Washington....We're here!!!

Wow! I just read my last post...a lot has happened since then and I'm sorry I haven't written sooner!

Watson Lake, Yukon, Canada
Signpost Forest
VLYMOM (my license plate while
we were living in Palmer)

Birch Bay, WA

We left Alaska bright and early on Sunday, September 25th and crossed the border into Washington State on Wednesday evening, September 29th.  It was a quick and uneventful (thank you, God) drive - except for a wrong turn on the home stretch out of Canada (which turned out to be a blessing anyway).  My life-long and closest friend Angie drove with me and the kids.  She kept me sane and alert and provided me with much-needed best friend time along the way!  I will never forget the kindness, wisdom, and insight she provided while on the road and moving into our rental home.

As some of you know, it is not easy to move - especially out of Alaska.  We sold everything in Alaska and had to totally furnish our home once here.  Now, we are comfortably moved in and I'm sitting here enjoying the gas fireplace while I type this.

Robert will graduate from the Customs Academy in 3 weeks. We are all so proud of him and everything he is accomplishing for our family. He even had to be pepper sprayed and tased all in one week! Poor guy. His academy class is doing very well. They have the highest test scores of any class thus far!  These people want jobs!! I'm excited to be able to attend his graduation ceremony - thanks to my parents who will be flying up here from New Mexico to stay with kids for the weekend while I fly to Georgia.

My parents were able to visit for a week
on their way to stay in NM for the winter!

Our fall has been amazing. We have been able to experience things we have never experienced before. It's like a whole different world here in a way. While I hear reports about Alaska's winter weather it's difficult to imagine it since every day is still around 50° here. It hasn't rained here very much since we arrived over a month ago. I'm told, though, that this is unusual weather and normally much rainier. Here's a few pictures of a wonderful day we spent at a local farm - Stoney Ridge Farm.

So to sum all this up, we have been very blessed to have met, and made friends with, some amazing neighbors.  I feel like we've known them forever and am truly thankful for God's answers to specific prayers.  Also, we are attending Faith Community Church - it reminds me of our beloved Wasilla Bible Church, another blessing. We had a little bit of a late start with school, but are busy getting "caught up" - even though when Little Robert broke his wrist while roller skating last week he was hoping that I would give him a reprieve. Nice try, Honey, you broke your left wrist and you're right handed!

I have to wonder at what point I will a.) stop making plans because I just make God chuckle when I try and b.) stop being amazed when my specific prayers are answered.

Falling (not by coincidence) Into Place...

More answers to prayer...
Most of my prayers are general...thank You, God, for this day, health...please keep my family and friends safe...etc.  Lately, though, my prayers have been more specific.  One of them was that God would prepare a community of Christians and a *place for us* at a local church - similar to our church in Wasilla (Wasilla Bible Church).  It has been on my mind lately that I needed to call a church Robert visited, and liked, while he was in Washington and ask them about their Awana program.  (It just so happens that this church is extremely close to the house we will be renting in Lynden.)  I got the sudden urge to make that call this morning and now I need to share how that phone call went.

I first called the church office and asked about their Awana program.  They directed me to call the phone number of the Awana secretary.  For those of you who don't know, I've helped out as a Awana secretary for the past few years.  Before I could even finish asking her if she needed help this year, she said "YES!"  I told her we wouldn't be there until the beginning of October and she said she'd hold a place for me as one of the team's secretaries.  (Blessing One - a place for me!)  Then she asked me if we had a church home yet.  I told her I thought we would probably go to this church because my husband had visited there a couple of times and liked it.  I explained to her that he had been in Washington for a few weeks because he got a job as a Customs officer in Blaine.  She then told me that her husband is also a Customs officer at Blaine and has been for 12 years! (Blessing Two - a fellow Customs wife)  Her next question was if I knew where my kids would be attending school.  I told her we homeschool.  Can you guess where her kids go to school??  That's right!  They also homeschool!  She is actually part of a homeschooling partnership that I didn't even know existed!  (Blessing Three - more connections!)

Meanwhile, at the academy, Robert is doing very well.  He is not liking the heat, he even said he missed Alaska right now!  Stop the presses!  :)  He had his first difficult test last week and earned a 94%.  I know that he is going a little bit stir crazy there, but we know it's only short-term and will be worth it in the end. 

This job has already been such a blessing as it has let us go ahead with Little Robert's ear surgery since we now have insurance.  He had his sixth ear surgery last week and he did wonderfully.  We might have to have another surgery next year to make sure everything is healing and the hearing bones are intact.

