Long Overdue Update!

Sorry folks.  Here is an update.  I know it's long overdue and I could list all my excuses, but how about I just get to the update.

Aaron - He is sure glad to be with his family in Alaska.  Being deployed was a good experience for him for his career, but he enjoys his job here more!  He is slowly getting back to where he needs to be and feeling more a part of things.  He has a few business trips planned next month, both to San Antonio.  While there, he will interview for the fellowship he is applying to and if accepted (we find out in Dec.) then we would be moving in May.  Extra prayers would be appreciated that we get this spot.

He recently returned from a canyoning trip at Lake Powell with his dad that he really enjoyed.  He spent 5 days in the canyons and then got to catch up with his family. 

Sassy - What is there to say?  She hasn't scrapbooked in months, she spends her time teaching Kennie & Justin, cleaning the house, making dinner and trying to keep Maggie out of trouble.  Sounds really pathetic and only takes up 2 sentences, but it really takes all day.  UG!!!

Kennie - He is sure growing and learning at such a fast pace.  Kennie was baptized July 3rd surrounded by family & friends.  (We missed you Mark & Carli).  He was super excited for that milestone in his life.  He likes to read his scriptures and will also read anything he can get his hands on.  He LOVES dinosaurs and can tell you all sorts of crazy things about a whole lot of different dinosaurs.  Not just the ones we learned about when I was in school.  He can tell you more dinosaurs than there are letters in the alphabet.  He still says he wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up.

Justin - He has really turned into his own person.  He is still very interested in Sharks.  Will read everything he can get his hands on about them, but to get him to read a chapter book or ANYTHING else is like pulling teeth, until recently.  He started reading the Weird School series and is liking it and doing well.  Here's hoping!  He loves to torment his sister and also really enjoys driving his mother crazy!  Which he does very well.  He can still see the unspoken need in others and will offer to help or just help before they can ask.  One of my favorite qualities about him. 

Nate - Nate is loving being a big Kindergartner.  Today was his day to take snack for the whole class and he was over the moon!!  He basically bounced to school this morning.  He loves bringing home his green apples everyday (A way to communicate to parents their behavior for the day) and checking out books from the library.  He is making incredible progress there and everyone that works with him loves him.  They don't believe me when I tell them he is a holy terror at home.  He's just too cute.  Which is what everyone said about his Uncle Josh.

Maggie - Maggie recently decided she wanted to be a boy.  Okay, not really, but she cut her hair.  And not something that we could fix, she cut it to the scalp.  She is not sporting a short pixie cut.  She thinks she is beautiful and that's all that matters.  She (hopefully) understands that she is NEVER to do it again.  She is still the total princess and loves anything pink and glittery.  She dresses up constantly and loves to play house with her brothers where she is always the kitty.  Super funny girl.  She still has Aaron wrapped around her finger and uses that every chance she gets!!  We are very thankful she potty trained (easily) and is now a big girl!  No more diapers for us!! 

We are enjoying fall this year, not necessarily the cold, but the colors are amazing!  Snickers Hot Chocolate and cuddle time with a blanket on the couch are definitely the best!!  Slow cooker soups, White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheese cake and all kinds of pumpkin treats are the best!!  We are looking forward to our last winter in Alaska (Hopefully) and they boys are excited for the ski team.  Sorry for pulling the disappearing act.  Hopefully it won't happen again, although I can't promise.

Lessons Learned

So, I thought I would record some of the things I have learned over Aaron's deployment.  This is more for me, but they might help someone else. 

• Friends are not required to be close to help.  I could feel the prayers and support from thousands of miles.  It lifted me when I was weak and comforted me when I was sad.

• Friends that live close to me became my lifelines.  They physically lifted me when I was down.  They were here to dry my tears.  They took my kids so I could go to the grocery store without 4 kids and smiled and listened when I needed it.  Without them, I would have survived this, but I would be in a padded room right now.

• The Lord knows what we need when we need it!  There were several times I got some pretty emotional news.  A man down the street was shot and killed at the airport 20 miles from where Aaron was and the announcement of the death of Bin Lauden.  Those are just a few.  When all of these happened (or I found out about it), I wasn't alone.  I had someone hear to dry my tears and lift me up.

• There were times that I could literally feel the arms of the Savior around me.  I felt protected, loved and validated.  Knowing that he knew my sufferings, my emotions, my feelings and my pains was so comforting.  He became my lifeline. 

