Intermission over. Update

Just me being me at my sister's rehearsal dinner in July

Well folks, time for an update. Our oldest has started kindergarten...full-day kindergarten. I cannot tell you how quiet my house seems with only two children in it (yes that is one more child than last time I wrote).  When all three kids are in the house together it is exponentially more boisterous than with just two. 

Eloise on her first day of school

My Deering-baby turned three last month. I celebrated his birthday with a panic attack as I thought about what I was doing three years before. I am not sure why it was so poignant three years after the fact, but the mind is a mysterious organ.

Silas the Birthday Boy turning 3

And now for the explanation of my prolonged silence. Her name is Adeline. She was born March 24th. I found myself unexpectedly pregnant with my third child in late July 2012. I guess just thinking about a third child makes it so for Paul and me. He was driving from Alaska back to Spokane with our fifth wheel. He was in the McDonald's at Walmart in Dawson Creek, BC when over Skype I told him that he was going to be a dad again on April Fool's Day, no joke. Though it was unplanned it was a delightful surprise. 

Dadoo with his Sweet Adeline

                       

It complicated things as only pregnancy in the Arctic can. In an attempt NOT to have another child five weeks early in a village clinic we decided that the kids and I would stay in Spokane, WA from Christmas until after the baby was born. I left on 12/12/12 and didn't return until Adeline was two and a half weeks old.

Eloise, Silas, and some other kids I don't recognize with racing dogs

We got back to Noorvik, Paul dropped us off at the house, turned around and headed back to the city building to run the Kobuk 440 checkpoint. I didn't see him for three days. On the third evening Eloise came down with a violent stomach flu. By the next morning she couldn't stand up she was so weak. Silas got just as sick two days later. The kids had the stomach flu, ear infections, and strep throat all at the same time. On the heels of that Silas and Addy got a terrible respiratory infection. I had to sleep upright for five nights with Adeline because she would cough until she choked when she was laying down. I had two humidifiers going around the clock. You walked into the house and it was like walking into a steam sauna. 

Oh and we moved...next door.

It was the longest six and half weeks of my life. I had it in my head that being back in Noorvik all together was a going to be a utopia compared to being separated from Paul by 2500 miles living in a cabin the size of a hotel room until the latter portion of May. The utopia wouldn't start until summer vacation started. 

Our summer was full. We spent a lot of time working toward the completion of the garage. Some of that was just getting bids to finish the loan process with the bank. We took an impromptu trip to California. When I say impromptu that is exactly what I mean. We visited family in Oregon. Paul rented a mini van on a whim and off we went. We stopped in Medford, Reno, Las Vegas, and finally Pear Blossom, California. Las Vegas was THE DUMBEST PLACE to take small children EVER! Epic parenting fail. 

Silas getting friendly with a dancing clove of garlic

To make up for the stupidity of taking our children to what can only be described as a consumeristic hell we took the kids to Gilroy Gardens - a theme park for small children based on agriculture. The mascots, if you want to call them that, were Gil and Roy - dancing cloves of garlic. The kids learned about insects and honey bees. They learned how to tell how old a tree is by counting the growth rings and Eloise rode on her first roller coaster. The kids visited a number of dams. We toured the Hoover Dam and the Bonneville Dam. 

Touring the Bonneville Dam

At the Hoover Dam

We added to our family again over the summer. We bought a dog. We named him Biscuit. I was intent on getting a Welsh Terrier. Can I just say I am hoping that after Biscuit gets fixed in December he isn't such a lousy pet. I have been threatening to sell him to the circus or to gypsies, who ever will give me the better price (kidding...just kidding). I have to watch Marley and Me to remind myself that terrible dogs can be loved too. 

Biscuit at the airport

I headed back to Noorvik in mid August. I traveled alone with three children (again) AND A DOG as a carry-on. Do I always have to do things the hard way? Good grief! I left Spokane at 5 AM. That meant I was up at 2:15 AM headed to the airport. I had a really long layover in Anchorage with three kids AND A DOG. I got to Kotzebue on the evening jet. We left for Noorvik the next day. Paul was on the school charter so I was once again traveling with three children AND A DOG. Paul gets to carry half the load at Christmas since we are traveling a week a part; he gets to travel with Eloise and the dog. I can totally handle two kids by myself after all that.

Life here is fine. We have all settled into our routine. Paul has a fantastic assistant principal this year. We are glad for some camaraderie and team vision for the school. There are some wonderful new teachers from our alma mater, Whitworth. Adeline has started crawling and is well on her way to walking WAY TOO EARLY. Eloise is working on blending sounds and can spot an AB pattern a mile away. Silas has a million questions for anyone who will listen and is very proud of his potty training success (as am I).

Adeline crawling