A Hero worthy of the name

When my girls grow up, I hope they look back on the last few moments with an amazing memory of getting to see history in the making...

Lance Mackey just won his forth consecutive Iditarod dogsled race!!!!

The four of us sat here around the laptop listening to a live radio show out of Nome and then just seconds before he pulled into town we got the live feed from the local news channel and got to watch it all LIVE!!!!! I get teary just thinking about it...and so greatful that we all got to watch it together!!! The girls were so excited and I just can't help but feel this pride mixed with unexplainable excitement to have witnessed such an event! As Lance pulled into town and got off his sled, everybody and their brother came up to him to congratulate him and he just kept checking on his dogs, hugging them and petting them and I imagine telling them "Good Job". Even as the official people made their checks of his sled (they are required to carry certain items and have to have them with them to win) Lance was giving his dogs treats and getting THEM settled before he took his turn in the spotlight....that, to me, is a man worthy of the term hero.... In a world where bigger is thought to be better and flashy is always more appealing, it is good to know that somewhere on this globe people take the time and appreciate a job well done....it's a long ride from Anchorage to Nome...1049 miles for those of you who don't know...

A friend of mine from college Nathaniel posted these amazing pictures from the start of the Iditarod. His pictures have always been amazing and have always spoken to me...they capture something special. I hope you enjoy them too...please tell him I sent you!

I just got this in the mail yesterday. I had a friend of mine send it from Alaska so I could surprise Jason on the annivesary of us meeting...at Jitters. I knew I wasn't going to be able to wait! I gave it too him after we watched Lance win and we brewed a pot right away to celebrate! It was SOO yummy!!! Now we'll see how much of a buzz we have and how much energy I have this evening!Maybe I'll get some much needed crafting in! Pictures are sure to follow! :)

Snowman fun

I still can't believe the day we've had today...sledding and building an amazing snowman! I have to pinch myself to be sure I'm not dreaming! Snow in Texas?! Really?! It really does feel like a dream....this will definately be a Christmas to remember for more than one reason.

It feels so foreign to be bundling up to go out and play and yet so oddly familiar. I still can't believe I was able to quickly dig out all of our boots and gear. The gloves were in hiding but I found enough to make do. The thing I found the funniest was that dh knew exactly where Koda's old harness was for pulling sled. It was on a shelf in the garage, I guess he never had to heart to pack it away either. It was such a strang feeling as I handled the harness and the memories of late night walks in the snow came flooding in...and it was funny trying to get Karma into it. I forgot she was so young when we left Alaska and she had no idea what I was trying to put on her! lol She loved the snow tho and has been crying at the door ever since we came back in...even the dog misses our northern Eden.

Thanksgiving to remember

The holidays always tend to make me think of days gone by and miss the things that used to be. Usually the hurt is so strong and it clouds the day with longing.... this year was first for me....the missing didn't sink in until after it was all said and done! I'm making progress right? lol



This picture is one of my very favorites. It was taken on our last Thanksgiving in Alaska, on our way to share Thanksgiving with friends. J was tucked in to the sled with the pumpkin pies and we set off into the snow! I tend to remember things in colors. I know, strange. This day, altho cold and white, I remember in warm yellows...all my good memories are warm!



But this year, Thanksgiving was packed with so much excitement that the day was simpy full of good food, good friends and family and only thankful thoughts! I hope that all my readers (as few as there may be) had a wonderful day full of only new, wonderful yellow/warm memories!

Salmon Tears

Have I really resorted to this? Walking through the grocery store with tears in my eyes just ready to over flow? How lame is this!?!

It all started when the girls and I went on the quest to find acini de pepe pasta for our Sweet and Sour Maggot Salad that we are taking to a Halloween party tomorrow. After trying both the commissary and Albertson's we headed across town to Market Street. We walked in like any other shoppers, got a cart and headed towards the natural section of lotions, medicines etc. That smell hit me and I got a lump in my throat...now you are probably thinking I am crazy (I know Jason's aunt did when I mentioned something like this in Whole Foods one time) but there is this distinct smell that only a health food store has. I wish I knew what it was so I could bottle it! Is it something in particular or is it a combination of a lot of things mixed together? Nevertheless, that smell is what took me back to Alaska in my mind. Flashes of pictures were going thru my head...Natural Pantry, Carrs...Fred Meyers...Saturday market, Mountain Mary's....ahh.... (Yes I know that at least one person reading this thinks I am crazy, another probably is laughing and if I am lucky maybe someone can relate) Is there anyone that knows what this smell is and how I can get some to bring home!? :)

