Update on Jadyn

Jadyn did a great job during her test. She loved the US and that she got to see inside her belly. That part was easy. The VCUG was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. She did wonderfully. She was so cooperative, and did not cry at all while they did the Catheter. Alicia stayed with her for the Xray part and said that she was a brave little one. She did so good.
Funniest thing is now she can't wait for her boys to get home, so she can tell them about peeing on the table!
We wont know for sure how it went until her follow up appointment on Friday, but the tech said that it all looked good. She might be put on another small round of antibiotics to make sure that it is all cleared up. I will let you all know on Friday after we see the doc. Thanks for all your prayers and concerns. She is doing great!

Ash, Broken Fences, Bruises, and Ultra Sounds

This has been an eventful weekend for us, and I don't think it's over yet. First, Justin went snowboarding with some friends of ours from church on Friday after school. He was having a great time. They were gone for about 4 hours then I got the call from the Hillburg Ski Patrol. They needed permission to evaluate him after a fall. They were not very clear as to what was going on with him, so I was a bit worried. After what seemed like eternity, but was actually just a few minutes, they called back. They don't think he hit his head. Although his head was hurting at first,he said it didn't anymore and he didn't have any head trauma symptoms. They said he was complaining that his back hurt, and they released him to go home. When he got here it was obvious he was pretty beat up. His back was stiff, but I think he was just more scared than hurt. At least that was what he said.

I was not there so I can't completely explain what happened. He said he got too fast and could not stop or turn the board. He hit a boarder pole and broke it with his back and then slammed into the fence line.

He is OK. Yesterday he was pretty sore and didn't move around too much. Today he seems to be feeling much better, but the bruises have appeared. They are under his arm, which seems odd to me, because he says that his neck, shoulders, and arm is what hurts the most.

After a BEAUTIFUL day outside Saturday, the volcano erupted again and again. This time the wind was not in our favor. We started seeing the ash move in across the mountains and within a few minutes it was falling at Ft Richardson. Jared was at his friends house when it started, so he just stayed the night there. We didn't get too much here, just a very good dusting. I tried to take pictures of the accumulation, but it was too dark. I decided to try again this morning, but the wind blew most of it around last night. You can still see traces of it in the snow, and smell it in the air.

We didn't make it to church this morning. I don't know how much of it is in the air still, and I want it to settle before we go out. I would hate for Jared's asthma to flair up now. We have been almost a year with no problems. I'm not willing to risk it coming back again. Maybe if I can wash off the car and get it cleaned up this afternoon we will make it to AWANA. That is if there are no more eruptions. We are suppose to get same snow today, which will be good I guess. It might settle it all down and cover it up.



This was the view from my bedroom window when ash started moving toward us. The big tree is in the way, but you can see the cloud moving over the mountain top. It was a brownish gray sky in the front yard and a clear blue one in the back.

These are pictures from the AVO website of the explosions and ash cloud.

Jadyn has her Ultra Sound of her bladder and the VCUG x-ray tomorrow afternoon. Alicia is going with me so Jadyn will have someone in the x-ray room to comfort her while they do the catheter. Please keep her in your prayers tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and the test results will be good.

I need a volunteer or suggestions

I have found someone to keep Precious (my Shitzu) while I'm in Alabama. However, Dakota needs a home. She is a 1 year old Husky Shepard mix. She is good with kids. Jadyn climbs all over her, but she is very social and active. She loves to play outside and take walks, but she will run if let off the leash or out of the fence. She gets along well with other dogs. She actually LOVES playing with other animals.

If I can't find someone willing to watch her I will have to board her. I have heard that there are some really good inexpensive boarding places around the area, but I don't know anything about them. If you are willing to help or have info about kennels please let me know. Thanks

Volcano!

Well, it finally happened. Mt. Redoubt erupted last night. Thankfully the wind was blowing to the northeast and we didn't have to deal with Ash Fall! YEA!!! I was so worried about having to cover everything electrical, taping up our drafty doors, and wasn't even sure what to do about the suburban parked outside. Then there would be keeping three rowdy kids inside and entertained all day and all the survival bag stuff to go along with that, LOL. God was watching out for all of us with deployed spouses! Jerome would be so much better at all this than me. You can check out this website to see where the ash went: http://community.adn.com/mini_apps/assetDisplay/?ref=http://media.adn.com/smedia/2009/03/23/14/567-24RedoubtAsh-_2_.graphic_large.prod_affiliate.7.jpg&height=958&width=794&pwidth=860&pheight=1100

It has also erupted a few more times since last night, but they were rather small. Hopefully this was the BIG ONE that they predicted and we are in the clear.

Oh, and yes Jared had an MRE for dinner tonight. He has been wanting me to make him up one for weeks. My excuse was always that he needed to save them for when the volcano erupted in case we were not able to cook on stove. We didn't neeed them of course, but now I have no excuses. Thankfully Kyle and Candance were over here and Kyle made it up for him. He didn't eat much of it though. I wonder why?

