Fairbanks, Alaska, January 20, 2012, 9:16 a.m., Alaska Time~

Dear Journal~

Been a while since you've heard from either one of us, so I figured an update was long overdue.  Here goes ...

I forgot how much energy very young children have.  Have two sons in preschool (Mattaq and Kenai; they are 4 and 5 1/2 respectively), a toddler daughter (Bella Michaela; she will be two in August), and a five-month old baby (Taqaq Joshiah), who was born this past August; his birthday is around the same time as Bella's.

I am up (off today from work); meanwhile, my wife (Jenna Aurora) is taking a nap with Bella.  They just laid down not even a half hour ago; they'll probably remain asleep for a good part of the afternoon.  Ahh, peace and quiet!  Poor Bella has been up with a loose stomach and has been fussy all morning long.

Both Jenna and Bella are exhausted.  Oh, well ... let them sleep.  They both could use some rest ...

Jenna has her good days and bad.  She has MS and fibromyalgia and some days she can barely function.  This is when I (or her sister, Jerrica) take over.  She can no longer work; her fibromaylgia got bad and she is currently trying to get on SSDI.  It has been a maddening, neverending, frustrating process.

The weather here in Fairbanks is bitterly cold: HIGHS projected to be anywhere from -20 to -25 ALL WEEK LONG!!  Lows anywhere from -30 to -40 below!!  BRRR!! Think my Cajun blood just turned into a solid block of ICE!!!  WOW!!

There may be auroras tonight.  They have been busy in our northern skies the past several weeks and it looks like that pattern will continue.  I will tell you this much: while the northern lights ARE pretty to look at, they sure do mess up with our Internet and phone! This is why we haven't been online because sometimes they're so strong and/or so bright, they kill our radio signals, which, in turn, wipes out our Internet and phone!!  It is very annoying!!

I have been trying to ask Jenna to see if she would like to move to Louisiana, but she says nothing doing.  She loves it here in Alaska.  This is her home; Alaska is where Jenna was born.  I love Alaska, too, don't get me wrong, but a person can only get so cold before they freeze to death!  I have never seen such extreme cold until I came here!!  Still cannot get used to it!!

Taqaq is steadily gaining weight: he is going to be a fat one, I fear.  He is only 5 months old, but already he weighs 10 pounds.  He is a little butterball with pumpkin cheeks and legs the size of small tree trunks.  He eats very well!  He is absolutely adorable; I can't help but fall in love with Taqaq each time I look at him!

Mattaq, our oldest, is built like a sumo wrestler (he, too, is above average in weight and height), but Kenai and Bella are our resident pixies: both are petite; they take after their mamma.  I don't know where Taqaq or Mattaq get their size from, but they are both huge!!  Mattaq can easily pass for eight while Taqaq looks to be at least 9 months to a year in age!

I am happy to say that Kenai has overcome his earlier difficulties: he had a stroke while in the womb and for a time his one side was paralyzed, but therapy and lots of love took care of that; he now runs around and plays just like any other kid.  He does have some mild spasticity in the affected side and wears a AFO appliance on his foot, but other than that, he is all boy and wears ME and Jenna out with his energy level!

We both feel that Taqaq may be our last child.  We have four children now; that is more than enough.  

Well, I am going to make myself some breakfast, then check in on Jenna and Bella.  I will write in here again soon; until later, this is Michael Wayne Doucet saying so long and may God bless you always!

~Michael.