Winter Break
February 24th, 2013 Posted in Daily News Post | 4 Comments »Chloe, who now requests she be called by one of her middle names, Neva (long ‘e’ short ‘a’,) is about to take her first really long airplane trip. Although she absolutely loves Vermont, her new home, school and life here, she is excited to get a chance to visit her West Coast family and friends next week. We are happy for her as well. It’s her Winter Break and she hopes to make the best of the upcoming week. She and I will travel out of Burlington, VT, to Detroit, to Minneapolis, and on to Portland… if everything goes as planned.
While there, she will, between family time, hook up with some of her friends and, I’m sure, her adopted grandmother, Annette. We are excited for her and this opportunity as well. It will be a while before summer rolls around and she is able to go back to her Oregon job, which she loves, and has a longer visit with everyone.
Vermont has shown her much since arriving. A moose, deer, wild turkeys, the sounds of coy-dogs in the distance, snowmobiles, a hungry red squirrel, and snow up to her behind. She loves taking Rain, her Jack Russell puppy, out in the snow and dropping her in the snowdrifts. Rain loves it too, as she burrows her way back to the surface. It’s a fun activity to watch.
Another thing she has witnessed here is something I told her and Dana they would find. Dana calls the people here “Kind.” I have to admit that everyone we come in contact with support her definition. It’s an amazing ‘family atmosphere’ among the locals. We have some larger, small towns around too, but in Jay, VT we are three of 521 people. And it feels very close knit, with everyone knowing everyone else. We are the newbies but I’m sure we have been in conversation already.
Medically, Neva has been diligent in doing what her rehab team prescribes. We don’t have a swallow back yet but we are on the right course. The team is vast and expectations are high. The day we all look forward to is the day we can announce she has begun eating again.
So, for those who have continued to monitor this site, we are grateful for your loyalty and support. It’s unclear what direction this website will take. It may grow or it may change entirely. We just aren’t sure at this juncture. We will make everyone aware when any decision is made.
Until then please know that we appreciate you and wish you all well, as you do our Neva!
Be well,
Ron