Men of Bronze and Boston

We had planned on visiting George Washington's home at Mount Vernon once we got off the Auto Train in Lorton, VA.  The estate is only 15 minutes from the station and we thought it would be a great way for the kids to get out their wiggles out before we started our long drive.  

What we didn't plan was to be there 15 minutes before our train was scheduled to arrive!  Somehow our car turned out to be one of the first cars off the train.  Wish I could say we planned it that way but I can take no credit, we were just very thankful.

 

Mount Vernon Estate is full of history and incredibly beautiful gardens.  Amber and Titus were rather tired after the train so they didn't run around as much as we expected.  In fact we ended up keeping Amber in the stroller since she insisted on only sitting down on the ground playing with the gravel.  Surprisingly we ended up spending three hours enjoying the grounds.  They have a really neat treasure hunt for the kids that slowly takes you through the main points in order to gather all the clues.  Jared liked it so much he wants to go back and do it again.

Then we began the second leg of our journey, the drive to Scranton, PA.  We chose to avoid the "corridor" (I-95 through DC/Baltimore/Philly/Jersey/NYC)  traffic and congestion by taking an alternative route presented by a friend.  We are so glad we did.  We never hit any traffic on Tuesday and were very grateful.

A couple hours into our journey Tuesday, it was time for a potty break, to stretch and to eat a late lunch.  As luck would have it the next stop included the historic Gettysburg Visitor Center.  

What a beautiful site, I wish we could have stayed to do the shows and tours but alas we needed to get on the road.  However, we did look through the artifact cases and the food was great in that it wasn't fast food.  Plus there wasn't gravel so Amber was happy to walk and walk which helped her survive the second half of our day.  It was a nice surprise in our journey.

We arrived without further incident in Scranton, PA Tuesday night and left around 10am Wednesday after a nice breakfast.  Our big laugh was a bridge we took over a river entering New York that suddenly hits you with an unexpected toll charge to get off the bridge.  They don't post the amount anywhere, so we paid what the attendant told us.  Chris laughed and said "I guess when you come into New York they just start taking your money."

We drove through and arrived in Boston about dinner time. Overall the drive was rather beautiful and traffic fine till about 15 miles from the hotel. 

Boston is crazy!  There are no lane markers, no street signs, no straight roads or intersections, jay walking is regular....basically we hope to never drive again till we leave.  Our hotel for the next 10 days is right next to the hospital so it should be easy enough to avoid for a while.

Today, Thursday, we spent from 7:30am to 4:30pm at the hospital today talking to doctors, getting prodded, giving blood (Chris and Jared), and filling forms, almost continually.  Everyone we met was incredibly nice and positive about all the good they believe Jared will gain from the surgery. The kids were all phenomenal!  However, its no surprise we are all exhausted; mentally, physically and emotionally.  The exhaustion and stress shows in all of us in different ways, we are surviving but please keep the prayers coming.

Tomorrow is 7am MRI, unfortunately he'll need to be sedated and possibly intubated since it will take at least 90 minutes and probably longer to get all the pics they need and they want to do another special ECHO while he's under.  However, these pics are very important.  The better understanding of his heart they have before they start surgery, the better plan they will have and less time he will be on the heart pump.  Depending on how he recovers we'll see if we can do something a little fun for everyone in the afternoon.

I did update my The Journey Begins! - Monday post before starting this one today if you want to see a few pics of our journey.

FYI though we can receive emails we can NOT send them out over the hotel internet, one of the reasons I thought updating the blog might be easier.  Also for those of you on Facebook Chris is also updating during the day.

 

The Journey Begins! - Monday

When we told Jared last weekend about his need for surgery we wanted him to have something tangible to look forward to, so we planned a "Bon Voyage" party.

It was a simple pizza party with friends and it was a huge success!  Even the weather cooperated with an unseasonably cool evening and a nice breeze.  It was great for Jared, it was great for his siblings and for his parents to have friends to talk with and play with before we left.