Plans for driving down to Washington are also falling into place.  I wasn't planning to make reservations at any hotels through Canada, but I'm glad that I did because many of the hotels were almost full.

My dad had knee replacement surgery on August 9th and is healing wonderfully.  We had heard how horrible the first few weeks were going to be.  So far, his healing has been relatively easy - much easier than we had anticipated.  He is doing his excercises faithfully and Mom is doing a great job as his nurse.

I'm so excited to share with you all the connections we are making and discover the answers to specific prayers along this new journey we are taking.

Busy/Fun Week!!

This past week has been one of the best of our summer so I just had to write about it.  My Dad's cousin, Alene, and her family flew to Anchorage.  We spent the next few days with them and on Friday they departed from Seward on a cruise ship touring Alaska's Southeast and then they will end their cruise in Vancouver, B.C.  But a little bit happened pre-cruise to make it a memorable experience.  :)

Monday evening/Tuesday morning: picked up part of the family arriving from New Mexico.  Stayed up till 2:30 am catching up and eating before bed.

Tuesday: Dad and the kids and I took them (5 of them) to the Anchorage Museum/Imaginarium and then to Ship Creek to look at Chinese tourists look for fish...Well, actually, we were there looking for fish too, but it turned out to be more fun watching the other tourists look for fish.  :)  Then, they did a little shopping at Walmart and then we went home for a wonderful moose roast dinner Mom made.  Yum!  Good job, Mom!

Tuesday night: Picked up Alene's daughter and her family who flew in from Virginia.  They stayed with Dad's other cousin who lives in Anchorage also.

Wednesday: French toast for breakfast, and then more shopping (fishing licenses and hip boots), and, of course, a Costco run.  Deep fried halibut dinner - thank you, again, Mom!!!  And homemade ice cream (good job, Bonnie) and Costco cake for dessert.  Here's Dad about to enjoy dinner...

Then the real fun begins....
Thursday: Dad and Mom had pre-op appointments to attend during the day so they couldn't come until later in the day. Out of the house by 9:15 (8 of us), pick up other cousins (+3), pack up in the motorhome and my truck and head to the Russian/Kenai confluence where we take the ferry across the river for COMBAT FISHING!!! YAY!  After a short tutorial on how TO and NOT TO fish at the Russian River, my cousins made their way (carefully) into the river looking like old pros!  We had (took over) five spots all together and they all did wonderfully.  That was until it started getting a tad chilly, and windy, and they weren't having any luck.  I even heard one of them say they were done.  So, I decided to get out there and give it a try.  I think it was my second cast (flip) and I got a fish on. That gave them the reassurance that they needed and I think they stayed out there for at least three more hours.  I did get one fish - that almost got away, but I got in the river with it to make sure it didn't! - and only got in one altercation! This guy said he's also fished that river for 30 years, yet he STILL chased his fish down river through at least 20 people before finally having it netted.  I told him he could bank it, but he didn't appreciate my friendly advice.  Strange.  He did, however, decide later to take my advice.  I gave him the proper encouragement when he did by calling out, "Good job!  You did it!"  I'm such a nice person.  :)

So, sopping wet (the water warmed up in my boots quite nicely), we headed back across the river to the rv.  I gutted and cleaned my fish on the stairs since the cleaning table was full.  It started to rain so we decided to head to Seward and eat our moose hamburgers there.  The motorhome wouldn't start.  Called Dad (Mom and Dad were still in Anchorage because of the highway closure) and he told me what to do to get the engine running.  Something to do with the batteries...motorhome started, we left and headed to Seward.

Mile 14, 20 minutes from Seward - the motorhome looses power and quits - on a corner, up a hill. I drive toward Seward with three, scared little kids in the car and my cousin's wife, Meg. We called another one of my cousins who used to live in Seward and he found us a tow truck.  Long story short (haha) we all - including my parents - made it to the Breeze Inn by around midnight where we rented four hotel rooms and ate deli food from Safeway warmed up for us by the wonderful hotel clerk at the Breeze Inn in their office microwave.

Friday: Motorhome fixed by my amazing Dad, breakfast at the Breeze Inn Cafe. Yum! Later, fun and pictures on the beach, moose hamburgers and then touring the SeaLife Center. I also had to play a little practical joke on the boys who sat in rear of the truck while the girls all sat inside the truck - on the way to the SeaLife Center.  As many of you know, there is a giant waterfall on the edge of town.  Since it was such a hot, Alaskan day I decided that the boys could use a fresh rinse so, being the nice person I am, I drove to that waterfall and the mist coming off of it was just perfect for a mid-afternoon cool-down.  I parked the truck, with the boys in that cool mist - twice!  They were slightly amused.  (Insert evil laughter here.)

