January 7 2018

Happy New Year.
Good grief! Where has the time gone.  We went from counting each day to counting months.  That's a good thing.  December was about as 'normal' as it could have been.  Between Christmas concerts, Megan and Hunter's basketball, school, dance, boy scout camp outs, work, and the buzz of the holiday it was and still is good to be home.  I can still say after being home for over 6 months now (yes it has only been 6 months) it is good to be home.  We still don't take it for granite.

In January, we finally go back to Calif for checkups.  Not sure when, next week I think.  This time it is only 2 of the 3 going, Lindsey and Gage are up to bat, Sierra has the month off.  All we know is the kids keep taking their meds, and every 3-4 weeks Stacy draws blood.  Their doses have changes slightly, but all is going well there.  Gage's predisone is down to a very low level.  The swelling in is face is almost all gone.  If you compare pictures back in June until now you can see quite a change.

Other than that, we have enjoyed a relatively 'normal' Christmas season.  Stacy is teaching dance to the the high school girls (including Sierra), Megan is loving basketball, they are currently 12-1 and lookin' for more.  Lindsey is all over the junior high social seen. I am coaching Hunter in YMCA basketball. Gage Aurelius still thinks he is a comedian!  He is playing YMCA with a bunch of his cousins and buddies. Of course there is the normal stress and struggles we all go through, but we are  taking it in stride.

Very low snow this year.  Last year we had 1-3 ft of snow in our yard. This year we have 1-3 inches.  Hopefully we get more in the mountains for the upcoming irrigation season.

That's really all I got.  If I am missing something, I sure can't think of it.  Even though we do not talk about it much, deep down Stacy and I both agree that this is borrowed time.  The health of 3 heart transplant kids can't last forever.  So we will continue to enjoy the life we have and not dwell on what might or could or may happen.

After considering the show and what we have experienced in California, we came across a quote in our CPA literature.  We thought this was very appropriate given the friends and life changing experiences we had.  Not saying we won't return just not yet.

All changes, even the most longed for, have there melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves. Anatole France

 Each Christmas eve we do a 'traditional' tubing up at Little Alps.  We had over 42 people there including cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends.  We tried to leave all the 'responsible' adults home.

           

Yah, that's the 'Man-of-Steel'

 Hunter was eating it up!!

 Lindey's 14 birthday.

Ole college buddy Wade Tishner.  Super funny guy to hang out with.  

 Lindsey and the junior high dance team.

 Our glorious Christmas tree. Megan had the honors of the star.

 This was Nick and Hilary Cox's house a month ago.  A horrible chimney fire destroyed their home. 

 My Dad and Uncle Allen.  Dad was laughing at a story Allen was telling him.  It was a fun picture to capture. 

 This is the infamous Powder Valley gym.... Christmas concert style!

Lindsey, Abby, and Ayla makin' it happen.