Life Lately

Life lately has been pretty ordinary, but in a good, routine, comforting kind of way.  Right when the darkness seems to really get to you and the winter is dragging on, March gets light and sunny and heats up the days just a wee bit.  It's still cold, with temps in the negative wind chills most days, but the sun doesn't set until about 9pm, and it's clear and sunny a lot of the time.  March brings some hope that indeed the winter will end, even if it's not for another few months.

Zeke is no longer walking; he is running.  Everywhere.  By noon everyday, it looks like a bomb went off in our house.  That is not even including the toys.  Who needs those when you have spoons, tupperware pieces, pillows, photo albums, and recipe books to destroy?  My typical OCD with cleanliness and organization is all but lost, and I am okay with that.  I learned very quickly that it takes far too much energy and time to try to keep things neat.  I now understand the chronic "messy household" look that used to escape me, but Aaron on the flip-side has cleaned up messes more than ever in the past few months.  We have met halfway with household cleaning and its timeliness, and that has kept sanity--for both of us.  Not unbearably messy but not obsessively neat.

In the midst of everyday tasks, we play with Zeke and watch him play on his own and read lots and lots of books.  In the past few weeks he has really taken to books.  A few months ago he could only sit for two pages.  Now he will bring the same book to us three times in a row and sit through the whole thing.  Then he'll take it by himself and flip through the pages again.

Papa Kim came a few weeks ago, and in the middle of winter there was not much to do besides play with Zeke all day long, so he was not short on attention during that week.

We gave up Facebook for Lent, which has been a good thing for us.  Aaron always comments that Lent is about taking something on rather than giving something up.  I agree, but I also think our culture is notorious for taking so much on in this worldly life that we struggle to take on anything more, even spiritually, hence the giving something up.  Facebook is one of these time and mind consumers.  I love the way Facebook allows us to stay in touch with and keep up on family and friends' lives even when we are worlds apart, but it can start to take up time and energy, at least for me, that just isn't worth it.  A few minutes here and there does not seem like much, but it adds up quickly to take significant time out of a day or week.  This time has definitely allowed us to reflect more on our own lives, instead of trying to keep up on everyone else's.  It has been a reset to some valued family spiritual disciplines, and that's where the taking something on part comes in for us.

We have not had many pictures lately; just some everyday play time photo ops.

Vacation and Other Happenings

A couple of months ago we went to the Kuskokwim 300 dog sled race hosted every year here in Bethel.  Our first year here it was dreadfully cold for the race and last year Zeke had just been born.  So this year we were able to go again, and Zeke was able to join us.  Plus it was actually warm and so much more enjoyable that way!  For those like us that don't really understand dog sled racing, it is basically a bunch of barking dogs who are anxiously awaiting their permission to start running to the hills.

Zeke also came down with his first really bad bug shortly after his birthday.  He had a fever for 4-5 days and just wasn't acting like himself.  This was one of those nights at 4am when nothing seemed to make him content except a snack of cheerios.

Some one year photos

We also went on vacation to South Padre Island, Texas last month to visit Aaron's grandparents, family, and enjoy some warm weather.  It was good to get away for a week and enjoy some sunshine.

The view from the house we stayed at

Great Oma and Opa+Great Grandbabies

Zeke's first time at the ocean

Jellyfish on shore

Lots of pelicans

The house we stayed in for a week

There were some tennis courts at the community we stayed in, so Aaron showed Zeke the ropes while we played around

It was fun to watch Zeke run around outside with no ice, snow, or tundra bumps to avoid.  I think he liked not being all bundled up, as well.

Some really good coffee at a breakfast place we ate at--Nutella Mocha

And Coconut Zesta

His first Mickey Mouse pancakes!

One morning we took a trip out to see wild dolphins swimming in the ocean.  They came right up to our boat and did lots of tricks for us, even a jump.

Zeke got tuckered out from all the excitement

Our dolphin guide and her dog

What we've waited for for months, playing on the beach!  Zeke was very hesitant about walking on the sand at first, but once he got the hang of it, he really got into it

We went to a nearby zoo one day too.  The babies were most intrigued by the fish, but the adults found the gorillas most amusing.  We watched a baby gorilla play with the older gorillas for about twenty minutes, instigating trouble and looking for attentions however he could.  We were surprised by how much the little guy reminded us of Zeke and the things he does.  They seem to have such human tendencies.  

Playing in the sand was a messy but fun endeavor for all

It was a fun trip but went by much too quickly.  For four days of travelling on planes and in airports, six days on the ground is just not enough.  However, we're grateful for our time there with family in the warmth.

Back in Bethel, the weather is cold again and we are back in the swing of life until our next adventure.