Tropical storm Issac made packing up on Monday interesting but we were able to get everything packed in the car between the storm bands.  We actually left the house right on time, a true novelty for our house.  As it would turn out the train was running 45 min. late, go figure.  The boys were SO excited to get on the train.  I must admit to having some trepidations about he cleanliness of our accommodations.  Thankfully when we boarded the train they were quickly relieved. 

Boys loved the train!  The views were beautiful.  The train traveled through more rural areas than the highways and made for a very scenic trip.  Mr. Dennis our attendant was very nice and they all received compliments on their behavior, for which we too praised them.  I don't know what it says that dinner on the train was their first time eating in a "real" restaurant with cloth napkins but it was.  Jared was particularly pleased with this development.  Seating is done in a "fill every seat" manner, therefore Titus and I got to sit with a very nice older couple who were quite taken with our family.

While we were at dinner Mr. Dennis converted our cabin to the sleeping arrangement and we tried to settle down for the night.  Everyone was quiet and courteous but the bumping and general noise of the train made a sound sleep difficult.  None-the-less it was still better than being strapped in the car for 17 hours.  During the night the engineers really put on the steam and made up lost time plus some; we actually arrived in Lorton, VA 30 minutes early.

We have to leave the hotel here in Scranton, PA right now.  I will update about how we got there Monday when we arrive in Boston.

 

Update With Chris FB Posts:

 

Aug 18, 2012, 9:54 PM

Well, it's official. We broke the news to the boyz tonight. We are headed up to Boston for Jared to have open heart surgery to fix the remaining two issues with his heart. We are leaving next monday and won't be back for a month. Surgery on 9/4. Labor Day weekend in Boston, should be a great time.

Aug 27, 2012, 2:24 PM

Sanford Auto Train

Aug 28, 2012, 7:30 PM

The "Otto" train has arrived in Scranton, PA. It has been a long two days. It began loading the car amongst rain/wind from Isaac. Auto train was running about 45 minute because the morning train broke down and arrived 3 hours late. Amtrak people are great and the service was fantastic. The kids loved the sleeper car and the food was incredible. The next morning we actually arrived an hour early. Those drivers has the throttle wide open during the night. Our car was amount the first off and we were loaded and at Mount Vernon by 9:30. We spent 3 hours there. The place is beautiful and it's amazing to walk in the same places as our founding fathers once had. We then started out on our drive and stopped at the Gettysburg war museum. The museum is astounding and has many artifacts from the battle. We will have to go back sometime and take the tours. We are now settling down before our last leg of the trip. Tomorrow we will have (Lord willing) a leisurely morning with breakfast at Marriott residence inn and then head off to Boston. We should arrive mid afternoon. All your prayers are working. Our travels have been safe and speedy. The kids have been great and have received many compliments on their behavior (and good looks). Tina and I are hanging in there. Occasionally the magnitude of what we are doing hits one of us, but we put on our game face for the kids. Doing this apart was not an option. We need each other during this, kids and all. Thank you all for your support and prayers. Be assured they are working.

