Fresh, Clean, and Crisp

Drive to Anchorage for our 5th Anniversary

Winter has certainly arrived in Alaska. On a prior post I exclaimed how gorgeous the Alaskan Autumn is, well, winter has breathtaking vistas all the more. I'm anticipating every season has it's own newness of wonder in the far North. Seasons are so wonderful!

News of the month: the previous supposed perfect position I had with a functional family medicine physician did not work out for her. She realized she needs a FNP (family nurse practitioner), which is the degree I actually want to add on someday. She gave me some great references though. I am now working as an RN at a teen boys residential treatment facility. I know! I have pursued a career in Women's health and now I am working with teenage boys. Crazy how God works huh? And I am really enjoying it. Tomorrow is my first evening off orientation so we'll see how it goes. They get pretty rambuncious, pretty much every day. Sometimes ending in a "hold" or wholes in walls or kids AWOLing and being returned by the troopers. Fun stuff!

The Embassy Suites, a 4 star hotel Chadd surprised me with for our anniversary. T
hey upgraded our room to a jacuzzi master suite on the house :)

Baba experiencing the Alaskan winter!

As I started the above position I got word that a local birth center may be looking for a CNM. Discouraged to check into it by a proven assumption that they would only want a full time, night call available midwife, I sent them an e-mail anyhow laying out my situation and desires. And lo and behold they wanted me! It turns out it will be a perfect fit for our mutual needs. I will begin working one day a week doing women's health in January then decrease hours at the Summit and increase at the birth center. Day hours only, and I may even get to pop upstairs to a birth. They have a great midwifery team with two FNPs and one CNM/FNP as well. They are even beginning to bring functional medicine into their practice and two of them are in curriculum with IFM to get certified. It will be a great place to learn! So instead of no jobs, I will now have two! God is awesome :) Though your life situation may look foreboding and ever unchanging, He has a plan if we place our trust and delight in Him. Keep your chin up and smile, especially when it's so hard it feels like being a fake hypocrite. Keep pursuing Him in honest desperation and He WILL come through. There IS a light at the end of the tunnel.

Baba ad Cyrus working on the floor

20 weeks! Half way there!

 We enjoyed a wonderful visit with my Baba (Chinese for father), from L.A. He had certainly never been to Alaska for it and came prepared with brand new boots and hats and the works. He was an immense help with finishing our upstairs bedrooms so we could move out of the loud cold basement. And he was a wonderful toddler sitter, cook, and house cleaner the entire week I had orientation in Anchorage everyday.'

 Boy, am I glad I don't have to commute like a HUGE number of the MatSu valley residents. One day when it snowed it took me 2 1/2 horus! bleh. On a good day it is 55 minutes from our house. But Alaska DOT does not see it necessary or perhaps cost efficient to place the good old sodium chloride on the roads. They like to to a little plowing for when it gets deep, and scatter gravel on more trafficked areas. So when there is fresh snow the roads are white, and the

There's no way I can show you the incredible beauty with
a 3 inch digital photo. You'll just have to come see it yourself ;)

back roads remain so. Most people get studded tires. Some parking lots are complete sheets of snowy ice. Ice pickers (straps with sharp studs to go around your boots) are sold at many locations. We haven't bought any yet but we both want to. Probably a good idea with my changing center of gravity and balance. It might sound awful to you, but actually I love it. The beauty of glimmering white rocky peaks over a backdrop of clear blue skies is a marvel anyone can see. Just dress super over warm, don't hold still outside, and start your car at least 15 minutes before you leave the house.

Weather report:

Sunrise tomorrow morning: 9:16am
Sunset tomorrow evening: 4:07pm
Winter storm warning with 12-20 inches the next two days. WooHoo!
-6 F currently.

He survived a wintry fourwheeler excursion!

Baba driving a fourwheeler for the first time.

Cyrus and I leave for Texas this Saturday where my three nieces and three sisters and their hubby's reside. We'll then roadtrip with Mom and Melisa and the girls to Panama City Florida for a Thanksgiving Graybill Family Reunion and my grandparent's 60th anniversary celebration. And SUN!!! So excited. I'll be searching for a tan for sure. Chadd would have loved to come but he decided to stay back to hopefully remodel the whole kitchen while we're gone. That will be nice to come home to :) Tootle loo!

VIDEO UPDATE!