Pussycat

September 28-29

Monday morning, we woke up at 7 am. The sun wasn’t up yet. Funny. When we arrived in the Arctic, we fell asleep in the sunlight; on our departure, we awoke in the dark. We wanted to get an early start, but by the time Kurt dumped the trailer tanks, loaded some last minute items and I ran over to say goodbye to our RCMP neighbors, it was closer to noon. And of course, we had to say goodbye to the Hanthorns (Dan and Heather had already left for work). The hugs were going all around, and Ezra called out, “Lynn, don’t forget about me!” The snow was falling, as we climbed into the van, and the Hanthorn kids followed us out, shouting, “Goodbye, goodbye!”

We crossed the ferry with no trouble, and even though there was a fair bit of snow, the weather was amazingly calm through the mountain pass and gorge. The roads were frozen and the driving conditions had dramatically improved since my trip to Dawson.

We had to use chains twice on the hills, the first time only because a transpotr truck had stopped in front of us. When we stopped at the Arctic Circle for a photo op, Kurt heard a hissing sound. One of our trailer tires had a leak. We made it to Eagle Plains, 40 km away and Kurt had the tire repaired at the tire shop, while I fed the kids some hot stew from the hotel cafe. We didn’t even have to wait. By the time we ate, our trailer was ready to roll again. The Eagle Plains Hotel motto is “an oasis in the wilderness,” and it is very aptly named, simple as it is.

We also hit some heavy snowfall a couple of times, but there was no wind and it quickly let up. Several times in succession, Evangeline asked, not as a question, but more like a conversation “is the road nice, Daddy? The road. It’s nice?” By God’s grace and Paul’s chains, we reached the end of the Dempster (which Ezra calls the “Dumpster”). Paul said in any season, the Dempster can be a pussycat, but it can also be a tiger. We are thankful that the Dempster only gave us a few cat scratches.

Seeing the winter scenery along the Dempster Highway was an experience not to be missed. It was beautiful. It was also a wonderful perk to drive on the snow because there was NO DUST! Any McPherson resident I spoke to about the Dempster, said they prefer driving the Dempster in the wintertime, including the Aussies! The roads are smoother, there’s no dust and no one has to wait for a ferry (because of the ice road). Even more poignant, with as much fuss as we Southerners make over the dangers of the Dempster, the people who actually live it and experience in their daily lives, barely give it any mention at all. The only time Northerners pay it lip service, it seems, is when they’re ‘counselling’ a Southerner.

But I digress.

We reached Dawson and parked at Mel’s. Mel worked with Kurt at Johnson Point and had invited us to stay in his yard. Tuesday morning, Mel gave us a tour of the house he is building, right among the gold dredge tailings. We hit the road, stopping at Five Finger Rapids, so Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, Josiah, and Diana could hike, and then continued to Whitehorse. We went to my favorite bookstore (again) and then had a celebratory dinner for the completion of Kurt's Arctic work. And we are now going to have a much needed early night. Good night.

The Last Hurrah

September 28

It's here.

Today was our last day in Fort McPherson. It seems ages ago since we left home and yet it's hard to believe it's time to leave. There's mixed emotions on all accounts. We are going to miss our friends here, but we are anticipating many happy reunions at home as well.

I went over to the RCMP compound in the morning and cleaned as much as I could before church. Keegan came and helped. It's amazing how much time there is beforehand when church doesn't start until 1 PM. We ALMOST finished. The church was full for worship. There were more people today than I have seen, apart from the building project week. Paul preached on Hebrews; Kurt and the kids sang. I said goodbye to those I knew.

After church, Keegan, Bronwyn, and Mackenzie finished the last of the house cleaning. Just in time for supper too. To celebrate our last day here, we had a turkey dinner with the Hanthorns and Dan and Heather. I made cranberry sauce with the fresh cranberries I had received. Yum! It was all very delicious. We reminisced over our photo collection on the TV, and then the kids let off some steam with a snowball fight (even Ezra joined in).



I slipped away briefly because Rose had invited me for a last cup of tea. Then we all sat in the Hanthorns' living room and sang songs. To top it all off, Lynn and Paul and each of their children took turns telling us what they appreciated about each one of us and prayed for us individually. What an encouraging gesture and a humbling experience.



The kids filtered off to bed, and Lynn, Paul, Kurt, and I had our one and only visit together without the distractions of familial duties. It was a nice way to spend our last evening. But even good things come to an end, and we thought sleep might be in order before our departure.