Cousins left on their cruise around 8:30 pm and we were so sad to see them go!  It was fun waving to them from the beach, though! :)

Mom, Dad, and me and my kids stayed in Seward on the beach Friday night.  The kids and I decided to go back to the Russian (one last time as Alaskans) for just a few hours. Bad idea. We forgot many things in the motorhome - among them, Robert's hip boots (he wore my big ones) and life jackets. But, I took the kids across the river on the ferry and let Robert try to fish for a while anyway. After a few minutes of nothing but snags, I decided to get out there too.  Good thing I did.  I told Robert to "get it out there further" - meaning his line.  He thought I said for him to get out there further.  For those of you who do not fish at the Russian/Kenai confluence, it is an unwritten rule that you should not go out too far. It is a very swift river and there have been lives lost from people falling and getting swept away. This happened to Little Robert and had I not been downriver and close to him...I don't even want to think about it. When he fell, his boots immediately filled with water and he couldn't get his footing, then he panicked and let go of his fishing pole while trying to keep his head above water. I calmly grabbed him and dragged him to the bank. No fishing pole, but Robert was safe. My lesson: don't try to do so much in such a short time.  Stop when you're tired and not prepared.

Now to get ready for another busy week with my Dad's knee replacement surgery on August 9th, to be followed by Robert's sixth ear surgery on the 19th, to be followed by our big trip down the Alcan on September 18th!

The Latest and Greatest!!

Have you ever wondered why you meet certain people and why they come into your lives?  Well, I have, and was pointedly shown why today.  More on that later...

As some of you may already know, Robert was offered a job as a Customs Officer with Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and has been assigned to Blaine, Washington.  I have been asked by quite a few people if they will ever transfer us. As it stands now, we can stay at the Blaine post for as long as we want.  There are, however, options for transferring at a later date.  I've heard it's not a very easy thing to do, but it is possible.  Robert left for Blaine, WA on July 3rd where he spent the next three weeks job shadowing and also was able to get to know the area where we will be living.  He then flew to Glynco, Georgia on July 25 to begin his training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). Here is a pic of us right before Robert left Alaska.

Robert was very blessed to get a room at the academy all to himself.  It's a small suite, complete with a kitchenette, sitting area, bathroom, bedroom, and desk area.  It is rare to get that sort of room, but because of the lack of funds for Homeland Security, they are not hiring and training as many Customs and Border Patrol Officers as they used to.  We're a little concerned that the Government will have to shut down and Robert will be sent home, jobless, but we also understand the way credit and debt works - even though it seems the leaders of our country do not.

I am so excited as I write this because we have updated our plans in the last few days.  My dad will be having knee replacement surgery on August 9th.  Our original plan included Dad and I driving our trucks down the Alcan in mid-October.  We have now realized that he will need more healing time than just two months - and even then should probably not sit for hours at a time in a cramped truck for a few days in a row.  I also found a house to rent that fits us perfectly.  It will be ready to move into on October 1st.  Soooo, my dearest (and most responsible) friend, Angie has agreed (insisted - lol) to drive down the Alcan with me and the kids towards the end of September.  We are both so excited about our last Alaskan adventure and can hardly wait for the time to visit and see the beautiful Alcan highway.

Now, about our rental house...remember earlier I said that I found out today why I had met someone.  Well, the summer before we sold our house in the Valley, I met sweet Margie Palmberg at a garage sale I helped with at her house in Wasilla.  I met her through friends of friends and I remember at one point lately thinking about all the people I have met in the Valley during the ten years we lived out there.  I remember specifically thinking about her and why I would have gotten to know her - and like her so quickly.  I know that might sound wierd, but I mean it in the best of ways.  :)  Anyway, I found this house on Craigslist the other day and right away I showed it to my mom and told her it was perfect. It was perfect because they offered a six-month lease (most are 12) and they included the utilities.  I spoke with the owner of the house the next day and they agreed to hold it for us with our security deposit.  That's when my doubts started. I began to hear horror stories about people who get scammed all the time off of Craigslist. I knew I needed to find someone who could go to the house, make certain that the owners actually live there, and I also wanted to make sure I wasn't sending money to a non-owner.  This is where Margie comes in.  She is actually from Blaine and her sister lives in Lynden, which is where our rental house is located. I was able to speak with her sister and, turns out, she actually knows the owners of the rental house.  She called me later today and told me that she actually drove by the house, the owner was outside and invited her in to take a look.  It really sounds like this has been a blessing for us AND the owners of the rental house.

