It's been five weeks since we loaded up the moving van in Tennessee (almost).  We are still waiting for those belongings to arrive in Bethel.  I'm guessing that they were placed on a train and headed east to some port ... perhaps Savannah.  At that point, I'm guessing that they were put on a big ol' boat and headed south into the Gulf of Mexico, and through the Panama Canal.  I believe they were on the Pacific Ocean up the coast of California, Oregon and eventually Seattle.  After some time, they finally arrived in Anchorage, at which point they were repackaged to go on the airplane.  They should be arriving in Bethel shortly, unloaded and dropped off at our new place here in City-Sub, as it is referred to.  I don't know if that is actually the route it took, but what else explains the length of time?  I expect to unload it all this week, and if all goes well, before Christmas.

We were sitting in church this morning, and Val was perusing the bulletin, where she noted that this Evangelical Covenant Church is looking for a Youth Director.  The Awana Commander is expecting to relocate at the end of this school year, as the family moves back to the Lower 48.  Val thinks I should apply.  I think I will be in prayer over the next few weeks.  Either way, I will be joining the Men's Small Group, which meets weekly for prayer and accountability.  I have grown more when I have been in such a group than otherwise, and know that I need it for my continued growth.

I easily get shackled by the comfort of my couch, and need to have in place standard systems of challenge.   Being here in Bethel may do it naturally, but I think I need to be purposeful about it as well.

We are back in communicado with the world!  Our internet was up and running late yesterday (a fluke that it happened so quickly ... it would have taken 10-14 days normally).  Our phone is up as of today:  907-543-0775.  This is our first land-line in years.  We are paying through the nose for 1/2 meg download per second, of which the service frequently cuts out.  I found out today that Bethel has the second-highest cost of living in Alaska -- second to Barrow.  Why?  Because we are essentially the only town in an area the size of Oregon.  The outlying villages come here to shop and do their business, and being the only gig in such a huge geographic area, supply and demand comes into play.

Being in our own place seems to have brought both a comfort and a chaos to our kids.  Living in public over the past month has kept them on edge, and on their toes.  They have stressed and it has been obvious.  Now that there are no witnesses to their daily world, they have let their hair down, figuratively as well.  Also, we are just now figuring out own routine.  All that, and there is very little of their familiar belongings here, as nothing is here that we haven't personally mailed or brought with us on the plane.  We received word from the moving company that our belongings have arrived in Anchorage, and will be sent Bethel-way following a re-palatization, and pending room on the incoming flights.  Perhaps by Friday, likely by Saturday, we will be back in some of our familiar surroundings.  Also, we will be able to find what I pulled off the truck at the last minute, and will need to re-purchase.  We're pretty sure that most of our kitchen-ware is coming, but we also know that some of them will not be making it.  It'll be kind of like Christmas to find out what arrrived.

Speaking of Christmas ... it's nice and white out.  An inch of snow seems to have fallen every other night.  It's nice and warm right now ... high 20's and low 30's.

 

We moved into our new place yesterday.  It is a duplex with a beautiful view of one kid on an ATV pulling a sled full of other kids in tight circles.  I think we're going to have fun here.  Perhaps we will be able to buy the duplex and rent the other side out ... essentially providing us with a free place to live.  It would be ideal, of course, but only if we could afford it to begin with.  If that occurs, then simply being in Alaska will certainly save us money -- if for no other reason.  That, and Val will be working (AlaskaAir?).

It is amazing, though, what food costs locally.  We are learning how to save money the Alaska way, but that hasn't been developed yet, by any means.  We are starting the process, though.  It is good to think differently.  What we are used to is not the way of things here.  Heating is with stove-oil.  Housing is expensive, and what you get for the money isn't impressive.  Cars aren't necessary, but ATV's and snow machines seem to be.  Hunting and fishing is the norm, and it is not for sport -- it is a way of life.  In fact, people here live entirely by the seasons.  In the outlying villages, when the birds are in flight, it is time to collect eggs.  When the salmon run is on, people are not at the office.  When it rains, it is not considered an inconvenience, but simply the weather of the day and nothing to complain about.

