A Wild Baby Bird!

Content to chirp away at his rescuer...

Happy to snuggle...

Spreading its wings to fly...

Relaxing in a little ones hands...

Gently loved and cherished by another little one...

Not bothered by sniffing hound...

Has found a new place to nest!

I know that I said I would be done blogging, but I couldn't resist posting these pictures I took of the kids today.  My oldest boy found this baby bird chirping away in some under brush and scooped it up.  He carried it in and around the cabin to show everyone this amazing find.  The baby bird didn't seem to even be afraid of us.  It flew 20 feet or so a couple times and then let the children pick it up again.  It spent several minutes chirping and singing as if it were trying to communicate with us.  It probably heard it's own siblings or parents chirping away in the nearby trees. 

It was a great break from packing and sorting!  The kids and I talked about how wonderful it must have been in the Garden of Eden when all the animals were tame.  We sort of felt like we were almost there today!

Saying Good Bye

Home Sweet Cabin

A Wood Frog

Look how small it really is...

My son caught this wood frog hopping about in the forest near our log cabin.  These little creatures are amazing!  The very word, creature, imply that they are indeed created by a Creator.  They blend in with their surroundings very well.

We are preparing to move, within the next couple weeks, back to Oregon.  My oldest daughter needs a small surgery on her heart.  She's been diagnosed with S.V.T.  It is a very simple surgery and we will be thankful to have it done by fall time of this year.  We've chosen to relocate to Oregon because there is no surgery available for a child's heart here in Alaska.  My husband also got his full time job back in McMinnville as well, which means we'll be able to live closer to both sides of our extended family. 

We are all sad to leave the "Last Frontier" behind along with all the beautiful snow and adventure of living out of town in a log cabin.  We are happy at the prospect of having complete indoor plumbing, however.  We have all grown in the last two years here so much.  All the hard work and having to do without many things has made us really appreciate those things we take for granted.  We are looking forward to more adventures as we leave Alaska and travel through Northern B.C. and down through Jasper, Banff, and Lake Louise.  We'll be stopping by Lethbridge, Alberta to see my dearest friend from HighSchool and her husband for a few days.  Then it will be on to Eastern Washington to see another dear family and then finally to Oregon. 

I believe I will close this blog because it will no longer be about Alaska.  I will miss journaling my thoughts and adventures with my family.  They love to read at the end of the days that I write, what I wrote about them.  It has been such a treasure to have all these pictures and mini clips of life along the way.  If I can get another blog up and going about Oregon, I will.  Until then, have a wonderful summer everyone!

As we enter another season of life, may the hope of the return of Jesus Christ never fade in your hearts.  May the peace of knowing that God loves you and holds no judgement over you flood your souls.  May every day be filled with adventure, growth, and a yearning to learn the truth in everything as you allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.

Letting Kids be Kids

From Playing Princesses to...

Playing some baseball...

Even the littlest ones can play this way...

Automatic home run when the ball gets lost in the brush...

 When our company was here last week they played many a great ball game.  The bases were generally located at a pile of rocks, one you'll be sure to not slide into, around the fire pit, and a patch of bare clay for third base.  Then on to home which was more like the end zone of a football field but with many dips and bumps.  In the above picture the kids were hunting for the ball that got everyone home.  We were about ready to get the weed eater out when our visiting teenager located it in the crook of a tree branch.

Budding young painters busy at work...

 I am always amazed at how children really do not require loads of toys to occupy their time.  Give them some time and space and let them create.  They do not require perfectly level playing fields and 50 colors to paint with.  They don't all need a bike and the latest in wordly fashions.  They need some raw materials, yes, but don't limit their creativity with to many toys.  Children need you.  They need your gentle guidance and your availability to chat.  They don't need lengthy sermons and formal times of talk.  Do they need to be educated in a government setting or do they need a Mom and a Dad who care about them individually? 

They need your daily input and you need their daily output or vice versa.  Children were created in families.  Families used to have purpose:  to educate and bring up their children in truth.  They weren't created for toy consumers and for independent autonomic decision making.  They need to learn the logic and truth of God's word and practice applying it daily.  Do not leave them by themselves, but encourage them to relate lovingly and with patience.  Give them quiet time, give them good meals, direct them to excellent reading material, include them in your discussions and in your real life.  Let them be kids and play hard and play long but don't be to busy and to far away.  Enjoy life together.  It is rich and abundant and loaded with adventure when following Jesus Christ.  Yes, sorrow comes and goes but not without joy in the morning.  