So now I know why God placed Margie in my life - to USE her! :)  haha, just kidding, Margie.  I so appreciate all the well-wishes and offers to help from everyone.  As excited as I am for a new beginning, it will be bittersweet to leave all the wonderful people who have become such good friends to Robert and myself and our family.

And it begins...

Robert has left for training for his job as a US Customs Officer in Blaine, Washington.  He will be there until July 25th when he will fly to Glynco, Georgia (at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center - FLETC) to train until he graduates December 2nd.

We are all so excited for this opportunity and feel very blessed that he was chosen to work at the Blaine Port of Entry - near Bellingham - 2 hours North of Seattle.  We (my parents included) love to hear from Robert at the end of every day - whether he's telling us what he learned that day or how nice the weather is - we don't care as long as he updates us.  :)

My mom will be flying with me to Seattle in September to help us find a house to rent for a year or so.  I'm excited about that since Mom is always fun to shop with.  She also helps me see things from a different perspective which helps when I'm only looking at the big picture.

Dad and I are planning our drive down the AlCan Highway.  I always try to make him laugh when I say I want to be sure and take the kids to Hell's Gate.  Hilarious!  I even laugh when I write it!!  http://www.hellsgateairtram.com/index.html

Dad's pretty excited about the drive too.  We used to drive down every other year when we would visit family in the States, but now that my mom doesn't mind flying so much (you can ask her about THAT - haha), they just fly down every year.

Our other news is that we are now officially independent homeschoolers.  All these years we have been with IDEA and have enjoyed the allotment that comes with that program.  We will no longer accept funding from the State and I have to say that it is quite liberating.  No more turning in schoolwork or progress reports and no more meeting with contact teachers.  On the flip side, I am truly thankful for the five years we spent with IDEA as it gave me the foundation and structure that I needed to eventually become independent.  I was very worried about Washington's homeschooling laws as they seem very strict and intrusive.  I recently sent an email to the local Christian homeschooling group in the Blaine area introducing them to our family and giving them our background.  I mentioned in that email that I was a little concerned and leary of Washington's homeschool laws.  They recently sent an email that made me reassured.  This is what it said, "Our laws may look intrusive but they are toothless."  Toothless!!  What a wonderful and comforting word!  I plan to begin some lessons very soon with Robert, going into fifth grade, and Cheyenne, who is starting Kindergarten.  I know that we will have a very busy fall and should do as much as we can now.

Everything is pretty much packed and ready to move.  We even bought a "new" used truck - good for pulling and handling the rough road.  A 2004 Chevy Silverado 4x4 - diesel - with four doors.  The kids love all the room in the back seat.  I'm still hoping that once we get settled I can get another minivan.  Minivans are amazing and I really miss having one!

So that's our latest.  Thanks for keeping updated!

The Call!!

I am so happy to report that we finally have news!  On Monday morning I got a call from an "Unknown Number."  The lady asked for Robert and after I gave her his cell phone number she told me her name was Dianne from Customs.  I was so excited I could hardly wait to hear from Robert about the details. So the news is...WE ARE MOVING TO BLAINE, WASHINGTON!!!! (http://mapq.st/jFmCSF)
Robert will be working as a Custom's Officer for US Customs and Border Protection at the US/Canadian border in Blaine.  We have been in the hiring process now for almost three years and feel very blessed that we were assigned to this port as it is a very good one.

Robert is going to Bellingham for a final physical fitness test at the end of June.  Then he will return to Anchorage for a final few days of work at the Post Office.  He will spend his first few weeks learning about his position at Blaine and then head to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia (http://mapq.st/jYO3fe) until December 1st.

The kids and I will be staying with with my parents while Robert is at the Academy.  My parents have offered to drive down with us mid-October.  That way we'll be able to get everything set up and moved in by the time Robert begins working in Blaine.

Our step one in the moving process is already complete: sell house (and practically everything in it) = check
Then we lived with my parents in Anchorage for over a year - what a blessing!
Now, step two: plan the move.  This is the 5x8 trailer we purchased a couple days ago and it is already full of our packed belongings from storage:

I started to look at houses to rent or buy in Blaine, but since I don't know the area very well I began to get super frustrated so that step will have to wait for a better time.

I'd love to hear from people who know the area near Blaine well.  Half the fun is in the planning, right?



A little news...just a tidbit...

Just as we're making plans to move and drive down south after moose hunting season in September our best-laid plans seem to be changing...maybe.