Aug 29, 2012, 6:59 PM

We are in Boston. We drove by the "Green Monster" on the way in. The boys were very excited about that. Our first impression of Boston was not very good. As soon as we left the interstate, there were NO lane markers and NO road signs. Not a great place to be during the beginning of rush hour. Thankfully we had a (slow) 3G signal and the AAA TripTik App. Since leaving Central Florida, 3G has been spotty and slow. I would think the Northeast would have the best tech???
The drive from Scranton was pleasant and very scenic. We had only two hiccups today. I81 in Scranton was having major construction and it took us about 10 minutes to figure out how to even enter I81 southbound. Then, just before entering Boston, we hit our first traffic jam. And accident had blocked both lanes and the interstate was cleared just as we approached it. We were only driving slow for about 15 minutes, so altogether not a very bad time.
Two funny things happened. As we crossed the bridge into New York state, there was a toll booth. There were no signs telling how much to pay or even what the tolls were for. I guess as soon as you enter New York, they just start taking your money? This had us cracking up. Massachusetts has the nickname "taxachusetts". A couple of miles after entering the state, there was tollbooth. I guess a federal interstate can be a toll road?? At this toll booth, you are given a ticket and then pay when exiting the highway base on how much is traveled. We traveled the entire length of the toll and paid at the end. We came to our exit shortly afterward and lo and behold ANOTHER toll booth!!!! Yikes. At least all these tolls could pay for some lane markings and road signs, right?!?! ;-)
All-in-all, we have little to complain about. The kids were great, the stops and scenery spectacular and our hotel room is much bigger than we anticipated. We will little rest, as we are scheduled to be at the hospital at 7:30 tomorrow morning for Jared's pre-op appointments. The worst part is at 9:00am when I have to meet the blood suckers! Tina "volunteered" me to give blood. :-) Kidding aside, my blood will be used during Jared's surgery. It's a special thing that I am looking forward to. Pray for all of us tomorrow. After three long days of travel, it is another long day at the hospital. Thanks to all for your prayers and support. They are working.

Aug 29, 2012, 10:06 PM

Please pray extra hard. Jared is a bit congested tonight. If he is sick the surgery will be called off. Tina is completely stressed out. I let my guard down and should have more diligent about sanitizer and avoiding exposure on our trip.

 

Swim - Bike - Run

Summer is a time for swimming, especially for us!  The boys spend three mornings a week swimming with their friends, for fun and fitness, under the capable eye of our friend Coach Hanif.  We parents do our best to watch the children, avoid the sun and chit-chat among our selves.

 

The older boys finished off the year with an unusual "Olympics" in which Lance won the kick board toss...

 

....followed by the Mini-Maniac Triathlon once again.  This year the race was on August 5th and for the first time Lance and Matthew had to participate in separate groups.  Matthew being a bit older pushed him into the next level wherein they run 1 mile instead of a half.

The boys did very well once again.  Lance placed 6th overall in his age group and Matthew placed 12th in his; most importantly they had a wonderful time competing.

Ancient History - Hammurabi & China

The boys are really starting understand that these ancient civilizations couldn't have happened by chance.  All the ancient civilizations we are studying, though separated geographically, have similar cultures, beliefs and knowledge because they came from a common background; Noah's sons.  Having personally been taught with traditional secular beliefs of man's development, I find myself constantly amazed at all I'm learning too; how it is clear, chance could never explain so many similarities.

READ ALOUD BOOK:  We continue to read "The Cat of Bubastes".  In addition, I am having Lance begin reading "The Golden Bull" by Marjorie Cowley.  This book is written at an early chapter book level.  The author used the help of many archeologist to create this living history book about life in Ancient Ur.   This is the only living history book I have found about life in Mesopotamia, it focuses on the caste structure and its effects, along with the process of gold metallurgy.  

ART HISTORY:  Since flowers are a large part of Chinese art, we studied Georgia O'Keeffe (It's a loose connection I know). We read "Georgia Rises" by Kathryn Lasky.  Then I found this great art project called "Zoom in Georgia O'Keeffe Flowers" on Practical Pages blog.

  

1782 BC  Code of Hammurabi

• REVIEW:  MAP TREK #6 Sumerians
• Read “Treasure Hunters - The Search for Lost Cities” by Nicola Barber pgs. 8 -13  I really like this book.  It approaches teaching about ancient/lost cities in the order they were found by archeologists, how they were discovered and what they discovered.  It covers ancient civilizations from around the world and through the ages; ie. Minoan, Troy, Greece, Pompeii, Inca, Myan etc.
• Read “Everything You Need to Know About - World History” – The Babylonians pg. 4  This will be the basis of our memory narration for this point.
• Read and look at pictures of Babylon and actual tablet in “Lost Civilizations” pgs. 192-195
• Watch “Ancient History Mesopotamia” This is a nice review of different civilizations of Mesopotamia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-58v5uGJAt4&feature=related
• Mark Timeline

 

