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| Bella and Uncle Cy |
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| Love those teeth |
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| Bella and Aunt Stacia |
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| GG and Bella |
This girl can sing and dance. I'm going to share the unedited clip - because babies take energy and I don't have time to edit videos! LOL
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Bella Time
BreZaak are working on their master's degrees. Bre had a class which started with an on-campus intensive this week. She will then finish the class online. Gemma was the natural one to spend the week with Bella - and living right around the corner has made this VERY convenient. π
Bella is 11 months old now! She seems to have given me a new Grandma name, "Ba!" I thought she was just babbling, but she seems rather intentional. She began the week saying, "Ma," to which I didn't respond as Bre would. By the end of the first day she'd moved down her list of consonant blends and settled on calling out, "Ba!" when she wanted or needed my attention.... There you have it - Ba, as in Baachan, Japanese for Grandmother. I'll take it. Our joke is that Michael is sure to become "Ra".....do you know your Egyptian mythology or Prince of Egypt?
It's been fun to have Bella here all day. I have determined if I was watching grandblessings on a regular basis, I would pull out my sling and be a baby wearing Grannie! πThe boys have pretty much stayed in the back room and worked on school. Stacia has gotten up early to work on school so she is able to play and help with Bella.
Today, Mom and Dad came over for a visit. Today is Dad's REAL 76th Birthday! Bella, however was the star of the show.
Monday, March 13, 2017
March Birthdays
Michael, Josiah and the gherkins spent most the day playing Dominion.
We took time to dream about the future - collectively and individually.
BreZaak and Bella stopped by for a bit between their various appointments. I get too busy playing with Bella to grab photos when they are around. This must stop.
This evening Arielle, Mom, Dad and Lorri dropped by. BreZaak had another meeting and Cory got called in to work - ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
We all got together to celebrate Cory and Grandpa's birthday. Cory's is today and Grandpa's is Wednesday. Alas, one of our birthday men were missing. π We enjoyed dinner, cake, and Farkle.....fun night.....glad to have a house to invite people too. We'll move back into the motorhome in a week and a half.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Love Me Some Gherkins
Josiah - our eldest male Gherkin - drove down from Seattle this afternoon! Cody, the sawed off Husky accompanied him. I'll have to get a photo of the two of them. LOL
We ran over to Rebecca's in the afternoon - picked up some stuff we need to take care of for the estate and checked out her new pick up. Wow, it's pretty. I think it's about perfect for a toad - but Michael says it would be too heavy. Still looking for a toad - want one before the end of April when we head to CO and TX.
BreZaak and Bella dropped by in the evening. It was fun to chat together!
We discussed Josiah's upcoming move to Alaska (May 12th y'all), used the internet to check out a few more pieces of property for Michael and I, talked about HOW Josiah's going to handle the transportation of the move, confirmed my need of a HOT TUB if these crazies are going to move me to Alaska instead of Texas (I may need a sauna too), discussed dreams we all have..... Can you believe it will be over $4,500 for us to take the motorhome up on the ferry? I predict we get very familiar with the Alaskan Highway (ALCAN).
After BreZaaks' visit we introduced Josiah to Dominion. I like this game much better than Monopoly.
*Gherkins - collective and individual nickname for our offspring; online pseudonym for our last name. If you know us in person, you understand.
If you are ever confused by an acronym we use, click the tab at the top of the page for an explanation.
If you are ever confused by an acronym we use, click the tab at the top of the page for an explanation.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Filling the Tank
We have completed our first road trip - not the trip we had dreamed - but a good trial run to see what we love and what we need to tweak. Michael has been spending a lot of time fixing things and tweaking things at the Motorhome....I'll need to get over there and get some photos.
"Over there?" My brother and his wife have graciously allowed us to park the lovable beast at their place. We discovered the driveway here, where we are house-sitting, is inclined just enough to make for very alarming noises and scratches when pulling out of the driveway. We opted not to put it back in place here.