Lord, I pray for the Hanthorns' ministry to continue to bear fruit, for the completion of the church building,for the strengthening of their faith and of those in their community, and for your Hand on them as they work, play, and worship. God Bless the Hanthorns.

Getting Ready to Roll

September 25-26



It’s getting close to our departure date and the packing has begun.. Chris, the police sergeant, was kind enough to let us stay in the RCMP house as long as we gave it a good clean before we left. For the past two days we have been busy in ‘our’ house, organizing our stuff and trying to clean around it in the process. No easy task. (Isn’t that right, Tanya and Cam?) I feel for Kurt. He just got back from his job on the Arctic Coast and jumped right into the chaos of our big move without so much as a breather. But he did sneak in a little nap.



Lynn invited us for supper on Friday night, which I really appreciated, so we could focus on our cleaning. Youth night followed right after our meal. I took the three ‘E’s home and Kurt stayed to watch a movie with the others. When it was over, he came back with Josiah, Diana, and Naomi, but Bronwyn, Keegan, and Mackenzie almost pulled an all-nighter. The Hanthorns told them it’s almost tradition to do so before their guests leave. But since we’re not leaving for a few days, Lynn thought they should pace themselves. “Why don’t you do half of your all-nighter tonight, and the other half tomorrow?” At least that’s what the kids said. At any rate, when Estelle finally fell asleep at 3 am, and the big guys still weren’t home, I decided to walk over to check on them. Lynn had gone to bed, forewarning my three that they had better be back on their doorstep at 3 am and not a minute later. (She drives a hard bargain, hey?) My guys were just heading out the door and we walked home together.

On Saturday, we woke up to snow on the ground and everything else. Winter has begun in Fort McPherson. Other than the snow, it was a mild, calm day. We continued cleaning, but after an exercise in futility working around our stuff, we made a quick decision to move everything in to the trailer, just before we headed to the Hanthorns for Esther’s 5th birthday party. Lynn had a houseful of people and was just waiting for the main course- from us. Kurt cooked salmon and salmon burgers for everyone and no one was the worse for waiting. We did the birthday thing- presents, cake, and games. And Josiah got some extra attention for being the birthday boy.



I had a nice visit with Mary C.and it was good to see Dan and Heather again, who are living at the Hanthorns again. The other missionaries, the Drosts, Daniel and his visiting sister, our neighbours, and some others from McPherson came too. It was amazing how we all fit inside Lynn and Paul’s house. After her house cleared, Lynn and I talked, Kurt tried to set up wireless internet for the church with Paul, and my 3 eldest continued the second half of their ‘all-nighter.’ When we do hit the road, I think there will be a lot of sleeping going on.

Double Digits

September 24



It was Josiah's tenth birthday. His birthday started off well, with his daddy being home and all. Kurt was calling Josiah's birthday "Deca-dude-da-day." Jo ate his requested breakfast-Froot Loops. I'm seriously thinking of reconsidering my "Eat whatever you want on your birthday" policy!

After breakfast, Josiah went on a scavenger hunt for his presents. Bronwyn did not disappoint. She made the hunt very hard, with some clues hidden inside hand cream containers and one was even inside a balloon. He loved it. I got him a pocket knife when I was in Dawson, which was a good thing, because he guessed what his gift was ahead of time.

Josiah got a custom made embroidered and monogrammed cap from the Tent and Canvas Shop. Naomi decided to get a bag too, since her birthday is going to be on the road. It looked like so much fun, Bronwyn decided to buy a bag for herself as well. And Kurt joined in and bought us a teepee!

Josiah kept thanking me for his birthday, and he said it was the best birthday he has ever had. He got his letter and gift inside from Grandpa on his birthday. (Good timing, Colin and Gerty!) Bronwyn also took Josiah to the Northern store and let him pick out a toy, and Keegan gave Jo his iPod. Aren't big brothers and sisters great?It doesn't get much better than that! Kenzie, Naomi, Diana, Ezra, and Evangeline blessed him in their special way as well, with encouraging notes and pictures.

The Hanthorns came over for supper and we had a steak and potato dinner. I saved the strip loin all summer so we could have it at the end. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The kids played inside and out. The festivities got a little out of hand, momentarily. Someone tripped, bonked their head, and there is now a dent in the wall in the boys' room. I guess a family of 11 people don't make the best house sitters. We played a game together, that involved racing to someone's empty seat, and it was a hoot!

