June 2016 Update

I’m slowly healing and making small gains every day.  Today I was able to cut my own fingernails for the first time since I broke my wrist last month.  It’s such a small thing, but significant in my mind.  I’m still typing and doing most things with my left hand only or minimally adding my right, but I’m noticing more flexibility and use in my right hand.  I’m in a removable splint now so I can shower, and the pins were removed earlier this week, so that wound can heal.  It felt better immediately once the pins were out, and taking them out really didn’t hurt at all.  I was afraid it might because the skin had swollen almost completely over the head of one of the pins, but my doctor was very gentle in working them out.  I now have a wound to care for at the pin site, and I think I have the splint for four more weeks at least.  I have pictures I can text to anyone who likes to see rather gross things, but I won’t be posting anything more graphic than x-rays here.  If you want to see the gross pictures, text me.

Xray showing the Y-shaped plate and the pins

My removable splint

Now that we’re done with the medical news, we’ll get on to the rest of the family news that’s fit to print.

Levi is playing baseball again this summer in our community league.  I don’t know their record, but I’m guessing they’re around .500.  Several of us have gone to his games, and I always enjoy them and try not to be one of those obnoxious parents, especially since his coach is a friend of mine from church (Mark Holcomb).  I haven’t gotten ejected from the stands, so I guess I’m doing OK.

Hazel loves watching Uncle Levi play baseball!

The week before Memorial Day, the whole family (Krista and I, and all our kids and their families) spent the week in Virginia Beach at a rented house.  It was tons of fun just spending time together, even though my activities were limited by my wrist.  We played at the beach, sat by and played in the pool, played board games, had four-square and euchre tournaments, and Cody organized another Mole game like he did two years ago at Outer Banks.  We also took turns cooking our main meal each day, which explains my weight gain.  I am blessed (cursed?) with a family of excellent cooks.

At the beach

The water was cold, but that didn't stop Mat, Levi, and Cai!

One of our amazingly delicious meals

Brother/sister love

On Memorial Day, Zach and I marched with our CAP squadron in Batavia’s parade.  OK to be truthful, Zach and the other cadets and senior members marched, and I drove the CAP van behind them.  No, my job wasn’t to keep them moving, but just to show what organization the marchers were from.  It was easy to drive one-handed since I was only going about 3 MPH.

Normal driving is still a bit challenging for me, although I can do it.  But since my usual commute takes me from the west side of Rochester where I live to the east side where I work, my boss agreed to let me work from home a couple days a week until I’m more healed.

Hannah’s birthday was on 6/6.  Those who live here get together at Ella’s house each Sunday night to play games, so we celebrated at our 6/5 family game night.

This summer, Zach and I are going to the CAP New York Wing Leadership Encampment, as we did two years ago.  Zach will be cadet staff working in Services (food prep and clean-up).  I will be a Character Development Instructor and help in Administration (check-in and –out, records, etc.) and anywhere else I can be useful.  We went to required training this past weekend at the Air National Guard base near Schenectady where we’ll be meeting.

Kortney and Mat celebrated their 2nd anniversary on 6/13.  I just realized I never announced here that they are expecting their first child in October.  I was supposed to do it last month but wimped out with some lame excuse about it being too hard to type.  Anyway, my birthday is 10/19, so I’m voting for a birthday grandchild, but no pressure, Kortney.  In case you’ve lost track, that will be grandchild #4 for us, with Ella and Cody’s second child due in about a month.  I did tell you about that one, didn’t I?  Yes, in March.  Nice that we can look back on the old updates on the web.

To end, some cute grandchild pictures:

Hazel loves ice cream!

It's fun to be tall!

Where's my magnet to play with?

Until July!