Construction here is far different than construction of houses down in the Lower 48.  The houses are built on stilts, but I'm beginning to understand a little more that the stilts are not so much to lift the houses up, as they are to anchor the houses to a specific spot.  The weight of the houses rest on the tundra itself, with various different layers of 8x8's, 10x10's or whatever other type of beams seem to be available.  The beams which lay horizontally and hold the weight of the house are anchored to the posts that are upright and rest directly on the permafrost.  The tundra shifts as does all ground, but because of the method of construction, house leveling is a big business here.  All they seem to do, though, is to jack up the part of the house that has settled, and place new horizontal beams at the right height -- again, with the weight being on the top of the tundra.

With this being a delta, there is more water than land, and having everything frozen a couple of feet thick, the entire area is now open for travel and play.  Within eye-sight is both my office and the hospital, which should be about a ten minute walk; maybe fifteen minutes -- you never can tell considering the necessary caution required for walking on ice.  Within the past week, one of our new friends fell and re-broke her wrist.  Addtionally, from every angle there have been stories of broken ankles and many other injuries from falling on the ice.  It would appear as though falling is the most significant safety issue here.

Phone and internet should be coming within the next couple of days.  We are certainly out of the loop right now.  Cell phones have come to Bethel in a big way, but we will not be succombing to that while we are here.  The contract from our previous cells has discontinued, as Verizon doesn't have a tower anywhere close.  They will be reinstated during our visits down, though the numbers will change ... probably each time we fly down.

We have a home, but our belongings are still en route.  Perhaps they will be arriving in another week.  In the meantime, people have been extremely generous and loaned bedding and cookware.  I know I will feel at home once I have established how living here actually works.  That should come in time.  Perhaps within the next couple of years?

It is now 8 degrees, and with the wind, it is just starting to get cold.  It was certainly cold prior to our arrival, and then everything got warm when the folks from Tennessee showed up.  We must have initially put the system into shock, and that system must now be acclimating to us, as the weather is starting to act more typical for this time of year.  (Yeah ... I guess I am a bit ego-centric.)

I am finding out that my beard is worthless.  The thought that hair keeps a person warm must simply be a myth.  Most of the Natives are without beards, as are most of the non-Natives who have transplanted themselves here.  A full beard is simply not the standard ... although to be fair, there really is no standard.  Either way, no change to the-old facial hair will occur until the grooming kit arrives.

We went to church today at the Evangelical Covanent Church of Bethel -- good and friendly people, to be sure.  It would seem as though what I have seen within the town certainly remains true within the microcosm of the church as well: that if you want to try something out, go for it!  There is acceptance and support and willingness and openness all around.

I have gone through orientation fully, at this point, and tomorrow I start the actual job duties.  Not yet solo, as I don't know the lay of the land.  Tomorrow and through the rest of the week I will be shadowing the other therapist as she finishes up her last week.  It would appear as though there is a significant shortage in therapists here, and that I will be filling a real need.  After I am established, there will still be a need for another two or three therapists, if I understand things accurately.

We are now praying directly for a house.  It turns out that we are guaranteed housing for the first 30 days, however not in one location.  On either the 17th or the 20th of this month we are to relocate to another facility -- it would appear as though the B&B where we currently are settled in, has been previously rented out for the holidays.  If we could avoid an additional move, it would be less confusing to the kids.  It would also be a good thing to be in our own place for Christmas.

We are following every lead, at this point, but would prefer a certain location due to the close vacinity to the important places: school and Youth Center and clinic.  It would appear as though others are vying for that same area for a wholly other reason:  unlimited water and sewer.  Most of the town is delivered their water directly to tanks on the outside of their home, and their sewer is removed in similar fashion.  Both the delivery and removal is pre-scheduled according to personal useage, but this one area that we are looking at actually has pipes, above-ground of course, with direct water and sewer.  With nothing ever being too low or too high, many want to be living in this area.  We couldn't care less about that -- in fact, we would almost like to watch the big water tanks slowly go down, and use that visual as a method of teaching our kids to use water purposefully and sparingly.

Yesterday we got another box of warm clothes that we mailed up from Tennessee.  It would appear as though anything shipped Parcel Post does indeed take three weeks to arrive.  The timing was perfect, with the chill kicking in.  Time for another walk, methinks.

We all are now in Bethel.  God is so good to us.  He has not only provided for our trip physically, He has nurtured our souls along with the physical exhaustion.

Val and the kids arrived mid-day, and they were all bone-weary.  Aidan was physically beat, but in simply excellent spirits.  Samara was maintaining her extraordinary level of bounciness, and Eliana is smiling just as much as ever (although her animals have not yet been renamed).  Val's enthusiasm was contagious, obviously, and everybody was pleased to be done with the traveling.  Right now comes the shock phase, I'm sure, followed by the adjustment phase.  I fully expect the latter of which becomes resolved sometime prior to the end of our "vacation", but perhaps not.

