| August 2004 |
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The BEST thing happening in August of course, was, as always is, our Emily's birthday on August 12th. Who said she could grow up??? It wasn't me. Hard to believe she is sweet 17 already. With school and dance starting she'll be on the go and we'll have to stay on OUR toes to keep up with her! If it weren't for the USUALLY ever present "r" "a" "i" "n" I think August would be my favorite month. But there is USUALLY something about August in Alaska that ... is all wet. Rumor has it that is becuase the Tanana Valley State Fair happens in August, and the event is USUALLY somewhat like a mystical rain-dance or something... it is almost always soggy! Notice I said USUALLY ??? That's because THIS year, it has been sunny for almost the total entire complete time of the fair!!! It's an admittedly corny theme this year, but I certainly like the colors of their poster!  "Corn to be Wild" http://www.tananavalleyfair.org/ Emily's dance academy (Dance Arts Academy) performed Saturday, August 7th and again on her birthday August 12. We are on a very, very, very, (did I mention VERY?) tight budget so went to see her on her birthday, which was Food Bank Day, and we got in for four cans of food per person. We can stay on our budget and see Emily dance too! She was AWESOME! (Okay, they were all awesome, I guess but Emily is who we were watching!) To help come up with money for her 2004-2005 dance classes, Emily will be selling some of her Beanie Babies. This about breaks my heart, but it is her decision, and the money is most certainly for her dance classes. She has been collecting them for YEARS. Of course she will keep her most precious ones... like the Santa that Billy bought her before he left for the Marine Corps. She is choosing and researching, but is determined to let most of them go. She loves dance! Today is a day for the history books -- Saturday, August 14, 2004 -- we actually got a car in the garage! We took EVERYTHING (almost) out of the garage and swept it out... Bill took two van-loads of discarded junk to the "transfer site" (dump) and we got most of the remaining junk back into one side of the garage. Very early in the morning on Tuesday, August 17, 2004, we watched our "little" girl (Annie) go off to Texas for two months. I, who scoffed at teary eyed mothers who lamented the departure of their kids for college, would have had to eat my words if my husband hadn't choked up first. Seeing him and Annie with tears in their eyes did me in. What the heck! It's two months, and she's going to stay with her cousin, not into BOOT CAMP, for crying out loud! The second best thing that happened for Deb in August is her new hairstyle! August 28, Deb got a new hairdo -- please hold your applause. I'm growing out the dyed part and going au naturel. Reactions have been (surprisingly to Deb) very positive. And ... it is VERY easy to maintain. A couple of more months, and all that dyed hair will be gone with the wind...  Alas, we bid farewell to August, and to Annie, since she is off to Texas! Bill, Emily and Deb are all that's left here at the Dourte's in Alaska.   It sounds to us like Annie is having WAY too much fun with Will and his parents in Texas and we're all probably a little bit envious. We're on pins and needles for pictures, and for news of the impending arrival of Will's little sister on August 31 (if she waits that long!) As soon as we have links, they'll be posted to share. Where in the heck is Sitka?Bill went to Sitka. Something bit him down there and he wants to move! Sitka Webcam SouthHappy Birthday Marzipan!You are ONE year old!!! Pretty amazing, but everytime we snip off a bit of hair, it seems like it grows back twice as fast. Soon we will take Marzipan for her very first grooming at Interior Custom Grooming. Ginger goes there and always comes come much more tidy! This month is also the Annual Deacon Retreat, which we usually have in September or October, but is being combined with Anchorage this year. That's a really nice thing, but I might end up missing 2 days of work for it, and that is something I really should not do. (I believe I mentioned the very, very, very, VERY, VERY tight budget?) We'll see how it goes, though. I hate the thought of being gone the weekend right before Annie goes to Texas for two months. I'm going to miss her like CRAZY. To tell the truth, Annie keeps me sane. She's even more than a daughter, she's a friend. My kids are all three totally fantastic, and I thank God for them! We were counting down the days until our son, Bill, comes home, but now it is looking like he might decide to stay in the Marine Corps. This has my emotions totally mixed up. I want him to come home and go to college, get a degree, and then decide on his career path, but at the same time, if he stays Active Duty, AND goes to college (but is that feasible?) and gets his degree, he is earning a living and accruing time in service toward retirement. SIGH. I trust him to make the right decision, whatever he does. He knows much better than anyone else whether is life is satisfactory, and he will consider all his options in making his decision. I trust him. After all, he's going to help the girls pick out my retirement home, right? With carpet? |
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