Ready to Wrap. it. UP.

Wouldn’t you know that after a warp speed spring, these last two weeks of school are going at…a…snail’s…pace!  🙂  School has kind of been a secondary activity with all the other special things going on but there is light at the end of the tunnel with Wilson’s Senior Sign-Out Day on June 5th, Max and Livy’s last day on June 10th and Rudy’s last day on June 12th!  We are definitely ready to wrap up this school year and celebrate Wilson’s graduation with Grandma Jo, Oma and friends!! 🙂

Rudy had another great dental check-up at the UCLA pediatric dental clinic last week.  This is significant as Rudy’s oral health will be a key determining factor should he become a candidate for a heart transplant down the line.  And since a cavity would require a trip to the OR, there’s even more motivation to brush, brush, brush those teeth!  Rudy also saw his Endocrinologist this week and everything looks the same regarding his thyroid…no worse, no better.  Dr. Hosono would like to take a closer look at Rudy’s growth hormone levels.  Rudy is growing but at a very slow rate.  It is likely a heart/O2/circulation issue and not a growth hormone deficiency but better to run some tests and find out for sure.  With that, we have completed this round of routine check-ins with ALL of Rudy’s specialists!!  Yay!  We see Dr. Harake (cardiologist) again the end of June but everyone else we won’t see until November.

The big kids had a special opportunity over Memorial Day Weekend to go to a youth conference together with kids from our church.  It has been a Memorial Day Weekend tradition for Max and Wilson the last several years but this was the first trip to Elev8 for Olivia.  The kids joined 1700 others at Pt. Loma University in San Diego and had a GREAT time competing in fun events and connecting with friends made over the years.  Wilson and Max entered the talent competition and won 1st place!  As 1st place winners, they got to perform their song for all of the conference attendees.  Thankfully their performance was captured on video…they put together their own arrangement of “Dark Horses” by Switchfoot with an original rap by Wilson thrown in the middle:

Olivia and her friends Cady and Jessica spent two afternoons working diligently on t-shirts for their ultimate frisbee team…the boys were wearing theirs when they won their medals!  Ha ha

With the school year winding down, Wilson is receiving quite a bit of recognition which is wonderfully affirming for him but also a little embarrassing.  I don’t mean to add to the embarrassment but wanted to record his accomplishments on Rudy’s Beat for safe keeping.  What makes us most proud in Wilson is his upbeat, disciplined, others-centered approach to life and his genuine love for God.  It’s such a blessing to know others see those traits in him as well.

Ok, We’ve cleared the final turn into the straight away towards the finish line…the checkered flag is in view!!  Woo Hoo!!!