Wednesday, December 31, 1969, 04:00 PM
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( 0 / 0 )Grant "Hollywood" Martin
Monday, September 12, 2005, 10:43 AM
Well, it's official! Grant (and family) will be staring in a commercial for the American Heart Association Greater Columbus heart walk. The walk takes place on November 8th.
Amy and I took Grant and Connor to WTVM (ABC-TV in Columbus) and taped the commercial last week. It took several times to get it right because every time Grant saw himself on the monitor he laughed hysterically and covered up his face. Finally we had to have the monitor turned off so that it wouldn't distract him.
We're trying to raise money for the American Heart Association, so if you're interested in joining our team or contributing financially, email me at: philmcompany@hotmail.com for details.
Grant is really enjoying Kindergarten. He's made some good friends (like Ethan and Jacob) and enjoys getting to ride to work with Amy every morning.
Well, it's a short update but that's all I've got time for. I'm off to the Georgia Dome to take in the Eagles/Falcons Monday Night Football game to kick off the season!
More later!
God Bless,
Phil "Daddy" Martin
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( 2.9 / 4551 )Grant started Kindergarten!
Tuesday, August 9, 2005, 07:37 AM
Tears were shed and protests of not wanting to go to school were declared... not so much by Grant but by me.
Honestly though, Grant was a little scared going to 'big boy school' yesterday. I was a little scared of leaving him in the care of someone else all day. He teared up a little when I left him and I did as well. I worried about him throughout the day and when I got home last night he was happy to report that he had a good day. He couldn't remember much of what he did through the day (aside from eating lunch, taking a nap and playing on the playground - ya know, the important stuff).
So, things seem to be going well at Blanchard. It really seems strange to me that my little boy is going to real school now. I had one of those moments Sunday night when we were getting the boys ready for bed and I realized that I'd be getting him up Monday morning for his first day of school and it hit me hard. When in the world did he grow up so fast without telling me? Most of the next two decades of his life will be dominated by elementary, junior high, high school and college life. Just a week ago he was a carefree kid, content to wake up and play X-BOX and watch movies and go swimming. Now he's got a Darth Vader lunchbox to take to school. Now he faces the task of learning the alphabet, learning to read and learning math. I'm getting nervous just talking about it. Having flashbacks and whatnot.
Anyway, that's the deal. School has started and Grant has 179 days left in this school year.
So let's all cry out a big "hoot" for the Blanchard Elementary Owls!
God Bless
Phil "Daddy" Martin
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( 3 / 4025 )Coming soon to a swimming pool near you - GRANT!
Wednesday, July 20, 2005, 07:11 AM
Hello all. I hope you all are doing well and realize how blessed each of us are.
Grant is doing awesome. Amy and I realized the other day that he hasn't had a single sick day since the surgery in January. In the past Grant has spent the spring time with a runny nose, ear infections and a sore throat. Not this year. He runs around with a lot more energy than he's ever had and is in relatively great health.
This week Grant started swimming lessons. He says that he's learning a lot from it but so far he still doesn't know how to swim. But he's having fun so that's good. We'll have to work with him a lot over the next few weeks to really get him swimming.
Grant has had a good summer at the boxoffice. He's seen Star Wars so many times that I've lost track. He's also seen Batman Begins (he liked) and Fantastic Four (he loved). Grammy took him to see Shark Boy and Lava Girl (he mispronounces Lava as LLama) and he liked it. He wasn't too crazy about Madagascar. Next up we're taking him to see Herbie Fully Loaded and he wants to see Sky High.
Last week he got a new Darth Vader lunch box to carry with him when he starts Kindergarten in August. He's not looking forward to big school because he doesn't think he'll have any friends there. I assured him that he'll make friends quickly, especially since his mom is a teacher at the school. Amy is looking forward to having him in the car with her going in the mornings and coming back home in the afternoon.