Happy Double Digit Birthday, Josiah. I am so blessed to call you my son. You are a treasure from the Lord. I love you.

So Happy Together

September 23

Kurt called in the morning to say he was flying into Inuvik at 1:30 pm after spending the night in Yellowknife. There was a native conference in town, so all the hotels were full. Or should I say the decent ones. He got booked in a hotel room with cigarette burns in the floor, a broken down bed with springs he could feel in his back, and a noisy party next door. Kurt slept on top of the bedding because he didn’t want to risk crawling under the questionable covers. The hair on the pillow and under the sheets might have had something to do with it.

Lynn offered to come with me to Inuvik after our eventful drive from Dawson. I was grateful, especially with a baby in tow. Josiah wanted to come too. I’m sure he wanted to see his daddy, but he also offered to help out with Estelle. Awwww. The roads were rough from the start, but improved as I drove. I was still thankful for Lynn’s company, though. We had time to visit and she took the driver’s seat when Estelle got fussy. Kurt was waiting at the airport when we got there. It was so good to see him, but as soon as we were together again, it was like he had never left. We did some running around in Inuvik and it was a luxury when it was Kurt, and not I, who carried Estelle. We bought some pizza for the ride home, another luxury after living in McPherson.

When Kurt walked into the house, there was the usual tradition of card giving, hugs, and exclamations of “DADDEEEEEEEEE!” The kids gave him a tour of the house and got Kurt up to date on all their activities. But he was hard pressed to hear it all when the little ones were all talking to him simultaneously. Estelle decided to make Kurt feel really at home by keeping the two of us up until 3 am. (We found out in the morning the reason why- her second tooth broke through.)

It still hasn’t really sunk in that Kurt is done his work up here. No more 3 week stints without a husband and daddy. No more flights to and fro. No more time apart. So happy together. Now all we have to do is pack up all our belongings after 4 months of Northern living. How long do you think that will take?

Caribou!

September 21-22

Paul invited Keegan and Bronwyn to go caribou hunting on the 22nd. They were more than eager to go along. Since we did not bring all the necessary paraphenalia for keeping warm, Paul outfitted them in good, warm, winter gear. Joel was overjoyed to have his first opportunity of the season to use his Ski-doo. Annah, Judah and some friends in McPherson were also part of the hunting party.

The roads were still rough, wet, and slippery, and Paul's van and trailer got stuck on the ferry landing. Deja-vu. The trailer had to be unhitched, and after over an hour of towing and maneuvering, they crossed the river and headed south. They drove to the mountains. The wind was blowing and there was at least a foot of snow, probably more. Paul hitched a sled to the snowmobile and the hunt began. They spotted three caribou and headed in their direction. As the hunting party approached, 70 caribou came out of the bush. Joel managed to get a caribou before they all ran in different directions. Because of the delay at the ferry, they didn't have as much time to hunt as they would have liked but it was a good, successful excursion. Keegan and Bronwyn were so fatigues when they got home,, they fell into bed and I had to wait until morning to hear of their adventure.

I have to say it is interesting to witness a culture that is still very tied to the land. The people in McPherson follow the migration of the Porcupine Caribou herd, and from what I can tell, most depend on the caribou for their meat supply. When the caribou are running, the hunters are out in droves. Joel, Annah, and Ruth might even have an opportunity to go on a community hunt that is going to give all the meat to elders, single mothers, and those too ill to acquire the meat for themselves.

Many people also go and live "on the land," as it's called. During the summer months, many Gwich'in people go out into the bush and sustain themselves on whatever they can catch or pick,, sometimes for a month or two at a time.

We are learning so much! Thank God for the caribou!

Home Alone

September 16-20 (Kids’ version)

The kids had a remarkably smooth weekend without parental supervision. It was hard to leave, though. Just as I was climbing into Lynn’s van, Mackenzie came out with Evangeline, who was sobbing, “Mommeeeee! Mommeeeeee!” I gave her one last kiss and said goodbye. It was comforting to know that Paul and Heather were not far away if a need arose.

Friday must have been uneventful for my gang, because none of them seem able to recall what they did. On Saturday, Kylin, from next door came over and played for 5 hours.