The people here are just as friendly, accepting and happy as when we visited in September.   There is a lot to learn about how to live in the 60th parallel, and although it is not yet cold, the wind showed itself upon our arrival.

Our prayers now turn to becoming part of the community.  My boss has gone above and beyond in every single aspect.  Janice is housing the pets, since that is not possible here at the Bed & Breakfast.  We expect to integrate by attending church, starting school and meeting our basic needs.  We will jump in with both feet, figuratively.  Activities like hunting, sewing and Legos will help, I'm sure, as will language study and other such lessons as they present themselves. (flying?)

Oh ... our address is the same (P.O. Box 3388 - Bethel, AK  99559), but the phone number at the B&B is 907-543-1962.  We are three hours behind most everybody, and four hours later than the rest.  If anybody is willing to sign up for Skype, the email address that we are using is chrisandval@byrnesonline.com -- and we have just registered as chrisandvalbyrnes within that system.

More than all that, though, will be in finding a place to live.  We are hoping to be a part of a specific subdivision of sorts, referred to as City-Sub.  It is in the center of town with an equal walking distance to everything, with the exception of the airport.  It would be nice to have such a place established prior to Christmas, but that is simply a comfort, not a need.

Aidan and Samara drove by the schools they will be attending.   With their previous experiences (Aidan is still holding onto a grudge from the first half of the third grade because it is in his nature to do so, while Samara believes that it is her sisterly duty to follow suit and is therefore nursing her struggle from the first half of the first grade), they are not exactly looking forward to this new school.  We will finish out this semester homeschooling, and will start the upcoming term fresh.  Already, Aidan has met two kids, brothers on either side of his grade.  I'm sure he will not remember them after such a brief meeting, but he has now seen first-hand the friendliness of the community.  And they already made a correction to our understanding: it is not simply Lego Club, but Lego-Robot Club.

 

Yesterday was the first of December, and there was a celebration of Madison and Miranda in the morning before they went to school -- for the next three weeks, the Mason family will have three 7-year old girls.  Woo Hoo!  New tires for the van were put on and then the van was loaded with our remaining stuff.  It was then off to Minneapolis, where the timing was perfect and myself and the three critters were checked in without a hitch and off we went.

I'm now in Anchorage with the remaining menagerie in their crates in front of me being unhappy in their own individual ways.  All seems perfectly well, though.

I have established myself in the corner next to Starbucks -- where else would I be?

Throughout this flight, my prayers are for Val and the kids.  They have been enjoying Heather, Scott and their kids last night and are setting off themselves in the morning.  Traveling with three pets is nothing ... they were simply checked into the cargo hold.  Apparently you can't do that with people, even if they are of shorter stature and younger age.  Thankfully, they are making their journey during daylight hours, so they can be rested and enjoy the view.

It's really happening.  All of that preparation for what was to come, is now come.  In a few short hours I will be bringing the cats to Janice's house, as I check into the B&B and perhaps sleep.  On Wednesday morning, bright and early, I start my Alaska career, and on that same day the family arrives.

Aidan is expressing fear.  He tends to be afraid, of course, however I pray that he may feel peace and assuredness in Christ -- we certainly don't want to waste a crisis.  Samara is extraordinarily bouncy, which is saying something, considering her normal level of bounciness.  With all of that energy having to go somewhere, and the space confined, her impact on others is not always so positive.  I pray that she may enjoy this trip and talk her little heart out to Val and any other friendly soul.  Eliana wants her routine and structure back.  Her baggage consists of Bah-Doh, Bah-Doh and Dima-Dory -- her Husky dog and two puppies.  Oh ... and Skippy-Jon-Jones ... and Baby Jaguar.  All of these friends are apparently going to be christened with Alaska names once they arrive in Bethel.  Val is doing incredibly marvelous.  I pray for assuredness with whatever stress is thrown at her during the next 48 hours.

I want to express, if there is any real way, a special thanks and blessing upon Bryan and Amy.  They are the epitome of real and lasting friends.  They have stepped in and shown all manner of Christ's love, in the fullness of time.  I am thankful they are able to take the van and put it to good use, whatever that may be.  I am thankful for Bryan taking a couple of days from his family to drive with us to Minneapolis.  I am thankful for Amy opening up her basement, kitchen, washing machine and time.  I am thankful for Janzie, Madison and Miranda and how they have been so wonderful to our kids.

