Thanksgiving 2013

For my saving Jesus, my hard working, loving husband, our healthy, handsome little boy, our crazy, fun families spread all over the US, my wonderful friends, whom I miss terribly, my health, our precious little home... This Thanksgiving might just be my most thankful one yet. Each year since Stephen and I met has been such an adventure for us, and this one may be the biggest and best of them all! It was such a blessing to celebrate Thanksgiving here in Fairbanks with the Wall family - my second one in Alaska and our first with Grandma and Grandpa Brown. The evening was full of games, great food, talking, laughing and noisy little kids. This family just keeps growing and it is so fun to watch all these cousins and friends play together! Stephen and I stayed out at his parents house until past our bedtime - really trying to soak up and enjoy this opportunity to spend time with his family. Thankful and blessed... Truly. 

the way my iPhone sees it

So we're here! Alaskaaa! Well, we've been here, but it's high time I started sharing this adventure on the blog. We're here until just after Christmas - two weeks down, four and a half left. The school put us up in a long term hotel and has provided a rental car for us. Stephen spends his day at the hospital, busy in his surgery rotation, while I chase Uriah around playing peek-a-boo. We've been getting to see our family almost every day, too, which we love! It is so fun to watch Uriah interact with his cousins, and I know his grandparents are soaking up every minute with all four of their grand babies together. Church, lunch outings, grocery shopping, time at the gym, play dates, dinner, power outages... We've been having so much fun here (despite the negative temperatures) and are really looking forward to Thanksgiving this week! (And the whole month of December!) More to come, soon enough. For now, an iPhone/Instagram peek at our temporary home and Alaska adventures.

^^ The digs ^^

taking stock 002

In September, I stole the idea of a blog post from this blog who stole it from this blog. I thought it was a fun way to share an overview of our life and my thoughts and feelings during that month. I thought it would be something I could do every month, make it sort of a staple post around here. But, then I forgot October. So, I'm off to a great start. But November is not over yet, and while our most recent changes (moving to Alaska!) probably deserve an actual post all it's own, we'll start our November blogging with this...

Making: uriah food. fruit, peas and corn, to be exact. yum.
Cooking: chocolate chip coconut cookies. ok, well, that was yesterday. but close enough.
Drinking: water. i should say, trying to drink water. does anyone else have a hard time staying hydrated in the winter?
Reading: hp. with my husband, every night. "after all this time? always."
Wanting: a fireplace. so i can properly snuggle and cuddle my baby boy and my sweet nephews in true winter fashion.
Looking: at uriah. he has completely captivated me and stolen my heart.
Playing: hide and seek. my knees are bruised from all this crawling, but the look of surprise on his face when i round the corner... priceless.
Wasting: thoughts.
Sewing: nothing. as usual.
Wishing: we had had more time with my momma in pocatello. i sure do miss my best girl friend.
Enjoying: texts from my daddy regarding sharks and woodland creatures and love.
Waiting: for bed time.
Liking: this chance to connect with family. it's easy to feel forgotten in boise, so far from alaska. it is truly a blessing to be here for the holidays.
Wondering: when uriah will say his first word. and take his first step. we're on the verge of so many "firsts"
Loving: the fact that uriah is now sleeping through the night (!!!) with no efforts on our end. he and i both are getting eight plus hours of sleep and it is magical.
Hoping: stephen doesn't get called in on a surgery tonight. i know it'll happen eventually. but just not tonight.
Marveling: at the beautiful white mess outside my window. it is cold and dangerous but oh so breathtaking.
Needing: some mommy daughter time. seriously though, i miss her.
Smelling: old lady. this apartment is old and my one vanilla candle isn't strong enough.
Wearing: tall fuzzy socks. the proper attire for a snow storm slash power outage.
Following: the norm.
Noticing: my sister's belly getting bigger and bigger. we are so excited to meet you, baby girl!
Knowing: it'll be ok in the end doesn't make it any easier.
Thinking: i should have appreciated stephen's past easy going schedule more, and prepared better for his new busy one. i am missing him.
Feeling: bothered.
Bookmarking: holiday crafts and decorations. all of which make no sense to do here in our temporary home. someday we will be able to get a christmas tree. someday.
Opening: my mind to new thoughts. both good and bad.
Giggling: over uriah's babbles and attempts at talking. he has got my laugh lines permanently dented.
Feeling: sleepy.