TGIF!

Happy Birthday to Josiah! We love the man Josiah is - he blesses us all.

FRIDAY! We love Fridays, but this Friday we looked forward to this Friday for a special reason. Today, we met Kristine, a long time online friend and fellow chaplain's wife. She and her family are here for JBER (Elmendorf). She has chickens! Unfortunately, I didn't take a single photo. You'll have to take my word this meeting took place. I came away thinking I could do this chicken thing. 

But - before chickens - we had Michael's therapy. Stacia wanted to see the chickens, so she came with us to therapy. We didn't think she'd enjoy watching the electrifying therapy - she and I sat out in the waiting area. School on the road. 

We stopped by Beach Lake on our way home from seeing chickens. Josiah has been ice fishing here and we wanted to see for ourselves. It was a nice stop.

Thick Ice 

 Back at home the kids enjoyed sledding....

It's the MOOSE TIME of the year! We haven't seen this many moose since last fall. 

Nolan and I threw together some chocolate, peanut popcorn for our movie time. I do enjoy my walk out cooler. So thankful Michael insisted a deck be built off the dining room before we purchased the house.  

Yes, the rockers ARE on their sides. They get to rocking and moving to much if they are upright. I would put them in the garage for the winter - but the garage currently holds the things of three households and is full.

Hmmmm.....just realized I haven't done #WYFF in 2018.....

Random Post of Awesomeness!

Benny at 2 months and 3 weeks! 

Those eyes, that smile, those cheeks....we're smitten! 

Just to make you smile. 

Nolan's Birthday

It's birthday month in our home. The male Gherkins chose Jan and Feb to be born. The Females chose summer. This month we will have four birthdays and two anniversaries to celebrate! 

Tonight, the five of us, enjoyed a quiet dinner and Nolan's gifts.  We will have a big birthday celebration on an upcoming Sunday night. 

We went ahead and gave Alex his sled too....

 There's a funny story about these candles.....I INTENDED to buy and save candles for Michael's birthday in November. I'd have enough candles for all the birthdays this year. I'm notorious for not having the candles. We got ready to light Nolan's cake and realized, at the last moment Michael insisted it would be cheaper and less of a fire hazard (yes he DID say that) to buy the numbers 5 and 7 for him than 60 candles. So.....we are all turning 57 or 75 this year until I remember to buy candles.

Nolan is nearing the end of  his senior year. He is considering his options. At this point he is leaning heaviest towards a degree in business - that seems to match his skill and spiritual gift set. He isn't sure if he'll attend a campus out here, in Anchorage, Fairbanks or possibly do the first year online through UA - Fairbanks. 

Homestead Club

This month's Homestead Club at IDEA is destined to be our favorite. The club is turning out to be more info for parents, than fun for children. I was concerned about this, but we were told not to worry about it. This month, Denise, our speaker presented a workshop on "Sustaining a family on a 1/4 acre." It was full of great info for parents....AND fun for kids. 

Kelly brought a goat, talked about her and milked her for us. She blew up gloves and let us get a feel for the technique. 

Denise introduced us to one of her chickens as well. These gals get the daily scraps from a local school as well as their other food.  Next month Mr. Steve Brown from the Cooperative Exchange Service of UA - Fairbanks will be our presenter. I look forward to hearing more about the best practices for carrying for chickens....it seems they are in my future.  I've read a zillion books this month about care and coops and such....time to put some of it to practice. 

I wish all of our workshops could be a bit of hands on AND informational....Talia and I are doing the last one on making bread and butter. It will be almost totally hands on.  Even though I feel it's not been "fun" for the younger ones - I do know there has been a ton of really good info given out.

Yuuki Demonstrates How SHE Loves the Snow

Oh the weather outside is frightful 

But the fire is so delightful 

And since we've got no place to go

Let is snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

And it did! ⛄⛇⛄  We love the snow! Some of us love it from the inside with a cuppa tea, some of us love it while running up a mountain or around the neighborhood, some of us love it while sledding down a slope....but we love it!

I'm pretty sure, in the future, some of us will love it from the hot tub, or from a skylight in the sauna? (Now, if it would only stay warm when it snowed it would be perfect). 

Swallowing Update

This is a quick update on Michael's swallowing therapy and barium test. Thanks for all who prayed.  Michael has been putting in 1 - 2 hours a day FAITHFULLY on swallowing exercises, in addition to the VitalStim therapy 3 hours a week.   The daily at home exercises are for life. We had hoped to ease up our schedule a bit by no long having to attend the VitalStim therapy. It takes up 3 mornings a week by the time we drive over and back - and run any errands. 

The therapy also hurts.  We felt confident going in to this. Michael feels like there has been improvement, we just needed the barium test to provide that documentation. We saw three possible options.

Option 1 - no improvement at all, this is the best it will ever be and the VA will not authorize any further therapy. This would be "the worst."

Option 2 - there has been some improvement, VA authorizes another 15 sessions.

Option 3 - so much improvement there is no more need for VitalStim therapy, continue home exercises.

We hoped for 3. Prayed for any improvement at all.  I've become fairly good at interpreting the barium tests. I did not see any aspiration! Liquid seemed to be going well. As they progressed with stickier food, I was saddened.  I saw things getting stuck in Michael's vallecula . The pill simply didn't budge which had me worried until they said it will eventually dissolve.  As we waited to discuss the results, we were a bit worried there hadn't been enough improvement to warrant more therapy.

Holly confirmed there was no aspiration and the liquid intake is markedly improved. There are still problems with various solids....but since there was so much improvement with the liquids, they can justify more treatment. She offered to give us a some time to discuss our options. Michael told her we didn't need time. This is a chance at improvement - we'll take it.

It's ironic. I was let down after the test. I had prayed and hoped for more improvement....but the responses of friends and family, buoyed us. It IS improvement. If we'd not done the past 15 sessions we wouldn't have this much improvement!

Today, we begin another 15 sessions. Praying to continue to see improvement. Praying also for strength and wisdom to keep up with our schedule now that we "lose" 3 mornings a week for five more weeks.

I think it may be time for me to quit dreaming of our "normal" schedule. This  year simply isn't going to be normal. LOL

Super Bowl Sunday

Sometime during this week MIchael and I realized a slight problem with THIS Sunday's family dinner. We don't have television. It was Super Bowl Sunday. We asked the boys if they were wanting to watch the game. They were. They invited us over to watch....Us 5 took them up on the offer.

Stacia and I baked cookies and such to take for our afternoon with the  Eagle River Contingent!  I threw something in the Instant Pot and we headed to church. 

Proud of my men for seeing a need and pitching in. 

Nolan & Michael help Aaron shovel the church walks

The moose are returning. I'm not sure where they went for a couple of months. It's fun to have them back. I AM spending a lot of time trying to figure out what sort of fence will keep them away from our planned garden and landscaping.  Some say nothing will work, some swear by a few slats at 3, 5 and 6 feet, some say electric is the only option, some say 8 ft tall chain link with concrete posts.....I love the moose. I want a garden too!🌱🌿🌽

We saw two moose before church, but we were too busy to take photos. I was glad this one came back to visit.

And...The Eagles won! All in all a very fun day!