Howdy from the Land of the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights!

This is your friend, Jenna Aurora, writing.  I am sorry I (or Michael) haven't written since January; we have both been incredibly busy:  Michael with his job, and me, raising Bella, Kenai, Taqaq, and Mattaq, who keep me on my toes.

The kids are all under the age of six, and two of them are in diapers, plus the one (Taqaq)  is still an infant.  He won't be a year old until August.  Right now it's only April, so that means he is only going on eight months old.  He is crawling everywhere and is putting everything into his mouth.  He is very active and with my being disabled, it is very difficult to keep up with him, especially sine my own balance isn't that great as it is.

Sometimes I get so frustrated with him all I can do is angrily put him into his crib or cry.  I can't yell at him; I'm deaf.  Maybe that's a good thing, but meanwhile, inside, I have all this pent up anger and frustration that threatens to rip me apart.

It's a wonder I don't have high blood pressure.  It's also a wonder I haven't tried to physically harm my son for being so curious or mischevous!

When Michael is home, it's great because he can help me, and Mattaq and Kenai try to help out, as only big boys can.  I am very proud of them both; they are very good children who have grown up so fast!

I also have my neighbors to help me if things get out of control (which seems to be often as of late).  I don't know what I would do without them: pobably end up in a loony bin someplace.

We are getting ready to go on vacation: Michael and I are going on a cruise to Cozumel/Playa De Carmen, in Mexico; we last went there several yeears ago and had a most marvelous time.  We need this break from the children, and the cold weather is getting to Michael (it's been in the 20's to 30's here in Fairbanks).  While it's not nearly as cold as it's been this past winter, it's still cold to Michael; he's used to warm sunshine and southern, magnolia-scented breezes.  

We are going to go to Mexico next month, just in time for our wedding anniversary.  It's our gift to each other.  See, Michael played a Power Ball ticket, and he won something like $15,000.  So we suddenly  have extra money, and to reward his winnings, I suggested a cruise to Mexico, which, of course, he readily accepted.  We are really looking forward to it!

While we are on our Mexican cruise, our good neighbors next door to us will take care of the chldren.  Our kids just love them, and they always do a super job.  We really never have to worry as long as the kids are with our neighbors!  They are the best neighbors a person could ever hope to have!

Today, the weather is patchy: partly cloudy (or partly sunny, depending on how you look at it).  There were some pretty strong auroras last night that tried to knock out our computer and phone service; it was really annoying.  So if you haven't heard from us in a while, that's another reason.  Darned auroras!  They are gorgeous to see, but they sure play havoc with the communication and radio signals!  UGH!

More auroras are expected tonight, according to the good folks at www.noaa.gov and www.spacweather.com, but they aren't supposed to be as intense as last night's displays were.  The storm was so strong auroras could be seen as far south as northern Kansas and Nebraska!

Tonight, they are saying only folks in the higher latitudes (that's us!) will be able to see auroral displays.

My parents must have a lot to say because they've been visiting me from the spirit world a lot lately with all these darned auroral displays!  NOT t hat I mind, as I still miss them teriribly, but I sure hate losing my Internet when I am in the middle of writing to a friend or goofing around on Facebook while the kids are in bed!

I don't sleep much: my MS-related spasms and fibromyalgia pain won't let me.  I'm lucky if I get anywhere from 2-5 hours of sleep a night!!  Then people wonder why I'm always so grouchy and/or exhausted!  Go figure ....

Well, I am going to see if I can persuade Kenai and Bella to take a nap with Taqaq and myself.  I am suddenly very sleepy.  I will write in here again soon, hopefully before we leave for our Mexican cruise!   I canNOT wait!!!!  Until then, this is Jenna Aurora Doucet saying so long; may God bless you always!

~Love, your friend in Alaska, Jenna Aurora.  :)