Bugs at Bartram's

We went to Bartram's Garden for their Little Explorer program...it was a wicked summer day-- a hundred and something plus humidity, but we enjoyed it anyway. We were exploring bugs, of course it was fun!Bartram's, like most places in Philadelphia, is historically significant. It was the farm of another of America's firsts- the first American Botanist. John Bartram was a quaker farmer, who, while plowing his field was struck by the beauty of a daisy, and was inspired to devote his life to learning all he could about plants. He identified and introduced into cultivation more than 200 of our native plants. He lacked formal schooling but taught himself so well that he was recognized as a royal botanist by King George in 1765.
Tanzen observing water bugs...
Ketty on the cool old house...
We made our own butterflies...

Kett's Dream Day

My friend emailed me a while ago...with the subject line "Ketty's dream day." Thomas was coming to town!

To say Makett loves Thomas is an understatement. A few weeks ago I asked Ketty after he woke up if he had had any dreams. He said yes. I asked him what he dreamed about, he smiled and exclaimed, "Thomas!"

Thomas watches him sleep. Thomas watches him eat. Thomas waits by the window for us to come home. He is the bedtime story of choice. Kett goes to nursery to play with the big Thomas. He can create tracks for hours for Thomas to ride on. See Thomas cuddled up to Kett's cheek while he sleeps?

I was slightly concerned that Kett would hyperventilate when he saw his beloved engine in person. He almost did.

Then he got down to business-- their Thomas train tables had all the engines Kett loves. He was thrilled beyond words to be able to hook 5 James' together. I used all my tricks and still couldn't get him to look up.
It was $18 each to ride Thomas for 20 minutes...and $14 for all of us to ride the regular train. Since they rode on parallel tracks we got a better view of Thomas than those riding behind him.
It was definitely Kett's dream day...and Tanzen liked it too :)

Kett Makeovers

Maketty has quite a mischievous streak. Tanzen will follow, but always with a little trepidation of the possible consequences.

The other day I walked in the room to see Tanny dive under the coffee table. Clue number two something was up (clue number one was the giggles, followed by silence). Ketty jumped out laughing and proud. It took a minute to coax a penitent Tanzen out.

Tanzen was quick to say, "look what Kett did". Sounds about right!

R-A-I-N....

We started out just watching the rain in our pj's...
Then we needed to just stick our heads outside...
Then we just needed to see what it felt like...
Ah, how we love the rain!

4 months!

This girl loves to smile! When she's good she's very very good, and when she's sad she's gonna make sure you know!

Panama

As part of the Global Health Initiative (GHI) to improve cancer care in developing countries I was able to travel to Panama and work with the Radiation Oncology center there. We teamed up with Panama’s Instituto Oncologico Nacional (ION), and ALATRO (Asociacion Latino Americano de Terapia Radiante Oncologia), and were immersed in the different modalities of care available and were really able to see first hand how over worked, and underserved this area really is.

View from the patients room.

Cancer hospital.

Radiation vault and Linac.

We visited local cancer charity houses, such as La Casita de Mausi: This is a local charity house for cancer patients in Panama. The house plays a key role in allowing cancer patients to get their treatments, providing housing for cancer patients that don’t have social security and live a considerable distance from the city. To learn more visit, www.casitademausi.org.pa

During the trip we were able to work with ANCEC and Activo 20-30: The Associacion Nacional Contra el Cancer is a National organization in Panama that promotes cancer awareness in developing countries, www.ancecpanama.net, Activo 20-30 is anorganization encourages outreach service in order to create a better future, and focuses on multiple levels of service, such as building schools, hospitals, clinics, gardens, and playgrounds, visit www.activo20-30panama.org

Last, but not least, the nonprofit I started up, RadiationHope.org, was able to donate various radiation items to improve the cancer center there. We seeks to advance radiation oncology and cancer care in developing countries.