I'm an aunt!

Well Hello Everyone!
So Matt and I are not quite at the point of wanting to have our own children so I am happy to announce the next best thing....My brother Dan and his wife Ellie just had a baby boy!! I am reaching out because I can use all the good thoughts I can get! The baby was due in April but Ellie was having some bouts with high blood pressure....turns out that she had a tumor the size of a small apple on her kidneys...the baby was not getting enough blood so it was determined that an emercency C-section was necessary-keep in mind that Ellie was only 29 weeks along. Needless to say we were and continue to be on alert. They decided to name him Dutch Braylon Jarrett (long story) My brother always wanted a "tough name" and he wanted to keep a tradition of the same initials DBJ. He decided on Dutch because (don't laugh) it was Arnold Schwartzwagner's name in the movie Predator....feel free to groan-My mom was praying for a girl when she heard that was the chosen boy name...

He was born weighing 2.5 pounds and 15 inches long....long limbs!! I've attached a pic of him and my brother. Any positive thoughts/prayers that can be sent out into the universe for him would be wonderful-I'm flying out to Phoenix in a couple of weeks to visit so I'm really excited.


I'm happy to hear all of the good news from WA. Congrats to Mitch on the new baby-that is WONDERFUL!! And I am really happy to hear about you new job Joy!! (and jealous...I can't wait to hear more details once you get going there)

Finally, I have an interview coming up this Wednesday for a grant position through Colorado State University as a family coordinator with a program that is developing programs to build healthy marriages in Colorado. I am really excited and want to thank those of you who gave such glowing references-I will keep you posted on the status of the position.

I miss all of you so much!! I hope to see you soon!

Megan

I'M FREE!!!!

Yesterday I I had an interview at an adoption agency and a few hours after the interview they called and offered me the job! I went straight to Ryther and quit my job! Oh happy day!!! I'm going to be an adoption therapist! I start in two weeks!!!

I must admit that I have grown very close with the women I work with at Ryther. I will be sad to leave them. . .and the kids. . .it will be different but I have not felt this hopeful about my future in long time. I just feel like shouting "I'M FREE" from the roof tops!!!

Joy

Hello all!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season and joyous New Year! I, for one, am a bit glad to have it all behind us and resume life as normal. It was draining having two Christmas' this year... We spent a couple days with my family and then it was off to Sequim to spend time with Mike's family. Lots of driving but it was nice to catch up with everyone! Joy and Dennis were nice enough to visit Capone while we were gone and she loved every minute of it! Last night, Capone had quite an enjoyable time playing with toys so Mike (like Joy used to do) has decided she won't sleep today until we go to bed...One thing we did discover while at his sister's is that Mike has an uncanny ability to connect with her dog, Rhino (below). Spending time with Rhino makes me yearn for the day my Great Dane and I will be united : )


As for other goings on...Mike interviews at Ohio State next month and UW next week. The med school process has been very stressful for us, the waiting, the interviews, the costs, the discussions, the what-ifs...I thought it would get easier after the studying and application essays but if anything, the waiting, which I am not good at, is stressful. Given my profession, I should be able to use lots of "feeling" words about this but I'm at a loss.

Mike and I have began "Brain Training" lately (with the help of the DS game). When I first started, my mental age was 80. It should just have said "You might be in a coma, dumb ass." Since my ego took such a hit, I have been "training" diligently and have increased my age to a respectable mental age of 27. Mike has an advantage with his math skills (especially with the Serial Subtraction, ie 105, subtract by 9 until you reach 6) but I'm quickly on his heels...

Here's a picture of Capone since I can't let Rhino take the cake....

Janett

The Polar Bear Plunge

Have you heard of this? Probably so. Have you seen it? Have you done it?


For the New Year celebration I went up to Bellingham to see my friend Charles. On New Year's Day we went to Birch Bay to watch the traditional New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge. I had heard of this phenomenon going on in other states like Michigan and Alaska, but for some reason I didn't think of it happening here. Among us.


Again, have you seen this?


We got there and saw the crowd standing around in flip flops, aqua socks, and bare feet even, some with their towels wrapped around their shoulders, some without. Some wore full body covering, such as the cute dad with his little approximately 9-year-old daughter in matching pirate costumes complete with eye patch. Others wore almost nothing at all, such as the red, white, and blue very skimpy bikini. Charles said that bikini girl was a regular.


I was bewildered. Why would anyone do this? The wind was blowing. It was seriously cold. Not as cold as last year, evidently, as I overheard one mother's attempt to calm her fearful and shivering maybe 5-year-old daughter with, "At least there's no snow. Remember last year and the snow?" This little girl was clinging to her mother for dear life, dressed in a purple swim suit, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around her mother's body and her hair blowing in the arctic wind. Her mother was similarly clad.


I looked around myself at the people. Charles said they were brave. That is not the word I would have used. So, I thought about it. What is the point of running into freezing cold water and then running back out? Conquering self? Being able to say you did it? Most people got wet up to their waist or even their upper thighs. Very few actually dove in or got themselves completely wet. Bikini girl did. On the way to the car I saw her, little bikini, no towel, the skin of her entire body bright red.


I don't get it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!