and is a place in the program where he is supposed to have a family member to dialog with and attend weekly meetings.

Speech Therapy

Malachi has started speech therapy. He had a session last week and second one today. He LOVES it! He loves his speech therapist, Loren. Such a blessing, since he is going once a week! This is our special time together, and time for him to get someone focused just on him. He said he likes being the only kid getting all the attention, but he really wants to invite his brothers to join him to play the games today. Such a generous spirit, wanting to share good things with his brothers.

We are meeting in Loren's home, which Malachi and I like. Very comfortable feeling. Loren, the speech therapist, asked if I wanted to stay, instead of me having to tell her I was staying, and giving my litany of reasons.....I was welcomed! The main office is much more corporate, and the therapist there begrudgingly said, we'd try it for a time to see if Malachi was too distracted, and if so, I'd have to stay outside during therapy.

I had been praying about a best personality match for Malachi, and God is faithful, and giver of all good things, not only is Loren gentle with her speech, but very attentive and patient. Malachi is having so much fun playing games and is doing well with his sounds too.

Cardinals and Red Socks

We are now a few weeks into the baseball season. I was late to Malachi's practice, and I had Malachi, I was so encouraged and had to share. There were so many parents out on the field. It looked like workshops going on. Since I had complained, it was important to share. Some of you must be praying!! I happily watched for a short time, then went over to Caleb's game and cheered him on. I'll take some pictures and you can see the evolution of his stance. He takes his batting stance very seriously now. Caleb's coach is so high energy......he yells out randomly, "Red Socks ______" and the kids and parents yell, "Rock". He also yell/asks the kids, "WHO ARE WE?" and they mumble back "Red Socks". The kids are getting a little louder. I don't know which is more amusing, the coach or the kids.

Dry skin solution!

Something I found while looking through my pictures. I thought You'd get a kick out of it. I have mentioned before that I wished Lawrence would take pictures of the things that happen on his watch so I can enjoy later:) Well, looks like he did.....

If you look closely at the picture below, you can find the answer to the question, 'WHAT is that stuff anyway?'

Baseball Mania

I seem to have fallen into baseball land. Lawrence's friend Joel convinced him to do an easy job, be team manager for Malachi's T-ball team. Call the list of parents and tell them what team they are on, coordinate jerseys, general team start-up stuff. Remember this is from my perspective, so actual factual conversations are just hearsay.

Fast forward to now.......Lawrence is coaching the team alone! Think about this, Lawrence who tends to prefer people not interrupting him at work with 'pointless' conversation, is in charge of 9-12 T-ball players, their MOMS!! and dads. His laid back style has already caused quite a non-laid back reaction, however at present, no one wants to be coach. I am hoping and praying that some of the parents afraid of commitment, but willing to help where they can, will, in essence be the coach. I must mention, we have a great team mom.

I have encouraged those whom I have heard making suggestions under their breath to participate. Please pray that I am gracious and kind as I continue. I have lots of scenarios of conversations rattling around in my head, some less uniting than others, I know you know what I mean. I really do want this to be a fun experience for the kids and not torture for Me and the other parents, so please pray for harmony, team unity, gentle spirits, and an openness for any ministry opportunities. Our church is a 10 minute walk from the field.

Caleb has a very HIGH energy coach. He used to be a pro baseball player and he has a plan and is teaching those boys a lot. This team was just formed and there are no parent volunteers on this team yet.

15 year anniversary

Lawrence and I had our 15 year anniversary yesterday. We celebrated with the kids by going out for sushi. We've been happily married for 8 years now! God is good and miracles really do happen. We are so blessed.

Gary Eugene Boyd 1941-2008

He died early this morning. His heart failed, they shocked him and gave him medicine but once the medicine wore off, he coded again. He had been unresponsive for some time before this. He was unable to breathe on his own, and once he was taken off of the respirator, he didn’t even take his second breath. His wife released my dad from his suffering to go be with Jesus, where there is no pain or suffering. I am happy for this peace he has now. Caleb said he wasn't sad because he knew Grandpa was having a party in heaven with Jesus.

Dad was loved by his wife, whom he has been married to for the last 5 years. She saw his heart and enjoyed being with him.

My dad was born to cousins during WWII, left in an orphanage in Nebraska until he was 2, then adopted by evil people. He had a damaging, to put it in vague terms, childhood. He was acquainted with suffering, but he also came to know Christ. To know where he came from, you can see how Christ worked in his life.