• Not all things are about me.  I came to the conclusion that this deployment was not about me.  I was not supposed to learn some big lesson.  Sometimes in our lives, we are given trials just to endure them and do it well.  (D&C 121:7-9).  When I read this, I felt a huge wave of relief.  I wasn't being punished.  I was blessed the entire time Aaron was gone.  I earned every blessing that I received.  I know that.

• I didn't realize how many people struggled with Aaron's deployment.  (Again, not all about me.)  Just because they didn't live with him or smell his morning breath didn't mean that they didn't miss him or worry about him. 

• I take my husband for granted.  In all aspects.  I missed him so much.  Not just the big things.  The little things.  Taking out the garbage.  Holding my hand while we watched a movie.  I don't ever want to do that again.  I feel so much closer to him and our relationship is stronger. 

That is just a few.  I will add more as the days go by, but I want to remember how I feel now.

Aaron's home!! It's over! -- Kind - of

Aaron made it back from Afghanistan late last night.  To say that it was a whirlwind is an understatement.  I'll post more details (or have him do it) in a few days.  While we are getting settled, here's his coming home video.

Aaron Update

Aaron is still plugging through.  He still hasn't had a day off.  We are past the 5 month mark.  The end is supposed to be in sight, but for some reason, there has been a blindfold over my eyes and I no longer understand or at this point care what is changing each day.Until I get the call that he is in the states and on his way to Alaska, I won't believe it.  At that point, I will probably faint, but I will at last be able to believe something.

My Faith in the military was low starting out but with this deployment, I have lost all faith and trust that I had in the Air Force.   They wonder why people get out as soon as their time is up.  Maybe you should change some things and people might stay around.

He still works 14-16 hour shifts.  He words the nights which is nice because their nights are our days.  We occasionally get to talk to him, but usually for not more than 5 or 10 minutes.  He is busy and focused on what he is doing.

DUDE - We miss you like CRAZY and can't wait to hold you!!

Love, Babe, Rick, J, Elijah and Maggers

(Kennie wants to be called Rick, Nate wants to change his name to Elijah and Maggie now likes Maggers.  Thanks Grandpa B.!)

Showing some Military Love!

Before I get started, the winner from the Pocket Full of Posies giveaway is comment #4 - Amy Marie. I need your choice of pocket.  Let me know so I can get this out to you!!
Now, before Aaron left, we did a photoshoot with a gal that was referred to us.  Annie did an amazing job and I am so thankful for these pictures that she captured for us.  Thanks Annie.  Take a look!

Hardest. Thing. Ever.

I am removing comment moderation on this post.  I guess I need to get a journal to make it through the next 6 months.  Having said that:

The goodbye's have been said.  I have kissed him for the last time.  I am confident the kids will still wake up in the morning asking where Daddy is.  Especially Maggie.  The test, so be able to tell them that he is gone for 6 months without tears.  Without sobs.  Possessing the ability to comfort them and stay strong at the same time.  Hopefully I will be able to go through the motions.  Get the laundry and dinner done.  Do school and make it to my bed every night. 

This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done!  I already miss you Aaron!

Rumor has it....

There is a few days left in the giveaway for the freezer meal book.  Go here to check out the details of how to enter.

Since it is starting to spread, I figured I would put all rumors to rest.  We have waited until we were sure it was going to happen, but it is now as official as things will be in the military until he is gone.

Aaron is deploying.  He leaves the first part of December and will spend 6 months in Afghanistan.  I know I am strong and I know I will make it through.  PLEASE don't post that.  I don't need people to pull me up right now.  I want to be mad.  I want to be in denial and just live in my little bubble!

He will need do to at least 3 weeks of training in the lower 48 and maybe 6 weeks.  If your counting, that doesn't leave much time!  :)  I am placing all my trust in my Heavenly Father and really putting my faith in his bigger picture, even though I can't see it all right now.  Christmas in this Lewis household will most likely be during Thanksgiving.  Knowing me, the kids and I will probably do school on Christmas day.  Just to keep us going.  Anyway, any prayers you might want to send our way would definitely help!  For now, I am trying to trust in His plan.  Sometimes I am successful, sometimes I am not.  Oh well!

Melts.My.Heart

No other words needed.

9 of the BEST years!

Aaron - I love you with ALL my heart.  Thank you for the best 9 years of my life!  The smartest decision I ever made was to say yes!!  Glad I did.

