In a galaxy far, far away...

Last week we celebrated Wolfgang's fourth birthday. The theme was Star Wars. Maybe it's because I am feeling the distance between loved ones and home as if we are on a different planet... Or maybe because Wolfe's other interest is overalls, and you cant really theme a birthday party around that.
The week before that I had sewn an Ewok costume for Ruby and Darth Vader accessories for Wolfe. It was a good thing that it wasn't Ruby's Star Wars birthday. She was not happy with her Ewok costume and it took a lot of bribery to put it on for both Halloween and the party.

Ruby would rather be a Jedi

...and not an Ewok

The week before his birthday, Wolfgang and I took time off of from learning letters and numbers and worked on decorations and treats for the party. He loved this, and I justified the scissor practice and flour measuring as "school" for that week (he is only four). We had C3PO banners, white storm trooper balloons, R2D2 coloring pages and "pin the light saber on Yoda" game. We also made Wookie cookies, chocolate covered pretzel sabers and Death Star ice cream sandwiches. I hope a Star Wars fan reads this and really appreciates how well I carried out my theme.


The party was a success. Almost every teacher from teacher row attended with their families. Wolfe felt very special. Even the principal brought her two tiny min pin dogs to join the fun. Although Wolfe's little friend from the village didn't show up, we all felt loved and connected with our teacher community that night. We laughed as the adults were blindfolded and twirled to pin the light saber on Yoda. We all at too much of my white chicken chili, Eliza's homemade bread and Clay's garlic knots. And the best part was everyone joining together to watch the oldest Star Wars movie on the home made double decked couch with the movie projected onto our apartment wall. The movie was educating and new for most, including Wolfe. Who, by the end of the night, finally understood why his cake said "May Your Fourth be with You."

Ruby would have won...

but Clay did instead. His prize was gummy bears (Edible Ewoks).

Beth made Darth Vader cookies too!

The four littles, on the top part of the double decker couch

Bottom row is Beth, me, Kylie and Brenna- wearing Yoda ears

Watching the movie!

The birthday boy and his team

Memorable Monday

As long as he has hair, Wolfgang has had long hair. He never worried about it until we got here. The older ladies are always trying to braid it; and HoneyBun tells him she'll steal him home and have his head shaved.
Last Monday I cut seven inches of his hair off in our kitchen, with knowledge from youtube and a borrowed clipper kit from a neighbor. (Which turned out to be a dog's set, but it worked. It was my only option.) I was nervous, but my talented hairdresser-friend sent me enough motivating texts to finally do it.
Good thing. He loves it. He proudly shows everyone and tells them he is a bigger boy now.

 Even with bed head- the haircut suits him...

Ben keeps saying he looks like a whole new kid now. Older and even more handsome!

That afternoon and evening were productive. Wolfe and I made a loaf of caraway bread to go with the Reuben sandwiches Josh planned for that night. (Josh is our very next door neighbor, Ben's childhood friend, and Wolfe's hero. A single guy who loves to cook, can and kill animals.) Ruby was taking a longer nap so we spent time counting cups and teaspoons and talking about the need for yeast.
Then that evening, Luke and Eliza Owens asked us to the river to go fishing with them. This is a biggy for me. On Mondays Ben works to at least 6:30pm, and by then I'm struggling for some adult company. Activities outside with other people and their kids equals time well spent and tired out kids.  We all hiked down to the Nushagak river. There Luke would cast Gracie's little princess fishing pole and have the kids take turns reeling in the little graylings. Even Ruby pulled her first fish in that evening (although I'm sure her eyes were on the Disney princess on the pole and not on the fish.) Wolfe and Grace climbed up a muddy slope in between catches. Sliding down on their bums to create stiff mud pants. (Go for it, right? My theory is that if my kids get dirty outside, it is a good sign that they played hard.)

We got home late, but not too late to enjoy Josh's corn beef, canned sauerkraut and pepperjack cheese with Wolfe's caraway seed bread. (So that's not exactly a Reuben, but you use what you got in rural Alaska! To me it was just as good as a Marie Catrib's style sandwich.)

Good thing mom made these while growing up- I remembered how to assemble them:)

That night I found it appropriate to read Wolfe and Ruby the story of the little boy who shared his lunch. A loaf of bread and a few fish (don't those fish look like the ones we just caught?!)