On Saturday evening, the kids went over to the church to clean and set up for Sunday morning. The kids played games while Bronwyn, Ruth, and Paul practiced songs for church. Mackenzie and Keegan watched Dan mud the drywall for a while. They had a good time but their highlight was eating ice cream. Diana bought ice cream with her birthday money from Grandpa to share with her friends. She had $50 to spend. Three 2L tubs and a container of gummy worms later, her money was all spent. Paul smeared ice cream on his forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, and warned the kids not to get ice cream on their faces. Then, Paul licked out his bowl and said to Evangeline, “Now, Evangeline, don’t lick your bowl like I am.” Bronwyn, Mackenzie, and Diana stayed a little longer to clean up after their ‘party’ and Keegan, bless his heart, took the little guys home and gave them baths.

My troop walked to church on Sunday morning through the snow. Ruth and Mackenzie made pancakes for the Sunday School. Evangeline walked up to Paul and said, “My mommy is gone. My daddy is gone.” It’s like a cry for help, don’t you think? Bronwyn said Ezra and Evangeline have never been so well-behaved during church. With no Mommy around, there was no lap to fight over and they cuddled with Keegan and Mackenzie. Instead of a sermon, Paul and Dan shared how God has been working in their lives. Dan explained how God orchestrated his move to McPherson with Heather and Ruth. Paul shared a story as well.

“Two years ago,” Paul said (or something to the effect), “Someone invited me to their church down south to share our plans for building a church. I didn’t know what to say, but I told them what I could. When I finished, all in attendance seemed very interested and asked what they could do to help. They were instrumental in the building of this church. If it hadn’t been for them…” While Bronwyn was listening, she was thinking, “Wow, that sounds like a great church. ” Then Paul said, “It was the Kures’ church, Kurt was the one who invited me, and Michele and Les were at the meeting.” (Were you there too, Elbert?) Bronwyn was, needless to say, very surprised. Lynn and I were talking this week, as well, and she said that if it hadn’t been for Sarah’s bout with cancer, Paul wouldn’t even have been there. God can certainly work ALL things for the good to those who love Him!

After church, Mackenzie, Josiah, Diana, Naomi, and Ezra went to the neighbours’ house for Rayden’s birthday. They had a great time with all the food, goodie bags, and games. Inge told me later that Ezra spent most of his time chatting with her at the kitchen table. That’s my boy….

When I got home after midnight, everyone was still up except for Ezra and Diana. There were hugs all around and we stayed up even later to talk and catch up. There’s no place like home….even when you’re not at ‘home.’

Have No Fear

September 16-20

Yes, we’re still alive and kicking. After a week of focusing on school, I went to a Ladies’ Retreat in Dawson City for 3 days. I left a schedule and chore list for the kids, and with some trepidation, Estelle and I climbed into Lynn’s van with 11 other ladies on Friday morning. It had rained all night, and the roads were a mix of mud and slush. We hit a snowstorm and we crawled along. After a lot of fish-tailing and one hair-raising slide sideways, we made the 2 hour drive to Eagle Plains in 4 hours. The road eventually improved, and we reached our destination, 10 hours after our departure. PTL!

I had a great time, and enjoyed being with the other ladies. The topics for the weekend were issues that all women face, personally or by extension- low self-esteem, depression, and fear and anxiety. Lynn, Sarah, Annah, their friend, Charmaine, and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing. I also enjoyed getting to know the Gwich’in ladies from McPherson. Caroline and Mary F. were elders, very quiet and very sweet, and neither one even made a peep when the van went out of control. (Lynn said in past years, some of the older ladies had never been past Eagle Plains.) Rosemary sat beside me on the drive to and fro, and the ladies all made fun of me when I was the only one who turned down Rosemary’s offer of a hardtack biscuit with butter. I found out you should not refuse a gesture of generosity! Annie and Mary M., bought Estelle a few things from a Dawson thrift shop, and Mary M. often had a joke for me. I got a homemade Gwich’in bonnet from Olive. Mary C. helped with the driving and I really enjoyed her company. There were other ladies attending from Whitehorse and Dawson, including the pastor’s wife, Maria, who met my oldest four at camp.




In our spare time, we went to the farmer’s market, and bought some fresh produce. Garden veggies are a treat wherever you are, but in the North, they are a treasure! We did some shopping around town, too, and it’s not a trip to Dawson until some placer gold jewellery has been purchased. We did not stay for the church service on Sunday morning, because on the phone, Paul told Lynn it had been snowing since we left and we might be hard pressed to make the ferry otherwise. So we hit the road.