At this point, my thoughts turn to how we connect with the community of Bethel.  We want to shine the light of Christ strongly and brilliantly.  We want to be able to enjoy the change in culture, climate and perception.  We want to have Christ grow each one of us and to use each one of us.  We want to be professional and personable.  We want to learn and to teach.

I shall enjoy my Starbucks as fully as possible.  (Americano with an extra shot of espresso and caramel flavoring.  Mmmmm Mmm.)

Oddly enough, I received word today that I just received my Tennessee licensure.  Yup.  Tennessee's licensure just came through.  Alaska's should come through shortly.

We were all at Tim's yesterday, and we flooded the bathroom, soaked the ductwork and just about gave his entire computer system a baptism, (in the name of all that is un-holy.)  Additionally, we were successful in shorting out the vacuum.  I'm going back on Saturday - we'll see what more I can do then.   It was so good to see Caleb - what a goof!  We miss Emily as much as she misses us.  It was wonderful to see Beth and Scott, even if it was only for a brief time.  Tim and Katy are an absolute blessing.

Mom's in the big parade tomorrow!  A cowboy saxaphone-ist in a sea of blue.  We'll all be watching, of course.  We love Themom!

The worldly belongings that we will come back to are now safely stored in Broken Bow.  We are now on our Midwestern Tour (it's not exactly a World Tour even though it may feel like it, and even though it is somewhat difficult to convince the chilllren otherwise.)

Aidan had perhaps the most difficult birthday of his life.  He woke up sick, after a night of flu-ish symptoms. He spent the day in the car from Broken Bow to Lincoln to Omaha to Glenwood to Omaha.  All the while, his chills and his obviously being tired persisted.  He was sung to on three separate occasions yesterday, and had two different opportunities to open presents, however he was certainly hoping for something other than being corralled in a moving vehicle while feeling badly mixed in with brief moments of running around.

He is certainly enjoying time with Chesalon yesterday and today, while Samara and Eliana seem to be enjoying Helaina and Monica.  It is so good to be with loved ones.  Camilla wanted to report that Monica pooped three times today.

Last night was at Glenwood Church.  How cool that was!  It was coming home.  Such good friendships have been developed and nurtured over the years.  We only had a brief few hours last night, and we are not done yet.  We shall return on Monday for more time.  We are certainly blessed!

Now, it is back to Lincoln for the weekend.  It is good to be together in one vehicle.  Driving two different vehicles across the country without any semblence of a schedule has created a somewhat upside-down family-time.  In the middle of all this change, it is vital to not lose sight of the two constants: Christ and family.   At this point, maintaining the right focus is my prayer.

Yesterday was an awful lot of driving.  We were able to make it from Crossville to Iowa City, as planned, however our timing was off.  Our kids are all in good spirits, even after a full day of driving today as well.  Val and the kids are in Glenwood tonight, and I am in Lincoln; having dropped off the piano with Dean.  It is nice to see Nolan already enjoying himself as he was pounding away on it.  Unloading it was tremendously easy in comparison to what it could have been - thanks to Jeff.  It's always nice to have an expert in the piano-moving field when moving a piano. 

It seems as though we are doing nothing but driving.  After the days and days of packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, sitting still is a shock to the system.  And there is sooooo much sitting still it is quite maddening.  "Just keep driving" ala Finding Nemo, is what goes through my head now.  And now.  And now.  And now.

It will tomorrow, too, as we are off to Broken Bow to unload and return the truck.  And Friday is Domino Night with Glenwood Community Church.  Hoo Hoo!!!

What a full day!  The moving truck came on schedule, but that was about all the schedule that occured throughout the entire day.  I must say, if it wasn't for the help of some wonderful God-sends, we would be up a creek!  We are blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.  It is sad to have just started friendships with these good and Godly people, and then have to say, "Goodbye".  If it wasn't for the McKlungs and the Maddoxes, the Kings and Barry, the Almonrodes and the Cornwells - as well as my parents and brother - and Val's sister and Camilla - today could have easily been a disaster.  God has given us the best of the best, and we are extemely grateful.

More details to follow.  I'm tired and going to bed. The sun will come up bright and early, and I'll be ahead of it.