I have heard this terminology for the last year from certain friends...then from complete strangers who just moved here. I have never heard of the concept spoken of anywhere else until here. Quite honestly, i never really felt a need to do this as I was just going to "get through this adventure day by day". Thus, I never practice this statement in the activities presenting themselves here. Never was I going to fully like it here or enjoy it. I never intended on loving it here.
Never.
Never say "never".
Though most of our summer has been spent in the states, coming back, I have felt so at home. and actually, started to fall in love with this place...more and more. How did Alaska feel so at home finally?
Soooo....
What really makes a home for a family who doesn't have a permanent residency?
We consider home to be a place we feel comfortable being ourselves in;
a temporary retreat from the rest of the world;
a place of rest you and your loved ones dwell day in and day out in, doing life with one another; somewhere inviting that you can invite fellow guests and sojourners to enjoy and invite to do life with you;
Its where your children are shaped and molded into the individual God plans for their good, His glory.
Yea. I suppose that makes Alaska home for us.
....Until the next assignment, that is.
Now I suppose I am 'falling in love' with Ak, in an approach of spontaneity as I definitely didn't expected to really like it here. I mean, Alaska can present some crazy challenges for us (like enduring temperatures that drop from 70 to 60 at best and going outside only to wonder what kind of wildlife is around the corner, watching, waiting for you ) but it's worth the extra effort to make this experience enjoyable, as i am now really loving is assignment and the benefits that follow it (the views, the activities, our neighbors, the ability to fly space A into some amazing places without our husbands being deployed... Etc).
All in all, we have really been blessed to get this assignment as our first experience into the "real" air force. We hit the half way point in June, which means we only have a little while longer to enjoy our time here. God put us here for a good reason, and I intend to enjoy exploring what He wants to teach my heart while I can.
Speaking of mile markers, guess who is 10 months yesterday??
That's right! Our little almost-a-tottler Elyse Grace.
Happy 10 months Elyse!!
Can you believe our little Lysey is already 10 months old???
...yea. Neither can we.
Where does time go??
( She is enjoying a 10 month waffle cone treat!!!! )
I tried to get the monthly picture of her with the Pockets the bear, but she wouldn't have it.....
She would rather wrestle him. Such a lady, I know.
Oh, well. She's getting big. You get the idea!
Time to go do more life with the family.
Busy week ahead of us!
XOXO.