Mary C. drove 5 hours to Eagle Plains and the roads were not too bad, but it was cold, windy, and snow covered everything. Lynn’s stretch of road was more precarious. Ruts, potholes, slush, wind and snow were the order of the day. I was riding in the back of Lynn’s 15 passenger van (a new perspective for me) and my body was rattled like a paint can in a mixer. Near the border, we saw a black wolf, standing in sharp contrast with the snow. A little further on, we saw men from McPherson with the spoils from their hunting trip. They had three caribou lined up in the snow and they were pulling them behind their snowmobile! I got out to take a picture. Or should I say 10 pictures, because I really wanted to get a good shot. Unfortunately, I did not notice the dial on my camera had been switched, and not a single photograph turned out. I was so disappointed. But it was neat to see. We made it to the ferry, and we were all so relieved to be in the homestretch.

But our trip wasn’t over yet. There had been so much rain and snow, the river was higher than usual. The ferry hands had considered closing the ferry temporarily but they wanted to keep it open for the many hunters who were out. They had just made new landings shortly before our arrival. Some of the ladies were alarmed by the water we could see on either side of the landing. Lynn approached the ferry, and we were soon stuck in the soft gravel. The caribou hunters were behind us and tried to tow us out, but we didn’t budge. So Morris, the ferry hand, pulled us out with the loader, resurfaced the landing, and he got in the driver’s seat to give it another go. He gunned it, and….we got stuck again. By this time, some of the ladies were burying their heads in their arms and grasping their seats. The loader pulled us out again, resurfaced again, and then Morris let the caribou hunters try to board the ferry. They revved up their 4X4 truck and were successful. They called out to Morris, “That van must be loaded!” Morris replied, “Ya, I think there are about 500 women in there!” Morris got in the van a second time, took the landing at high speed, and we were ABOARD! We all cheered and clapped to express our thanks.

We seemed to be in the clear, until we saw the landing on the other side. There was as much water as gravel. Morris stepped on the gas. Rosemary shut her eyes and turned her head. We sped down the ramp and-URCH!- we got stuck on the other side! But because of Morris’ forethought, the caribou hunters towed us off the landing in short order. We were soon back in McPherson, thankful to God for his provision and our safe arrival. And the ground under my feet has never felt so good.
Lynn dropped me off at 12:30 am, and most of the kids were up to greet me. At least their weekend went smoothly, but maybe I’ll save that for another day. God is good….ALL THE TIME.

Double Vision

September 14-15

Bronwyn has been playing my double. She was mistaken for me twice today. One of them invited her to a feast following a funeral. (From what I've seen, meals after funerals are usually public affairs, and anyone is welcome.) Then another lady thanked Bronwyn for helping her with a health issue. Bronwyn replied, "Uh, you must be talking about my mom. I'm her daughter." To top it off, someone saw her walking out of the RCMP compound and asked her if she was the wife of a new police officer in town. She finds it all rather funny, but a little disconcerting.

School is now in full swing and takes up much of each day. Naomi is on fire for reading and has surpassed all my expectations. She read 10 books in one sitting, two days running. The only thing that might hold her back is her mother, who's not sure she can keep it up every day, with 8 other people needing attention and...the occasional meal. Especially when Josiah wants to read to me one to two hours every night. What a wonderful problem for a homeschooling mother to have!

Estelle is coming into her own. She is crawling everywhere. She managed to find the garbage can in the bathroom, emptied its contents, fished out the remains of a cookie, and sucked on the fruits of her labor. It was like she had radar or something! Evangeline was hard pressed to eat a gummy bear I rewarded her, because Estelle kept trying to push her fingers into Evangeline's mouth to retrieve it for her own enjoyment. For fear of talking too much about the mundane activities of our lives, I will say no more. But it's all in a day's work.

Fox on the Run

Sept 12

Saturday morning, Keegan and Bronwyn helped the Hanthorns cut ski trails. We had a knock on our door at 11 am. The kids next door, Rayden and Kylin, invited my little guys to play. Inge, their mother, said she had to hold them off, otherwise they would have been knocking on our door MUCH earlier. Other than the trailcutters, my whole kit and kaboodle ended up playing in their house and Inge and I had a visit.

Before the Hanthorns showed up for Diana’s birthday celebration, I was determined to walk down to the river to take some pictures. It was such a beautiful day and I thought it might be my last chance. It was a rushed walk but I got my photos, though the beautiful autumn leaves had mostly fallen to the ground.

The Hanthorns arrived and I experienced a hostess’ nightmare. Because I am not completely familiar with my surroundings, I set the stove to 350, thinking that was all that was required, but I neglected to push the very necessary START button. Needless to say, they showed up and our food was not cooked. OOPS! So everyone played games and read our books while we waited for our enchiladas to bake. No harm done and nobody wasted away. It was nice to be able to invite them to ‘our’ house.

