A New Year

At church yesterday Pastor Mark preached on the year that we have just been through and while he is not an advocate for new year's resolutions only once a year he posed a question to us that has made me think. "How do you want to grow spiritually in the next year?" He brought up some valid points and hit the mark many times. I look back on this year and am so thankful for the mountain that we started on cause this valley feels like it is going on forever. I am looking forward to growing and learning more this next year. Ya know it is funny. Brent and I have talked about the different ways that we drive now compared to when we were in WA and in our teens. It is not so important to be first or in our own minds beat the other person. I am thankful that we have both learned this and yet there are times when I mourn the loss of the carefree I am going to show them days. But with age comes wisdom and the life to live for another day! Thank the Lord that he has been my co-pilot on every trip. I can sure remember many times when I wouldn't have made it if it weren't for Him. What will you do this next year?

Another question I am asking myself is how can I help my children grow in the Lord and in a way that will please Him? I pray that my children will grow to know Him more and more every day and that I can be the best example I can be.

Hair Loss

Okay I am so thankful for heat right now, but I never want to smell the scent of burning hair ever again! Being so short is sure not an advantage with the boiler. Sparks fly and I lose hair! I have since corrected the problem by wearing something on my head every time I check on it.

Time

I just realized that yesterday was December 28th. Can you believe it Brent and I have been together for eleven years. Yes I said 11! Time sure flies. The places and things we have gone through have only made us more thankful and stronger as a couple. From newly married in a quiet little town in Washington to the wilds of the Arctic, where there is nothing, to a small town in Alaska. Thankfully we have fallen in love with every place the Lord has taken us. I am so blessed with the man that God has put in my life. He is a wonderful father, an amazing husband, and a strong leader. The fact that he is willing to be in a village for two weeks a month just so we are in a safer place speaks so much to his character. Thank you Lord for this man!

Kids

My kids are amazing! I was worried about having a third so far apart from the other two but they have all made the adjustment amazingly well. David is currently showing Ari his truck that uncle Derek sent for Christmas. She has such a worried look and yet she is paying very close attention. Ari received a little bear blanket for Christmas that she absolutely loves. The different textures and something to chew on. She is getting her first two bottom teeth. Oh Joy! I forgot what it is like to look into a smiling baby's face when they think that you are the most important person in their world and receive a toothless smile, which won't be for much longer. She gets my worried look, which Dawn says we have to get rid of. Poor thing she is going to have a wrinkle there by the time she is 2! She is now to the point where I can't have her in my lap if I am writing or doing something else that requires no touching. David has now put the truck down and is entertaining her with pictures of superheroes. His favorite thing in the world! I thank God every day for the unconditional love and company of my children. Ania has been working on tons of crafts since Christmas. She is my little artist and loves creating. I am so thankful for her imagination!

Ice Park

This is a pic of the kids standing next to an ice sculpture of Santa's rear coming out the chimney. Brent said that David smacked Santa's rear as he walked by.

Ice Park & LARS

The day before Brent went back to work we went to the Large Animal Research Station (LARS). They were having an open house and we got to walk into the barns and walk up to the muskox and reindeer really close. The kids even got to touch a live muskox. WOW! Their fur is really thick. The poor guy, he was not doing well with having everyone so near his head. The kids learned that you don't look them in the eye because it is considered a threat. They do not like children because they are the same size as their predators, but they do really well with adults. They even had babies that had been born this year. Ari was a trooper. She did so well in the cold. She is our cold weather baby.

After that we went to the Ice Park in North Pole. The city decided to start a Christmas tradition this year. They had people even come from China to compete in the event. It was awesome! The kids had a blast. They got to go down ice slides and crawl through ice tubes. David did not want to leave. Brent actually had fun because the kids did. I am hoping to post some of the pictures.

Appliances and Toilets

Well my dishwasher died and we tried bringing up the one from downstairs to no avail. I am stuck washing dishes for a little while. At least it isn't as bad as it was in Barrow. I have more room to spread them out now.

We found the toilet leaking in our main bath and that was a fun project to fix. We had to take it off and found the floor rotting underneath. A couple of days later we thought we had fixed it but we now have to put shims in to even out the flange. Let me tell you I am going to plumbing and electrical school when the kids grow up! I hate not being able to fix it ourselves and with all the issues it would just be nice to have my own business!

