The REDS Are Running

This month we took our camper down to the Kenai Peninsula to look at houses,  put salmon in our freezer and play on the beach.

Jordan and Torrance on the road.

We invited Torrance,  the daughter of our close friends, Jordan's closest buddy along for the trip.  Our kids are seasoned travelers at this point,  they know that asking if we are there yet doesn't get them any closer to the destination.  It didn't surprise me though,  when Torrance asked the quintessential traveling kid question,  "Are we there yet?"   Our journey had barely begun, we were somewhere between Anchorage and Girdwood.

The kids were very excited to try out the new bunks in our camper!

We took the kids down to a beach near the Crooked Creek Campground in Kasilof.  As we drove up and Torrance gasped, "O-M-G it's soooo huge!"   It was in that moment that I realized that she had never seen the ocean before.   Our plan was to walk the beach.  Before Larry or I even opened our truck doors,  all three kids were frolicking in the waves.  Every time a wave splashed Torrance's tan, skinny legs, she would giggle with and mixture of joy and surprise.  Later in our trip, we made a second stop at a beach in Clam Gluch,  they loved every minute of it.  

For two days (about two to four hours each day), we set out to catch our winter's supply of Salmon.  Torrance had no idea what she was in for.   Thinking about it, we had no idea what we were in for.  As we pulled into the driveway for the boat launch,  we semi-patiently waited for at least two hours to just get our boat in the water.  Normally my poor husband has to scramble around to back up the boat trailer,  get the boat  launched and I will often park the truck and trailer, if I only have to drive it forward. There just wasn't time for this ritual. The staff directed Larry to back up while I drove the boat off the trailer and into the traffic of hundreds of other boats who were waiting their turn to pick up a passenger or to get their boat out of the water.  I don't mind driving the boat.  Driving around among so many other boats frayed at my nerves.


The kids were troopers about fishing,  we kept their interest by turning it into a competition.  Our boys didn't buy into this tactic,  but Torrance sure did.  She had to bring in more fish than Jordan.  Despite all her efforts on both days,  Jordan brought in the most among us all.  I was impressed with the rhythm we eventually found out on the river.  I drove the boat,  the kids manned the nets while Larry helped get the fish in the boat and filleted.  Both Jordan and Torrance got to try their hand at filleting a fish.  Torrance promptly called her mom and asked,  "When I get home, can I play with knives?"  I can't imagine what Tim and Shawnda thought we were teaching their daughter!





We did make it to Homer to drive by a few houses.  We found a couple we really liked in Anchor Point,  but came home starting to question our decision to move.  

The mom and the teacher in me loved this trip.   All too often science and social studies give way to a skills block that provides children with additional help in reading.  Do NOT take this as an argument against teaching reading or providing additional help for kiddos who struggle with the basics.  As a parent of two children with special needs I believe in providing children with all the support they need.  I saw a true curiosity about tides, how salt gets into the ocean, the anatomy of a fish,  keeping a tally of how many male or female fish we caught, discussing that despite all the families out fishing....over 200,000 to 300,000 Reds were making it up the river to reproduce, and yes this lead to  how the fish reproduce.  All three kids were curious and excited about these topics,  they were truly learning things that would genuinely spark their interest to read, write, work with numbers and possibly even art.

There were times where I know the kids got tired of fishing and driving past houses that we probably won't buy.  The majority of the trip,  I would say they were three kids who were making fantastic summer memories.  I do know that everyone came home in good spirits but completely worn out.

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Notes after the fact-------Looking over this blog entry,  I wrote about Torrance A LOT!  She was just so enjoyable, hystarical and fun to have along,  I couldn't help but share the experience.

A Date With Blake

 Blake has autism, ADHD,  anxiety, a learning disability in language and speech delays.  This was officially diagnosed in April of this year.  It's all a bit overwhelming.....he is a bit overwhelming.  You ask him a question and he freezes up.  I don't know if he freezes with anxiety that he will give the wrong answer, doesn't know the answer, or what's going through his little mind. He needs a ridiculous amount of time to think, to answer questions....or even make a decision. He often says and does things that are socially inappropriate.  This drives me crazy.  On the other hand he can also be endearing, funny, loving and very creative.

Last weekend Larry took Jordan halibut fishing with a buddy of his.  I decided that Blake and I needed to do something fun too.

My parents were headed to Hope to go metal detecting (my dad's current obsession... I mean hobby) and we decided that it would be fun to go too.

When we talked this over,  Blake was so excited:  "I always wanted to go metal detecting!"  The day before, we went knee boarding on our lake and he made sure everyone knew he could go on the boat today,  but tomorrow he can't go fishing because he is going metal detecting.

Blake spent a bit of the drive to Hope worrying about bugs (an area of serious anxiety for him).  To get his mind off of bugs we played "I Spy" and sang songs.

Once we got there,  I put bug dope and a bug shirt on him and sent him off to find treasures with Grandpa's metal detector (Blake says this word with a "b" at the beginning...it's kinda cute.)

