WE ARE GRANDPARENTS ONCE AGAIN!!
Introducing JULIÁN DANIEL ÁLVAREZ KLABUNDE, born November 29
. . . 57 days in advance of his January 25 due date.
The day after Thanksgiving, Rachel was hospitalized with pre-eclampsia. Staying positive, she texted, “We’re happy Julián’s looking good and a bit bigger, understandably a bit nervous but have the good experience of preemies in the family to give us hope.” Three days later, Julián was born in Reñaca on the Chilean coast.
Rachel received and Julián continues to receive wonderful care. He is making very good progress, no longer needing breathing assistance and requiring fewer feeding interventions. He has graduated from the most intense to the medium level of care, all while still several weeks premature. He will likely be released from the hospital sometime in January. All tests indicate a normal, healthy life ahead. We could not be more thankful. All five “Americanos” have plans to visit Chile in February to meet the newest family member!
Rachel visited the US this summer, the first time since 2019. The wonderful reunion included a baby shower for her and her cousin Holly, Grandson Arden’s birthday, an engagement party for niece Kassie and her fiancé Bradley and time to just hang out together. Hector’s work schedule prevented him from making the trip, but you can see that Becky was able to include him in the family photo!
Arden is learning a lot about his own premature birth as he follows Julián’s progress. Arden started Spanish-immersion kindergarten in San Jose, California, and loves it. Someday he and Julián will be able to converse in two languages! We’re thankful for lots of happy times with Arden, Becky and Jonathan this year. Jonathan relayed a recent conversation that puts grandparenting in perspective:
A: “When the Golden Gate Bridge was built, I was not even born.”
J: When the Golden Gate Bridge was built, Grammie and Grampa were not even born.”
A: “What?! That was thousands of years ago!”
Though we’re thousands of years old, we manage to stay active! Kevin coached high school golf again this spring. When the season concluded he decided it was time to pass the torch to a new generation. Many, many young people were positively impacted by his twenty-seven years of commitment, that’s for sure! Don’t worry: he still loves golf, plays golf, watches golf, reads and thinks about golf. Three trips to Borrego Springs, rounds in Eugene and Bandon Dunes and the successful defense of his Southern Oregon Champion title confirm the fact!
In January Penny became president of the Family Nurturing Center Board of Directors. The local nonprofit has grown tremendously in response to the pandemic and to local fires that displaced hundreds of families. Making a contribution to that work is very rewarding. Penny’s mom turned ninety in February, had surgery in July, gave up driving in August and is thriving. She checks in every day and we spend a lot of time together. October saw Penny in San Jose for art exhibitions, a James Taylor concert and Halloween fun with Becky, Jonathan and Arden. Penny was in Chile the first two weeks of December. The planned “Pregnant Rachel Vacation” became a sweet time of support for Rachel and Héctor. “Grammie” wasn’t allowed in the NICU so cuddle time will happen in February. Added Bonus: warmth and springtime sun south of the Equator!
Though we’ll celebrate Christmas in different hemispheres this year, sweet Julián has drawn our family closer than ever through nearly constant texts and photos. Chilean poet Pablo Neruda expressed it so well:
To feel the love
of people whom we love
is a fire that feeds our life.
May we each feel that love and generously share it, widening our circles of humanity,
Penny and Kevin