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas day! We had to get another tree on Christmas Eve as the first one had died. The kids carried it home and loved decorating it. That night we went to the Christmas Eve service at church and Ania got to be in the nativity scene as Mary. David got to be a wise man that was adorable.

Ania got us up in the morning about 10:45am. Yes I know it is late but the kids stayed up late watching movies. Ha! Ha! We had such a relaxing day. It was nice after all the bustle of the last couple of weeks.

Finally!

We have finally gotten the boiler in. It has been running for about 2 weeks now. I love it! It is so much warmer in the house. We were able to set it at 68 the other day without any problem. We also stayed above 62 at -40 the first week it was put in. Thank God! The vents are now pushing out warm heat and we sealed a bunch of cracks in the house. I am praying that we have enough wood to get us through till Brent gets home this next time. At least the loft is warmer where we have school and I can sew without freezing my fingers off!

Technical Difficulties

Our computer had crashed when we left to have the baby so we have been stuck with a slow one for the kids for school for awhile. Even though we are still on dial up it is nice to be back on our computer. My keyboard, my programs, my games, etc. I am so proud of myself too. With only a little help I replaced the hard drive and installed the OS system. Our screen is bigger and better and I am hoping that I can now play my Star Wars game!

Squeaker

Well, my newborn has found her wonderful and joyous sounding voice. She has kept me up the last couple of nights talking to me. I am so thankful that I don't have to work the following morning but school can be just as much of a challenge with no sleep! I don't take a nap when she does due to the older two. Just can't work it in. They have both gotten so they don't sit still for much anymore with so much room to run and play.

Museum Trip

The kids and I went to the museum open house this last weekend. It was neat. Ania could have stayed forever. They had the labs open for the public. They were skinning a seal in one and they warned us but I said no problem we are from Barrow.

Furnace

The furnace is finally going to be installed this next week. I can't wait. I have been driving back and forth to town just so I didn't have to order 100 gallons of oil. The Lord is sure watching out for us. I am so hoping that the wood we have will get us through the winter. I can't wait until the house is above 60 degrees. My fingers hurt to type!

Scheduling

Well I finally got the schedule written out for school. Now that it is December! We had such a good week. We didn't follow it completely but at least most of it and I finally feel like I accomplished something. It feels good to look back on the week and be able to say Yes I did something!

November

We have gotten so much done this rotation. We got the fountain out, cleaned the bath, gotten wood, cleaned the garage, etc. Found rot under the fountain, I have used a chainsaw and skid steer for the first time. Have to admit the they were both fun to use, but man am I sore. We had to buy oil again. I am so glad that he delivered in the morning cause by afternoon it had gone up four more cents per gallon.

Thanksgiving

Well another Thanksgiving has come and gone. We had fun and the room to have friends over and not worry about where everything was. We have been having unusually warm weather for this year. It was nice to have a warmer day for the holiday. We will have to enjoy it cause next year we will have to figure out how we will celebrate with Brent gone. I love having friends over and learning new recipes.

Relax

Well the furnace is not in yet, but Mark told me to not worry anymore about it. Brent's job when he comes home is to take care of us and get wood. I am so thankful he is coming home today. He has had a rough rotation this time and I am hoping that he can just relax. We are going to do some fun things like ice skating and exploring the woods. Still can't wait for Thanksgiving. I think after listening to the ladies talk last night at craft night that I want to decorate the house in fall colors. They are my favorites and at least that way Brent won't have to worry about a purple bathroom!

Craft Show

I took the kids to a holiday craft show last night in town. It was nice. It was not crowded like they usually are in the lower 48. I was able to browse and keep the kids in sight, as well as talk with people and not feel rushed. I was amazed at the just Alaska themes I kept seeing. Not that this is unusual in the village but I would have thought that in a bigger area that it would have been a broader range.

Waiting

I can't wait for Thanksgiving! My favorite holiday of the year. So many memories of such wonderful food and so many times to be thankful for everything we have. My mom has always made the greatest meal. Thank goodness my husband is such a help in the kitchen and loves to learn. We are having guests for dinner this year. We finally have the room to invite as many people as we want. I can't wait! I love to cook and try new things constantly. Thankfully my family does too. As long as I don't cook cabbage and kielbasa!