1766 BC China’s Shang Dynasty 

DAY 1

• REVIEW:  Timeline;  Students narrate about an item on the timeline
• Read “Everything You Need to Know About - World History” – China pg. 32-33
• Watch “Yin Xu ShangCapital Anyang” (26 min.) This is a great video shot in China that really brings the Dynasty and its people to life.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AEoO0HShQE&feature=player_embedded#
• Look at Shang art in “Imperial Tombs of China” - focus on fact much of their art was made with bronze and the significance of that fact.
• Mark Timeline

DAY 2

• REVIEW:  Narrate what they remember from the video about Shang Dynasty in China
• Read Shang excerpts from “Chinese of the Shang, Zhou and Qin Dynasties”or you can use this site http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/history/shang.htm
• MAP TREK:  Map #20
• Listen to some traditional Chinese Music  http://www.sinohits.net/music/10best.htm
• Read “The Silk Princess” by Charles Santore  This is a beautifully written and illustrated story.  I might buy it just to have around and read.
• Prepare for Art project (black paint, paper and broad brushes)
• Read “The Pet Dragon” by Christoph Neiman letting children practice different characters as you read.  After finishing the book draw, a person using the characters for the different body parts.  This is a fun little book.  The boys really enjoyed this project and it was a great extension to the video we watched.

 

Memory Narration:

The city of Yin, along the Yellow River, was the capital of the Shang Dynasty.  Like other early civilizations the Shang Dynasty professed a very modern civilization; farming, sewage systems, the wheel and chariots, pyramids (though upside down), use of bronze and a written language.  Dissimilarly to other ancient civilizations, they still use a character based system for writing today.  The Shang dynasty used tortoise shells to write their questions to the gods and provided greatest clue to life in the Shang Dynasty.  The people of the Shang Dynasty had similar religious beliefs to that of Sumer and Egypt; they taught the “you can take it with you philosophy”; burying all the rulers would need with them; including their servants.  One of the most famous people was Lady Fu Hou, the wife of Shang King; she was unique in that she was a successful military leader and priest; two positions not traditionally held by women.  She was so important that she was buried in the palace far from the other tombs and as a result was the only tomb found intact.  Another Empress is credited for learning the secret to spinning silk; a key trade item in China for thousands of years.

There are two books I got from the library that we didn’t have time to use this week.  However, I plan to use them in the future for review of the Shang Dynasty and study of the Chou/Zhou Dynasty.

• Growing up in Ancient China by ken Teague
• Made in China – Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China by Suzanne Williams

She Has Teeth!! Finally!

The Most Beautiful Girl, made up for lost time this month.  She had her first FOUR teeth come through, and four more are working their way out.  However, in typical Amber fashion, she's been her happy self through most of it.  I think its been harder on Chris who has been reminiscing how her's is his last gummy smile. Here's looking to having grand children some day.  

Milestone after milestone keeps passing.  With that in mind, I plan to use our time in Boston to focus on teaching her and Titus more sign language.  Amber started signing "milk" this month when she wants a bottle.  Titus has been really interested in signing new words so I think they are both ready and time waits for no one.

Chris jokes she has "cankles"; calves that go straight to the foot skipping the ankle but I'm afraid its true.  She's a big girl, in fact in the picture at the top she's wearing 18 month clothing.  She may not need all her big brothers to defend her; she'll be able to take care of herself.  But then again a lady should always let a man be a man. 

The Cousins

Chris' sister Lisa and her family came to visit this month and Amber enjoyed her first trip to SeaWorld.

One of the most entertaining things our busy girl does is an imitation of a truck backing up.  She'll walk over and stand a couple feet in front of someone sitting on the floor, turn around slowly, then start backing up - beep! beep! beep! - till she bumps into them and then - plop! - sits down on them.  The funny part is, she never looks back once she starts, so if you move a little she'll just keep backing up right past you.

Finally, this is Amber pleading to keep her brother's Clif Bar, apparently she liked it but as soon as I took the photo I told her she'd had give it up.  We'll enjoy chocolate together when she gets a little older. For now she likes the crinkly wrappers.