We're gearing up for Connor's two-year old birthday party. I can hardly believe that he's 2 already. Where does the time go? Connor and Grant get along with each other like typcial brothers - they love each other, they fight with each other, they play with the same toys. One of the big differences in them is that Grant loves television. He loves watching cartoons, dvd's and playing XBOX games. Connor doesn't like television too much. He'd rather play outdoors, though if the Wiggles or a Braves game is on, that's when Connor will devote a little of his attention to the tv set. It's weird that he's not quite 2 just yet but for some reason he's obsessed with watching baseball games. One of his favorite phrases is "Go Braves!" I'm not sure where he learned that :-)
The other thing Grant is looking forward to right now is going to a Falcons game. He went to the Falcons/Lions game last year and this year I'm taking him to the Falcons/Vikings game. He's asked me several times when we're going and I keep telling him that it's not even football season yet.
Well, that's all for now. Please be in monthly prayer for the patients, nurses, families and doctors at Egleston as they continue saving little kid's lives.
God Bless
Phil "Daddy" Martin
p.s. There might be some news on the next update concerning Grant's involvement with the American Heart Association.
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( 2.7 / 2480 )Hello and May the Force Be With You!
Thursday, May 12, 2005, 01:56 PM
Grant is doing so well. He has now come off of his Lasix completely. That's his kidney medicine. We saw Dr.Borkat this week and everything is going splendidly.
Dr.Borkat wants to see Grant again in three months and said at that time, with an ECHO, if everything still looks good then he'll start backing off on some of his Captopril (blood pressure medicine).
Grant also got his 5 year check-up with his pediatrician so now he's ready to start Kindergarten this fall. I can't believe my son is old enough to go to 'big boy' school.
He is so excited about the new Star Wars movie coming out next week. I've bought he and I tickets for three different showings (including a midnight show)... It sounds outrageous, taking a 5 year old to a midnight show but it's a long story. I met the producer of the Star Wars films, Rick McCallum, on my trip to Las Vegas and he warned me not to let Grant watch it because he's too young. But how in the world do I not let him watch it? After all he's been through this year, that boy is going to watch the new Star Wars movie no matter what. I'll just cover his eyes during the bad parts.
He's had a growth spurt here lately, outgrowing some of his newer clothes. He's developed a love for one of my favorite movies, THE INCREDIBLES, and has begun experimenting with his dress code when it gets time to go to bed. Some times pajamas, some times just underwear.
Connor follows Grant around everywhere, saying everything he says and doing everything he does. When Connor wakes up in the morning the first thing he says is "pop tart"... then after I change his diaper he says, "Where's Gwant?"
I didn't type that wrong. He can't say Grant so he calls him Gwant. Connor can't stand for Grant to be sleeping so he races into Grant's room and makes enough noise so that it's impossible for his big brother to continue sleeping. We recently bought one of those toy couches from Toys-R-Us and the boys love sitting on it together - though this has also led to a lot of fighting between the two of them.
Anyway, life in the Martin household is good. Every day I'm reminded one way or another just how special Grant and Connor are to me. This is a year in which Grant's life was hanging in the balance, when all he had were prayers and faith. When all I could do was sit back, feeling helpless, and rely on God to take care of my boy. Grant's surgery put a lot of things in proper perspective for me. Life is short and if you don't take advantage of it and enjoy it, then it's over in the blink of an eye.
When Grant is a very old man I hope he looks back over his life and God allows Grant the opportunity to see just how many lives he's touched. I've heard from so many people that have let me know how much Grant's story has affected them.
I often think back on those days, sitting up at Egleston. The hours gnawing away at my insides. Trying to be patient as Grant healed. Waiting, wondering if he would survive. Trying to concentrate only on the positives. Going for several days (almost a week) of not being able to talk to him. Holding his hand, watching him sleep. Nervously watching the numbers on the monitors, praying that they would only indicate nothing but good things. Feeling my throat drop through my stomach if his oxygen level went too low. And I'll never, ever forget my happiest day. The Winnie the Pooh day. After sitting by Grant's bedside for hours and hours, watching him blankly gazing at the Disney Channel, I got up to leave. Before walking out, I turned around and saw Grant smiling and whispering/singing the words to the Winnie the Pooh theme song. It was the old Grant. He was back. He had been to Mordor. He had destroyed the ring. He was heading back toward the Shire. That was my happiest day because I knew then that he'd make it. That he'd be okay. That I'd be bringing him home soon so that he and I could continue making our plans to attend the midnight showing of Star Wars in May. Grant was back... and the Force was with him.
God Bless
Phil "Daddy" Martin
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