Aaron as an Eskimo!

If you are friends with Aaron on Facebook, you have probably already seen these pictures.  I am mainly posting these for my dad and our grandparents.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, let me explain.

Aaron had an opportunity to work in the villages (Bush) of Alaska for two weeks.  If you have a map handy, I'll tell you where he went.  If not, just ignore the rest of the paragraph.  He flew from Anchorage to Katzebue.  From there, he got on a Black Hawk Helicopter and flew to Kobuk.  He arrived Sunday night (April 12th).  They were there until Friday when they got on their snowmobiles and drove to Shungnak.  He was there Until Wednesday (April 21st).  He flew back to Katzebue and then home on the 22nd.  Here are a few of MY favorite pictures.

Inside the helicopter going to Kobuk. We had to hold luggage on our laps.

Posing outside the clinic in Kobuk.

Riding the sleds on our way to Shungnak. I took this holding the camera out in front of me.

Cross country skiing in Shungnak.

Self photo looking back over Kotzebue Sound

We are happy to have him home but glad he enjoyed himself.  He wished he could go next year but too many other doctors want to go.  We are glad he had this experience!!

Missing him...

While he enjoyed higher than 50 degree weather today, I got to deal with rain, 4 mean and sick kids, a messy house, baseball practice and fighting the 4 kids to eat dinner.  Not to mention the lack of sleep and never ending to do list.  Here is what he looked like tonight.  He looked so cute, I had to take a picture!!

Yes, that is book shelves behind him.  He has the pleasure of sleeping in a closet at the local school.  We can't wait for him to come home.  Crossing our fingers for this weekend.  WE LOVE YOU!!!

A small update

Kennie is just about finished 2nd grade.  He is enjoying his ignite program (the high IQ class he's in) and is looking forward to playing outside this summer.  He enjoyed soccer and is looking forward to coach pitch baseball starting soon.  Kennie is rebelling in his responsibilites of being the oldest and the most common phrase out of his mouth is "Why am I the only one?"  My response, because I love you!  :)

 Justin continues to be my biggest helper and is at the top of the list of trouble makers.  It seems he is always grounded from something or in his room for something.  We have gotten to the point in his allergy shots that we only have to go 1 time a month.  Holy cow.  GREAT day.  

Classic picture - right?  So Nate!  He continues to rebel against potty training and I am sick of trying to encourage him.  So, he wears pull-ups.  He enjoys the time at home with his mom.  He wants to go to school but doesn't seem to grasp that if he potty trains - he will be able to go to school.  Meanwhile, he continues to destroy things in my house and cause trouble.  He would be at the top of the list in the trouble maker department.

Maggie - as much as we don't want to admit it, she runs the house.  She enjoys it and loves being the center of attention.  Her vocabulary is amazing.  She does what Nate does which isn't ever good.  She really enjoys reading time and especially her "printces!"  She is obsessed with bling and anything pink.  Such the girl.  Thank Heaven we only have 1!!

Aaron leaves Saturday morning for 2 weeks.  He will be traveling from village to village in Alaska treating patients.  He will be the acting Endocrinologist for the group.  He is looking forward to this adventure and hopefully he will learn a lot.  He continues to work crazy hours.  I am almost looking forward to another residency so we will at least know how crazy his hours will be and there will be some down time.  Now, there is no down time.  He spends a lot of his time tired.  

Sassy continues to do anything in her power to survive from day to day.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  She has gotten pretty good at keeping the house maintained, but hasn't figured out how to throw the rest of it in.  It's a slow process and those of you that know her know that she doesn't work in slow.  She is learning patience slowly and is trying to learn from every challenge.  She is looking forward to starting up scrapbooking classes and that will help to calm her.  She is her calmest when she is scrapbooking.  

Alaska has been difficult for us, but we are excited about this summer and all the fun things we will be able to do.  We have lots of visitors planning to come up and Sassy is looking forward to her trip in July to Washington D.C.  That's us right now.  Enjoy your spring and summer!!

Procrastination

I am usually getting on Aaron for his supreme example of procrastination.  He is excellent at it.  Most of the time, it drives me crazy.  However, tonight I am very grateful for this character in him. 

If he had a current Passport, at this very moment he would be packing his bags for Indonesia.  But, since he (and the other doctors in his clinic) doesn't have a current passport, his boss has to go.  Which meant he had to cancel a $4,000 course he had paid and registered for at Harvard.  Um, hello?  Holy Moly!  Thank Heavens for expired passports! 

