As Memorial Day approached we decided it was beach or bust for the Gentry fam; we booked a room at Old Orchard Beach in Maine and we were off early Saturday morning.
We checked in, got our suits on and walked across the street to the gorgeous, sunny and sandy beach. I learned something about the beach; it makes you feel terrible about your body and it makes you feel great about your body. Oh, body image, how you haunt me!!
This is my cute kid; I have a love/hate relationship with my body, but my kid has a love/hate relationship with sand. He LOVES to play in the sandy and build things and dig holes, but he HATES having sand on his hands and is constantly trying to get it off which is a CONSTANT battle when you are playing at the beach in the sand.
Our first night there, Berke fell asleep, Christian was watching the Celtics, so I took a peaceful walk along the beach and listened to the waves crash. It was so peaceful and such a wonderful time to meditate and set goals. It was nice to slow down and just enjoy nature.
We also enjoyed skeeball and lots of rides at the Palace Place Fun park.
We had more fun at the beach.
We took an early morning family walk during low tide. I sure do love my sweet family!
We got home and decided we were still craving more adventure, so we hopped on the T and headed to Boston Common to see the Memorial Day Memorial. There were 33,000 flags on the lawn to represent all the MA soldiers that have fallen since the Civil War.
That is how many years Christian has officially been in school and held the title of student.
Sunday, May 20, 2012 was the last day he will EVER be a student. My sweet, talented and devoted husband graduated on Sunday with his PhD in Music Composition and Theory. He has been studying music composition and theory for the last twelve years; and all of his hard work paid of for this proud day.
When we started dating 10 years ago, Christian told me that his dreams were to get his PhD and teach and warned me that it would be a long road. I was so young and naive that I told him it was be a great journey and we'd do it together. I know back then I did not realize how LONG this journey would be, or how difficult the road might be. I also had no idea how fulfilling it would be or how many great people and places we would meet along the way. Starting at the University of Utah, where he got his Bachelors and I earned my Bachelors and Masters, then moving to Louisville where C obtained his Masters and then finally moving to Somerville, MA where he attended Brandeis and earned his PhD.
The PhD program is set up to finish in five years; that is how long they give you funding for, however in the five years we have been here none of Christian's colleagues have finished in under six years. We set a goal together to get done in five years knowing it would not be easy. Christian not only worked during his studies teaching classes, but also juggled his wife and being a stay at home dad, something none of his colleagues had to do. I am so proud of my husband, he really is Superman. I don't know how he pulled off getting this degree in five years with all he had on his plate. I know there were way too many early mornings and sleepless nights for him so he could get work done when there was quiet in the house. He has always focused on his school work but never forgotten the importance of spending time with his family and strengthening relationships.
I am proud that my husband followed his dream! Not many people get a PhD and I can see why! Not many people get any degree in the arts due to the unstable job market; but my husband has a gift and a love and I know that he can be happy in life doing what he loves now.
I could not be prouder of my graduate! What a special day for both of us.
Love you babe!
Louis Brandeis, the great judge the school is named after.
Mom and Dad Gentry came to town for Graduation weekend; the weather was warm and sunny so we took full advantage and took a day trip to Rockport, MA. Not really sure why we have never been to this adorable town before, but so glad we finally discovered it. Have I told you how many wonderful places there are on the East Coast?
I cannot believe how lucky I am to have these two handsome lads in my life! Look how cute they are!
Me and Momma G taking in the beautiful scenery.
We met up with our pals the Spencer-Weathers and Ryan's folks as well. We cannot believe our buddies are moving in a month. We are going to miss them terribly, so much so that I cant even blog about it right now.
Two Silly Monkeys
This little boy sure loves his Grandma and Grandpa Gentry!
Gotta love the new hat.
Rockport was a lovely town right on the water with all the New England shops you could want, including ice cream, fudge, taffy, t-shirts, jewelry and art. It is just an hour away from Boston; I recommend anyone looking for something to do for a day to take a trip, you wont be disappointed.
Manyang 'Andrew' Mayiik (right) recites the Pledge of Allegiance at a ceremony in his honor on Tuesday at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home (CJNH) - a celebration that marked him successfully becoming an American citizen. One of the Lost Boys of Sudan that relocated to Chelsea about 10 years ago, Mayiik, with the help of staff and residents, persevered through sickness to gain his citizenship.
As one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Manyang ‘Andrew’ Mayiik of Chelsea has made numerous incredible journeys in his lifetime.
Some have been dangerous – fleeing quickly to avoid murderous government forces.
Some were nearly impossible, involving a trek of thousands of miles on foot across the African bush.
Some journeys have been exciting, such as heading to the TD Garden to be recognized by the Boston Celtics several years ago.
Some journeys have been new, like when he and several other young men (Lost Boys) from Sudan resettled in Chelsea about 10 years ago.
But the most recent and most joyful journey for Mayiik has been his quest for U.S. Citizenship. That quest has been complicated by timing and sickness. However, with extreme determination and help from residents and staff at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home (CJNH) on Lafayette Avenue, Mayiik successfully completed his citizenship journey on May 7th, celebrating the accomplishment with the entire home this Tuesday.
“You did it Manyang,” said one resident who called herself Lady Ga Ga, while giving him the double thumbs up sign. “This is great.”
As Jim Honohan and Jack Zimmerman of the Activities Committee sang the ‘Star Spangled Banner,’ ‘God Bless America,’ and led everyone in the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ on Tuesday afternoon, Mayiik said he was thankful to have reached his goal.
