Mission Falls

Addison and I hiked into Mission Falls in St. Ignatius last Sunday. It was a beautiful hike and easily one of my top 10 best days ever. Addi was such a joy to hike with. The hike got very steep at the end and Addi was on all fours climbing her way up! She was very proud of herself when we made it to the top of the falls. She said, "Yes. We made it!" We took our shoes off and splashed in a safe zone in the water fall. It was a beautifully clear day, we could see for a hundred miles.

Mom Update #6

Mom is deeply immersed in her chemo treatment side effects. She had a full week of chemo a week before last. This past week she developed sores in her throat and down her esophagus. She is unable to eat and drink. Yesterday, finally, I took her down and they pumped her full of fluids for about 3 hours. She went back in today for more fluids. She starts another week of chemo next Monday and then will have 2 weeks off then do one more week after that and then have a 2 week break before starting radiation. Being unable to eat leaves her weak and very tired. A combination of not eating and the meds make her very sleepy and she sleeps most of the day.

Addi-isms

Addison Jo - 2 years, 8 months old going on 17


Addison said to me, "When I get big will you get little?"

Dylan and Addi met my friend Jackie and her boys at the splash park in Linda Vista the other day. There is a giant bird whose beak fills up with water and then dumps out. I guess Addi was scared of the "big bird." We drove past the park today and I asked her if that is the big bird she was afraid of. She said, "Yes", in her shaky, scared voice. I said, "well, honey, it is only a toy, he can't hurt you." She said, "uh-huh. It dumps water on kids. It gets us kids all wet!"

Her favorite word is crazy. Everyone, everything, and anything you do is "crazy". She always says while shaking her head, "Oh crazy you."

"Mom, I'm serious."

She can pretty much correctly pronounce all words. Even words like, graduation and patella! One word she says in her own way is Cinderella. She says "Inderbrella".

She still gets really embarrassed really easily. If you tell a cute or funny story about her and she over hears, she gets really sad and says, "Don't laugh at me."

She is still really shy around new people or in big groups of people. She hides behind Dylan or I or gets really clingy and hides her face.

We always knew she would be a talker. But, boy. This girl doesn't stop talking from the very second she wakes up until bed at night.

One of her most favorite phrases to repeat a million times is, "What is you doing?"

"No, I don't want my hairs cut. It hurts."

"Yah, me do!"

She still changes her "owfit" hourly! She is going to be a very expensive teenager!

She stuffs towels under her shirt or puts a baby doll under her shirt. When I ask her what she is doing she says, "Look mommy, it's a baby!"

Trapper Peak

Trapper Peak: Darby, Montana

Elevation: 10,147 feet

Elevation gain from trail head to summit: over 3,000 feet

Time to hike: 9 hours

Total mileage: over 8 miles

The highest point in the Bitterroot Mountain Range, 200th highest point in Montana

My brother, Jake and cousins Lena and Madi and I hiked Trapper Peak the other day. Two words come to mind when I think of it: Wow! Ouch!

The hike started out with a non-gradual, instantly painful, almost perfectly vertical climb and it only got less steep two times the whole day! But the pain was worth the views. We had a blast together. An intense feeling of accomplishment overcame us when we were finally standing on the top together overlooking our Montana that we all treasure!

Mom Update #5

Mom called the other day all nonchalant, like she does, and told me she is going to start chemo treatments next week. The mass or whatever it is they biopsied in her chest was pretty serious and they think it has been there a long time. The cancer may be in her blood so she will start chemo and then have radiation after that. I don't understand, "may be in her blood". Is it or isn't it. Oh, the frustration. So I don't know what will happen....

Kalispell Rock Walls

Dylan had an interview in Kalispell with an urgent care this past weekend. Addison and I went with Dylan and we stayed the night with my family. The interview went well he thinks. He really liked the two doctors and said he seemed to mesh well with them! The interview was a couple hours long. The discussed a lot he said. We still haven't heard back. Dylan called it a "dream clinic" and was really excited. The only drawback is the position is part time to start. Eventually it would be full time, but they can't say when.

Kalispell is so amazing. I always knew I liked Kalispell but this trip had me yearning to live there, permentatly. It would be great to live near family and only be a couple hours from Missoula.

My Aunt Merna and Uncle Ron, cousin Lena, Easton and Miles live in Kalispell. Their beautiful house sits up on a hill and looks into Glacier Park. They have 10 acres and chickens! Addi loved the chicken and the little white turkey! She collected eggs for breakfast. We always talk about the farm her and I want and she got a little taste of what it would be like and I think she loved it!

