FOLLOW THE WYATT BROTHERS BLOG

OK, Listen up, friends and neighbors. There's a new blog to follow. Elijah and Lucas can be found from time to time on their own showpiece blog:

http://www.wyattbrothersak.blogspot.com/

Trust a Grandpa. Would Papa John lead you astray concerning GRANDSONS? Be sure to check out the first few entries to compare the brothers "newborn mugshots". Then, bookmark the site for easy access in the future. Thanks to their folks - Geoffrey and Dana - for the photos and commentary.

Feel free to Ohhh! and Ahhh! and to leave brief comments of admiration and wonder. And continue to give thanks with us for both precious miracles: Eli and Lucas

LUCAS AND MOM ARE FINE NOW, THANK YOU.

It was a real emergency, so the doctors in Juneau opted to life-flight Dana to Anchorage. With complication of high blood pressure and preeclampsia, both of which were critical and life threatening factors to Dana, and for other reasons, they felt the crisis was sufficient to shift the delivery to a better prepared and equipped facility. The medivac Lear Jet had Dana and Geoffrey in Anchorage, about 600 miles away, in ninety minutes. After a few necessary tests upon arrival, Dana was prepped for surgery - her second Cesarean section - and the delivery began.

Meanwhile the rest of us held our breath and prayed, and prayed, and prayed. It was a long time before we received word that all went well and Dana was safe and Lucas John was going to be all right too.

It turned out that the medical caution exercised in Juneau saved their lives. What we didn't know then was that other unknown factors were at play which had put both of them at high risk should the delivery have been attempted in Juneau. In fact, had they not arrived at the Anchorage hospital when they did, these unanticipated and unforeseen complications would probably been fatal to both of them. I don't know yet whether the doctors in Juneau or Anchorage knew this before surgery. My impression is that this fact was discovered during the delivery itself. Nevertheless, I am certain that God was aware of the hazard and had a hand in the swift and timely transport to ensure their ultimate safety and survival.

One worry with any premature birth - and Lucas was three weeks early - is whether the baby's lungs are adequately developed. Fortunately, his lungs seem to be doing fine and he is also doing all the things that newborns, especially preemies are supposed to do: seeking food, demonstrating a good sucking reflex, expelling the prebirth bowel contents, responding to normal stimuli, etc. Although a little jaundice is anticipated, that will be normal, and we are grateful, of course, for "normal" in any baby. (Especially this one who kept us all "guessing" for a while.)

Thank you to all those friends and family who contacted us with concern and/or congratulations for Lucas John and his parents. We are most appreciative of your concern and have been delighted to tell the joyful good news about the happy outcome. Now the big task is to arrange transportation home to Juneau (and Eli) on Friday. If you know of anyone with a big pile of "air miles" to share, let us know and we will put you in contact with Geoffrey. Most of all, big thank you to all who were a part of the enormous prayer effort in their behalf. Turn your pleas now into songs of thanksgiving.

LUCAS JOHN WYATT, GRANDSON

This was a day of high drama. Dana had been on bedrest for days and in the hospital for days, but this morning the decision was made to medivac her from Juneau to Anchorage to make additional medical support available.

So here is one of the first photos (Thanks to his dad's magic phone). OK, his hair isn't combed, but he's a boy, and he's just barely dry from delivery. Give him a break.
Thanks to everyone who has been eagerly awaiting today with us. Even though Luke is about three weeks early, first reports indicate all is well now and mother and child are finally resting.

A SHOUT OUT FOR ROJO AND LORI.

Let me mention a fascinating encounter at the combined plant sale / Health and Safety Fair in Camas last week. Rojo, a handsome llama, and Lori, his patient provider, attended the event as a part of their service to the community. They are interested that the public know about the Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas, based in Vancouver, WA. My impression was that they were quite successfully getting their message across to the dozens of folk who stopped to look and listen and learn about the purpose of "therapy animals".

These especially trained and certified llamas and their handlers work with individuals of all sorts of needs - the handicapped, the aging, cancer patients, children of every kind, and more - throughout the Northwest. Imagine the joy and warmth and acceptance and hope they share with people of all ages who are challenged by issues of health or disability. They visit in hospitals, assisted living facilities, or wherever they can share their valuable ministry. I was privileged to photograph a meeting between this unique caregiving team and their new young friend, Katie, who seemed to delight in repeatedly touching Rojo's soft coat.

Visit www.rojothellama.com to read about this interesting and worthwhile enterprise. There are some really great pictures and a quite compelling story to be enjoyed. Take the time to see the photo albums and read the stories; it's worth it.
Finally, Rojo and Lori were just splendid in educating the folk who stopped to hear their story; they were exceptionally gentle and responsive to Katie, and she in turn was enthralled with Rojo. So THANK YOU for being there Saturday, and a big THANK YOU for what you do in behalf of persons with special needs. Yours is a great work.

CAMAS, WA - PLANT SALE

We learned today, quite by chance, that our neighboring community, Camas, Washington, holds an annual plant sale on the Saturday before Mother's Day.

All three three pictures I have chosen are taken from the middle of the quaint, tree-lined street which passes through the central district where all the cute stores are located. Ordinarily, this is a busy commercial route with plenty of vehicular traffic, but not for this party. Today it was for foot-traffic only.

The event covered more than four blocks in length with half a block more in each direction at each crossing street. All sorts of flowers, ground covers, trees, garden art, crafts, rocks and statuary, bird houses, feeders, and a host of other yard and garden products filled the streets on both sides. Since this was just about the first, warm, sunny day this spring, many hundreds of folk were enjoying the stroll and almost everyone seemed to be carrying a purchase or two.

At the east end of the plant sections, and right in front of the public library, was an additional block of tents and shelters hosting a educational health and safety fair.

It was a happy and very pleasant "happening" and if we can remember next year, we will go earlier, and on purpose. Would you like to join us?

IT IS MAY, RIGHT? HAIL AND ALL?

Yesterday afternoon, following ten minutes of severe wind, we twice experienced a prolonged hailstorm. The first episode resulted in an inch of small, BB to pea-sized hard hail which covered all the ground surfaces except the lawn grass (which needs mowing again already). Our rear deck was completely covered with a little extra because it was cascading off of the roof by bouncing over the gutter. All the tree rings in the yard and orchard were white. Even the most sheltered rings were covered as the storm made the hail penetrate the leaf cover of the trees. In my experience, most hail only lasts a few minutes, but this event continued for an amazing twenty minutes and kept me peering out front and back and full of wonder. As a parting oddity, about three minutes before the downfall diminished, full, bright sunlight broke through the cloud cover and turned the falling hail into a brilliant wall of extremely bright white. During the downfall, the temperature dropped almost ten degrees to near 50 degrees. Most curious!

A later period of hail seemed ready to repeat the first, but only lasted about half as long and left less than half the hail on the ground. This time, however, the hail was not as icy, but instead was more like compacted snow - almost like snow pellets in mid-winter.

Quite unusual, indeed. Sorry I didn't get a photograph, because my camera was otherwise occupied with a different project. Did anyone around here experience the same storm in a similar way?