To be a Pansy

Why is it that we call a whiney, whimpy, ready-to-give-up person, a pansy? Not knowing too much about plants, much less how to grow them, I observe that my strongest, long lasting plant is my pansy. Mollia had given her to me two weeks after we came to New Stu. The little flower sits solo in her pot, on my bedroom window sill. Turning her head towards the sky even when the sun doesn't visit.
Mollia is my neighbor two apartments down from us. And even though her dog poops in our backyard, I really like her. She teaches English at the school (which, she says, none of the students care to learn about.) She's quiet, even in her expressions, making it hard to get to know her. But she holds the keys of the green house and the wisdom of growing plants indoors. She let me take the keys a couple of times to look around, and offered beds for my own plants. But I had no idea where to start. What grows well in a Alaskan greenhouse over the winter?!! I was lost in that building that stuck out beautifully next to teacher housing. And although my kids were entertained by running between the rows and picking the too ripe tomatoes off of Mollia's plants- I sat there staring at dirt, bored and ignorant.

Ruby in front of our green house, on a rainy walk

Then a Saturday came where I had three hours to spend with Mollia and her family in the greenhouse. She gave Wolfe the job of flooding the beds while she and I transferred her summer plants, tomatoes, strawberries, chives, marigolds, into pots so they could spend their last days inside our apartments. (I italicize "pots" because we used empty milk jugs, apple juice containers or anything plastic we saved for this. Pots are not sold here at the small, local grocery store.)  In that time with Mollia, we shared sibling stories, opinions on parenting, and laughs about habits we had. Wolfe had the funnest time, and I had adopted strawberry, marigold and tomato plants to house with my small pansy flower.

Cans of rocks behind Ruby hold the windows shut

Wolfe- flooding the beds and getting dirty!

Wolfe's job is to water...

Ruby's job is to look for rocks, and not pull little green plants!

Sometimes we just go to make mud soup

Happy little gardener

Mollia surprised me; she was quiet, but smart, sweet and fun. She offers what she knows about growing indoors, and encourages me to work more in the greenhouse. This week i received my own set of keys to do the watering/weeding while she is teaching. We already have spinach, lettuce, carrots, radishes, cabbage and onions planted for the winter's harvest. I find it a blessing to learn about green-housing with good company. The warmer air (it's a toasty 50 degrees in the greenhouse!) and the smell of dirt puts me in a good mood. Wolfe's muddy fingernails tells me he is learning too. And the way Ruby looks for rocks in the beds makes me proud. Let's see what this winter will bring. I may not be successful at the spinach, but I do see blessings in other areas.

The littlest plant- with the greenhouse and school in view

So to be honest, part of me doesn't want to see ALL the things winter will bring. Now with darker days and colder weather, my attitude is winey, whimpy and ready to give up Alaska. (My eyes are not turned upon Jesus. I try to sing that song when I'm grumpy, but it doesn't always work.)
Yet, even at night, my little flower still reminds me to pray to be a pansy. Little and learning, strong and hopeful. And, as though hard as it may be, not giving up in cold weather. 




(All my green-thumb aunts reading this blog better not tell me this isn't a pansy...)

Some mornings, winter is already here!

Kara

In terms of our own Narnia, Ben could being echoing these words from The Last Battle:
"I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now...Come further up, come further in!"
Yes, my husband loves the culture, weather, and community. He loves the fact that we can take our four wheeler out and not see anything but trees and tundra for miles.  Ben has learn how to fish, hunt and prepare food as if he's always love to do it that way. And he welcomes others to visit and see for themselves!
Though I am not yet persuaded I am home at last, nor that I been looking for this Alaska all my life, I am starting to know my way around this village pretty well. I could give you a tour (in case any of you answers to Ben's call to "come further up! Come further in" to Alaska.) In fact, I'd say I know it better than Ben. And I give all the credit to Kara.
Kara is a high school sophomore who started running with me at the very beginning. She was on the cross country team training for State. Last year she came in second and this Fall she had hope to train hard and win the gold.  She was a hard worker, willing to do long runs and sprinting with me. But then a month ago she came to school one morning intoxicated. With that and her actions to follow, all sports privileges were taken away from her. She lost her chance to win state. I was so disappointed to find out, but even more worried when I didn't hear from her the next few weeks. Then one day after school she spent three hours with me and the kids. I talked her into still running with me, because we both needed it.

Kara isn't consistent, and sometimes I don't hear from her in days. But she is a fun running buddy; and like I said before I know my way around town, outside of town and through some of the trails. And our talks during running help me get to know her. Come snowy season I am looking for creative ways to still connect with her; but for now just running whenever I can.

Nushagak River- Many trails lead to lookouts over the river.

The only bridge in town; the dirt road behind it leads to the gravel pit.

Running up the pipe line.

Another pit, these are just where open spaces we run hills.

Kara was able to point outs "Erica's"; a small snack shack on our runs. 

Ben and I went there later for date.

Airport road- The main road in town, also leads out to the small airport. 

Names of New Stu

 

“Jean-neeeeeee!” I hear her call my name from the playground. She waves along with two other girls and a smaller boy.

