Day 61, Tax Season is over!

April 15, 2013

We are due for a Daddy update. It’s 6:50 pm and I am flying high over the Idaho / Nevada deserts.  It’s the last day of tax season, and it’s always a good feeling to have all the tax clients accounted for (I think….I hope). It’s been a challenging and crazy tax season starting back on February 1^st. You think about all that has happened in the last 2 months, transplant, biopsies, rejection, tests, games, and a very busy tax season on top of that. Stacy has done a great job keeping the fort down.  Our clients have been very understanding as we worked through an interesting set of circumstances.  I have been traveling back to Oregon every other week to try to keep with the tax load. I was always able to work in Calif, but being in the office in Oregon I was able to work longer and stay focused. The last 2 trips home have been particularly ‘focused’. I squeezed every bit of work into the last 8 days in Oregon. Hopefully we are taking good care of our clients, if not, we are giving it the ole ‘Aggie Try’ anyway.

It’s been strange living in our house in Oregon by myself.   Each trip home I bring home a suit case or 2 of clothes, shoes, books, or other cute ‘stuff’ we have either grown out of or don’t have the room for at the RMH. There is a pile of ‘stuff’ in the extra bedroom, Megan’s room has an enormous pile of miscellaneous clothes on the floor. I gave up trying to separate out who’s clothes were who’s.  Besides, they have all grown out of those clothes anyway.  So the pile keeps on growing.  You could loose a small child in there now. Lindsey’s bed has an impressive stuffed animal collection on it. It almost fills the bed, we need just a few more before the bed buckles. Hunter and Gage’s room has clothes I have taken out of storage. Over the months I have made attempts to dig out and find clothes for the boys to where. I have given up on that as well. Back in July when I was concerned (scared) of environmental issues, I loaded up most of our old furniture and took it to the dump. So since July, the only furniture we have in our living room is the dinner table and chairs, a few night stands, and a banana chair. But that is all I have needed. It’s strange to say, but I am almost (not quite) but almost used to living in that house alone.  Next month it will have been a year since Stacy and Lindsey has been there. The kids haven’t been there since the summer.  It definitely could use a woman’s touch (especially the bathrooms). I guess it isn’t good enough to just flush the toilets every other week and call it good. For some reason the toilet in our bathroom doesn’t work. Whatever. Maybe the little genie will come clean it up for me  before Stacy gets back J. 
My mother has a done a great job watching over the place, watering the plants, and keeping it secure.   I won’t lie, it has been hard on my parents to live next door and see a lifeless house just sit there month after month.  It’s a daily reminder to them of the situation their grandkids are in.  They have done a great job supporting us, I love and respect them very much.
During tax season, the days at home were something like this. Get up way too early and attempt to exercise (heavy on the attempt).  Stoke the fire, yes it is still cold in Oregon.  Clean up and out the door by 6:20. Dad would give me a ride to North Powder to catch a ride with my brother Justin who left for Baker at 6:30. Remember, our rigs are in Calif so I was getting rides everywhere with whoever I could find.  It always worked out. Work all day, then catch a ride with Dad or the last ride I could find out of Baker. My dear mother would have something for Dad and I to eat between 9-10.  Go home, stoke the fire again, call the crew, and call it a day. Sunday I went out with Jake, Roper and Dad to help feed cows. I sure enjoy getting out and seeing the cows, baby calves, and how the farm ground is doing. But most of the time I am just home to work. I enjoy working with my clients. Each one has a unique and sometimes complicated situation. It’s like a puzzle to figure out how best to help the clients with their financial issues.

As always, it's good to see our friends and family back home. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our little life, we forget about all the good people that read our blog, pray for us, and support us in so many ways. Going home is a great reminder.  Then you hear about what happened in Boston.  Unbelievable....

Kids are doing good, I think. Lindsey calls me the most just to check in. “Hi Dad, it me….. I just wanted to call and see how your taxes are going”.  Lindsey seems to be doing great. I am coming back to Oregon in a week with Megan. She has the North Powder 6^th grade field that she has been invited to go on. She is WAY excited.  The school asked if I was available to help chaperone, so what the heck.  I think it’s still okay to have your parents there, but we will have to see. 

I know school has been tough for Sierra. The classes are challenging along with all the distractions going on with her heart.  I think she is holding up, but she has a lot on her plate. The thought of re-transplant has to scare her, but she acts so calm about it. I know she leans heavily on the strength of her parents, especially her mother.

The boys are boys.  They need room to run and do their thing. I need to spend some time with Hunter. As a 6 year old, he can require a lot of attention. And Gage is hilarious! I sure hope his little heart can hang on. It would be devastating to our family if he was to turn. As a 4 year old on a transplant list, he would wait for a very long time, at least a year, given his size, and blood type (O). We would NEVER be able to leave his side. The longer his little heart can last the better.  For now he is good, he eats lousy, and has occasional tummy aches (grr), but seems to be holding.

Stacy could use a husband. She has been managing the crew solo for a long time. Sure love that woman.

Plane is about to land. Thanks for letting me ramble. If you made it this far, you must have had some time.
Excited to see the family.

Jason