Finally.

This was certainly a tough week for being a short one. And today was an even tougher work day than the last few for both Aaron and I. But we made it through! We made it through today, this week, and (almost) this year. I can't say I'm sad to say goodbye to 2011. It's been a very sad and difficult year. Here's to praying 2012 goes a little smoother!
Since I love pictures, and I imagine my mama does too, here are some fun and random pictures I've taken in the last couple weeks.

Aaron and I at his work Christmas party.


Mattie unfortunately got a little too close to a falling paint roller....


Our crazy furry ones being cute and innocent (for once!).


Our recent entertainment. Puzzles!!!


And just for a laugh...


Hope you have a safe and happy New Year's!

Christmas 2011

To start, I am so blessed to have had the Christmas we did. Several months ago when I realized that I wouldn't be able to go home for the holidays, I began to worry and stress over how I would handle it. I absolutely love being home for Christmas and all that it includes. The family, food, decorations, gift exchanges, errands, delivering Christmas baskets for the Adopt-a-Families. All of it. And for the first time in my life I wouldn't be there for it. I did go in early December, but it didn't feel like the holidays at all. And then with everything happening with my dear uncle Gary, it really wasn't a festive atmosphere at all. Needless to say, I had a lot of apprehension about the holidays this year. The stress and grief really got to me at times. But over all, I was able to find something to smile about. And staying super busy has always helped me handle my emotions as well. Gary's service was on Thursday. It was a struggle to be so far from my loved ones, but I know that I was there for the hours that really counted. I wouldn't trade the hours I got talk to him for anything else. Saturday was Christmas Eve. We went to our church's service and then headed over to Matt and Sarah's for dessert and puzzles. It was a good time and definitely a distraction that I needed very much. Before we left the house, Aaron had me open a present. I love it SO much. And it is "me" perfectly.
Sunday morning, we tried to sleep in, but our animals decided that it was a good morning for chasing each other. So, unfortunately we were up by 8 am....and we don't even have little ones, excited to see if Santa came!! We took our time, making breakfast, letting the dog and cat play with new toys, and opening the giant amount of gifts we received ourselves! We are so loved and blessed!


Do you notice a theme with Aaron's and my gifts??


Christmas night, we went over to my co-worker's house with her husband and parents and another friend. It was a good time, with homemade German food (I don't remember what it's called! First time I'd had it, but very good) and lots of sharing family stories. Overall, a good day.

Being the type of people that we are, we of course took the "family holiday pictures." However, it gets very interesting considering half of our "family" are the furry, tailed kind! Take a peek at some of the entertaining ones! Thank goodness for tripods and continuous pictures :-)


And for the last, wonderful picture....I'm thinking Christmas card next year!!!!

A quick thought...

I love cards. Cards for all reasons. Any shape or kind, whether handmade, handwritten, or for the card picture and words itself. It really doesn't matter to me.

My husband has found out that a card will cheer me up quite well. Better than chocolate, dinner, or even flowers (which definitely run a close second to cards....). My dearest friend Rosanna and I have been exchanging goofy cards for some time now. I look forward to the days one of her cards arrives in the mail. And I'm always on the look out for a perfect "Rosanna card." This time of year, I am in heaven with all the cards coming! I have them all hanging in the dining room, so I see them every time I'm going to and from the kitchen.

I love that some come with a beautiful picture on the front. Some are funny. And some are quite "classic" Christmas. And then there are the pictures. Those are probably my favorite type of Christmas cards. You get to see the family's favorite picture of that year or season. You see kids growing up or special occasions. But most importantly, you see a sliver of their lives that they enjoyed and cherished. Especially since we are so far from many of the card senders, it makes us feel a little more connected to our friends and family far away.

Next year, I think I will double our Christmas card list so I can spread the love a little farther!

On a slightly happier note...

I'm not going to lie, the last 24 hours have been hard. And I'm pretty sure this weekend will be even harder. But I know myself and I know that I have to keep focusing on the positive. And reminding myself over and over and over....

Today, something about my little family. Aaron and I met in college at Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, Oregon. After he graduated in June of 2008, he accepted a job offer working for a private engineering firm in Eagle River, Alaska. At the time, I was in my senior year externship in Corvallis, Oregon. And so we entered the world of a long distance relationship. Those are definitely not something to be desired! It seems like no matter how often you talk on the phone, email, Skype, or text, you never seem to be able to actually communicate enough. We were fortunate enough to see each other four times over the year we were apart. But that didn't help the fighting and frustration we had. (And boy can you fight over stupid stuff from 3,000 miles away!!!). Thankfully, we're both stubborn and not only did our relationship survive, but it matured and grew to the point that we got engaged and made the decision that I would move to Alaska as well. I graduated in June of 2009, moved to Alaska in August, and then (finally!) got hired for Providence Imaging Center in November. We got married the following June...after planning a long distance wedding. Also something I'd think long and hard about! In November 2010, we had the perfect opportunity to purchase a house and here we've been since. It has been quite the busy two and a half years, but I wouldn't want anything different.

Prior to moving to Alaska, I had a cat affectionately called Furball. (He's actually called several things including Cat, Senor Kitty, Crazy, Mr. Meow, etc. Legally, his name is Ike.) He is one crazy cat, full of mischief and personality. He acts more like a dog most days than a cat, although when he's ready for a nap, watch out- your lap might be in jeopardy. He gets into everything he's not supposed to. He loves circular objects like hair ties and rubber bands. It got so bad, I have to hide all my hair ties in a drawer or else he'll steal them! He likes to lurk around corners and attack when you aren't expecting him. And now, he's decided he loves the shower. Not just the water, but actually IN the shower. Most mornings, when my alarm clock goes off, he races me into the bathroom. When I start the water, I have to hold him back or else he jumps right in and proceeds to get soaking wet. While I'm showering (or Aaron- the cat does the same thing) he'll walk around the edge of the shower and then get down into the water. The cat will literally get completely wet and he doesn't seem to mind! After the water is turned off, he sits in the shower playing with the drips. Kind of odd if you ask me!







