Flying to and from Anchorage has limited direct flights. Many itinerary’s include a layover in Seattle, WA. This month, my husband and I attended a ministry conference to celebrate and encourage 25 years of the ministry in San Antonio, TX. We brought our children along and met up with my mom at the airport.
Alaska winters can be long and lined with darkness. Minutes of daylight disappear daily as we move toward solstice on December 21. Then we eagerly welcome the return of those moments we run toward spring. During those those shortened days, I found it essential to spend 30-60 minutes outside in the sunshine for physical and mental health.
This month, Dallas Seavey won the 52nd Iditarod and made race history with his sixth Iditarod Championship! He completed 975 miles from Willow to Nome with an incredible team of dogs (started with 16/crossed the finish line with 10) in 9 days, 2 hours, 16 minutes and 8 seconds. Absolutely amazing!
During this last great race, our family stayed in a yurt on musher Nicholas Petit’s property which was perfect for a mini getway.
We also booked a dogsled tour but Nic was finishing up the Iditarod (he came in at 12th place) so we did a tour with musher Kristin Bacon. We loved every moment of it and thank Nic, Kristin & the pups!
The experience to ride on and help drive a dog sled is an unforgettable adventure. The dogs are Alaskan Huskies, but look different as they carry mixed features from their breed. The dogs were so excited when we pulled up to the team… barking, jumping and running in a circle around their little houses. We met the dogs, trying to remember their unique names. The dogs from the same litter were given “theme” names: holidays, potatoes, weather…. They loved to be pet and the kids loved to pet them. The kids helped harness the dogs for the sled ride. There are lots of behind the scenes duties-record keeping, supplies, food, water, clean up, training (2000+ hours)….
On the trail, every ride is unexpected due to weather, animals, the sled, the dogs, the driver or anything in between. The driver has a slow down brake, stop break and snow hook (looks like a metal claw) to control the speed of the team. The rails of the sled seemed a bit like skis with a plastic track surrounding them. The dogs listen to the commands :
It is all very fascinating as an observer. It takes much time, patience, strength, trust, love and work as a musher.
My plan was to share weekly updates on life in Alaska. Roughly five years and months later, I didn’t do that.
I recently, heard a quote on the radio this week, “Breathe, I am still learning, I am a work in progress.” I wish I would have applied that after we arrived in this beautiful state we call home.
Base layers, middle layers, shells, Baffin, Bogs, Nextgrips, ice cleats, winter tires (studs or Blizzak), ice melt, muddy buddies, snow machines, sledding, snowshowing, fat tire biking, skiing (Alpine, Nordic, Backcountry, Classic, State), snowboarding, kicksleding, dog-sledding, ice hockey, aurora borealis, spring break up, apendaglow, hoarfrost, oaki suits, hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, fishing (hook & line, dip-net, snag, ice…..), salmon (king/chinook, sockeye/red, coho/silver, pink/humpy, chum/dog)… all these things spinning in my head, keeping me up at night.
There is not a cheat sheet guide of how to get started in Alaska (if there is, I haven’t found it). Instead there are many people who want to help sharing their opinions which is different person to person and adds to the confusion.
With 1,932 days of experience, we have tried many things and have our favorites we’ve invested into. Everyday is definitely an adventure. Earthquakes, forest fires, isolation due to Covid mandates, record snowfalls and low temps, high winds keep you on your toes. You never know what is around the corner or in the back yard – a moose, black bear, lynx, rabbit, wolf, coyote musk ox, snowshoe hare, marmot, vole…
The more I learn, I realize the less I know. That’s okay as I am a learner at heart & it encourages me to keep moving forward.
Dear Father, Thank you for my amazing mother, grandmothers and other mothers who taught, shared and guided me with their faith, wisdom and experience. Thank you for the abundant gift of being a mother to two precious souls you’ve placed in our lives. Please bless all mothers of both young and old, mothers who are not able to be with their children, mothers who have lost children and those who long to have children, but cannot. We look to you for strength, patience, perseverance, understanding, comfort, encouragement and grace in all these circumstances. In our Savior’s loving name, Amen.
Happy New Year!
It was an early morning for us today. We woke up at 6:00 am to watch the 59th Presidential Inauguration. What an amazing opportunity for our little kindergartener and first grader to learn about leadership and government!
We watched former presidents, special guests and the elected candidates arrive. We sang the National Anthem and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. We listened to the President and Vice-President take their oaths to serve the country in accordance with the Constitution. We sang America, the Beautiful, This Land is Your Land, and Amazing Grace. We listened to the Inauguration Poem. We were full of respect for all those in the inaugural parade. We admired the amazing gifts given to 46th President Biden and Vice-President Harris.