My awesome Cousin Lena and her friend took us climbing for my first time! It was a blast and I am hooked! I have ordered my shoes and harness already! She was so patient and pushed me to climb to the top when I was ready to give up! And I did it! Lena is off to college in a few weeks. I am so excited to see what life brings her. She is an amazing girl and I love being with her. We are a lot alike, I think. I see a lot of me in her! So I will take a little credit for all she becomes!!


I am trying to not get my hopes up for being able to stay in Montana. I was looking forward to a new adventure on the West Coast or Alaska, but would like to remain in Montana, my happy place. I had accepted we may be moving to Arkansas or somewhere really foreign. Hopefully this works out!

After we went climbing we drove to "The Cabin" at Placid Lake to spend the day. Enie and John were there.

What wonderful people they are. Ever since I was a baby they have opened their lake home to the crazy Terry clan and let us well be the Terry's! They are a lake icon and it makes me all warm and fuzzy to see them! As I am typing I am remembering I have something for Enie and I wonder where it is??? Anyhoo. We spent the afternoon chatting, eating and kayaking. The blue sky came out for a bit and Uncle Rick took Addi, Dylan and I on the old orange fast boat to do a little fishing. The only pole Dylan has was Addi's pink one! He was able to hook a monster, 3 inch perch. Boy was he proud!

Jackie and her amazing boys

Addison and I took a short road trip to Spokane to visit my wonderful friend, Jackie and her three amazing boys, Owen (4), Ethan (2 1/2), and Baby Liam (7 months). Scott was out of town so it was a mommy and kid weekend. We had a blast. Addison LOVES "her boys" as she calls them! They play so well together. We were able to go the Jump and Bounce and they bounced some of their energy away! That Sunday was Father's Day so we went to Michael's and bought crafts for the kids to make for their daddy's! It was a little stressful with 6 little, excited hands, a bunch of paint, glue and stickers! But their Daddy's loved what they made!

I am going to be honest, some people's kids drive me crazy! But Jackie's boys are so pleasant, polite and genuinely kind. They are a joy to be around. It is so amazing watching Jackie with her kids. The patience that women has! She is an inspiration. She is a wonderful mother and her beautiful boys reflect how amazing she and Scott are! Three wild and crazy boys under 5 in one house could be complete chaos, but Jackie's chaos is good chaos and it is fun to watch! I am so thankful for my dear friend Jackie and her amazing boys.

Addi still asks to go to "Essin and Owen's House!"

Mom Update

Well, more news. Unfortunately, more news with mom's cancer these days brings more invasive procedures and unknown outcomes. Last I updated they had removed more masses under her chin and lymph nodes. These came back cancer positive and they have decided to proceed with radiation. She will have to have a feeding tube inserted through her belly in order to eat through the radiation. They also found some sort of mass or something in her lungs or chest. She goes in today and they are going to biopsy it.

Mom's attitude with all of this is so frustrating. She tries to hide or minimize information that she receives and is so positive that is makes me so angry. I know she is trying to put up a "its not a big deal" front so people don't worry about her but in order for her to get through this I feel that she needs to accept what is happening and confront it realistically. So, the information that I receive is vague at best. She won't allow me to go to doctor's appointments with her or pick her up from procedures.

She is supposed to start radiation in 5 weeks or so. One of her doctor also feels maybe she never had RA, maybe it was the cancer attacking her joints all along. I truly feel it is a lot more serious than she realizes and is letting on. I sure hope her doctors aren't minimizing the situation for her either. I am the type of person who needs ALL the information. I don't want it sugar coated. It is up to me to handle the information the way I choose. I wish I could talk mom into just allowing me in to cry with her or scream with her or just know with her. No one should have to protect everyone from any situation and go through this walk all alone.

Oh, Addison

I was getting dressed for work today and Addison says to me, "What are you doing?" I said, "Getting dressed." Addi - "Why" Me - "I have to go to work." Addi - "You can't leave me here all by myself." Me - "I know, you are going to go to Grandma Deaette's." Addi - "Well, you have to drive me there." Me - "Yes, honey I know that"

This girl just cracks me up daily! What pure joy she brings to me.

Ellie and Addison

Sara and Ellie came up for Jake's graduation. Addison and Ellie are so adorable and so grown up. They truly amaze me how smart they are. The are constantly out smarting us! It melts my heart when Ellie says, actually when she screams, "Auuuunnnnnnnnntttttiiiiieeeee, Love you!!" She also says, "Watch this." And then does something hilarious! Matching jammies are a tradition with the girls. This time Ra-Ra picked out jammies with way cool head bands and slippers! Addison just adores Auntie Ra-Ra. We catch her calling her Sara sometimes but she will correct herself and say Ra-Ra! Addison bawled for 20 minutes after taking them back to the airport. She understands time now and realizes that we don't get to see them for a long time. She said, "But I don't want Ellie to go to Colorado!" Poor girl.