"Unbelievable and so very Sad"

Today is a very bittersweet day for Caribou and Limestone. A very dear family has suffered a great loss. My blog entry yesterday was about fire. I just found out this afternoon that an aquaintence of mine lost his son this morning around 1:30 am. The childs mom and fiance were also in the house when it burned to the ground. They never had a chance. It is like I stated in the blog entry, just get right out, dont wait. They may not have even known their home was on fire. There might have been a malfunction in their fire detectors. Make sure that you check these at the very least monthly. It is a terrible loss today. A very sad day. There were two more fires today, one of which I attended just a little while ago. Thankfully no occupants at the time. Just as we were gearing down , yet another tone for mutual aid call to Washburn. Another fire. This is the season and the weather that seems to spawn fires, due to the cold and dampness and need for warmth. Keep the area around your wood stoves and furnaces clean and free of debris. Make sure you have your chimney serviced or cleaned once a year. Creosole builds up and can cause chimney fires which can get into the walls of your home and depending on the construction can engulf the home within minutes. I would like any and all who read this to please pray for the Holmquist family, for their very Great Loss. I am from my heart very sorry John and Robin for your loss.

"The great blogger"

Yesterday I attempted to blog...then I got toned out to a fire. There was a very large home on fire in Ft Fairfield with an indoor pool. How very sad for the family. The fire took on a life of its own as it usually does. The average person does not realize how consumptive that fire can be. By studying the fire behavior in class the one piece of information that I derived was GET OUT! Within a few minutes the entire house flashed over according to the first firefighters on the scene. Buildings can be replaced but people can't. The other hazards that exist such as fuel sources ...propane, fuel oil. Some are even explosive like old paint cans. Thankfully no one was hurt at this fire. No one was in the buildings.

There is something very wonderful about being a volunteer and being able to help others. It is so rewarding.

"Does a title determine what I will write?"

Today was a very interesting day. I was awoken by the dog barking at 6:20 am. Bear doesn't bark unless something is going on or he wants attention. Thankfully he never usually wants attention until after 10am. As I looked out side to see what the big fuss there was...I see a beautiful deer. It was standing next to the porch on the backside of the neighbors yard. Amazing!! what a beautiful thing to wake up to. It just stood there for the longest time. The dog and I watched carefully as the deer watched us. It wasn't until I opened the door to let the dog out to do his business that it left. We live in town and to be honest I have had more wildlife in my backyard since we moved from the countryside. I had a bear cub last year run through. Several moose including a sow and calf. Lots of little creatures too including a weasel...that was scary. I love to see wildlife. I claim to be a hunter but truly just seeing the beauty of the wildlife is sufficient. I have hunted bird and deer (haven't gotten a deer yet) but I truly have an appreciation for the outdoors. The smell, the peace and quiet, the gentle breezes, the cold northern wind. It doesn't matter what season, there is always something to appreciate about the outdoors. The spring is filled with renewal and excitement. Creatures including humans come out of hibernation. Summer is bliss filled with walks barefoot on the grass to hikes through the woods and of course my favorite...camping! I loved Dubouille Mountain. There is absolutely nothing like camping in the woods with a pond nearby and loons crying off in the distance. Coyotes communicating through the open air and the smell of fresh outdoor air. Just enough cool dampness to help you breathe in the wonders. Plus the bonding time with my little daughter of 8 years old. She will never forget our little adventure. Our hike up the mountain the next morning. The eggs and bacon we made on the griddle, with the fire we built ourselves ( we forgot the spatula but still managed to keep the yoke intact...bravo!). We packed our lunch and drinks and headed up the mountain all the way to the top. We could see Canada and the cool front that was coming in from the north. It was breath taking and such a wonderful experience. We had set up our own tent and even washed up in the lake in the morning...nice cold water...brrrr. These are the little pieces that life is made of. Today I stood outside in the freezing cold (-20 degrees wind chill) to watch my same daughter Jessica cross country ski race. She came in very last at 59:57 just shy of an hour. This was her first race and I am very proud of her. She didn't quit and yes she was discouraged but now she can see her improvements and each time she will get a little better. She is 12 now, and how time does fly. She will always remember this race today more than any other. She will always remember Dubouille camp out forever. Someday she will have children of her own and she will share these memories and hopefully make some memories of her own with her children. It is not the day to day things we do, but what we make of each day. God has given us the precious gift of each day and we should value each and every one. Today I was able to sit down with my grandmother and my children and Chris (christys boyfriend) and have a great meal and watch movies and have our cake and eat it too. (vanilla with chocolate frosting). Today was a good day. I look forward to more of these kinds of days. Nothing earth shattering but wonderous just the same. I miss my Louis and I am anxious for him to come home and be a part of some of these days. To God be the glory!
PS Another light bulb bites the dust!! haha

"Oh the trials and tribulations...."

What is it about a day that makes one reflective in nature? This has been quite a year in retrospect. With Louis deployed to Iraq I have had to learn all sorts of new things. You may recall my blog on computer savy. That was just one of the many things that I have learned over the past year. I have also learned that every job, however small it seems is a chore when you add it to your own task list. For instance every light bulb in our house has been replaced a minimum of twice. This may seem insignificant but when you add up all the lights in the house that is a lot of light bulbs. They seem to go out in waves. Two or three in a week or less. Then there was a matter of the snowblower, and the cars, the porch lights, the dog leash, the hot water heater, the door, the refrigerator, the window in the living room, the truck, the toaster (that was an easy one), the drains in the bathroom, the leaky pipe in the kitchen, now the loose wires in the basement ( I cant reach our electrician). Now one or two of these are coincidence all of these are a bit of a "mass casualty". I know people have worse problems than I do. I am fortunate enough to have the health and the money to address these problems. God has been by my side even when I felt as though I am alone. Just when I think I am going to go under for the last time, I pop up shining and better than ever, knowing that I learned something new and have grown. I am the type of person that doesnt let the grass grow under my feet. I love change and newness. I love adventure and adrenaline. I love organized chaos, I thrive in this environment. That is why I do the jobs I do, I love firefighting, EMT, and ER nursing. I love running and sports in general. Hunting , fishing and just being outdoors. God made such a beautiful planet for us to enjoy. A canvas of beauty. Just step outdoors on a cold, clear night and see the beauty...the stars and sometimes the moon. It is beautiful!! Well, soon my husband will be home and our adventures will begin together. Begin to heal and begin to grow again. After all we both have changed and we both have grown. God will be our mediator and He will reunite us and make us stronger. We humans are both frail and strong. We are clay and He is the potter. He will make us into a beautiful creation together. I thank God for His never ending restoration and love. God Bless!

"Fabulous February!"

Yes indeed, the month of February is almost half-way over. I love February for many reasons, and one of them is because it is so short. In the winter we need a break and February is it! We are at the point where we are anxious to see spring and for the days to get longer. February is that month, a month of Hope as one would have it. February is also the month known for Love, because of it's connection with the "lovely" holiday...Valentines Day of course (which just happens to be my anniversary by the way...20 years!!). Relationships are mended or ended on this very special day. The temperature is 23 degrees today here in Caribou, which is a bit above normal for this time of year, the sun is out with some clouds about. For those who love snow, we will get more this week. For those who don't like snow, don't worry it won't be long until spring. This year I am separated from my husband on our special day, Valentines day, as many spouses are separated due to the war. But even that is coming to an end. Only 40-50 days until their unit deploys back to the U.S. I am excited beyond words. It has been a long 14 months, a lonley time but God has gotten us through it. He truly gets ALL the glory for this. He helps us to see the beauty in the ashes....He helps us hold our head up high and He NEVER fails us!