“Mommy, did you know that when a boy deer finds a home he rubs his antlers on a tree so when another boy deer sees the spot on the tree he knows it’s already another deer’s home?”

“I was singing to the moose on the deck and it wiggled it’s ears so I wiggled my hair back.”

“The bunny was outside the window watching me dance while I listened to Greig.”

“We found elk poo, horse poo, deer poo and moose poo.”

“Three plus three is six.”

“It’s 10:15.”

These are some of the things Solvieg has told me on the phone in the last few weeks.  They evoke a beaming smile, a warm swelling in my heart and delight in my mind.  Oh, how much do I LOVE that Solveig is learning about animal poo?  How much do I love that she is learning to add and tell time?”  How much do I love that she get’s to dance to Greig and enjoy the wildlife?  Solveig and Grandpa got to take a 2 hour snow shoe hike the other day around their house and down the hill to the neighbor’s to pet the horses.  Grandma is home-schooling Solveig while she’s in Montana and she has made so much progress in her reading.  She read me a whole book over the phone the other day and was telling me all about adding.  While I am so sad not to have Solveig with us, this sadness remains offset by the joy we have knowing she is experiencing amazing things!  How does one quantify the worth of a child knowing about the goings-ons of the natural world right in front of her – not just from a nature show on TV?  What does it do for a little spirit to be on the look out for wild animals?   How does a little heart swell from the adventure of trekking through snow and woods?  Somehow I just think this might be a whole lot better for her than video games and I’m so thankful she has the opportunity.  In just over 48 hours I know Solveig and JoMarie will be watching for Sten’s plane to land and then they’ll wait just outside the doors for him to burst through.  I wish I could be there to see their joy; they have not seen one another since Christmas eve.

Allistaire is doing a bit better today.  Her ANC was 44, so she continues her downward trend for which we are thankful.  Hopefully she’ll hit zero soon.  Today at 10:30 am when she woke up she got hooked up to her lines and for nearly 3 hours received a transfusion of platelets.  Immediately afterward she began getting her first of two pedi-packs of red blood.  By around 3:30 this afternoon she was done getting pumped up with blood products and slept peacefully at last until we woke her up at 5:45.  She ate a bit better today and we really had far fewer fussy times.  Overall it was a good day.  And I am so please to have slept pretty well the last two nights.  I swapped out my beloved pillow of probably about 8 or 9 years for the hospital pillow and had much less muscle pain.  Who would have guessed?  Somehow the thinner pillow seems to be better for my neck position so I’ll keep trying it and hoping for the best.  Thanks for all your prayers.  And for those of you who have brought us food – wow – we REALLY appreciate it.  It has been so fun having beloved faces show up and being able to enjoy tasty food.

{The following pictures are of Solveig at Sten’s parents house – yep that’s right – this is just around the house with the Spanish Peaks and Bridger Mountains in the background at different points.  Pretty incredible place}  Love you little sweets – mommy misses you!

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