Growing up, my most vivid memory of my dad was his absence. Although along the road there were some moments.

As a young child I remember my dad singing in a barber-shop quartet. He loved to sing bass, as low as he possibly could. He would sing strains and pieces of songs. On the occasion when he would come into my room at night, I’d ask him to sing “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you, all the days of your life...” He’d sing it a few times. We sang together in church once, I’m not sure how old I was. 10? I’m thinking it may have been, “They will know we are Christians by our love”.

My dad could give the best bear hugs. I knew he loved me as a child because of those hugs. I give those hugs to my boys, who eat them up and can't wait to squeeze the air out of me!

On Sundays, my dad would crank up the Gaithers as he made pancakes, the other Sunday morning rituals don’t bear mentioning.

He loved apricots fresh and ripe from the backyard tree. I remember him cutting up cantaloupe and later on lots of canned peaches.

We enjoyed stolen moments with the TV on occasional weekends where we'd watch shows like Barnaby Jones, Rockford files, Quincy, and Star Trek. As a family, we did watch Star Trek The Next Generation, possibly the only sanctioned TV outside of the Olympics. We’d watch that Saturday nights and eat air-popped popcorn with stove melted butter.

My dad spent much of his at-home-time enjoying sci-fi novels, in the living room on the couch. I remember this large book of ‘The Hobbit’ he’d read to us. It had pictures, plastic overlays.
A couple of times he read books after dinner. I remember a couple missionary stories.

When I was 14 my dad gave me 3 pairs of cloisonné earrings, and when I was 18 he gave everyone in the family scarfs.

I lived alone with my dad for about 5 months in 1990. We didn’t see each other often, but he left a sticky note on my door that said “I love you”. He made turkey burgers with frozen mixed vegetables, the kind with lima beans:-0 served with a side of BBQ sauce. Did I mention this was every meal he ate at home. Perhaps breakfast was different, I don’t remember that.

Whenever I said goodbye to my dad, as an adult, he’d always say, “Love you kiddo”. I love you too dad.

My Dad

My dad had a stroke last Friday, he is in the hospital. Things aren't looking too good. My sister and I drove down to SoCal to see him Tuesday. We saw him that night around 10p, which under normal circumstances is the middle of the night for him. We woke him up just enough to see an eyeball, and came back the next morning. He was still very groggy, although he did nod that he remembered seeing us the night before. He woke up more and more the longer we were there. By the time we left he was making faces as Elizabeth and I cracked many jokes at his expense, mostly his dangerous, aka, bad driving. He wasn't able to move his limbs more than a couple of times, and speaking was such a challenge, I didn't think he could do it, until he set the record straight on something once. His twin has a daughter, not a son. Speaking seemed to be very difficult, sometimes his mouth moved like he was working on speaking, but gave up. One time, it was completely garbled.

After we left to go back to the Bay Area, my dad took a turn for the worse. He was transferred to the CCU(critical care unit) where they shocked his heart because his rhythm was off. He was put on meds to maintain the proper heart rhythm. He is now off those meds. He wasn't oxygenating his blood properly, so he was also intabated. This means he's on a breathing maschine.

He already has total kidney failure, hence the dialysis. He has a sinus infection, pneumonia in both lungs and now a staph infection. He is also on blood pressure medication. I don't know if this is new or he was already on prior to this hospital experience.

Driving down, Elizabeth and I were cracking inappropriate jokes, laughing. On the way back, I felt strangely better, however tired, and quiet. Now, I feel sad. I know I'll see my father in heaven, maybe then I can know him whole and undamaged.

A move to Fremont

I am praying we move to Fremont, to a neighborhood called Glenmore. This move makes sense on many levels. 2 weeks ago today I began to share this desire with my family group, aka bible study. Friday after that I met a new friend Janna, via a growing friendship with Amy. I mentioned in passing this desire. At the end of our park day Janna said let's pray we all live in the same neighborhood! Knock me over! A strong desire of mine is to be in community, to raise my children with other similar minded people. To have run into someone with a similar desire and willing to pray together right here and now! So we joined hands and prayed we end up in the same neighborhood. I'm so excited. When God moves, it is always immeasurably more than we can imagine, ask for, or our mind can conceive.