However, he will probably be leaving the 10th of April for a 2 week TDY (temporary duty assignment) to the Busch of Alaska.  (rural areas in Alaska that need doctors)  Kennie is a little sad that daddy will be gone for his birthday, but I think we will do the party the next week so Aaron can be there.  I can do Busch Alaska.  I could do Indonesia, but I sure am glad I don't have too!!

Aaron - this might be the only time I am grateful for this trait.  I do love you though!!  Just realized, I need to buy another camera so he can take pictures.  You might enjoy that, huh?

It's officially official

We found out late last night. It's official!

Captain Aaron David Lewis, M.D.
Internal Medicine Board Certified

GO BABE!!! I love you!

A girl and her daddy….

I am not sure weather I had this growing up or not, because all I can remember of my dad when I was younger was he was at work. (Sorry Dad, I know you had to do and I love you for it!!) But it has been really fun watching the relationship between Aaron and Maggie grow. She his her daddy wrapped around her tiny little finger. For example, a few nights ago, Maggie had a really bad diaper rash. (She get's these all the time….) Aaron couldn't stand to hear her cry, so he took her upstairs and gave her a "luke warm" bath to wash away the stuff on her bum. When she cries (even a whimper) he jumps up. He has never heard our kids during the night, but he sure hears her. So funny. She knows it too. All she has to say is Daey….and he responds. He doesn't do that for the rest of us. I guess we are just sloppy seconds.

Aaron and Maggie – September 24^th

To my dad:

I am very grateful for my you. When I was ready to walk away from the church for a boy, I respected you enough to really get my answer that the church wasn't true so I could walk away. Let's just say that 7 days later I was broken up with that boy and moved out of state. I fully expected my answer to be the church wasn't true and him and I could ride off into the sunset (on the bus because he didn't have a car….what was I thinking?) I hope you know dad how much I love you. 12 years later, I am married to a wonderful man, have 4 wonderful (most of the time) children, have lived in 3 states and have made more friends than I could have ever imagined. Your powerful example and testimony based on action is what made me realize all that I could have. As much as you missed, I wouldn't trade a minute of it. The example you set is the one that I needed. All that I have is because of you!

XXOXO,

Your Daughter aka "Sassy Pants"

To our dad....

Even though you are not here with us, we want you to know how much we love you! We can't wait to see you. 4 days and counting......

Love,
Kennie, Justin, Nate & Maggie (& mom too!!)


Thanks everyone, I'll be there soon!

Dad

Have you ever been??

We were on our way to dinner Thursday night and we were playing a different version of our favorite game, "I'm thinking of an animal" called "I'm thinking of a state." It was Justin's turn.

In this story - J (Justin), A (Aaron), G (Grandma B.), K (Kennie) and S (Sassy).

J - "I'm thinking of a state..."
K - "Ohio."
J - Nope
K - "Texas."
J - "Nope"
A - "Utah."
J - "Nope."
A - "What letter does it start with?"
J - "N."
G - "New ...(enter one of the new states)
J - "Nope"
S - "Nebraska"
J - "Nope" Is this getting old to anyone else??? It sure is to me.

We go through all the N states and Aaron says this:

A - "Justin, that's all the N states. Give us another hint."
J - "Someone we know lives there."
S - Getting a clue into a 4 year olds mind, "Is it the North Pole?"
J - "YES!! You got it mom! It's the North Pole?

So, has anyone ever been to the grand old state of the North Pole?

Another funny note, we were dancing to ipod music last night when Aaron says to me, "I dance like a white doctor." (Not intending to be racist, mind you.)

Then my mom, after watching him dance said, "No, you dance like an OLD white doctor." It was pretty funny!!

This and that (it's a long one)

It's been a while since I did a general update, so I am going to do it today. A lot has been happening, so bare with me.

Aaron is enjoying a laid back month this month. He is doing geriatrics at the VA. He doesn't like the VA and is excited to be leaving at the end of the month. However, the first 2 weeks of November are night float, which is never good for me. He works all night and sleeps all day. His only night of the week off is Monday nights. He is going to D.C. the 19th of November and found out he gets to present his case at the conference he is going to. YA!! Maybe that will help him get his fellowship.

