Our Sunshine Boys: brother

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Stay at Home Dad graduates

My other brother graduated last week with his Masters in Criminal Justice from Boston University.

It makes me want to go back to get my Masters.....Not!

My brother left his job in 2004 after 15 1/2 years vesting his retirement to attend Concordia Seminary in St. Louis which was 900 miles away from his home. They uprooted-no job, no house-just lots of prayer and faith in our triune God. My brother became a student. His wife, a stay at home mom and homeschooling mom of their 3 girls had to suddenly venture into the work force after about 11 or 12 years. The girls attended school for the 1st time. They are doing absolutely awesome. My oldest niece makes me feel really old. She was born my Senior year in High School-and she graduated High School last week.......AHHHHHHHHHHH! Anyways....my brother is on his way to his new church assignment for 1 year of vicorage and then that may be where his church calling is. Only God knows.

About the boys

As of 3/31/08

Ryan is 4 1/2 years old. He is in preschool and loves every minute of it. He loves to color and he loves Larry Boy, the superhero from Veggie Tales.

Jack is almost 3 and he is the aggressive one. He likes to pick on his older brother. Even though he picks on Ryan, he likes to do whatever his big brother does.

Evan is 4 months old but is the size of an average newborn. He was born 9 weeks early. He was only 1 lb 15 ounces and 12 1/2 inches long at birth.

All of the boys have had their medical issues.

Ryan was diagnosed at birth with hydrocephalus. He was shunted at 3 days old. That shunt failed at about a year old. That is when the docs performed a third ventriculostomy. That failed one month later and was redone. His last surgery was January 2009 when he was 5. He has MRI's annually to make sure the hydrocephalus is under control.

Jack was diagnosed at 3 months old with hydrocephalus. He was shunted immediately but that shunt failed at 7 months old. They performed a third ventriculostomy and he has not had another surgery since. He has MRI's once a year.

Evan was born Intrauterine Growth Restricted(IUGR). He was born at 31 weeks 3 days gestational age. He was only 1 lb 15 ounces and he spent almost 2 months in the NICU.