Those joining our prayer for this move, that it add to our testimony, for a blessing in finding a home with the Lords fingerprints all over it. The caveat, I only want this move if it truly is best for our family. Seems like it will be. Lawrence will cut 1 hour a day off of his commute. My prayer for the house itself: an eat-in kitchen, a space for homeschooling, a climbing tree in the yard, a yard big enough for a trampoline, a dog run?, dirt area, grass area

mudman returns

I should have known I'd have another opportunity sometime to show you my mudman. Silas covered himself in (ajax), yikes. I ran and grabbed the camera, then cleaned him up. I recognized the smell, but it didn't click that it was ajax until I found the evidence. I haven't used it for cleaning in a while, have moved to natural stuff so kids won't have problems with toxic exposure! Ironic I know!



Too much work to download the camera now, will add another time.



We are praying God will bless our family with a move to Fremont. We are looking to rent in the Glenmore area. This would cut 1 hour off of lawrence's daily commute, and bring us closer to a hopeschool, church community. We are in a great commuting location now to anywhere in the bay area, but that also means, not too much community right here.

Please join us in prayer that the Lord will reveal the best for us, beyond what we could have asked for, conceived in our mind or heard of. When the Lord moves and blesses, he gives so much, for our ability to bless others, build our testimony and whatever I can't even think of.



A home with a kitchen as the heart, a yard big enough for a large trampaline, a place for homeschooling base, it's own room.

Silas spitting?!?! Malachi

Under the boardwalk

Uncle Joey and Autnie E - aka EJoe with Isabella.

See, here is the sea anemone, and the sea star.

Caleb

The Crows landed and snacked on fresh seaweed.This one is just so cute.... Silas, putting up the tent.
out of time sequence, but I'm sure you've guessed that.

Caleb Silas

Silas Malachi

We visited 'Starfish City' this winter on one of the coldest days of the year! As many times as we've visited Santa Cruz, we've never seen this vast treasure trove of sea life. There were anemones, muscles, barnacles - huge and small, crabs, snails, misc. crustaceans. Sooo cool. I'll post other pics. I thought I'd named them so they'd be easier to find, but only 'Starfish City', so named by Caleb.
Silas making a sand pile

Happy 40th Birthday Lawrence!

The new girl in Uncle Lawrence's life.

Isabella practicing her Sumo stance! She's just turned 10 months and is taking her first few steps on her vacation in the Bay Area. She's visiting from Austin TX!
Tiger shark at Hayward Shoreline interpretive center.
Uncle Lawrence and his niece Isabella!



Today Lawrence turned 40. We celebrated by going to Gerry's Grill, a nice Filipino restaraunt. We got to spend dinner and dessert with E Joe and Isabella. Isabella is 10 months

A book worm team

This morning, Silas woke up, climbed out of our bed and climbed in bed with Malachi who began "reading" The Little Red Hen. Such a beautiful thing! Silas was laying next to Malachi with rapt attention. His appetite for books has recently become apparent, his attention span increasing. He has joined the ranks of reading books over and over.

Back at the villiage, life as normal?

We babysat Cheyenne, our favorite dog overnight last week.

Silas playing with magnets.
Starting vacuuming early. Disguises optional.

I had to make this entry to share my newly permanent markered baby. Malachi found Silas with a permanent marker and thought he'd be the teacher of how to mark as much visible body parts as possible. The picture here doesn't do the artwork justice. Much is covered up. He was careful to include the large circles around the eyes. A picture is worth a thousand words....

Malachi's doing well with his cast. It is not nearly as bothersome to him as the splint from the ER was. This is lighter.

While Lawrence was away........Yay, he's back!!

Malachi broke his arm Sunday night! An accident involving a little assistance off a slide ended in a couple fractures on this brave kid. We spent 5 hours of 1 on 1 time. We got to read several books and talk with a 6 year old who fell off a slide and seamed to have broke his arm also.

Malachi was so calm not whimpering or even complaining that the nurse at the ER really didn't think he broke his arm. The worst part was when they put the splint on after 4 ½ hours of waiting. Malachi was groggy and crying, he kept saying the split was too tight and hurt him. The fiberglass was poking into his skin. His arm was hot and itchy. I felt so helpless. This was only a short period though, so it could have been much harder. My mom spent the night, since I got back home at 1a.

Silas woke up about around 2:30a or so. I was just going to bed. He was positively giddy to see me. Very smiley and content and giggly. Hospital departures too fresh.

And now........Lawrence is home.........Halleluja!!!!