Throughout the day, we colored pictures of President Biden, the White House, the USA Flag and completed a wordsearch along with other fun worksheets. We talked about God and what he says about government.
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. – 1 Peter 2: 13-14
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. – Romans 13:1-6
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! – Acts 5:29
At the end of the day, I asked our children, “What did you learn?”
First grader: “It is important and good that the President believes in God.“
Kindergartner: “Many people were presidents of the United States and came together to help each other.”
It was a good day to learn what inauguration is all about and what God says about our governing authorites.
Here is a great resource for kids (and adults) about the U.S. Presidential Inauguration:
https://www.discoveryeducation.com/learn/inauguration/#watch-now
What happened to 2020?
Celebrate the beginning of a new decade.
Congregation decides to close elementary school. Take husband to hospital with chest pains with lots of testing and probing. He receives a clean bill of health after two nights’ stay at the hospital. Big brother celebrates 6th birthday with friends and dinosaurs. Close on a new house. Corona virus sneaks in during spring break. Move to our new home (4th move in AK). Future kindergartener and first grader are selected for French Immersion Program at Elementary School through lottery. Mandates settle in. Take on many remodel projects in our new home. School is at home. Worship remotely online. Celebrate Holy Week and Easter at home. Cancel summer camps. Meet wonderful neighbors/new friends on our street. Take expected trip to WI to visit Gaga and Papa. Papa has successful medical procedure. Spend time on cousin’s farm. Quarantine for two weeks after travel. Go dipnetting with fellow pastors and teachers. Papa W visits. Hike K’esugi Ken Mountain. Visit to Denali National Park. Pick blueberries. Little ones learn to ride balance bikes. Begin first day of school online via Zoom. Mama teaches Spanish to preschoolers at congregation’s preschool. Covid cases rise in Alaska, mandates increase, school remains online (throughout first semester.) Decide to withdraw from French Immersion Program (a decision made with extremely heavy hearts) due to high volume of screen time. Begin to homeschool our 5- & 6-year-olds. Spend much time together outside and as a family. Attend pastor & teacher conference in Fairbanks. Enjoy time with fellow called worker families. Search for Northern Lights. Visit the North Pole. Celebrate Sweet Pea’s 6th birthday with unicorns. Celebrate the birth of the Savior with congregation members at church, mandate allows church at 50% capacity. Ring in new year at church and ready to move forward in God’s grace in 2021.
Autumn… Fall… Sweater Weather… I love this time of the year in Alaska. The warm colors, falling leaves, chill in the air, random snow flurries, lattes and hot cocoa fill me up with cozy sights and thoughts.
This season also brings wonderful celebrations, but there is one holiday I’d love to skip, Halloween.
Why? Our little Sweet Pea is filled with fear as the skeletons, ghosts, spiders, vampires, witches, gravestones, terror-filled masks and everything in between appear. It is the type of fear that’s connected to trauma, initiating a fight or flight response.
In Texas, our neighbors hung a gigantic spider web from the corner of their house to the edge of their driveaway, covering the majority of the front of their property. Every time we left or came home, our lil’ sweet pea screamed endlessly even after explaining that it was pretend. When we went for a walk, we had to avoid that side of the entire street.
Proactively, I try to avoid going into stores with her during the months of mid-August til mid-November to prevent a traumatic experience for her. Last week, we had a quick stop at a local shop. As soon as we crossed the parking lot and made it to the sidewalk, I could see we would be greeted by a life-size witch manniquin, positioned in the middle of the entrance. I did my best to prepare her and held her hand tight. As soon as her eyes gazed upon this scary creature, she screamed louder than I ever heard and ran away so fast. I ran as fast as I could and caught her before heading into traffic. Adrenalin was pumping in both of us; she was trembling. I tried to console her tears. We hesitantly entered the store, she was in my arms with her hood up and looking the other direction. We left immediately as scary decor filled much of the store, but after sharing our experience with the store manager.
On our way to pick up big brother from school yesterday, I heard “Mommy, Halloween is not good for little girls” from the backseat. Followed by, “Halloween is not my favorite.”
I know that many people enjoy Halloween, but I would be okay skipping the entire thing. Our family celebrates fall with leaves, pumpkins and favorite dress up costumes.
Resources:
https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/brains/halloween-frights-trigger/
https://serenitylinkscoaching.com/2016/10/16/skipping-halloween/
KNECHTTREK 