Gifts of Easter

Being homesick is inevitable at some point when traveling, but moments when my entire family is on a computer screen in front of me make it much easier to deal with, especially on a holiday like Easter when everyone is together. I got to skype with my favorite girls, and it's fun to see Jayme figure out how it works. She still tries to kiss me on the computer screen.

Since we don't have running water, cooking has been pretty challenging. Most of us are eating frozen dinners, and personally, I'm getting tired of Cliff Bars. Carpenter Dave volunteered to cook everyone a big spaghetti dinner on Easter if everyone else would pitch in for the food. We stocked up the day before in Fairbanks and Sunday, we enjoyed a big family dinner followed by the movie, Into the Wild (that part might have been my idea).

Clockwise from the left in the hat: Carpenter Dave, Brian, Nick, Preston, Jessica, Allan, and Matt

After dinner, I went on my nightly walk to my happy place on the deck to journal and take photos of the river melting. It's breaking more and more, and I took the first shot from the deck, and the second from below on the shoreline. In a couple weeks, this will all be moving water.

Later that night, I was in a dead sound sleep when I got a knock on my door at 2am. With my eyes still closed, I stumbled to the door and barely squinted one eye open to see Nick, bright eyed and excited, telling me to go outside and look straight up. The warm, cozy, sleepy part of me wanted to crawl right back into my cocoon of warmth, but I made Nick promise to always wake me up when the lights were out, so I knew I had to go outside.

The first time I saw the lights, I was almost drawn to tears but the -5 temperature forced me to hold back out of fear they would freeze. This night, however, I couldn't help it. My eyes got blurry and I knew tears were coming. My sleepy stumble quickly turned into waves of excitement and disbelief. It literally looked like it was raining down. Happy Easter, He is indeed risen. Photo: Nick Harrison.

Spirit of Alaska | Let it Run Through Your Heart

Everything is still frozen up in Denali National Park and without running water, I've learned to simplify.  Until driving up to Fairbanks yesterday, I'd been living off Cliff Bars, peanut butter sandwiches, and red wine. One of our retail ladies invited everyone up to her house for a bonfire and a proper meal. This is a photo from her front yard overlooking Denali Village. The river behind it, is the frozen Nenana River where I'll be working primarily once it breaks.

Temperatures have varied anywhere from -5 to 35, and I got to see the northern lights for the first time a few nights ago. It was so beautiful, I almost cried, but I held back because I didn't want my tears to freeze. I couldn't even take a photo; I just wanted to take it all in and enjoy it in that moment. One of our maintenance guys, Brian Straus, snapped this shot from behind the village.

Last night, I escaped to my favorite place while it's still without guests. This photo was taken on the deck overhanging above the river. The sun set around 10pm as a near full moon took over the sky. Before the ink in my pen froze, I took time to journal, write letters, read scripture, and enjoy the silence which nature offers without demanding anything in return.

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." -John Muir

The Good Life > American Dream

The American Dream. What is it? Living the good life. What does that mean?

I've lived the high life, making plenty of money, going on weekend getaways, enjoying happy hour three nights a week, going on 10 days of vacation because that's what my "good job" allotted me. All I needed was a sexy husband and two kids, and I was living the dream. Oh, the American Dream, it's what we all strive for.

Except, I don't want the American Dream, I want to live my dream.

I want to live the good life, finding beauty all around me. Seek love, and hold on to it. See the world, and share it with those around me. Let God speak to me through nature. Be drawn to tears in awe of the magnificence we call earth. Breathe in clean mountain air. Sleep outside. Share conversation with a stranger. Invite the world to change me so I can change the world. Do things that make me feel good. Isn't that the good life?

For the next 6 months, Alaska is where I'll be. Welcome to Denali.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." Psalm 23:1-3