February: Sunrise, Sunset

 Monday, February 1 - Jason wakes before the sun and drives back to Klamath Falls for the work week. Start the week, marvel that February is here already.

Tuesday, February 2 (Groundhog Day - did he see his shadow?) - Prepare for the busy week and weekend ahead.

Wednesday, February 3 - Take Siennalee to dance.  Leave around 2 to drive into Eugene and shoot an evening wedding with Anne.

Thursday, February 4 - Anne and girls drive out to Albany and we all head over to a local high school for the second part of our H1N1 vaccinations.

Friday, February 5 - Begin to pack and put meals together for the following week in Klamath Falls along with usual cleaning and laundry and playing with Siennalee.

Saturday, February 6 - Engagement shoot with Anne.

Sunday, February 7 - Superbowl!  Make food.  Enjoy friends.  Pack up for the coming week in Klamath Falls.

Monday, February 8 - Get up before the sun, wake and pack up the sleepy, grumpy toddler and drive almost 4 hours to Klamath Falls.  Drop Jason off at work, drive to apartment, unpack and begin to settle in.

Tuesday, February 9 - 4:55 am, get the call that Gary, Jason's father, has passed away.

Wednesday, February 10 - Pack up, drive back home to Albany.  Pack for Jason & Jessica trip to PA.  Bed at midnight.

Thursday, February 11 - Wake around 3 am.  Drive to Portland for early flight.  Have airline advise us that all flights - up to ours - into Philadelphia have been canceled.  Do we still want to check in?  Yes, we do.  Fly to Las Vegas.  Anticipate being stuck there until weather clears in Philly.  Miraculously fly out and are the first flight to land in the only cleared landing strip in Snow-mageddon'd Philadelphia airport.  Pick up luggage, rental car, and drive to hotel in amazingly good time.  Once in hotel, discover large luggage has popped large hole sometime during flight.  Thank God that most of my unmentionables are still there, although there is a suspicious lack of undies.  Bed around 11 pm EST.

Friday, February 12 - Wake up around 6 am EST.  Drive to Jason's parents' house to make breakfast and be with family.  Smell like bacon for the rest of the day.  Help out with setting up for memory service that evening.  Attend memory service and take pictures of event.  Return to family home for more time with family.  Bed around midnight EST.

Saturday, February 13 - Sleep in til 7 am EST.  Get up, finish last minute projects, get ready for Gary's Celebration of Life Service.  Attend service.  Immerse myself again in camera, hoping pictures turn out clearer than present vision blurred with tears and mascara.  Spend precious time with family.  Bed around midnight EST.

Sunday, February 14 (Valentine's Day) - Wake around 3:45 am EST and drive to airport, drop off rental car, and check in.  Get informed that luggage (borrowed from mother-in-law since original luggage popped a hole) is 2 pounds over weight.  Jason offers to pay with credit card.  Airline employee doesn't want to bother with running a card payment and allows it through for free.  Make it to Vegas and have a "Meet the Parents" airline experience with an airline employee who believes we are sneaking ahead in line (Southwest cattle lines - moo), makes us stand aside out of line and gives the entire boarding crowd a lecture via intercom on the importance of numbering.  Endure smug passengers behind us commenting loudly on basic counting skills.  Board the plane and miraculously have seats together!  Give Jason the movie I'd gotten him for Valentine's Day and watch it together on our portable DVD player.  Get home to Albany around 6:30 pm PST.  Snuggle Siennalee, put her in bed, pack up for Klamath Falls again.  Hit the hay around 11 pm PST.

Monday, February 15 - Wake around 6 am PST.  Pack up sleepy, grumpy toddler and begin the 3 hr, 40 min drive back to Klamath Falls.  Spend the week catching up on sleep and decompressing, playing with Siennalee, reading and writing, and trying my best to care for Jason as he works all week.

Friday, February 19 - Pack up and drive home.  Unpack and get Jason ready for a drill weekend.  Hit the hay around 9 pm.

Saturday, February 20 - Jason wakes up before 6 am and heads to drill.  Spend the day doing laundry, unpacking and enjoying Siennalee resettling into her home and her toys.  Jason gets home around 6 pm and we get in another early bedtime.

Sunday, February 21 - Jason wakes around 6 am and heads to drill.  Siennalee and I head to church.  Head home and continue with laundry and cleaning - make a run to Costco.  Have Jason's sister Cheri and Auntie Donna over for dinner.  Jason gets home around 6 pm.  Pack him up for a week in Klamath Falls.  Another early bedtime.

Monday, February 22 - Jason wakes up around 5 am and drives back to Klamath Falls.  Siennalee wakes up right after he leaves - a full hour early - and we start our day.  I make lists for the day and for the week.  MOPS tomorrow, dance on Wednesday.  Jason will drive home on Thursday and we'll all pack up and head to Portland to spend the night for a 7 am Friday flight to Idaho.  Gary's burial service will be this weekend.  One last goodbye.  Looking forward to seeing family again and also traveling with Siennalee and Jason - all of us together.  Home on Sunday.

And thus passes February 2010.