Alaska and Texas updates

I'm sitting at my usual perch in the living room where I can look out onto the bay and watch the sun come up over the mountains. The view from our front door is nothing short of amazing, no matter the day or the weather. Although I have lived in Unalaska for almost six years now, I am still surprised and delighted by the beauty of this place. It might be cold, windy and snowy on March 21 when some of the rest of you are enjoying 70 degree heat (and don't get me wrong, I do miss that!) but there is no mistaking the unique and lasting beauty of the Aleutians.

It's been a whirlwind since I arrived home, as I knew it would be. Work was hectic and crazy on Friday, since we had a lot of last minute tasks to accomplish before our annual Membership Meeting on Saturday. I was really happy to see my coworkers and to be back in my spot, though. My job is more fun than work and I still love going in every day. I think I passed my one year anniversary there while I was gone! I have no regrets about leaving the world of social services or taking a pretty big pay cut to work part time for public radio and TV. It's just a blast!

Rich always gets sucked into helping me with all of my activities and this one was no exception. My last few employers have been more sad about losing him (and his food) than losing me when I have resigned and moved on, I think. :) He was busy making us some big cookies to sell and running errands for me so I could get other things done. The Membership Meeting included dinner, a silent auction, Board elections and a slide presentation about the past year. Following the meeting, we showed the dvd "New Moon" in the high school auditorium. Most of you know that we do not have a movie theater here in Unalaska so everyone relies on rentals and Netflix. Once in awhile someone will sponsor a movie night on the "big screen" at the school and it's always a treat! Our community engagement group AKAOK had "blood" punch and supplies for kids to make "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob" nametags as they came in the door, and we ran a brisk business at the concession stand. Rich and I were excited for a movie date, even though we were not all that thrilled about vampires and werewolves and silly teenaged girls. :) I'm not sure what the big attraction is! But it was a fun night out, anyway.

Today I think I will finally get to unpack my suitcase and get settled back into my own home. The cats did not freak out and seemed to think I was just late getting home from work or something, not gone 9 weeks.

Bonnie, David and Emery headed back to Katy on Thursday and had appointments at Texas Children's on Friday. Bonnie said Emery did great at her OT appointment and the therapist was pleased with her progress, including turning over with just a tiny bit of help. Emery was also seen in the clinic for labs and needed a blood transfusion, which was not unexpected. What WAS unexpected was that she spiked a fever (which has never happened before) and had to go through the ER to be admitted to the hospital for an infection in her central line. I just hated to hear it since my biggest fear about leaving would be that Bonnie would have to take care of something major on her own. Luckily, David is still there but I think he is going back to Amarillo today. Bonnie says that the fever went down pretty quickly and Emery is receiving antibiotics, has been happy and seems to be feeling fine. I am hoping the infection clears quickly and they get to go back out to Lauren and Dan's soon. I know Bonnie can handle everything on her own but I just hate for her to HAVE to. And I know that our friends there will help in any way they can, so I am trying not to overreact. :)

I'm grateful for the time I had with all of the kids and grandkids over the past couple of months, despite the circumstances. It's hard living so far away and not getting to spend our every day lives together. I envy those who have their families all in one place so they can just pop in and out of each other's houses and call up for a last minute outing or meal together. Although I love our visits, I know that it is not the same as living in the same town. However, since the girls live in three different cities, it's hard to imagine how we can ever have that idyllic situation--so we will have to make the best of what we do have!

2010 has been a difficult year so far, and just when we think nothing else could happen, it does. While we have been focusing on Emery's treatment and recovery, one of our close family friends lost her husband at age 29 and Sarah and Miles just lost a dear friend at age 32. Both were so young and it's shocking to try to even wrap our heads around the idea that we can see someone one day and the next day he's gone. Rich and I can't think of anyone close to us who died when we were all that young--it just doesn't seem right. Our hearts go out to these families who will have a long healing in front of them.