We are enjoying living in a stick and brick house. The best thing about it is the 2 minute drive to the college campus where the girls and BELLA live. We will be a bit sad to leave such an ideal location, but can't find any spots this side of town - so we'll head up I5 to a park in a couple of weeks.
We've been busy with probate/estate stuff, Michael's therapy and doctors, fixing the motorhome, SCHOOL, supporting Mom during her cancer treatment, and enjoying family. It takes a lot of energy to process the loss of a loved one - we continue to process.
Our plan is to remain here as long as Michael needs to be here to complete the season of therapy. We'll be making a trip to Denver (Mom G's Graveside service) and Texas (Jamin's graduation from A &M) in May. We plan to be here for June and probably until mid-July to welcome a new grandson. The boys will fly to AK for an epic hiking trip in early June. We hope to hit the ALCAN Hwy in July and spend the end of July and August in Alaska. We'll enjoy JaRissa, scope out future locations to live, and introduce the young ones to the great state of ALASKA. We may travel in the NE in the fall and then head back to the NW for the Holidays...and then? Moving to Alaska in winter seems a bit threatening so we may travel a bit more. . .or not? As with all our plans, we fully expect them to change!
I've dipped my toe back into the blogging world and will be back dating a few posts when I am inspired.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Recent Recap
Februarys are ALWAYS one of the busiest months of our year. I breathe a sigh of relief when 1 March hits. As I start to blog, I realize it is easier to share glimpses and move on.
12 Feb - took care of last minute details for the memorial service; continued looking for titles and such.
13 Feb - Mom G's memorial service - great to see family and friends
14 Feb - Michael, Reb and I ran into town to work on a few things and enjoyed dinner out together. This is our 33rd anniversary.
15 Feb - Reb left, we kept looking for titles, boys had Japanese
16 Feb - 18 Feb - We traveled down to Beale Air Force Base. Michael spent a day and a half hounding the owner of the moving company which had our things. I spent a day calling creditors, insurers and such for Mom G's estate.
We were incredibly blessed by Brittney loaning us Stefan's car. I was sad he was deployed, but we were incredibly blessed to use his car.
Michael spent Saturday trying to fix the horn on the motor home and I spent it visiting with friends.
19 Feb we left the flooded areas and drove back to our little spot in the redwoods.
20 Feb - we pruned trees - in the rain - but it had to be done. Michael wanted to get this done before the trees budded.
21 - 22 Feb - We moved into town and parked with our windshield to the ocean....We didn't have a toad along and so we needed to be in town so we could walk to appointments.
We visited with a lawyer, a realtor, the county court recorders, county title and deeds office, a banker and I can't remember what else. The boys had another Japanese lesson - thank God for web X and tutors.
23 Feb - We had a couple of errands before we hit the highway for OR. Dad G had planted a Bing Cherry tree years ago and was disappointed it never produced. Michael talked with a neighbor who own orchards and discovered there needed to be another cherry tree to cross-pollinate. We "zipped" in and out of a couple of nurseries, not an easy task with a 38 Ft vehicle, and finally found the right tree. We expected a potted tree, but Alex and Michael had to dig this one up.
We stopped in the park and planted the cherry tree. We also took lots of exterior and interior photos for the realtor/probate stuff.
Would you believe it was BRIGHT and SUNNY this day. It made it hard to leave the area - but leave we did. We got back to Eugene late on the 23rd.
24 Feb we caught up on laundry, unloaded the motorhome and moved it to Will and Sherri's.
25 Feb we met with Rebecca and her friend to share what we'd discovered about the estate and to plan a way forward. We continue to close out eras and ring in new seasons. We enjoyed visits from BreZaak, Bella and Arielle.
26 Feb - Current we are back house-sitting; hitting our books with a vengeance, sorting through things we may not want in the motorhome, visiting doctors, taking mom and dad to doctors, and Michael is working incessantly on repairs and tweaks at the motorhome. And Gemma is getting lots of Bella time in - for which I am grateful.
