What a weekend...

We have had a fun but interesting weekend.

The Swensen Family left last Thursday for their furlough time in the lower 48. After Scott and I took them to the Kenai airport and dropped them off, we came home and Scott got ready for work. Around lunch time he called me asking me if I would be ok with him leaving for a few days to go into the bush to fix an airplane that one of our pilots had flown out. I said sure no problem. So, he came home and packed for his trip. We all said good-bye and he went back to work. Scott and a couple other guys were suppose to fly out that afternoon sometime. Just before they we to leave, they received a call that the pilot had re-assessed the problem and decided to try and fly it home. We all prayed that the pilot and plane made it home safely. They did. So, the trip was cancelled and Scott came home. He was kind of bummed that it didn't work out but was looking forward to spending time with the family alone too.

Friday Scott came home and we ate dinner then went out to do some grocery shopping. We topped it off with taking the kids to the one and only DQ in the state of Alaska...yep that is right...it is here in Soldotna. So, we took them for baby sundaes and Jeremiah had a dipped cone. They have all kinds of airplanes hanging from the ceiling, very cool.

Saturday...Scott was making his "daddy breakfast" and I told him that I was shaking and couldn't stop. That my chair was shaking too. He said he didn't feel anything. I told him that I did and that it was very weird feeling. He came over and held me to see if he felt anything. As he did, we looked at the eggs in the bowl on the counter and saw them shaking. Then we looked outside to see the Christmas bulbs that are hanging in the window all dancing. I said, "Scott, the whole house is shaking". We realized that we had just felt an earthquake. He got on the computer to find out and sure enough, a 5.7 earthquake just about 80-100 miles away in the cook inlet. Shaughn and Matthew were still sleep and when they woke up, we filled them in. They were both bummed that they had missed it and couldn't believe that they slept through it. Teenagers... :-)

Later that day we took the trash to the dump and saw tons of Bald Eagles. A very beautiful sight. That night Shaughn and Matthew went snow tubbing with the youth group here and had lots of fun.

Yesterday we went driving around after church and saw 3 moose walking in the road. The boys loved it. Shaughn said..."wow, an earthquake, eagles and moose all in 2 days...what is left for the next 2 months?" We all laughed.

Scott left for work this morning and please remember him in your prayers. He desires to serve and bless MARC while he is there. The days are longer in hours than at MMS and that has been an adjustment. They start at 8 and end at 5 with an hour lunch. He said he would prefer an 1/2 hour lunch and end soon. So would most of the guys. :-) But he really enjoys the guys there and the work so he is adjusting. :-) The days are getting longer just sense we have been here. When we first came it was dark by 4, now it is more 4:30-5 ish. Still early tho...we feel we should be in bed by 6-6:30 because it has already been dark for so long. LOL

The animals are all doing good. We are watching: 2 big dogs, 2 cats, 2 birds, 1 rabbit, 1 gunea pig, 1 salamander, 1 turtle, lots of fish and a house full of plants. We have all been assigned to something different so not one person is doing it all. :-) They keep us busy. We also have a fireplace that we are enjoying very much. The home we are watching is just beautiful and fits us so well that we told the Swensen's that we may not give it back. LOL They laughed. Seriously, they do have a beautiful home and we are very blessed to be able to watch it for them. We pray that they have a great time on their furlough. Mark (Mr. Swensen) left a to-do list for Scott and Scott has been plugging away at it. We really want to bless them for letting us stay here. They are a precious family!!

Next weekend there is a dog sled race. Some people who race the Iditaron use this as a practice race. It is here in town and we get to meet the dogs and mushers. That is on Saturday at 11a.m. then the Super Bowl in on Sunday and the youth group is having a party that Shaughn and Matthew want to go to and the director of MARC and his wife are having a party for the rest of us at their house at 2p.m. So, next weekend should be another fun weekend. :-)

Well, that brings you up to date. I will post more photos when I get on my own computer. I am using Scott's right now because it is sitting here. LOL

God bless you all,
Lela and boyz~