We had pretty much given up hope of Customs ever calling us and then a few weeks ago they sent an email asking applicants in TSU (Training and Scheduling Unit - basically means that we have passed all pre-employment steps and are now awaiting a position to open up in our desired geographic location - which for us is Washington, Northern Border) to fill out some paperwork to update our files.  Well, they accidentally showed everyone's email addresses and there weren't as many people as we thought there would be.  So, at the time, we thought maybe we are higher up on the top of the waiting list.  Then, this past week, we were sent an email by the hiring center asking Robert to update his medical history and then today they called to schedule a drug test.  Lately, people who have been getting called for a drug test and medical update have been contacted within a few weeks for a place in the Academy.


Now, we're not holding our breath, but it's a little more hopeful now at least.  Guess we'll hold off (for now) on buying that 5th wheel.  :)

Here's a cute picture I took of Cheyenne right after I got my birthday present - a new camera!!

Must be spring...

It seems every spring I get the urge to remodel...not like tear down walls or anything major, but just paint or freshen things up.  Since I don't have my own house to redecorate I decided to pick on my parent's house.  So one day in early March I call up my mom and ask if I can paint their room. She complied and said, "While you're at it go ahead and rip out the carpet, pick some new, and have it put in."  Ohhhkaaay...Wonderful!  Then this, "And then rip out the wallpaper in the guest bedroom and paint it too."  Alright, GREAT!!



Parent's room after removing wallpaper and texturing wall.



Guest room - about to tear down 25-year-old wallpaper.

Robert tore all the carpet out and then I tore down the wallpaper, and then the wallpaper backing, and then repaired the walls and textured them (if you ever use the texture-in-a-can come talk to me first and I'll save you some money).

The most difficult part of this whole process has not been the late nights texturing or painting, but choosing new paint color, carpet, bedding, and curtains.  I do not have a gift for choosing coordinating colors, but everything seems to have worked out well.  The paint in the guest bedroom was not what I wanted but works for a guest room.  The paint in my parent's room is exactly what I wanted - a taupe color - and that's thanks to the carpet guy "Jay" at Lowe's on Old Seward.  The final test will be when Mom and Dad come home and see it all.  No, they will not be totally surprised as I have been getting their opinions throughout all this via Skype and other wonderful methods of technology.

I'll post more pictures later on of the final product, but for now I'm taking a break.  Robert's cut me off of spending any more.  We sold some of Mom and Dad's furniture they no longer needed so that helped.  Thanks Mom and Dad for letting me have a redecorating outlet!!

Latest "no news"

It's time again to post another "no news" entry...

Basically, I've been "Facebook Free" now for over two months. I do not miss it. I thought I would go back to it this summer after school is out, but do not have plans to for now. I miss seeing my friend's updates and I could change my mind once we move out-of-state, but I have been very happy not to deal with the hurt and drama that is Facebook. I have discovered that I am a very sensitive person by nature and, although I am getting better with time and maturity, I probably shouldn't throw myself into situations that could end badly.

Cheyenne was attending a four-day-a-week preschool - it's actually the same one I attended briefly - but we took her out in February so we can save some money. I ordered Kindergarten curriculum for her and we have been working on that a little each day. She loves sitting at the table while Bubba is doing his school work too. I entered her into an inexpensive tap/ballet class and she is loving it. There's a spring recital which should be very cute.

At Cheyenne's last class there was a grandmother of one of her classmates standing next to me and we started chatting. This grandmother was a first grade teacher and when she found out we are a homeschooling family she went on to give me the regular drill about how I need to be sure and "socialize" my children. I find this funny as anyone who has met my children know that they came out of the womb "socialized" and I can't take away what God gave them naturally just by keeping them with me. Anyway, the lady went on to give me an example of a homeschooling family she knew who had a bunch of children and a couple of them (insert sharp intake of breath here) REBELLED when they got older. She followed that up with a "...but they were super religious too so I'm sure that didn't help either." I then smiled and sweetly said, "I'm sure there are some children who rebel no matter where they attend school." Her reply, "Oh yes. Yes, of course." I just laugh it off any more. When will it become politically INcorrect to question a parent's decision on anything?

As for Robert's job situation...we have recently applied for quite a few jobs out-of-state. They are government jobs so we are not waiting with bated breath to hear results anytime soon. We are saving money right now for moving costs and plan to drive to Arkansas by September (after hunting season) even if nothing has panned out for us by then. We are finding that it is SOOOO difficult to apply for employment when we can't at least be in the near vicinity of the employment for which we are applying. A plane ticket just to get out of Alaska cost at least $400. Another reason we are moving...

We have given up our membership at our beloved Wasilla Bible Church. We just never drive to the Valley anymore and it wasn't fair to them for us to be counted as members but not attending. Praying for God's leading as we search for a new church body and discover what God has in store for us next...Exciting possibilities!!