Don't be surprised when you can't find a quiet place in your home.  It will be full and brimming with good, healthy activity and very little arguing and complaining.  The few times it will be quiet, is when you all settle down for an hour or two of quiet reading in the afternoon and evenings.  You'll suddenly realize that TV went missing weeks ago and in its place you'll begin to form some lasting and real relationships.  Don't count on meals being quiet unless you really have nothing to talk about.  Meals are lively and loud and probably nothing like you've ever experienced until you begin to want to really look at your children and get to know them and how God designed their individual personalities and learn to appreciate their differences.  When you begin to truly love your children you will sacrifice worldly gain for their good.  It is not always easy.  It pays off in eternal dividends.  BUT the choice will always be yours.  So don't complain, it's up to you and what you've done, is what you've got.

Nothing like riding on perma frost heaves on a bicyle built for one...

Friendships are a gift from God!



Bull Moose Viewing

Just enjoying some tasty under water plants...

Look at this rack just having grown since May...

We drove out Sunday afternoon for a day trip to the North Fork of Chena River and spotted this Bull Moose on the way home.   It inspired further study on the subject of Moose in Alaska.  We had just purchased a wonderful book entitled, "Interior & Northern ALASKA: A Natural History" at the Farmer's Market last Wednesday from the author himself, Ronald L. Smith.  So we looked up Moose and learned that a Bull can eat up to 44 pounds of vegetation a day!  They can stand over 7 feet at the shoulder and weigh between 1200-1600 pounds.  They grow a new set of antlers every year.  Moose can live to be up to 16 years old. 

Interestingly enough there is not much genetic diversity in the North American Moose.  The author has his theories.  I know the Scriptures to be full of concrete facts and undeniable truths, evident to all of mankind, whether or not they admit it.  I believe they were created on the sixth day of a literal 7-day creation by God Himself.  I also believe the Bible to be true when it describes a world wide catistrophic flood.  Why is it so hard to believe that a pair came off of Noah's ark, probably mere calves and traveled northwards from Mt. Ararat to find some good willows to eat.  They travelled and spread until some of them ended up on the land bridge linking Asia to Alaska.  Look how many of the same animals that live in Mongolia, also live in Alaska.  How much genetic diversity exists between these mammals?

I hope to get permission to use some quotes from this author, out of his book.  He is a retired professor of Biology here at the University of Alaska.  He has put together a great book with personal stories throughout.  It is a good reference book as well as a book to really make you think about logic and how to apply that to the evolutionist's theories. 

If you've been reading this blog long, you'll know that I am not in any way supportive of any evoltionary theories because the basis for its logic is not based on God's word, but on a manmade system of rules that will change with the winds of society, which is really no logic at all.  It is much like shifting sands.

I'll take the Rock, let the winds blow and the rains come down, just so long as the waters don't come up to far.  God has promised to never flood the world again, so I can also find solace in this logical promise made 1000's of years ago to all of mankind.

Just a few parting shots of our day trip to Chena River...

Do you think this will wash out?

Our teenager raiding the cooler...

Learning to fly fish, enjoying a good tangle and a good laugh....
We didn't know this Father/Son but they were sure having a great time and this was a priceless picture!

Camping at Olnes Pond AGAIN!

Poor hound, I'll keep you company...

Practicing my powers of concentration...

Attempting to remove the "Sword in the Stone" or should we say the "Axe in the Wood"

Hiking the trail down to the nearby Chatinika River

Surely the fishing will be better in the River

Hangin' out with Bro

Hangin' out in the wild roses with fishing pole in hand...

We went camping two weekends ago at Olnes Pond.  We had a great time, minus the mosquito's and the incessant four wheeler noise.  I'd write about it, but it is a little to fresh in my mind to invoke any feelings of happiness!  I descibed it in an article that I recently sent in for possible publication.  If it is indeed published, I will send all those who desire to read my account of dealing improperly with this situation, you may.  Let's just say it was a humbling experience.

The camping, hiking, and fishing part of the weekend was great, as well as having friends come out for the day on Saturday for Dutch oven stew and Daddy's birthday cheesecake!  I was thinking how nice it was to have a port a potty so close at night!  The older kids slept out in a pup tent and Daddy, the two littlest, and I slept in the pickup truck camper.