With one hand holding onto Ruby’s hand and the other on the door to the green house, I squinted to see who was calling me. Did I know them? We had only been in New Stuyahok for a couple of days. I met many children, but don’t remember these. How did they know me already? I closed the door to the greenhouse and walked over with Wolfe and Ruby. The girls asked to visit, which I replied, “Maybe another day, when the sun is hiding”.  They must have not heard me as they poked Ruby’s cheek and stroked her long hair. “Can we hold her?” “Can we visit?”

Two weeks after, these girls and their tag a long, Kaden, would still be Ruby’s fans and Wolfe’s playmates. They would make a habit to come after school for homemade bread or cookies. Anya, Katrina, Elicia and Kaden. Four names and faces that I know by heart now.

Then there is Peter. He is the school janitor that has a slight bend in his back and a few teeth missing. He greets Wolfe by name and offers him a pretend astronaut hat he found in one of the teacher’s trash. He doesn’t remember me, but knows Wolfe loves space suits.

John is another one of Wolfe’s favorites. As the village’s garbage man, he rides his four-wheeler and trailer to pick up trash on Mondays and Fridays. He stops and talks to Wolfe who is in the doorway of our apartment. John is trying to teach Wolfe how to count to three in Yupik. Wolfe chants the numbers back to him and sometimes I give it a try too.

Meet Mary. She works at the school’s front desk and cares for her nephew, Jonah. Mary’s mother, Honey Bun, offers to take Wolfe home and braid “her hair”. Honey Bun is self-proclaimed the best babysitter in New Stuyahok. As long as the children don’t bring cats or dogs with them, you can ask her any day, anytime. “Midnight is okay too!” her husband says. I didn’t catch his name.

At the school, “Mother” introduces herself with a hug. Her face is sweet, plump with small eyes, and a smile that’s genuine. She hopes to see the children often too, she says. Her husband, Father, is the priest at the village’s Roman Orthodox Church.

Little Kaiser will lead you to anyone’s house if you asked. He likes to chew the same kind of gum your chewing too. At that exact moment.

Joel, youngest of seven boys, likes to give knuckles. He says, “Next time, you take you ring off, Jean-neee! It hurts to pound knuckles with rings!”

Maria will tell you to cross at the heart and pray before you eat a snack. 

Kara will ask to join you for a run, even if she already ran for track and field that day.

These are just of few names of people of New Stuyahok. They are slowly winning my heart, when I had hoped to win their hearts to Jesus. They are a people who are proud of their religion, who acknowledge their ancestors and heritage; and who are eager to teach you their ways. So instead of being the one to preach, right now I am the one who learns. And prays that God opens my heart a little more so they might see Jesus instead of me one day.
 

Fishers of Fish, For Now

They say this was one of the last good weeks for fishing salmon. Never had I been a fisher or hunter. I'd thought these activities were for sport,  or a hobby to perfect during a created season. Kind of like basketball. 

But it's a necessity here. They also say you need a least two salmon in your freezer for every week of the winter. And salmon in the river don't stay fresh past fall. The flesh start to rot and meat turns old and grey.

There are many things that I'm learning here. These first two weeks have been AK school for me. Fishing involved many lessons. The way the water ripples indicate the depth; fish eggs can be used as bait but the color of the hook could be in your favor too; and bull moose are the only ones to be hunted (that's not fishing, but you always take a gun in case you see a bull.) 

After long days in Dillingham for teacher PD, and the first days of work for Ben, we wanted a family outing. So we took both kids fishing on Saturday for what turned into a five hour trip. The boat was larger, allowing them to walk and lay down while we fished. Wolfe help our neighbor, Josh, reel the first one in. That was good considering Wolfe was the most intent on catching a fish.

The day after I went a second time with Josh and Beth, a girl from Tennessee who came to be a nanny. Here I learned that you can't drive the boat with the fish hanging out of the side. 

I learned that despite the fact you caught zero with a rod and reel, you might end up with twenty fish in your set net. I learned how to fillet.

Yep, me. The one who gets squeamish with bloody stories, passes out in hospitals, closes her eyes during gory movie previews. I skinned that fish each side and tossed the head and tail in the water. Blood was on my gloves and coat (thanks for my birthday present, Mom) and even splattered in my face. I worried about getting cut with the knife, but they assured me that if I did, I would not faint. I wouldn't be able to tell between the fish blood and mine. Sure. I didn't cut myself with the eight fish I butchered, and I didn't get light headed. And we have enough fish in the freezer for winter now.

Ruby was excited too...

Wolfe was excited to go fish!

Before we left a family had shot a bull moose and brought it back with their boat.

Ben had canned and vacuum sealed all the fish we caught!