Adams Down Under

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Thursday, September 30, 2010

A quick update

So it's been awhile...

I was very kindly reminded by my friend recently that I need to update my blog. So here's a quick update because that is all the time I have. I'm pretty sure that Cyrus is more spoiled than his sisters. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? Anyways, he is laying on the couch next to me patiently (as usual) while I type this up.

So here's Cyrus have a little nap. This picture is already a month old at least and he looks different now. He's getting a bit chubby which is totally cute.


Here's Sadie all dressed up as a fairy princess.


Here's Celia holding Cyrus in the hospital. She loves having a little brother.


And here's one of Sadie posing for the camera. She has a dramatic streak in her.


Friday, June 25, 2010

Who Says Men Can't Multitask?


Here is a picture of Brian and Cyrus last night.  Brian was marking (grading) final exam essays and Cyrus was simply loving life.  He slept on his dad's chest for almost three hours!

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Thursday, May 06, 2010

Cyrus Samuel Adams


Well, it’s been 17 hours since Cyrus Samuel Adams arrived in the world—17 hours that the world has been holding its collective breath.  But all can relax, for all is well in the Adams Family. 

Cyrus (for thus shall he be called) made his appearance around 4:20am on Thursday, May 6 after an uncharacteristically difficult labor.  We saw one reason why when he came out face up (posterior).  The other reason quickly became apparent when we saw that he was a 9lb. 4oz. chunk. 




There was a little scare (at least for Dad) when after a few minutes Cyrus began to struggle with his breathing.  The medical staff bustled him off to the special/intensive care unit and placed all manner of tubes in his nostrils, throat and veins.  It was tough to see my little boy struggling so much.  But he quickly recovered and was back with his mom a few hours later.  As of last communication they were both bruised and tired but doing very, very well. 


I brought the girls up in the afternoon after Célia came home from kindergarten.  We bought some treats on the way and had a bit of a family celebration in the hospital room.  I guess you could say it was Cyrus’ very first birthday party. 



The girls loved seeing him.  Célia commented on his every move, literally, including REM as he slept. Sadie laid on the bed and insisted she had a ‘Baby Cyrus’ in her belly.  As evidence, she would lift up her shirt and stick out her tummy as far as she could. 

As you can see below, both girls are excited to have a little brother.  Célia seems ecstatic to have another child on which to practice her mothering skills.

And Sadie.....well, I think she just wants to eat him. 



It's been a long, eventful day. 

Good night from a proud father.

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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Goin' Bananas

Well, Carolyn's due date has come and Cyrus isn't budging.  We are all excited for his arrival, but he doesn't seem to bow to public opinion.  We grudgingly respect his strength of character. 

We promise to let you know as soon as he arrives. 


We also thought to share with you a photo of our bananas.  The girls are fascinated by how they grow.  And for our friends and family in Michigan, "Yes, you can grow bananas in Brisbane, even in Winter." 

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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Pessimism beware!

I would like to share the most remarkable photo I've come across in a very long while.  I would be a better man for adopting his attitude.  



You can read more about him here.

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Friday, January 22, 2010

Hard at Work

The problem with kids these days is that they are just too darn soft!  Too many cuddles and kisses and not enough work!  Well, we ain't got no patience for that in the Adams Family.  As soon as they can walk they got to earn their keep, we say!

Our girls have to get up early and start on their lessons.  




Once they've finished that, then it's into the weight room for their daily workout.













And after they've burned off the extra energy that seems to get all kids into trouble, it's on to the real work...

like shoveling gravel...



and shuckin' corn!



Now it may seem like a hard life, but it does them good.  It keeps them out of trouble and they sleep great at night!

 

Nope, our kids ain't gonna be no lazy, good-for-nothin' moochers thinking they can have fun all day every day.  They'll learn to work and they'll learn to love it!

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Friday, December 18, 2009

Against Criticism

Although it may be true that the nay-sayer is correct more often than is the person proposing a solution, I would much rather be an imperfect resolver than a perfect complainer. 

I say this because I just heard something that grates on my nerves and I felt that writing this post was one way I could fight against such ideas.

As I was approaching the building in which my office is located, I passed a couple of my fellow Ph.D. students.  They were discussing the problem of the prison system in a Pacific Island country, which is that many of the inmates purposefully reoffend because it is preferable to stay there than return to what they have or don’t have outside the prison. 

One of them said, “When I hear things like that, I cringe.”  The other student said to him, “Well, then get in there and fix it.”  His response is what sticks in my craw.  He said, “I don’t want to fix it.  Fixing it is an assumption that there is no flaw in the conception [of the proposed solution].” 

This bothers me for a number of reasons.  It bothers me because it highlights one of the great, glaring weaknesses in academia.  While the majority of academics work hard to make a positive impact on the world, many of us are often quite comfortable sitting in our ‘ivory tower’ criticizing structures, institutions, policies and practices throughout the world, without offering any solution.  A person can ‘enjoy’ a ‘respectable’, successful academic career built solely on showing how someone or something else is wrong.  I put ‘enjoy’ and ‘respectable’ in commas, because I don’t know how anyone can enjoy being perpetually negative nor do I think that such a career is respectable. 

Such a statement also bothers me, because this person will soon complete the Ph.D. process, no doubt successfully, and then will become the teacher of the next generation of university students.  While I don’t know what his career aspirations are, I assume he will become a university instructor because I can’t imagine someone with that attitude choosing or lasting long in any other profession.  But it worries me that this attitude will have a platform of influence over part of the next generation of students, including my children. I  think that while university instructors should certainly help their students see the difficulties and challenges of the world, they should also prepare their students to meet these challenges--with skill and with hope. 

The statement also bothers me because it is weak.  It is an excuse to keep from engaging with difficult issues.  It reminds me of those members of my church who regularly criticize the leaders for their weaknesses yet don’t fulfill their callings or do their home teaching.  I have often counseled members that we are qualified to criticize and complain once we are ready to do something about it.  Otherwise, keep it to ourselves. 

The statement also bothers me because it is cowardly.  Many criticizers don’t offer a solution simply because there is a possibility to be shown that their own ideas are flawed.  It reminds me of a kid in a neighborhood I lived in as a child.  He didn't like anyone.  He would throw things at other kids from the safety of his front yard where he could quickly retreat into the house if you tried to catch him.  Or, if he saw you wrestling with your friend, he would wait until you were inextricably entwined before running up to kick you in the ribs or the head and then sprinting back to his house. He was a coward.  I hope he outgrew it. 

A respectable academic (or person) follows their criticism by proposing action.  Perhaps this is a courageous step, because they are quite aware of the possibility that their approach will be flawed, but they take it anyway, prepared to be kicked in the ribs by the cowardly neighborhood intellectual while they wrestle with the problem at hand. 

I'm happy to hear your thoughts.

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