Kennie is doing well in first grade. He struggled in the beginning with his writing, since he hadn't been introduced to it. We worked with him conference weekend and now he is doing better. We are working with him on creative writing and including more details in his stories. Once we explain it to him, he is off with it, so it just takes us introducing things to him. He is still the top reader in his class and continues to excel in Math. He is very pleased with himself to say the least.

Justin is currently down with a stomach bug. He has missed the last 3 days of school and will miss today because he doesn't feel good. You can tell when Justin is sick (he acts just like Aaron) and he is sick!! Hopefully we are on the upswing of it and he will be back to "normal" by the weekend! He is enjoying preschool and he has started teaching himself how to read. He is really smart and is doing exactly what Kennie did last year. He has also won 2 of 5 football polls and is very pleased with himself!!

Nate is getting cuter by the day. He is learning all kinds of new words and won't stop talking. While Grandma and Grandpa Lewis were here, we cut out his nap and is doing so much better with it gone. We actually sleep through the night most of the time. Now, we just have to work with him about not throwing objects. I have many a bruises from him.

Maggie (this is where this post will turn into a book. This is more for me to remember than anything, so please bare with me.) We have had a couple of rough months with Maggie. She hasn't been a happy girl since August 13th (the day of her 2month shots.) She cried a lot, went from sleeping a lot to hardly sleeping and just no fun to be around. I was really at the end of my rope and didn't know if I could handle much more, so I took her into the doctor for her excessive crying and a 4 month check-up. Well, she weighed 10 pounds 11 ounces (she was 10 lbs 6 oz at her 2 month check up.) This was quite concerning to the doctor. (Let me take a minute and thank Troy. He is in our ward and just happened to have appointment openings when I needed an appointment. It was so nice to know that the doctor knew my family and my kids more than a normal doctor.) 5 ounces in 2 months isn't good. At her 2 month check-up she was in the 50%. At 4 months, she was in the 2%. Yes, that's right, 2.

What we decided in her appointment is that we upped her Zantac from .5 ml's twice a day to 1 ml 3 times a day. I also cut just about everything that is worth eating out of my diet. Gluten (wheat, barely, and rye to just name a few), dairy, nuts, eggs, sugar, artificial sugar, caffeine (that means chocolate) and carbonation. So, you might be asking yourself what I ate. NOT A WHOLE LOT!!! I was at a loss. It isn't too difficult to do one of those. But to do wheat and dairy was the killer. So, that was last Thursday. I noticed a change by that afternoon. She took an hour and a half nap. By Friday night when Shelby came over to hang for a bit before girls night, she took one look at Maggie and said "welcome back Mags!"

We have our old Maggie back, almost. She isn't quite sleeping through the night again, but we are getting there. I took Maggie back to the doctor today for a weight check and to touch base with the doctor about how things were going (we also did a mini appointment in the halls at church on Sunday and he said that since her change was so immediate, I could introduce wheat back into my diet because it wouldn't change that fast if it was wheat.) Anyway, so today Mags weighed 11 lbs. She gained 5 oz in 1 week. PERFECT. I don't have to go back for another 2 weeks for a weight check.

Now, we had some fun things at our appointment today. Troy heard a slight murmur while listening to Maggie's heart. For those of you who don't know, I also have a slight murmur. My heart is turned almost 180 degrees (they call this dextrocardia). It hasn't caused me much grief other than to limit my sports activity (like they could stop me) but I do have to be careful and I get winded easy. So, if she still has the murmur in 2 weeks, she will have an EKG and maybe an Echo and an X-ray to see if her heart is turned as well.)

There is also a chance that her hip socket is out of place. We will know in the next day or two if it really is. We went and got an X-ray. If her hip is out of place, she will need to wear a brace for 2 months and then we will have it re-examined to make sure all is well.Other than that, Maggie is doing a lot better.

So, you may have noticed that I have left myself out. What more is there to say. With all of this going on, I haven't had much time to do anything. Stamp camp is tomorrow night and I haven't finished the layout. I have a swap due the 1st of November and I haven't even started it. My house is a mess, my laundry is almost caught up (thanks to a throwing up kid I had to wash everything so we could live in this house with the smell.), I haven't exercised in 3 weeks (but have still lost a total of 11 lbs). I go to bed exhausted at the end of the day and wake up exhausted at the beginning of the next day.

I better head to help out with the screaming children in the bathroom who need their teeth brushed, medicine administered, prayers and kisses. Peace!!!Just a quick picture of our new Mags. Enjoy!!