After FINALLY finding the pasta, and another variation of my chai tea "(heaven forbid they keep the same brand in stock!) we headed to the torture zone otherwise known as the fish counter. The girls and I stood there ooo-ing and ah-ing over all the sights we saw. J loved the crablegs (although she won't eat them) and R was tremendously interested in the clams...I however was scanning the beautiful selection of fish for little signs that read "Wild Caught, Product of the USA and (my favorite) Alaskan!" They had puny looking halibut on sale for $14 lb and some very pretty salmon (farm raised and color added !#%+~!) but what really jumped out to me was the Alaskan wild caught Cod on sale for $3.99lb! Now I know that this fish doesn't measure up to real Alaskan fish in any way shape or form but here in Texas I have to be happy with what I can get! So, we bought enough for dinner and went off to find something to compliment it. I even broke down and bought the little package of Cajun Salmon Spread "(color added-what a crock!) to complete the Alaskan themed meal! We were walking thru all the beautiful colors of apples and their nice (at least for Texas standards) selection of organic veggies, when THEY started....the tears just came on me without warning. I promise that I wasn't wallowing in the state we are in...those days of truly hating everything associate with Texas are few and far between now and even as I stood crying in a supermarket I wasn't thinking about hate or disgust but just about how much I truly want to go home...

I think my yearning for home (AKA Alaska) gets worse this time of year because I know that the seasons are changing there and that it is so vastly different than here. I think of all the comforts that I can't have...like waking up to the silent wonder of a first snowfall, wool sweaters to cut out the wind and the festivals and bazaars that are soon to follow. And I know that in less than a year, I am going to have to leave even here, a place I have hated so much but have grown to be content, and start all over....again...

My question to whom ever may be reading this is....Are you ever really happy and in love with where you are? Having traveled around all my life, I don't know what its like to grow up in the house my parents brought me home to, graduate with the friends I went to high school with or even get job in the town I went to college...I have lots of places I have lived but only one that was really truly home. I am lucky for that I know but still heartbroken at the loss.






Sometimes I feel like Susan, Lucy, Edmond and Peter the very first time they stepped thru the wardrobe and into Narnia. There is a beauty that can't be described. Alaska is my Narnia. I have seen Eden in the water, mountains and trees of Alaska but I still wonder if it was real or just a dream...



This was the view from our deck...it's what I think of every time we watch Narnia!

Living in the land of make believe

I was doing so good at getting organized and staying on track when we thought that quick acting orders north were in our future. But now, I just can't seem to get bac kon course when the goal isn't something we can see...

Things are so up in th air and my heart and mind are so tired of getting my hopes up and confused on whats the best thing to do! And when it comes down to it, the military will do what it darn well pleases!

For this evening, I am going to listen to the wind blowing outside and pretend it's a blustery fall day, not the 95 degrees it surely is. I'll pretend the air is cooled by Mother Nature and not the ever running AC and I'll continue on with my knitting education in hopes that someday soon I'll have a need for warm hats and wool sweaters...I have a lot to learn...

Back to the drawing board!

Well, we thought we had found our way to get back home to Alaska....Jason applied back in May and we've been driving ourselves crazy thinking "what if" for months now. We finally got the final answer yesterday. We didn't get it. Part of me was in shock and part of me just wanted to mope and cry. We just wanted this so much! We miss Alaska more than words can express an we miss our church family even more. I just have to believe that there is something so much greater out there waiting for us and that we just have to be patient and do this on God's time, not ours....That said, we went out to drowned our sorrows in Chinese food and fell asleep watching tv.
The military life is seldom easy and never cut and dry! Now we have so many options still to consider but with no direct path to get there! lol We'll just have to keep pluggin' away and praying constantly that God makes our path clear...even if it's not in a northern direction like we are hoping. Faith is easy when things are going right but we have to keep the faith when the days are bleak too. We're still keeping our faith that He knows best!