Can't wait to make that first snowman!!!!!

     Winter is on the way...don't need to wait for it to show winter on the calendar which isn't till December. It is getting ready to rip through Juneau. Not that I am an expert on the subject of Juneau weather, but one of Caleb's coworkers at Spunky Sprouts Daycare swears that when there is snow on the Douglas mountains, we are "doomed"! That just cracks me up. Obviously some folks around here aren't too fond of winter. Go figure! This family of mine can't wait for the first real "on the ground" snow. Our neighbors say it will be around Halloween which is just next week. I am really not looking forward to the driving and ice slipping that may occur since we are not used to anything remotely resembling snow or ice. The 100 year snow is 2005 that hit all of south Texas was our first real experience with the white stuff...it melted away so fast there really was no chance to slip and slide around on the roadways, even though James felt compelled to try and find hot coffee for Grandmother and Pawpaw Canville that lovely Christmas Day...we had no electricity( from 7 p.m. Christmas Eve). That was before the generator went in at our house. After we opened our presents by candlelight, James happily drove to Stripes and found coffee and burritos...in fact, our Christmas lunch that day was burritos and leftovers from our Christmas Eve dinner...Mom lucked out on that meal...she was supposed to cook Christmas Lunch but with no electricity, she couldn't. The kids  remember this Christmas as the best one ever...and the snow was the reason. And you know what? The burritos were so darn good...it really was a great day.

     So when that first big snow hits this wonderful town of Juneau, you can bet this family will be out making snowmen, scooting down the driveway with sleds and flapping out snow angels on the lawn. And when we have made fools of ourselves, slipping and sliding through it all, we will gather in our home, snuggle under the blankets, drink hot cocoa, and thank God for all of the blessings He has given our family. Happy Winter, Ya'll!

Signs from God...and my daddy! And a bear or two!

     I want you to know that I have never asked for a sign from God. I have heard of people doing this and scoffed at the idea. But right before our big auction in June, I was seriously doubting our decision to move to Alaska. Everything seemed to be coming at me, full steam, and being the very stable homebody that I am, I was scared that I wasn't following God's will for my family...maybe that I was just being selfish...taking the kids away from their friends and jobs, and most importantly, taking us all away from our family...leaving my mom, Marigayle and Sarah. And I was leaving behind my very best friends, who I depend on every day of my life. So....I asked God for a sign that I was doing the right thing. Less than 3 minutes later (I was driving over by the mall), I looked at the Luby's Cafeteria sign and what does it say? It said " Baked Alaska" for $4.50. Now, anyone who has lived in the Valley knows that a place like Luby's has NEVER had Baked Alaska on the menu. I have just never seen it in the restaurant and trust me, I have eaten there a million times since I was a little girl. So when I saw that sign, I pulled over and laughed and laughed and acknowledged that God had sent me the sign I needed.  Just amazing, really. I told James all about it and we all felt better about our decision. That night when I got into our bed, I had my little stack of magazines ready to read. I picked up the first one, which was a Family Circle, and I just opened it up sorta in the middle to see if I had already read it, and the page I opened it to was a recipe for how to make....wait for it...BAKED ALASKA!!!! I couldn't believe it. Showed James and we squealed together...what a sign! What more could we ask for? God had given us two signs and we were satisfied and from that day forward, I knew we were doing the right thing.        Truly, without a doubt, the right thing.
So fast forward to last weekend, when we went to the glacier to walk around and get out of the house, we jokingly asked my daddy to send us some bears. It just so happened to be my daddy's 75th birthday, and we had celebrated it all day with funny stories and had even dug out some old photos of him, to keep his memories alive. Well, you guessed it...my daddy sent us some bears...in fact, he sent a mama bear and her two cubs, right out into our path. They were the most amazing animals we had ever seen in the wild. We did a lot of squealing and we watched those bears for over an hour. You could have heard a pin drop out at the glacier. EVERYONE around us (about 15 of us) just watched, mouths open and simply amazed. What a treat! And yes, I think my daddy sent them in our path. I am sure of it.

     After the bear fun, we went to a little cafe for lunch. It started to rain, but quickly cleared up, but then the rainbows came. Yes, rainbow-s....several of them...here, there, all over. Now my daddy was just flat out showing off. Rainbows everywhere and all we could do was smile and laugh and praise the LORD that my daddy was right there with us. I could feel him...I really could. On this birthday, after him being gone over 3 years, I knew for the first time, that he was here with us in Alaska. He would have loved living here. He loved the mountains and the pine trees and wildlife. He was a real mountain man....and a mountain OF a man. I will miss seeing his smile for the rest of my life. He has come to me twice in my dreams and he was right there with me when I needed him the most, but I yearn to hug him and to feel safe in his arms again, like when I was a little girl. Because of my belief in God and my knowing Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I know I will see him again. And when I do, I will run into his arms and feel safe and secure.
     I guess this blog post has kinda turned into a tribute to my daddy, for his 75th birthday. I know my precious mama mourns him to this very day, and will for the rest of her life. But she will see him again, and he will be out of pain and standing tall. I can't help heal her heart. I tried but I can't. I have finally realized that I can not mourn for anyone else but me. We all miss him...he was the anchor of our family. I am just blessed to have had him in my life for 50 years. Blessed beyond all reason...thank you, dear Lord.