Way to Go, Nolan!

 What can this mean?????

Nolan has finished his first college course, "Fundamentals of Business" and tested for it. He passed with flying colors. He has earned his first 3 college credits in his first month of enrollment. 

 His new course (another 3 credits) is "Best Practices of Management." 

I like the premise of Western Governor's University. It's a good fit for Nolan. 

Random Shots and Thoughts

Rather than write a few more posts - here's one post with random shots collected this week, and the thoughts they prompt. 

Nolan is now working mostly closing shifts. This means he is home and up in the late morning, early afternoon. It has been nice to have him around to sit with Grandpa when we need to run an errand etc. It's also been great to have more time for conversations and to have him around when Arielle and the boys stop by. 

 Danny looks more and more like a little Scottish lad. He now has brows and lashes coming in - and they are ginger. 

I strained the broth and set it out to cool down so I could sim the fat...and when I got back out there...it's frozen SOLID to the table. I guess it's fine there. 

This girl. She sets her alarm for 5:30 every morning and hits the school books. This allows her time to add things to her schedule that interest her and to work 2 days a week. She catches naps where she can. 

I believe this is  a bud on the lilac bush....

Alaskan forager....

Grandpa woke up with a headache and sore throat. I'm home with him while the others are at church. It's been nice to catch up on the week....now let the new week begin. 

Blazing a Trail

You know it's springtime* in Alaska when it warms up enough to get outside and play in the snow. ::snort:: Seriously, it's NOT break up yet, we're a good month away from seeing many buds...but the days are getting brighter, some of the birds are back and singing loudly in the morning, the sun is back, and the temps are up in the high 20's even low 30's. 

I kept hearing talk of cross country skiing. I was feeling sick. I think it's because of the massive dose of anti-inflammatory I've been on for 5 days. I'm cutting it out.  The dog began to go BEZERK! Investigation showed the crew had not LEFT the property and Millie knew she was missing the fun. 

These three blazed a trail in our yard for cross country skiing.  We've talked about it. I'm excited to see it come to fruition....Stacia and Allie are newbies at the whole thing and seemed to enjoy it.  They are working up to a ski-in-forest-cabin camping trip in  mid-March. 

I am SO excited to have an outdoor work out in the yard....I plan to locate a pair of boots and get out there myself as soon as my foot is "workable" again.  The trail goes into the woods, out of the woods, across the side yard and ends in the driveway. 

No moose were disturbed for this activity. 

*I really am not sure it IS spring time yet - but it is the last day of February. One can hope. 

Mental Noise

 Dad had a dental appointment today.  There are so MANY aspects to consider with his care. It's mind boggling. I think we've come up with a plan which  takes all factors into account. He needs a lot of dental work. He's put it off for years. He's at a place now where the oral surgeon doesn't want to remove teeth for dentures... We had to fight to have 4 abscessing teeth removed. Ideally I'd spread the work he needs over 3 years to minimize the amount he'd have to pay out of pocket....but since he has put this work off for at least 6 years...we are most likely going to have to do it all in the upcoming months...meaning he will have a lot of out of pocket expenses. 

Safety protocols continue to be a challenge. We understand why we are told to provide 24/7 supervision. We understand why the risks of walking unaided outweigh the benefits. We understand sun downing and the need for precautions. Dad, however, is not happy with these protocols...and sometimes I wonder if the struggle....well...we've been told by doctors and home health care he is in the best situation for him....and so we are working hard to keep him in this situation... Finding respite care continues to be a priority. We're making a bit of progress, at least defining what may be helpful....all this is noise in my head....

Dad crammed a pen into his hearing aide. I don't know why...but I am going to have to take the hearing aid in again. Hearing Aides just may not work out. He is MUCH more alert and engaged when he wears them but he doesn't like to wear them. 

Michael has a unique way of relaxing these days...evidently this is mandated by the chiropractor. 

The day was not all about dental appointments and noisy thoughts. We also had some good conversations, played Farkle after dinner, and enjoyed our warming temps...high 20's. 

Tea with Sandy

The highlight of today was hosting Sandy in the nook - my sanctuary.  It's been hard to find time, location and opportunity to get together with Sandy. Pre-covid we'd make it over to Crema's a couple of times a month. Then lockdown, numerous quarantines, caregiving and well - this is the FIRST time in over a YEAR we've been able to get together for tea.  

In the midst of the conversation, munchies and laughter, I  remembered to snap a photo to add to the virtual guest book.  I think the girls visited at a table nearby us the last time we were at Crema's....today they introduced Millie and Coulter. Eventually they went for a quick walk and a romp around the yard. Socializing can be hard all around, but I think it went well. 

I didn't realize how high Millie can jump. She could clear the chicken yard if she wanted to.  This may be a problem this summer when the chickens are out and about and want to use their yard. I don't think I've seen a chicken in the yard in months. Previous years they DID come out and gather.....

Michael had an appointment in Wasilla today. 

