merry christmas!

October 2008

October is full of things to do -- Arnold turned 17. We all marched in the Alaska Day Parade. Cassie had a sleepover party with a couple of friends on Halloween. We've always known she's the one with the brains in the family.

Fun, fun, fun.

September 2008

Back to school, back to church, back to scouting, back to . . . everything!

After basically taking a year off from all of my commitments (because I thought we were moving), it was time to step back in and get busy. The kids are busy with school and band. Arnold was running with Sitka High Cross Country team. Our Girl Scout Troop is down to three girls, but still going.

Cassie and I started co-teaching the preschool-kindergarten Sunday school class (above). It's a fun class, and I'm enjoying having Cassie there with me.

I also started taking a class through the University of Alaska. It's an Early Childhood Education class that meets via teleconference twice a week. There are students from all over the state.

August 2008

We bought a car for Arnold. This makes life much easier for me, since we both have pretty full schedules. I think his car looks exactly like mine. Mine is a Chevy Prism, his is a Mazda Protege. Cute little car. Doesn't eat a lot of gas.

July 2008

Let's eat cake!

Arnold was attending Sitka Fine Arts Camp, and Cassie and I decided to surprise him with a random birthday. We made the cake from Portal and delivered it to one of his classes.

Cassie celebrated her 11th birthday with an Asian-themed party, beginning with lunch at the Twin Dragon restaurant. Since she's a big fan of "Ace of Cakes" we experimented with rolled fondant and ended up with a pretty nice cake (after four attempts and one disaster!).

After lunch, she and her friends did some shopping downtown. Next time you're in town, ask Cassie or Chaya about "Operation Fork."

I signed mortgage loan papers at the end of the month, and also started dating!

June 2008

Both kids participate in Sitka Summer Band. They played an outdoor concert under the bridge by the tourist dock.

Cassie attended Sitka Fine Arts Camp. She enjoyed a variety of activities and especially like her beginning ballet class!

May 2008

I started to panic because my job at the preschool would be ending soon and we still had no offers on our house. Found another job (with more hours and higher pay!) with Lolly at the Sheldon Jackson Child Care Center. Then I went to the bank to try to refinance my house, and the bank said "No." Tried again with my credit union and they said "Okay."

Arnold went to prom! Looking very handsome in a suit and all. Aw.

April 2008

Nothing much happened in April. Brenda turned 45!

March 2008

Arnold decided he wanted to have dreadlocks. Seven hours of backcombing and waxing later, it looks pretty cool. Unfortunately, his hair didn't seem to want to knot up as it grew out so we ended up undreading by August.

February 2008

Arnold and Brenda head to Anchorage for 16 days and stay at the Alaska Native Medical Center while Arnold undergoes tympanoplasty.

Anchorage is not a fun place to be. It appears to be one giant ash tray. Too cold to walk anywhere, we find our way by bus and make several trips downtown and to the mall.

We also discover that Arnold's ears are crooked! Apparently they've been that way all along and we didn't notice. The boy is unique!

January 2008

Snow, snow, snow! We were shoveling for weeks. Stupid global warming.

The kids go to court to legally change their last name to Gillespie.

December 2007

Arnold passed his road test on the first try and is now a licensed driver! Way to go, Arnold! Our car insurance rate tripled.

Lots of wonderful family time over the Christmas break, including a Harry Potter movie marathon -- we watched all five movies! Our Christmas Eve all-sugar dinner was a lot of fun.

November 2007

I enjoyed a whale watching field trip with Cassie's school science class and we had a quiet Thanksgiving at the home of some friends.

Our Girl Scout Troop completed the requirements to earn the Bronze Award.

October 2007

For Arnold's 16th birthday, he and a couple of his friends went kayaking and then out for pizza. I called the DMV to schedule his road test to get his driver's license. Didn't realize that the wait would be until December 6!

September 2007

The kids are back in school. The Board of Directors for my preschool was willing to keep me on indefinitely while hiring my replacement.

Because we were anticipating a move, I didn't get involved in much.

August 2007

A court appointment to hear our Dissolution, and the judge's approval of the agreements. Looking at our finances on paper, it was clear that we could not afford to stay in Sitka.

We put our house in the market and hoped to sell it and move to Arizona. Even buried a statue of St. Joseph in the yard to help with our housing situation.

July 2007

Arnold attended the High School session of SFAC. Unlike Cassie, he did NOT call me every night to say goodnight.

Cassie celebrated her 11th birthday with a barbecue at Halibut Point Recreation Area. Arnold was a good sport and helped with the games by wearing a candy-covered shirt and running away!

June 2007

Cassie attended Sitka Fine Arts Camp for the Middle School session of camp. She had a wonderful time. I returned from Arizona in time to see her final performances, including a vocal solo "All of Me." She was wonderful, of course!

I painted nearly every room in the house, packed up as much of our belongings as we could live without and moved it to the garage, and did my best to keep the house presentable for showings by the realtor.

May 2007

Mediation for our Dissolution of Marriage was progressing.

Mom's health is worsening. On May 23rd I changed my plane reservation so I could leave on May 26th. Mom passed away May 24th. I spent a few weeks with Daddy in Arizona. Our friend, Heather, stayed with Cassie and Arnold while I was gone, and we all kept in touch each day with AOL Instant Messenger.

April 2007

The four of us travel to Arizona for the celebration of Paul and Carol Gillespie's 50th Wedding Anniversary. It also happens to be Easter weekend. We learned that week that Mom's cancer was in her liver, and that it was terminal. She was put on hospice care the Monday after Easter. I make plans to return to Arizona to visit in June while the kids are at Fine Arts Camp.

That week on Wednesday we traveled back to Sitka, and Buzz moved out the next day and told me he wanted a divorce.

Lori flew to Sitka for a brief visit. We celebrated my birthday at the Westmark and I sent my first ever text message to my niece, Leona!