Introducing Megan Joy DeWeese!!

The Judge, the Family, and our Attorney, Thom

Over 13 months after Megan came to live with us (on 5 Sept 04), we became official and legal parents of Megan Joy DeWeese on Thursday, 21 October 2005. Grandma Jane (Melody's Mom), Aunt Julie (Melody's sister) and her three wonderful girls, Hannah, Abbi, and Ella joined us just past midnight that morning. Grandma and Grandpa DeWeese had arrived the Friday before. Along with our great friends David and Jody, and many of the "players" in the legal process (hard working social workers Rick and Abbi, guardian ad lietum (Megan's lawyer!) Bob, Dr. Robertson, her psychiatrist (who verified that she was a perfectly normal little girl and not a girl with many mental problems in need of heavy drugs and who would have qualified her former care-giver for extra money), and Dave, the assistant attorney general who argued on behalf of the state) all joined us and our attorney, Thom for this wonderful event. I'm betting there aren't that many people in the rooom when most people give birth! The 30 minute hearing was quick and easy and had no hic-ups. Yes, that is easier than a hard delivery, but remember - we've been in a very hard labour for 13 months!! This is not the "easy" way to have a child - I promise you that. After the hearing we had cake and sparkling juice (no alcohol in the court room!) with those who helped make this day possible. Everyone is hopefull to have a second hearing for Dustin sometime soon. Keep praying for that.

The spread on the deck (with Dustin hangin out and looking towards the mountains) and in just to the right looking into the dinning room and kitchen (where hard working Mom and two Grandma's get thing ready!)

Afterwards, we had an open house at our home and lots of friends came by to celebrate with us. The new, finished deck was a big hit. Even on a cold October day in Alaska many of us enjoyed hanging out on the deck and watching the fading light on the lake and the mountains. Melody and the two Grandmas put in a lot of work, aided by Grandpa and Aunt Julie, and made quite a spread of great food and drinks. Everyone had a great time and were very happy for us.

So, what does this mean? Megan Joy DeWeese is now our heir! We need to get a will. We need to plan for college education! She will always be our forever daughter. It is such a wonderful thing.

Single Working Fatherhood

On Saturday Melody will return from Texas where she has been volunteering for the Red Cross response for Huricane Rita doing public affairs work. She started in Austin, went to Houston, out to Baumont, up to Lufkin, side trips to Jasper, over to San Antonio, and finaly back to Houston where she is working the Baumont area. She has been doing amazing work, but I can't wait for her to be back on Saturday.

My work days involves getting kids up (or they getting me up), getting kids fed, changed, dressed, getting myself showered, shaved, dressed (rarely feed), getting shoes and jackets on, getting dog fed and sending her outside, getting into the car and to school. Into school (aka daycare), usually shortly after 0800. Having to listen to Dustin cry when I leave (most of the time), getting to work. Work until 1600 and then pick up kids (daycare doesn't go to 1700). Pick up kids. Go to store and buy some dinner or go to park for a bit, or just go home and play there until I start dinner between 1730 and 1800. Eat (hopefully they eat it all). Clear table. Kids play a bit more, then into PJs, then bed time stories, sing songs, and to bed. Hopefully between 1945 and 2030. Hopefully they actually go to sleep fairly soon withou much fussing and crying. Then about two hours to myslef to watch some tv, do some laundry, so a bit more quite cleaning (no vaccuming, which is much needed).

And I only had to do this for three weeks. Single working parents are amazing and deserve much respect.

Tomorrow Gandma and Grandpa (Pappa) arrive around 1700. Kids can't wait. Saturday Melody gets home. Sweet relief is in sight!

Our Kids!

It took a while to figure out how to grab this picture out of Adobe Photoshop, but it is one of my favorites. We took this on a hike just over the Turnigan arm in September. These are some good looking little hikers!

Deck Update

We can walk out the back door and down to our backyard again. What a relief! Caxton can go out without me walking her around from the front and I can walk the kids down to the yard easily again - though I have to keep them careful since the rails aren't on yet.

Megan is already relaxing on the steps!

Now imagine it with a railing, on a sunny day and with burgers fresh off the grill!

Now, if we can just get a door ordered we can get one put in downstairs and we'll have a completely new look on the outside of the house since we've bought it two years ago.

Only three more days and Melody will be back from Texas and her deployment with the Red Cross and I'll no longer be a single working father! I can't wait, though Melody has been doing some great work trying to help people and has been really shinning in her public affairs roles. I'm very proud of her.

Columbus Day Weekend

Four day weekends are always great. But when it is just Dad and the kids - that is still work. I would have wanted to go camping, but instead we ran random errands and tried to play around the house. The contractor is working on the new back deck. Hopefully in a day or two we'll even be able to (carefully) walk out the back door and down to the yard again. And hopefully I won't have to keep walking the dog around from the front so she can use the yard!



The new deck from the side.






The deck from the back. The top level will swing around the north side of the house and will give us views of the mountains. It will be big enough for a table and the bar-b-que. The stairs have tier and will be much stronger - no more swaying back and forth! The tier is supported by two steal beams which are sunk deep into the ground. It will be the best deck in the neighborhood.

Even though we didn't go camping like I had originally wanted to, I did get a new backpack! I have been wanting a new one for a while. My old Mountainsmith has been with me for over 15 years and is showing wear. It served me well on trips in the Rockies, the Cascades, two climbs up Rainier, camping in the Alps and in Alaska. For my new pack I was leaning towards the Gregory Palisade based off of features, price and recommendation. But even the guy at REI who recommended the Gregory had said if I could afford it, the Arc'Teryx or Osprey were the top of the line. The Arc'Teryx have water resistant, durable material and zippers, great padding, and many lashing points. Anyway, REI had the Bora 80 on sale for a price that made it cheaper than the Gregory. It is a bit smaller - 4700 cubic inches vs. 5100 for the Gregory, but I decided it was still big enough for both multi-day trips and for carrying extra gear for the kids when we go on a family backpacking trip. So, here it is, modeled by Megan! She carried it out up to the counter and then out to car and gives it thumbs up!










A future backpacker and her dog!

First Post

This Blog is meant to be a place to keep my firends and family updated on my life and thoughts and other fun things. This is kind of an experiment. We'll see.

This is a picture of me coming home to a great welcome. It was sometime last fall - can't remember when off the top of my head. It makes me happy to see it everytime.