Church was good, though I was preoccupied with children for most of it. Immediately after,it was the Terry Fox Run to 8 Mile. It was so cold and breezy, Lynn and I decided to each stay home with our little gaffers. Keegan and Bronwyn ran with Sarah, Annah, Joel, and Ruth. They both said it was easier than last time they did it. Woohoo! Mackenzie and Josiah biked with Judah. They were rewarded at the end with free burgers. We finished off the day with games at the Hanthorns. I tried to call Kurt and missed him again. Better luck tomorrow.

A D-lighful Day

September 11

Today was Diana's eighth birthday. After she went to bed last night, Kenzie hung streamers, Bronwyn made clues for a treasure hunt, and we all wrote cards and drew pictures and compiled them into 'Diana's Birthday Book.' Diana was the last one to get up so we had lots of time to get our surprises together. Even Evangeline drew a picture for Diana.

We had her favorite 'boxed cereal'( a real novelty for our family) for breakfast-Corn Pops. I didn't even know she had ever tried them before. She didn't ask for them, but I thought I would surprise her, because she wouldn't expect to get junk food like that from me. I always let the kids choose their meals for their birthday so they usually take advantage of the opportunity to eat foods that make me shudder.

She read her birthday book, and followed Bronwyn's clues to find presents from her two big sisters. Then I took her alone to the Tent and Canvas Shop. She had no idea where we were going. She picked out her own tote bag, chose an embroidery pattern and the font for her monogram, and then watched Calvin personalize her bag. She really enjoyed it, and I must say she made good choices. It looks amazing!



Judah ran over to say Kurt was on the phone. Diana and I ran to the Hanthorns but we missed the call. At least Paul got to talk to Kurt for 15 minutes of so. We called Kurt back, and Diana did get a chance to receive birthday wishes from her daddy.

To add to her day, Diana received two birthday presents in the mail. Grandpa sent his traditional card and money, which the kids always enjoy receiving. Diana made a nice pose for you.



She also received some cake decorating supplies in the mail. (Thanks, Tim and Lori!) It was such a timely gift. I had made an extra cake, so we decided to let the kids personalize their own piece of cake. Judah, Jesse, and Esther joined in the fun, as did the neighbors, Rayden and Kylynn. Then they played in the yard, ate some more and we finished off her special day with a movie.

I love my little 'D.' Happy Birthday, Diana. I love you.

News from Here AND Home

September 8-10

Looks like it was my turn to get some news.I have a new nephew- Jedidiah James Branson!! Congratulations Keith and Merryl, Jessie, Jacob, Rebekah, Gabrielle, and Maria! Can't wait to see your little baby boy! Are you trying to get us to come home or something?

Anyways..

Lynn and I started meeting in the mornings before the kids wake up to read the bible and pray together. It’s a nice quiet time, and a good way to start the day. I see the sun rise as I walk over to her house.

With the cooler fall weather, the bugs have dissipated, so we take our walks down in the river valley. It’s beautiful. One of these times, I’m going to remember my camera! There are lots of trails cut in the trees and along the water. It reminds me a lot of the River Farm at home. The kids run ahead, looking for the next great discovery. Unless, of course, they fall behind because they have found, yet again, the perfect walking stick. With Josiah, Judah, and Jesse along, you can be sure there is lots of ‘bush-whacking’ going on. Two sticks (one of them Josiah’s) made contact with Esther’s head on one outing, and that put an end to the stick-toting.

Lynn invited the kids over to do an autumn activity. We gathered leaves outside until everyone’s paper bag was full. We ironed the leaves flat, the kids glued them down and –VOILA- they each had their own placemat. They were all very proud of their creations. Keegan and Bronwyn also enjoyed the weather by running with Annah and Ruth.

Mackenzie stayed at the house because she was determined to finish reading The Lord of the Rings. And she did. She read the third book, The Return of the King in one day! I love The Lord of the Rings. Good is good, evil is evil, and good wins in the end. And LOTR has made readers out of Keegan, and now Mackenzie, and as a homeschooling mother, that is worth its weight in gold. Before summer, Mackenzie didn’t like to read a book unless she could finish it in one sitting. I think it’s safe to say she’s converted!