Jamin stopped in to pick up Jared. They fly out tomorrow to meet friends in Hawaii. These five guys (our 3, plus 2 bonus') have been friends since high school in San Angelo.  It makes me smile to imagine them in Hawaii together. 

Woot! Active Duty Here She Comes

We have totally loved having Krista in Alaska with us these past 2 years. We always KNEW it was temporary and that she would go active duty at some point. 

Months ago the reserves told Krista she was approved to submit a packet to become an  Active Duty Air Force Chaplain. Then began the process of being picked for Active Duty. Part of this process is having a "scroll" submitted and approved by congress.  She ran around getting all the necessary pieces together to submit her scroll. Then we waited.  We were told congress "should" approve them by mid-January. Didn't happen. 

Alaska is a lovely place to wait! 

Mid February - she was notified her scroll had been approved. This meant she was accepted to go Active Duty, within 2 weeks her "acceptance letter" would go to assignments, and 2 - 4 weeks beyond that she'd receive an assignment. By mid-March she'd have ANSWERS about what the next season will look like. 

Krista has not been idle during the wait...she leads the church's young adult outings, is our youth pastor, has been doing lots of counseling, works with special needs at our local high school, serves in a reserve unit at JBER,  and keeps very busy with friends. 

One thing she has done in the wait is to become ASIST trained. She has presented at several suicide prevention workshops at JBER. (OK for civilians that's Joint Base Elemendorf Richardson; for military folks she's been presenting at ASIST workshops/trainings). She was presenting at a workshop this Monday (22 Feb) when she heard her scroll may not be approved.  She had promoted since the start of the application process and it appeared she would need to start the process all over again. We were glad we hadn't shared her approval far and wide. 

Within hours she heard ARPC had done some magic and she was NOT going to have to start all over, her scroll was approved - again. She'd have an acceptance letter within 2 weeks and then on to assignments for specifics...probably another 2 - 4 weeks before FACTS were shared.  She ran into AF chaplains from JBER at the workshop. She did share her scroll approval with her fellow chaplains at JBER. 

A short hour later she received the acceptance letter to sign and her packet was sent to assignments...the shortest 2 weeks in military history.  We agreed to wait another couple of weeks to share news of her approval - until she had an assignment. Monday was a ROLLER COASTER day for Krista. 

The NEXT DAY - Tuesday, 23 Feb, Krista was notified where her first assignment as an active duty chaplain will be.... Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson! YES. There were two Alaskan bases and we've all been praying if it was God's will  she be assigned to one of them for her first assignment.  We know she will eventually leave Alaska, but for another 3 years she will be within an hour of home. This will certainly make OUR transition to Krista being active duty much easier.   I think it will be nice for her to be able to maintain friendships as she launches into a new adventure. The next months will be full of decisions and change...but it's all forward momentum! 

To say we are excited is a gross under-statement. We will have the joy of watching her transition to an active duty chaplain. This has been a long journey. She felt she was to be a chaplain, 15 years ago. Ten years after she began wrestling with the call she entered an M Div program and started the process which led to today. This included ministerial ordination, earning an M Div, reserve time, gaining a civilian endorser (Open Bible - our endorser when Mike was active duty), and waiting, waiting, waiting. She has excelled every step of the way. She has worked HARD, and earned top grades and awards in both civilian and military training, to be where she is today - at the start of her active duty chaplaincy ministry. 

Part of what we did (or who we were) in the military was ministry scouts. We enjoyed encouraging men and women with hearts for God to pursue the chaplaincy. The Air Force NEEDS evangelical men and women with a passion for ministry and a heart for God. We sought to encourage young chaplains with these traits and to encourage others to enter the chaplaincy. It has been pure joy to watch these young chaplains move up the ranks...In my ministry to military spouses and troops I often prayed for conservative, God-loving, passionate female chaplains to enter the military. It is humbling, awe-inspiring even,  to stand here and see...one of the many answers to our prayers for God to send God-loving, passionate ministers into the Air Force is our daughter. 

We are  proud of her zeal to follow Jesus.  I am hoping for a Misawa assignment in her future....oh the places we can visit.... LOL  The next week will be filled with goodbyes to students before spring break, working details to report in April, looking for possible new housing....and dreaming....exciting times! 

Crossing things off the Alaskan Bucket List

 Alainna, a college friend of Arielle's,  is visiting this week. They came over to visit today and made it to our house before the girls and I did....we mentioned a moose up the road. It turns out Lainna didn't see a moose on her previous visit. Seeing a moose is on her Alaska bucket list. I offered to drive her up the road to find a moose.  We set off....

We found one. It wasn't in a great location, but it counted to cross seeing moose off the bucket list. 

Arielle called as we drove around on a search for  bigger and more photogenic moose. "There are three moose in the yard." ::snort:: 

We headed home to find the three moose in our yard. Such pretty posers they were. Lainna grabbed some great shots...I snapped a couple. 

It makes us happy when Alainna visits CoRielle. Her visit sure does help with the cabin fever starting to set in about now.