Chapman Kids Blog

"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." –John 16:33

Month: January 2020

Christian arrives in Boston

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On Thursday, January 16, 2020

In Science, Work

Christian flew into Boston yesterday afternoon to look for apartments before he starts work at MIT next week. We went to California Pizza–the same place we went when we looked for an apartment in Tempe when he started his PhD at Arizona State University. After dinner, I gave him a tour of Thrive Bioscience where I work. He liked it a lot. The part he liked best was the instruments I showed him that we build. He designed one of the most important algorithms we use in the growing of stem cells. It was really nice for him to be able to see where his algorithm is being used. It is hard to overstate how import was his work in this development.

Christian goes to work

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On Sunday, January 12, 2020

In Education, Family, Work

Christian has been home with us for the last several weeks, but now it looks like he fleeing the nest. Actually he has been paying his own way since he left for his PhD when he was 18, but now, it feels like he is gone for good. When he was in school, we could squint our eyes and semi-believe he was not gone even though he really was. Now though, he does not really need us hardly at all. We like to think our cheer leading is something (and it probably is), but he is truly on his own and making his own way now.

He is now a scientist in the very best meaning of that word at one of the most prestigious institutions of science in the world. It is, in our humble yet biased, opinion much more that just MIT. It is the part of MIT solely dedicated to research, unencumbered with training new young minds, in the very areas Christian studied. We feel somewhat melancholy, but also grateful and humbled that Christian has made it to this level.

He will leave next week and almost certainly never come back except for visits. That is a good thing, but we are in somewhat of a state of melancholy.

Remembering Albany and remembering Tim

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On Friday, January 10, 2020

In Christianity, Family, Friends, House and home

We went to my cousin, Tim Mecum’s memorial service last night. It was amazing. There were 100-150 people in attendance and we got to see a lot of people we had not seen for years. It was a fitting good-bye to a very sweet spirited man who played a significant role in our family when our kids were small. I hope I am remembered as fondly as Tim when my time comes.

We had some time before the service so we drove buy the home in North Albany where we lived for five years and that we remodeled more heavily than any home we have lived in. We were kind of expecting to see something small and run down, but were surprised. We STILL love the house and all the work we did. It was nice to remember some of the goodness we experienced there.

More deer (always a good thing)

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On Friday, January 10, 2020

In Family, House and home

There are never too many deer to watch. We had three wander around the house for several hours this morning. Finishing up the contractor part of our bathroom remodels and heading off to a funeral for a few hours. We are saying good-bye to my cousin Tim who played a big role in our little family when the kids were in elementary school

Juquilita — Most authentic in Centralia

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On Tuesday, January 7, 2020

In Cooking, culture

Juquitita, our favorite restaurant in the area formerly had only one restaurant in Chehalis, but has added a second branch in downtown Centralia. When we came here, we were told by some that La Tarasca was authentic and good. In our opinion, La Tarasca is a mere shadow of the goodness and authenticity of Juquilita. Who ever had the idea that chips and salsa are not a real thing at restaurants in Mexico? We spent the last two weeks in Monterrey eating our free chips and salsa appetizers in a wide variety of restaurants in Nuevo Leon. When you get tacos at Juaquilita, make sure to get tortillas a mano (by hand) rather than de paquete. You will thank me later.

2020 — What to attempt

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On Sunday, January 5, 2020

In Family, Travel

Everyone is back home from Mexico now. Kelly and I have already started work. Christian is waiting for administrative work to be completed so he can look for an apartment near his new job. Tomorrow, Lorena starts the last class she needs to graduate.

This trip had some challenges, but God has his hand in everything. Those challenges turned into time for discussion and reflection that would not have occurred if everything went smoothly. Out of that reflection and discussion came some ideas to explore about what we should do over the next few years.

The setting in Monterrey was just amazing. There was a very small amount of rain and otherwise spectacular weather. There is no city quite like Monterrey with its multiple mountain ranges around and through the city. The video above shows only a minor piece of the city and some of those mountains.

After several carnes asadas, we did note that it would be very nice to figure out how add a charcoal/mesquite grill to our patio. We are working on that now. There were other, bigger ideas that we are actually working on pretty hard that have to do with our home here in Washington and some possible opportunities in Monterrey and its environs.

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