After their run, Keegan and Bronwyn wanted to bike, so they went to ask Lynn if her girls could go. Lynn asked, “Well, how hard are you going to go?” Bronwyn, from past experience, knew that when the Hanthorns train, Lynn likes them to push themselves. So to increase her chances of a positive response, Bronwyn replied, “Really hard.”

Lynn said, “Are you sure? Really hard?”

“Yes,” Bronwyn confirmed.

What Bronwyn didn’t realize was Lynn asked the question because Ruth did NOT want to go if they were going to go hard. The girls were on a juice cleanse and were not feeling too energetic. Plus, they’d already done their training with their run. Biking was just extra.

“Oh, well if you’re going hard, I don’t think Ruth wants to go then.”

Of course, Bronwyn was more than willing to have a more leisurely ride, “Well, Lynn, if it’s okay with you, we could go at a slower pace.”

So they went. And to top it off, Keegan went biking again with Joel when they got back.

In other news, Estelle is on the move. She gets on her hands and knees now, and can move herself along the floor. Having all the space, and some carpet, at the RCMP house, has made it easier for her, I think. She can sit herself up from lying down, and for the first time, she pulled herself up to stand at the windowsill on my bed.



Today, Bronwyn, Keegan, Mackenzie, Josiah, and Diana went to an assembly at the school. The 2008 Canadian female Olympic gold medalist for wrestling did a presentation. She used Joel as her guinea pig to demonstrate her wrestling moves. They really enjoyed it. It’s amazing to be so far away from home, in such a little hamlet, and we’ve had so many opportunities to experience so many things. I am so thankful.

Road Trip

September 6-7

Bronwyn and Keegan have had some new opportunities to work on their fitness. On Saturday, they went for a run with the HB4 (Hanthorn Big 4), led by Leonard, who is married to Carol, one of the nurses here in town. Leonard is a serious runner. He lives in New York, and has done Olympic time trials. He was raring to take the kids out and he had a route all planned out in his head, involving interval training. They ran for one hour and fifteen minutes. Keegan said it was the most tired he has ever been, and Bronwyn’s quads were so sore, she was walking like a duck to relieve her discomfort. But I’m so proud of them. It has been such a blessing for them to take part in the Hanthorns’ training schedule (They are preparing for the Arctic Winter Games in March).

They had their ‘day of rest’ on Sunday and it was a good thing because on Monday, they went on another excursion. That morning,we woke up to a cool day. It was just above freezing. Bronwyn and Keegan went for a bike ride with Sarah, Joel, Annah, and Ruth. They put on layers, hats on their heads, and gloves on their hands(or in Bronwyn's case, socks). They biked all the way to Tsiigehtchic, a 60 km trip.

Josiah, Diana, Naomi, and Ezra did not want to come along to pick up the cyclists. Our new ‘home’ is a novelty and they wanted to stay and play. Mackenzie jumped at the opportunity to babysit. With two older siblings, she doesn’t get as many chances as she’d like to be in charge. I warned her. “ I’ll be gone about 3 hours. I have no phone. What would you do if you had a problem?” She replied, “Mom we’re living with the police. I’ll be fine.”

I took Estelle and Evangeline in the van and they both slept the whole way. We stopped once so Lynn could pick up Judah and Jesse. They had gone on a shorter bike ride. Then,Lynn and I checked on the other cyclists, en route, and then drove ahead to meet them at Tsiigehtchic. When we arrived,the Mackenzie ferry was docked on our side, ready to load vehicles. The sight made me want to laugh. I’ve reached the river crossing countless times, and the ferry has NEVER been docked on my side ready to take me aboard. Not even once. The wait can be anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. Today, the only day I wasn’t crossing the river, I could have driven on board with no wait at all. It would have been-dare I say-exhilarating. Well, at least, very satisfying.

When we got to Tsiigehtchic,, Evangeline woke up, looked around with sleepy eyes and asked, ”Mom, are we at the ferry? Are we going on the ferry?” We’ve now been here long enough for even our two-year old to be familiar with the surroundings.




The cyclists did great and reached their destination in three hours. They were still all smiles as they rode up to the ferry dock. After biking to Midway earlier this summer on the hills in the rain, they found the distance much easier, even though it was longer. We had a snack, and headed back, with Bronwyn in the driver's seat. When we returned, Mackenzie asked why we were back so soon. So a good day was had by all.