Summer Fun

I got our COT tickets approved and booked today. (consecutive overseas tour - one time free tickets to home of record) We are going to Alabama May 22 - June 19. Jerome and Jadyn used their tickets back in October, so I will have to buy her ticket. I was planning on using airline miles, but the cost went up to 50,000!! I am still playing with our accounts to see if I can get that many. If I have to buy it will be around $800. That is money that we could use on our trip to the BEACH the first week in June. Pray that we find cheaper tickets or get to use our miles.
I will be 25 weeks preggo by the time we go, so I will look like an albino whale I'm sure. But, I don't care! I cant wait to see everyone and relax in the summer sun. Maybe by the time we get back it will be good and warm here in AK. PLUS, I will only have 9 or ten weeks till baby comes and Jerome gets to come home for RR. Cant wait to see my hunny! (Love you babe.)

Pictures from Jadyn's 3rd and Jermiah's 1st Birthday

Birthday Girl!

Birthday Boy!

Cake!

Candles and Wishes!

Jadyn LOVED the balloon toppers. She used hers like a spoon to eat her icing.

Justin chowing down on some cake.

Jared is afraid of Chuck E., even the mechanical one. He would not go near the one walking around the place, but snuck up on the mechanical one near our table. Then he eventually made it up on stage, but not too close, LOL.

Jadyn and Peyton riding the car.

Giddy Up!

Jared and Luke playing a game.

Get 'em Jacob.

LaiLani and Jadyn trying to play skee ball.

Presents!!!

Spring Pictures

The one position that I do not mind volunteering for at school is the picture coordinator. SHHH...... I don't want anyone to beat me to the slot. Because, I get my pictures for FREE! I always get all three kids done, and in the spring I get a group of them. These are this years spring pictures. I could not get the extra from the scan off the picture, so there is a white area around each picture on here. Sorry about that. It would not crop right.

I can not believe how grown up Jared looks in this picture.

Jadyn was all about getting her picture made until it was her turn. This was the best smile I could get. But it is still cute!

Justin is my little man!

Jadyn was running a mild fever last night and was coughing a little. She woke up at 4am wide awake and did not want to go back to sleep for about an hour. Her fever had broke by then, but I don't know what caused it. So we stayed home from church this morning so she could sleep it off. As I was laying in bed, I kept hearing Jerome's voice. Turns out Justin got a video call from him on Skype. We were able to talk to dad for about an hour. So even though I felt guilty about not going to church, it turned out to be good. We haven't video conference with him in a while. He looks good, and it was nice to hear his voice and see his smile.

Jadyn has not had anymore fever or other symptoms. So, we are going to try and go to AWANA this evening. Tomorrow is her 3rd birthday. She is going to take cupcakes to school in the morning to share with friends, and tomorrow night we are going to Chuck E Cheese.

My Alaskan Kids

Justin has been learning to snowboard for a few years now. Well, he learned rather quickly after Luke showed him how. He has just been training himself and has gotten pretty good this year. He finally made it up the ski lift at Dyea. It is a hand held one, and can be rather hard to maneuver when you are short. This week he made it to the top and also went over to the harder side to go down the hill. He even made it over the hill used for tricks and stuff. He is so brave!


I had several video clips, but because it was so bright outside I really couldn't see what I was recording. The others were all blurry and hard to see. But I got some good pictures too. This one is Justin going up the lift.

Jadyn and Peyton were not as energetic today as they were on Wednesday when I forgot my camera. But, they had a good time too. Monica has more pictures of them. I just have to get them off my email and then I'll post them.

Jared was a bit nervous at first, but he quickly caught on and was skiing before we left. He even went back that afternoon ans was doing it on his own.

This is Jared learning on the little practice hill.

His instructor, Patrick, pulling him up the hill.

I caught Jared saying, "giddy up" once, lol.

Coming down the hill.

Our Full Day!

Yesterday was a very full day indeed. It started in the morning. The boy's friend Luke is finally feeling better and came over while his mom went to the post office. They played the Wii till it was time for me to go to the doctor. Then they all went over to Luke's house to stay with Monica.



My doctors appointment went well. Mainly we just listened to baby and talked about test that I can have. I declined them both. Mainly because they have a high false positive rate, and no matter what the outcome is it won't change my pregnancy plans.

Since me and the kids will be going to Alabama at the end of May the doctor decided to see me in 5 week increments for the next two appointments. That way I will have an appointment the week before we leave. Then I can have one after we get back.



The good news is that I will get my 20 week ultrasound on April 15Th right before my appointment. Hopefully baby will cooperate and we can find out if its a girl or boy!! I can't wait. Just wish Jerome could be here to go with me. But I will get a picture I'm sure.



After the appointment Monica took us to pick up Jerome's Suburban from the body shop. They fixed the bumper from when I wrecked it. But, first we decided to take kids downtown to see the snow sculptures that were done during Fur Rondy. Some where beginning to lose their shape a little, but they were all very nice. The kids had fun playing around them. We tried to keep them off, but they kept sneaking back on some of them. They especially liked walking on the snow wall that surrounds the sculptures.

On the way back, Peyton and Jadyn fell asleep in the back seat.

So we took the kids to Dyea to snowboard and ski while they slept.

The kids still had WAY TOO MUCH energy. So, after about an hour at home we took them to the pool.

They still stayed up till after 11, can you believe it? I am so tired today, but they are all filled with energy. The first thing Jadyn said this morning was, "I want to go swimming." I think we will just stay home and play today. I still have to work on the Laundry that never got done over the weekend.