Mattie is our newest addition. We adopted her in June. We don't know much of her history, but she has fit into our family very well. Supposedly she is a whippet/black lab mix, although she definitely has something else too due to her gray colorings. She loves to chew....and chew...and chew (including our hammock). We've finally found some heavy duty toys and bones that are lasting her more than a few days. She is very affectionate and loves to be near us, no matter what we're doing. She loves to go for walks, no matter what the weather. She is a true Alaskan girl- she loves the snow and enjoys running around the backyard in it. Although, she does draw the line once we hit single digits. Then she would rather just do her business and get back inside as quickly as possible. We are still working on her manners. She has come a long way since we adopted her six months ago, but she still has some work to do. Thankfully, she is eager to please, so we try to use that to our advantage. Someday, she'll actually sit and stay!! She loves making new friends, both human and canine, and seems to do quite well with them both.






It has definitely become more entertaining around our house, having both a cat and dog. Typically, every day we'll see the cat come running by followed by the dog. And then shortly, you'll see the dog being chased by the cat. The endless games of chase and attack are a definitely a source of laughter in our house. Here are some random pictures of our crew...

So sad there were no more trick-or-treaters.



Neither one appreciated their Halloween costumes!!


Give him something to hide in and he's one happy cat!



Always a good idea to stretch!

Family

I've pondered the idea of a blog for several years now. And in fact, I've even had this blog for a few of those years. But it makes it a little difficult to follow if you don't actually write any posts. And so, here I go!

I've been thinking recently about what I would write in a somewhat public forum like this. I am a very private person. Sharing details of my life doesn't come nearly as easy to me as it might to others. This is a little surprising in light of the loud, boisterous family that I love to claim. But somehow, writing is different. And it's because of this family, and the prodding of a dear friend, that I have chosen today to take this step.

This year has been rather difficult for my family. Life has had it's ups and downs in the recent years, but I believe this one has been the hardest thus far. To make matters worse for me personally is the fact that Aaron and I are living here in Alaska, while our families are in Oregon and California. That is almost 2,000 miles and several hours by airplane away. Getting those phone calls and knowing there is absolutely nothing you can do is something that I struggle to deal with. The last week has been one of those weeks.

We made the decision for me to travel to Oregon to see my family in early December a few months ago. I already knew that we wouldn't be able to go home for Christmas due to work schedules but Aaron felt I should still go see them as near to the holidays as possible. I am so thankful he felt that way.

On Saturday, we were heading to the extended family Christmas get together when we got the word that my uncle Gary was being admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. He was diagnosed less than a year ago with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic condition of the lungs that is usually fatal. A few hours later, we received the call from my aunt saying the doctor didn't think he would survive the night. We immediately headed to the hospital ICU waiting room. This began several days of staying near the hospital as Gary improved a bit and then declined. Standing beside him as he struggled to take in one breath at a time was one of the hardest things I have ever had to watch. I knew in the pit of my stomach that he wasn't going to survive this. Maybe he would get out of the hospital, but this horrible disease would kill him sooner than the two years we had initially been told. One doctor eventually told my mom that a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis was a worse diagnosis than cancer due to the fact there is absolutely nothing medically they can do to extend the patient's life.

I am so thankful I was able to actually talk to my uncle and spend several hours with him, even if it was in the ICU. I haven't seen him in over 3 years, due to him living in Ohio and me living in Alaska. There were tears but there were also smiles. And even through the pain, he was able to keep his sense of humor. That is something I will always remember. I was scheduled to fly back to Alaska on Wednesday. That morning we went him to see him and allow me to say goodbye. I could tell that he was not improving. The nurses said he had a rough night and didn't want us disturbing him. I was finally allowed to stand quietly by his side and hold his hand. I stood there with tears streaming down my cheeks watching him struggle to breathe knowing this would probably be my final goodbye. I had so many thoughts running through my head. What do you say to your beloved uncle at a time like this? What do I say to comfort him? What if he asks me the question I dread the most- "Am I going to die"? How do I show him how much I love him? In the end, all I did was stand there, holding his hand so he knew I was there and he was deeply loved. And with a final squeeze, I left him. Walking out of his room was so much harder than I ever thought it would be.

Today is Sunday, several days later. My mom and sister have been keeping me updated since I left. And this morning at the end of church I got that phone call. They were turning off the machines when the family arrived at the hospital. Showing my emotions in public is very hard and embarrassing for me. But the tears came in full force anyhow. I am so blessed to have a strong husband there to wrap me in a hug as I cried. Two hours later, I got the second call that he was gone. This all happened so suddenly, I don't feel that it's real yet. I want to know why this happened. But I know there is a purpose in everything, even when we don't understand. Mostly though, I'm so very sad. He had so much to live for. They had just moved to Oregon from Ohio, so they could be closer to family. He had three young grand kids to be there for. And now all that has changed. I know the next few weeks are going to be very hard with the holidays and knowing we have lost another loved one this year. But I rest in the fact that he is in good company, with a healthy body and most importantly no more pain. I will see you again someday, uncle Gary.