“I am very happy,” said Mayiik. “It is a joy, just as happy as in January 2011 when we (southern Sudan) got our independence. I am an American now. I have to thank everyone here, and the interviewer from the government. He was a good guy too. Everyone was very helpful. All the people here were so happy for me. They really do love me.”
Administrators of the home indicated that Mayiik came to CJNH in 2011 after learning that he had a rare form of spinal cancer. After learning of the debilitating condition, Mayiik chose hospice care from the Dr. Matthew Schwartz Hospice at CJNH – with his hospice social worker being Laci Gentry.
Despite that setback, Mayiik told everyone that he wanted to continue his quest for citizenship – which he was already working on.
When his eyesight began to decline, the CJNH community rallied to help him read and answer test questions orally.
When his right arm started to fail him, making writing difficult, again staff and residents rallied around him to help.
In fact, administrators said his positive attitude became infectious and motivated the entire facility.
By his test date on May 7th, everyone was cheering for him to pass, which he did.
At the celebration, Administrator Phil Sher said they have marveled at Mayiik’s positive attitude not only thorugh his illness, but also through his previous experiences in the Sudan.
“I have known Manyang for a number of months now and I’ve been astounded by his attitude towards life,” said Sher. “Based on his experiences and those that the Lost Boys of Sudan have had, this is inspiring. I’ve heard stories that on a moment’s notice, whole villages had to literally pick up and run for their lives. Literally run away within minutes. A lot of them didn’t make it. They were killed. He survived and he is so happy despite everything. He definitely inspires me and the entire facility.”
Mayiik told the Record he left the Sudan nine years ago and was sponsored by the United Nations as a refugee.
He came straight to Chelsea at the age of 21, along with a number of the other Lost Boys – all of whom still stay in contact and many of whom were present for Mayiik’s celebration on Tuesday.
While many of the Lost Boys pursued an education, Mayiik set off to work, landing a job at the Hilton Hotel in Boston. An avid basketball fan, he follows the Celtics and knows everything about former Sudanese player Manute Bol.
“I would love to have the Celtics come here,” he said. “I met them once and would love to see them again.”
The Lost Boys was a term given to orphan boys from Southern Sudan by aid workers in African refugee camps. Their story began during the second civil war in Sudan, which spanned from 1983 to 2005. The bloody war featured inhumane attacks by the Sudanese government on Christian villages in the southern region, populated mostly by the Denka Tribe. More than 2 million were estimated to have been killed during the war.
However, some 20,000 young men who had fled from their villages or were away from the village tending to cattle survived the slaughter. Many of them fled thousands of miles on foot from Southern Sudan to Ethiopia, while others found refuge at camps in other far-flung African countries.
In the late 1990s, the U.S. sponsored a relocation program for the Lost Boys in America, and a foundation paid for their schooling once they arrived. The first Lost Boys arrived in 38 American cities around 2000, with the largest number residing in Omaha. However, numerous Lost Boys also located in Chelsea – and like Mayiik – still reside here.
“When I was in Africa, there was a lot of fighting and the government killed people too,” said Mayiik. “When we got here, we started over, but those at home kept fighting for their freedom. The happiest day was January 2011 when they became independent. We were happy here too. Now, I am an American citizen and my home is free too. I am happy.”
Judging from the response at the CJNH, that happiness is spreading rapidly.
After being diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer in 2011, Manyang Mayiik began to study for his US citizenship exam. On May 7, he passed the test, and his dream became a reality.
Mayiik, 31, celebrated his new citizenship Tuesday at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home, where he receives care.
“He was pretty proud; it’s been such a long held dream of his,’’ said Sondria Berman, the Chelsea Jewish Foundation’s director of communications. “For him to do it now means even more to him than before his diagnosis. It’s really pretty inspiring.’’
Berman said Mayiik moved to the United States more than a decade ago amid civil war in his native Sudan. One of the “Lost Boys of Sudan,’’ a name given to thousands of youths who were displaced during that country’s second civil war, Mayiik, she said, always dreamed of becoming an American citizen.
“It was a celebration for him,’’ Berman said. “There was a concert in honor of Manyang and cake and ice cream. But, it’s more about kind words honoring his achievement and celebrating his citizenship with everybody else he lives with.’’
At the age of 20, Mayiik, moved to Chelsea, where he shared an apartment with friends and worked as a housekeeping manager for a local hotel, Berman said. Shortly after his diagnosis in 2011, Mayiik moved into the nursing home and elected hospice care at the Dr. Matthew S. Shwartz Hospice.
After moving into hospice, Mayiik began studying for his citizenship exam with the help of the home’s staff. Despite declining eyesight and limited use of his right arm, he was able to listen to study material on audio tape and practice oral questions.
After passing the exam, Mayiik, decked out in New England Patriots gear, was sworn in as a citizen on the same day at the John F. Kennedy Federal Building in Boston.
“We are so proud of Manyang for never giving up on his dream, and for facing each and every day with hope, courage, and fortitude,’’ Laci Gentry, social work and bereavement coordinator for the Dr. Shwartz hospice, said in a statement.
Mayiik is “thrilled to have his citizenship at a time when it means the most,’’ the nursing home said in a statement.
My Dad turned 50 years old on May 11, and we wanted to tell him how cool we think he is by sporting an awesome mustache just like him. As soon as my dad could grow facial hair he did; I have NEVER seen him without a mustache.
CHEERS dad! Today is the day of the "Bill-stache!"