Sunrise

I woke up this morning to a beautiful redish orange glow coming through my window. At first I thought there was a fire next door. Then I got up and looked and it was the most beautiful sunrise. It has been awhile since I have had the time to just look at one and enjoy. I also couldn't figure out why I didn't wake up to a cold house. I looked at the thermometer and it was almost 40. What a nice walk to get the paper and take the dog for a walk.

Daylight

Well, we are down to almost 7 hours of daylight per day. With the sun rising just after 9am and setting around 4pm. It is weird getting up while it is still dark, but I do love winter. The poor dog doesn't understand that it is morning when I let her out in the morning. She thinks she is going to be put back to bed! Trying to get the kids up has been almost impossible!

Alaskan winter

You know it is funny. Every time I talk with someone in the lower 48 they always ask how cold it is. I wonder when this question will get old. The funny thing is is that I am not the only Alaskan to be asked that. People in the lower 48 think that there is always snow on the ground, it is always below zero, we wear skins for clothes, and we travel by dog sled. This may be true for some of the Natives and outlying villages, but where we live it isn't true. We are in an area where we take care of our own though. I love this mentality compared to the lower 48 and even in the Anchorage area. Not to say that I wouldn't love to live like that, but there are some things you can live without!

We have sure learned allot having been in Barrow for two years. You learn what you can live without and how to make friends. Up here you don't always have your extended family around you and the people that you meet become your family because they are in the same place as you. We lived in a small town in the lower 48 for 5 years and could say we really didn't know a single person. We lived in Barrow for 2 years and I have some of the greatest friends I have ever found. Misery loves company as they say!
Our pastor asked me if I liked Barrow and I have to say that, "Yes, I loved Barrow without a doubt." It has it's downsides but I learned so much. There were mountains and valleys to walk through and I had to learn to see myself. Barrow is a place that you meet yourself in. It's not glamorous, it's not exciting, but there was a reason the Lord had us there. It is definitely a place where you either get to know God or you run away. Winter in Alaska is sure a time for that. At least where we are now I can drive somewhere. Thank God for the automobile.

School

One of the things that is so great about Alaska is that homeschooling is so supported. With so many communities in the bush long distance learning is a normal thing. We got our school room set up thanks to Pastor and are putting the finishing touches on it. It has really done things about my attitude towards this place. With everything happening in this house I could really come to hate it, but this has been a revitalization of good feelings. I hope it lasts! It is so nice to have a place for the kids to do their work and crafts and not have it all over the kitchen table and trying to eat around it.

Blessings

As we have been trying to install this new furnace we have been running into more and more issues. Between the plenum and miscommunication it is going over budget. Thank the Lord for those that have been helping to get it in. I am so hoping that we can get a wood stove in soon. It would sure help our issues. On the other hand we have learned how to lay pipe and do sweat fittings on copper pipe. I think I may go to plumbing school when the kids are grown.

Heating Problems

Ya know I just can't get my mind around how the oil companies can be so happy in their cushy houses and not have to worry about bills. Those of us who work for a living and live paycheck to paycheck and have cut out anything possible just to make bills know what it is like to wonder which shall we do this month eat or heat the house? We are putting a new furnace in because the old one is an awful one from who knows when. Talk about stress!

A Baby's Smile

I forgot what it is like to have a new life make eye contact and smile at you as though you are the most important thing in their world! With my husband in a rotational job and gone for half the month I am so thankful for this newest little one. She reminds me that life does go on. Even when I don't want it to. I remember thinking this with my oldest and being in tears over the fact that she was growing up so fast and that I couldn't be home with her. Thank God for a wonderful husband who works so hard for us. I can't believe that we made it through so much and our two oldest aren't messed up. Lord give us the wisdom to do the same with this one and with each new curve ball that life throws at us.

Looking back on things growing up I can now understand why mom and dad didn't do certain things or let us. I pray that we are as discerning in our children's lives.

Blessings

Ya know, it is amazing how the Lord knows your every need before you do. I am amazed at the peace and quietness of heart He has given me. Even though everything had felt like it is falling down around me He is there as the strong tower for me to run too.