Mom and I went around, each armed with a metal detector.  We both dug up a lot of old garbage.

When we caught up with Blake,  he had found over a dollar in pocket change.  I later watched Grandpa planting coins under rocks.

I'm happy to report that Blake didn't stress too much about the bugs!  It wasn't too buggy and he was absorbed in the task at hand.

It was a great day with Blake and my parents.  It was nice to spend time with him and not have his anxiety and language barriers dictate the mood of the day.

I am happy to report he brought home $1.19.  He promptly lost over 75¢ in Grandma and Grandpa's car on the ride home.  I can't believe that didn't result in a melt-down!

Montana or BUST!

Larry, Me, Jocelyn, Blake, Dallon, Izabelle, Sophia, Jordan, Milo, Nanny and Papa

In June we intended to drive to Montana to help with the home my in-laws are fixing up.  To drive from Alaska to Montana,  you have to leave the United States.  My passport wasn't issued in time,  so the boys and Larry left me behind and began the long journey.  A few days later,  I boarded a plane with my passport in hand.  Yes,  I used airline miles to book myself a first class ticket.  They left me behind! Wouldn't you?




This was a trip to work  and a chance for the boys to meet their new brother, sister, nieces and nephew.   Larry's children live in Utah near their mom, which is where he was last stationed in the Air Force.

Pony,  I mean Papa

Milo drove Izzy and her kids from Utah to Montana.  
We really enjoyed getting to know and  having time to spend  with everyone.

Aunt Gin teaching Jordan a thing or two about water fights.

When I got there,  the boys were off with Aunt Ginger and Uncle Robert.  The boys loved these two and we pretty much had to force them to come back and stay at Nanny and Papa's.  It was interesting to spend time away from them and I was shocked to find myself saying,  "I'd really like to see my kids while we are here."  Do NOT mistake this as being ungrateful to Aunt Gin and Uncle Robert,  we did appreciate them taking and loving on our boys for a few days.

Larry and Blake working in the yard.

The weather was fantastic while we were there.  Their property has several places to hike and to see  the true beauty of Montana.

There was work to do but everyone enjoyed pitching in and helping.    There were moments of pure fun too.  Nanny brought out the water guns one hot afternoon.  All the kids and many of the adults cooled off in the fun!









The last few days of the trip were not so fantastic.  The morning after the family reunion BBQ, Nanny and Papa were late to get up.  They were both sick,  so was Milo.  Larry went down for the count next.  The following day was my turn.  Luckily,  Izzy and the kids seemed to miss getting it....or so we thought.

Once we were on the mend, our family of four loaded up in our truck,  trekking our way back to Alaska.  The first night on the road it was raining cats and dogs.  We couldn't find a place to camp and didn't want to set up a tent in the rain.  We decided that we would take shifts of sleeping and driving.  Sometime during the night,  we were both so tired that we finally pulled to the side of the road to rest.  This was a short lived plan since the belly bug finally hit Blake.

We had planned on a leisurely drive home, with stops for hikes and adventures along the way.  Once a kid starts puking in the truck,  you can't wait to get home as swiftly as possible.  To top it off,  Larry  had a sinus infection and wasn't up for much touring anyhow.

We did stay a night at Liard Hot Springs.  We went down to the hot springs around 10pm and had the pools to ourselves.  The campground was clean and well laid out.  The boys couldn't believe that the earth was responsible for heating the pools of water.  They also couldn't get over the rotten egg smells! Larry and the boys spent at least an hour playing around and relaxing.  I lasted about ten or fifteen minutes,  I just don't do temperature extremes...even in our hot tub at home.

Ending on a positive note;  we saw a ton of wildlife and the time together as a family was truly fantastic.

The boys favorite memory?  They loved staying in a dingy motel on our last night of traveling.  I do have to say,  we all needed showers and even a strange bed is more comfortable than sleeping in a truck seat.

A few days after getting home, we bought a camper.

Faking?

December 18th, 2012 we adopted our foster sons.

Adoption Day!

 Up until that point,  Blake often called me his fake mom.  Interestingly,  he started calling his birth mom the fake mom as the adoption date got closer and closer.  I defended their birth mom,  she is not a fake mom; but neither am I.

On the other hand,  there are days I feel like the surrogate, as if I stepped into her place when the boys were only four and seven years old.  I'll be honest, there are days where I truly feel as if I'm faking it all.  I would like to think of my self as a very genuine person.  With that said,  in regards to parenting.....aren't we all faking some part of it at some point and time?  Pretending we know the right thing to do at every turn and tribulation.

There are times I wish our family were built simply,  normally.  My lesson in this journey is that families are built in so many different ways.

Here is where I will log the events of our crazy life in Alaska.    I only wish I started blogging our journey sooner.  These two faces have changed so much in the past three years!  

Torrance a close family friend, Jordan and Blake our sons, riding to the Kenai Peninsula for a fishing and house hunting expedition.