12 Feb - took care of last minute details for the memorial service; continued looking for titles and such.
13 Feb - Mom G's memorial service - great to see family and friends
14 Feb - Michael, Reb and I ran into town to work on a few things and enjoyed dinner out together. This is our 33rd anniversary.
15 Feb - Reb left, we kept looking for titles, boys had Japanese
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| Snuggled in at Beale Fam Camp |
We were incredibly blessed by Brittney loaning us Stefan's car. I was sad he was deployed, but we were incredibly blessed to use his car.
Michael spent Saturday trying to fix the horn on the motor home and I spent it visiting with friends.
19 Feb we left the flooded areas and drove back to our little spot in the redwoods.
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| View from my windshield |
20 Feb - we pruned trees - in the rain - but it had to be done. Michael wanted to get this done before the trees budded.
All the rain had the river quite high.....it certainly changes with the seasons
21 - 22 Feb - We moved into town and parked with our windshield to the ocean....We didn't have a toad along and so we needed to be in town so we could walk to appointments.
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| Best Ever #ViewFromMyWindshield |
We visited with a lawyer, a realtor, the county court recorders, county title and deeds office, a banker and I can't remember what else. The boys had another Japanese lesson - thank God for web X and tutors.
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| Michael's hoodie is caught in the slide |
Would you believe it was BRIGHT and SUNNY this day. It made it hard to leave the area - but leave we did. We got back to Eugene late on the 23rd.
24 Feb we caught up on laundry, unloaded the motorhome and moved it to Will and Sherri's.
25 Feb we met with Rebecca and her friend to share what we'd discovered about the estate and to plan a way forward. We continue to close out eras and ring in new seasons. We enjoyed visits from BreZaak, Bella and Arielle.
26 Feb - Current we are back house-sitting; hitting our books with a vengeance, sorting through things we may not want in the motorhome, visiting doctors, taking mom and dad to doctors, and Michael is working incessantly on repairs and tweaks at the motorhome. And Gemma is getting lots of Bella time in - for which I am grateful.
Wednesday, March 08, 2017
Bella @ 11 months
Gemma may be a poor influence on the darling Bella....
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| Trying to pick her nose |
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| Making faces at Gemma |
She loves Auntie and Uncle time
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| Aunt Stacia and Bella |
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| Uncle Nolan and Bella |
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| Uncle Alex, Bella and Aunt Arielle |
My favorite of the month
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| Such a wise little one |
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| Two bottom teeth - top ones will be in any day |
We usually wear her out!
She growls, she laughs, she giggles.
She puts her hand on her chest and says, "Huh?"
She is most often smiley and friendly.
She's a HUGE tease.
She's an OBVIOUS extrovert. At restaurants, she will turn completely around in the high chair to talk with the baby next to her. ::snort::
This little one is amazing to us. I was supposed to watch her on Tuesday for Bre to get a haircut. Um....about that....Bre and I talked so long she missed her haircut....but Bre agreed to let us watch Bella for a couple of hours anyway so she could work on her school work (Masters degree).
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| Oh - the joy! |
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| Maybe???? |
In a remarkable show of good timing - she took her first steps when Daddy and Mommy were both there and Gemma was handy with the camera. She'll be walking soon. Yuuki is intrigued by Bella - from a distance.
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| Love that little tongue |
Neurology Appointment
On the one hand, it feels like much has happened in six months.
On the other hand, it seems it can't possibly have been six months since Michael's last neurology appointment.
We decided, rather than spending a few days in Portland, Michael and I would just drive up and back in one day. This allowed the kids to continue their new momentum in school.
It allowed us to have a whole day together.
I downloaded an ap - Happy Cow - which tells what vegetarian, vegan and restaurants with vegan options are nearby. The "vegan options" are our best bet....and we found one with yummy options for both of us....Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill. I have got to learn how to cook with tofu, that was some seriously good fajita burrito. πYummy options is the key here. I can find something to eat ALMOST ANYWHERE but I get tired of eating iceberg salads when we eat out.