As of my last post I have now had to climb down into our lift station and unclog our sewer line. It is amazing what you find yourself doing when you are the only there to do it. My pastor came out to look at it and we found a busted pipe. On top of having to replace our behemoth of a furnace from the dark ages. The Lord had once again provided when the walls were closing in.

I was just on the phone this morning with a lady from Washington state and she asked how long we were going to be in Alaska. I said forever. There was no hesitation in that. People who live in the lower 48 just don't understand unless they visit and they are the type of person that can handle the long winters, the isolation, the quiet, and making yourself get out instead of becoming a hermit. I LOVE IT HERE AND NEVER WANT TO LEAVE! Our lives are so much more full and healthy than when we were in the lower 48. I think everyone should live at least one year in the Alaska bush to know what is really important to them. I am thankful knowing that my children will not grow up in the city where everything is rush rush from one place to the other. Everyone says you should stop and smell the roses, well come to Alaska and you will find out what that really means.

Why?

Why is loneliness such a huge thing in the human mind?

Is it because we are insecure in our own minds? Do we constantly worry what others think of us? Do we not think enough on higher things like He commands us? How about just because your best friend isn't right there beside you?

I wonder sometimes what life would be like if my best friend never came home one day. How deep would the despair go? But then I remember that today is not that day and no matter what He is there and will pick me up when I get to deep. I love having him right beside me and am so thankful for the times that he is there. The things that he puts up with and the little things he does for me to make life easier. Thank you Lord for the most wonderful person that you have chosen for me to walk through life with.

Toilet Problems

I just can't seem to get away from sewage issues. For the first time in my life I am living in a home with a septic tank. Well that entails things that are very different from living on city sewer. Including, actually counting the number of pieces of toilet paper you use. After my first problem we had two and a half weeks after we moved in I hoped I would not have to deal with that again for awhile, a very LONG while. Well, it happened again. Thankfully it was only the toilet this time. My husband and I tried to fix it the other night and that didn't work so we had to get a toiler auger for it. Can I just say right now EWWWWWW!!!!!!! My husband walks in to help and fix the issue and starts getting sick and turning green. Talk about a weak stomach! I thought that with the things he deals with in his job that this wouldn't have been that hard, but no. Guess who augured the toilet? Must be all those years of changing poopie diapers! Hurray! One more thing that can be chalked up to motherhood.

Surprises

It is so hard to imagine how much poo can come out of a newborn! Yet they always seem to get you when you least expect it. My youngest helped me to experience this yet again tonight. So there we were in the bathroom changing her diaper when without any warning out it came all over me, the counter, and our lovely green floor. Have to say I have never seen quite that color contrast before. I am just thankful it was in the bathroom and not in the bassinet where I normally change her. That would have been just pitiful! I would NOT have enjoyed having to look at the yellow stain against the mint green carpet for the next thirty years. I also am amazed at the trajectory that is accomplished. Didn't know that it could be shot out at almost three feet from the offender. So I have decided that when her father gets home tomorrow, he is responsible for any and all diapers for the next nine days! I must admit though that I haven't watched Ania laugh so hard in awhile. She will be telling this story for some time to come.

Life Changes

Well, once again we have had some major life changes within a very short time. A new baby (which makes three), a change in job duties, moving over 500 miles, and buying our first house. Talk about stress!

We have moved from a remote village back to the road system. Life sure changes when you can actually drive to somewhere. I have spent one third of the money on groceries that I used to spend in the village. It is wonderful to walk into a real grocery store and be able to purchase fresh vegetables that will last for up to two weeks for a reasonable price. I had almost forgotten what it means to price shop! I still get a headache though from all the choices I have.

The kids are adjusting well to being back in town. Sure isn't hard for them to get back into the idea of McDonald's every time we go into town. Thank goodness we are far enough from town that we aren't there every day. They are enjoying being able to ride their bikes and run around on green grass again. When we were in civilization in December it was winter and they weren't able to be outside very much.

At least we can be in our own home and not have the problems like we had in the village. I hate apartment living and if I can help it I will never live in one again. People can be so rude and inconsiderate to others that live in the same building, especially when they are drunk.








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