Milestones

(ETA links) Phew! I finally figured out how to make the video public on Vimeo. Enjoy. You can hear my hoarse voice a bit, that's how it was during the defense.

In spite of the fact that this week brought an important milestone to my life (and I still owe you the "special post" that I saved for this occasion -- this is not it), I kept thinking that finally getting the Ph.D. wasn't really such a significant event in my life like, say, that of the birth of each of my sons. Those were the defining moments of my existence and I'm pretty sure that (at least for me) nothing will surpass the moments I brought two new human beings into this earth. I know that the birth of new human beings happens thousands of times every day, every hour even, and that maybe only a handful of Ph.D.s are granted each day, but still, what does a Ph.D. really mean when compared with a person?

OK, before I get too philosophical, which really is not my style at all, let me tell you what happened yesterday afternoon and tonight.

I was here at the computer yesterday when my six year old son arrived excited in the room and told me very seriously that I could not imagine what he had just accomplished. So I followed him outside and grabbed the camera, and this is what I saw:

Untitled from Lilian Mama(e) in Translation on Vimeo.

Kelvin had just been able to ride his* bike without the training wheels and I was thrilled for him as were K and my parents. "What a milestone!" I thought as I filmed him, "and only a parent would think that this was important at all," and I planned this post in my mind.
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Tonight I went to lay down with him for a bit before he went to sleep. I simply cannot put the boys to bed, however because I just enjoy talking and talking to them so much that they don't go to sleep at all. I'll never forget one night when Kelvin was almost three and Linton only eight months old. We were in Brazil and I was visiting my in-laws with the boys (and without K -- I went to Brazil for almost two months with the boys back in 2005) and one night Kelvin just kept asking question after question about Bible stories and complex concepts like how evil came into this world (you may remember how serious he was about death only a couple of months later) and I felt so touched by these conversations.

Anyway, tonight there was another milestones of sorts. Kelvin told me that he had had a special dream last night, but that he wouldn't tell me about it because it was a secret. His first secret from me. I guess he's growing up faster than I realized and beginning to create his own space, his own life, and I find that fascinating. I have given life to a unique person, and that's what matters most.

* Actually it was his former 12" bike which has been his brother's since we bought him a bigger bike last year. He had to use it for riding without the training wheels, though, because he's still quite short and cannot step on the ground while seated on his 18" bike -- I wanted to have bought him a 14" or 16" one, but couldn't find one that had "brakes on the handlebar" not just on the pedals like he wanted.

P.S. I guess I have finally realized why I want another baby and have been so envious of my blogging friends Articulate Dad and Rocket Mom, Kate (Expat Mama), and Anjali all of whom had their third baby this year. I have already discussed the pros and cons here, though, so I think it's not going to happen.