Neurology appointments are not fun days for us. Sitting in a clinic devoted to those with Parkinson's slaps us in the face with "facts" we prefer to "know, but ignore" at this point. It's hard to see what's ahead (according to the medical statistics). Nothing TERRIBLE happened at the appointment - it's just not our best day of the month. π
We were happy, and sad, to hear Michael's doc is accepting a spot in a private practice in WA. We won't see him again, but he assures us the next doc will be great.
The upshot of today's appointment is, as Dr. Clark says, "You have Parkinson's." They feel a need to tell us this at each appointment - maybe they are used to patients choosing denial. π
We'll continue with therapy - which is our way of aggressively prolonging the good years.
Michael has been having some odd muscle cramps and movement/stiffness. Dr. Clark says it's dystonia, a symptom of Parkinson's. We had three treatment options: new drug, do nothing until it's more bothersome, increase one of the meds he currently takes. Michael opted for door number 3. He's been throwing up and sleepy since doubling the med.....but it was a hard one to begin too, so we expect things will even out in a week or two.
Increasing this drug may also give better relief from the internal tremors - which bother Michael more than anything else.
Dr. Clark said it seems Michael's PD is progressing, but STRESS can accelerate not only the disease but the manifestations of symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms disappear when the stress disappears. This would be both emotional and MEDICAL STRESS. He's had both in the past couple of months. Michael is dealing with an odd rash/joint pain/exhaustion and Dr. Clark hopes if they get that figured out, and treated, some of the PD symptoms will go away.
Finally, Dr. Clark said there is no reason we can't move to Alaska. The VA should have the support clinics Michael needs. If not, he can see a civilian doc. If there are no motion disorder clinics in Anchorage, he can be flown to Seattle or Portland every six months.
On the other hand, it seems it can't possibly have been six months since Michael's last neurology appointment.
We decided, rather than spending a few days in Portland, Michael and I would just drive up and back in one day. This allowed the kids to continue their new momentum in school.
It allowed us to have a whole day together.
I downloaded an ap - Happy Cow - which tells what vegetarian, vegan and restaurants with vegan options are nearby. The "vegan options" are our best bet....and we found one with yummy options for both of us....Sharky's Woodfired Mexican Grill. I have got to learn how to cook with tofu, that was some seriously good fajita burrito. πYummy options is the key here. I can find something to eat ALMOST ANYWHERE but I get tired of eating iceberg salads when we eat out.
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| Via Facebook |
We were happy, and sad, to hear Michael's doc is accepting a spot in a private practice in WA. We won't see him again, but he assures us the next doc will be great.
The upshot of today's appointment is, as Dr. Clark says, "You have Parkinson's." They feel a need to tell us this at each appointment - maybe they are used to patients choosing denial. π
We'll continue with therapy - which is our way of aggressively prolonging the good years.
Michael has been having some odd muscle cramps and movement/stiffness. Dr. Clark says it's dystonia, a symptom of Parkinson's. We had three treatment options: new drug, do nothing until it's more bothersome, increase one of the meds he currently takes. Michael opted for door number 3. He's been throwing up and sleepy since doubling the med.....but it was a hard one to begin too, so we expect things will even out in a week or two.
Increasing this drug may also give better relief from the internal tremors - which bother Michael more than anything else.
Dr. Clark said it seems Michael's PD is progressing, but STRESS can accelerate not only the disease but the manifestations of symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms disappear when the stress disappears. This would be both emotional and MEDICAL STRESS. He's had both in the past couple of months. Michael is dealing with an odd rash/joint pain/exhaustion and Dr. Clark hopes if they get that figured out, and treated, some of the PD symptoms will go away.
Finally, Dr. Clark said there is no reason we can't move to Alaska. The VA should have the support clinics Michael needs. If not, he can see a civilian doc. If there are no motion disorder clinics in Anchorage, he can be flown to Seattle or Portland every six months.
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