6.29.2009

Jason's Birthday

I've got to get better orientated with the order in which I post the pictures...so we'll go backwards...AGAIN...okay. These first couple of photos are of one of the most basic, sometimes essential, pieces of furniture. Well, while waiting...and waiting...and waiting...for the bank to get their business in order, we Harris' stay busy. This coffeetable was built, literally, pretty much from scratch. Jason is now powered with a table saw and we 'found' some old local milled cottonwood underneath the parsonage. It seemed to look quite weathered and probably would go to waste, so we put our heads together and began ripping some boards into cleaner looking lengths. You can imagine how much gratification we were receiving, instant, and unlike dealing with a bloodsucking, or ummm....labor intense banking process, our minds could get a break from the 'what if this...what if that...' emotional deal. I can't help but think of Papa (Howard Slwooko Sr) while working with Jay. I only knew him in his 60's and 70's, but man did he teach me a few work ethic lessons through little jobs. He loved Gram dearly and now that I'm married, I can see and understand how much a marriage relationship is a blessing through a couple. Anyways, before I get on that rabbit trail, I'll post the cottonwood coffeetable pictures.


Jason celebrated his 31st birthday on June 26th. Not only did Romay and I have 'Dad's' birthday to think about, but also Kempers! This is the first time we've been with our beloved yellow lab on his birthday. Just to give you an idea of how much he is a part of the family, he ate the same biscuits, scrambled eggs and bacon with us for his birthday breakfast. You see, part of making Jason feel special on his day, is to treat the dog in a special way. So, that works for us.


6.21.2009

Inside of the Possibility

These photos are in NO particular order, why did I even put the title "Inside of the Possibility?" Well, this first photo is from last Thursday as Romay was heading up to Kokrine Hills Bible Camp. She will be camping for a whole week and I don't know if I could technically call it 'camping' as I know it the way I was raised. They have running water, mattresses to sleep on and so many cool activities. Most of all, we know she will enjoy fellowship and being around her peers.
So now we come to a photo of the kitchen upstairs in our possible first home, which of course, is more in harmony with the title of this post. We LOVE the exposed beams and the fact that there is a balcony that is a few feet away from the location in which I took the picture. Jason is already planning on making our table with his tablesaw, skill saw and sander.
Here is a shot of the gravel leading up to the garage door and I guess you could call this elementary landscaping as the rocks are stacked neatly. I don't know if landscaping really exists in the bush. For those of you that have traveled to the bush, maybe landscaping is a yard that isn't littered with several vehicles, mattresses, and dead freezers or refridgerators...haha.
Sometimes we head over to the house, just to appease our imagination, wondering 'what would it be like to actually own our own home?' Like we had said before, we are learning trust in our Father, because we know that each day shouldn't be 'wasted' with wishing and waiting, but with peace and joy for each day. It truly is a process and journey that has taught us to be more content with status quo.
Finally, a downstairs view of the place. As you can see, the flooring hasn't been added yet, which is a minor detail Jay and I will take care of should this all happen. I'm already scheming of paint colors to break up the whiteness of the living space. Behind me, there is a garage door, which isn't an ideal decoration for your living room ;) So we'll live with it for a year and then add on next summer, MAYBE, again, IF and only IF...meanwhile, we celebrated Fathers Day with a nice moose rib dinner, don't ever let me hear you down talk moose ribs :) Mmmmm, caribou ribs are a different story, if not done a certain way, you might as well eat leather. Anyways, we had some time to chill with friends this early afternoon and just take it easy. We've been delighting in a little thunderstorm activity each day, water for the garden and a great way to keep the dust managable on the roads. Until next time....

6.19.2009

This post is all about the...


...way we got our years worth of food to Galena! What is that you're standing by Jay? 'Well, since we didn't want to spend $250 for a measly 4'X4'X8' container to go on the barge, I bought materials from Home Depot and put it together, right on this campground!' "Wow, how long did that take?' 'Just a couple afternoons' (wink)

...'you see, we made about 4 Sams Club trips and loaded the F150 bed with all sorts of staples and supplies...'

...'one night, while I was pondering how the forklift was going to get the container off the back of the truck, a friend hopped out of the bushes! This at least cleared my thoughts of the logistics for some time and Myra was happy to not have to listen to me rant about it!'

'...for added sustenance, we sampled some nearby rose petals, they taste the way they look!...not a filler, but a tasty treat...'
'...now the container is loaded with supplies, it is dropped off at the barge landing in Nenana, and now we can enjoy our fire and last couple of days in Fairbanks...' THE END

6.15.2009

Kite-ing

Flying a kite in Galena requires some thought into the location for a couple of reasons. One, there are so many trees that the kite could get tangled with, which we managed to do at the end of our excursion. Two, selecting a place with consistent wind is tricky, which we managed to find before we got the kite stuck in a tree. Romay and her friend, Sarah, drove the go-cart out to the dunes one afternoon as Dad and I sat in a car that was quiet due to the absence of Sarah and Romay. We've LOVED the sleepy mornings, warm afternoons, and visits into the evenings!! I'm pretty excited to feel connected to the rest of the world, at least for now. Since we're PATIENTLY awaiting for an appraiser to come out for our house, we've moved out of the apt. and although it would be convienient, don't have a phone...more...later...


6.01.2009

We're Moving Out!

The day has arrived. Today our lease is up and that means we are spending the night at our temporary housing residence tonight! All kinds of excitement is felt by all, it just means we are one more step towards moving into our new place...AND all the boxes will be ready to move easily. Although we will technically be moving twice, at least the 'STUFF' will be ready to grab and transported once 'THE DAY' arrives and we sign the dotted line(s) in owning a place. So, since I'm not sure when we will post next, I will quickly give an update in pictures. This is an exceptionally busy week (which one isn't?) as we will be traveling to Fairbanks on saturday for one week to take care of business. Romay will bunk with a family here in Galena as Jay and I will be enjoying the priviledges of a credit card and grande sized coffee cups filled with yummy lattes!
Our sustenance for this evening, the element of easiness is the most important factor, throw in a pot, heat and eat.
The planting was done before June this year!
Scott planting his cabbages. Haha, I just thought of 'Garbage Pail Kids' remember them? Weird.
We planted potatoes (even purple colored ones!), peas, carrots, radishes and transplanted our cabbage. We have friends that are expert gardeners (they grow corn and watermelon in Galena!...that should give you an idea), thanks to their help in getting us started.
Greenery! Beautiful here in Galena!