New Neighbours

September 4-5

First, the church update. The plumbers left after installing remaining fixtures and stalls in the bathrooms. They are fully functional now. They did tremendous work on the heating system, but they think they punctured a pipe with a nail somewhere. Trying to find the hole will be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, so please pray for their situation. Dan has been mudding in the apartment and painting can probably begin there on Monday. Paul painted the sanctuary just in time to officiate Saturday afternoon at the first wedding to be held in the church. It was a public wedding, we found out later. We missed it. Lynn, Heather, and I had gone for a walk with our kids.

Judah did a good turn for us the other day. I was in the trailer when I heard him say, “Hey, where are you going with that wheel?”

I went out the door and there were three young boys on bikes, one with our buggy wheel tucked under his arm.

The boy with the wheel said, “It’s mine.”

Judah: “Then where is the wheel that was under the Kure’s trailer a minute ago.”

Wheel-holder: “ I don’t know.”

Judah: “Well, it’s not yours. Give it back.”

Wheel-holder: “ But it’ll fit my sister’s bike”.

I interjected: “That doesn’t mean you should take something that does not belong to you. Can I please have my wheel back.”

Now, I have assumed that when a guilty party is caught red-handed, their next course of action is usually escape. You know, drop the incriminating item and make a run for it. (Like that bunch of guys caught at the ferry). However, that was not the case in this instance. The boy looked me in the eye and said, “Well, then , how much will you sell it to me for?”

Needless to say, it was not for sale, and the boys went home wheel-less. And I thanked Judah for interceding for us.

In seemingly unrelated news, we moved out of the Hanthorns yard. We all loved being so close to the Hanthorns, but I do believe we were a strain on their water supply . And with us, the Sachs mission men, and the plumbers, the Hanthorns had 17(?) extra people coming in and out of their house for a whole week. They were so gracious. Our trailer is still parked beside their house, locked up with the buggy wheel INSIDE. We moved all our belongings to-can you guess?-a house in the RCMP compound.

Last month, while we were still at the daycare, Chris, police sergeant and friend of the Hanthorns, told us one of their houses would be available on September 5. He offered it to us then, before we even mentioned our coming need. I happily accepted. I am so thankful and amazed by God’s provision. We trust God to meet our needs, and He answers us exceedingly and abundantly greater than we can even imagine. The house has three bedrooms, WITH furniture. The kids thought it was as big as our house. And like the other administrative buildings in McPhoo, the RCMP houses are connected to the utilidor, which means we have an unlimited water supply. Oh, happy day!



I can be content in plenty or in want, but it sure was nice to have a shower. I hadn’t had one in 6 days. Should I be admitting that? Anyways, our first night in, everyone had a bath, and I did three loads of laundry. Water MUST be one of God’s most glorious creations.

There is even another unexpected benefit of living in an RCMP compound. With a chain-link fence around the compound, and police vehicles and uniformed officers about, methinks there will be no more ‘borrowing’ of wheels or any other Kure belongings anymore. Just a guess….

Pining

September 3-4

The kids had their last day of swimming for the season. Lynn said the pool is often closed by mid-August. We are so thankful we enjoyed it for so long. The wonderful weather is supposed to hold out for a week , at most. Lynn and I have been longing to get outside, but cooking meals for ourselves and the plumbers, cleaning, and organizing children, and attempting school, have taken the lion's share of our time. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose! But we did get out for a short walk and it was so refreshing to be in the sunshine and the breeze.

The kids are still having a wonderful time, but there have been hints of a desire to see home again. Naomi and Diana really want to see their cat and Naomi is missing her blanket of all things. Diana said,"Mom, I'm getting homesick. I'm having fun here, but I want to be home too." Ezra was swinging on the swing Lynn has in her house, and he said, "Mom, I want to swing in the hammock at home with you." And Evangeline keeps saying, "My daddy's gone. I miss my daddy." How hard for a toddler. She has object permanence but no concept of time.

The older kids are faring far better; their days are so full of activity. It's all quite a change from our last Arctic summer when Keegan was the one pining for home. This time we are going to be dragging Keegan home by his heels. However, when he saw Joel wrestling with his friend, James, Keegan thought, "I wish I could be doing that with Dillon." Bronwyn said, "You know what I miss about home, Mom? Going in the kitchen and just making whatever we want with no limitations and lots of space." She added that home is nice because you know everyone you see. Kenzie misses having a routine. Josiah is anxious to play with the toys he left behind. And it goes without saying, there's so many people they can't wait to see again.

Lest you think only the kids are thinking of home, I can hardly help myself, either. When I hear what you all are doing, I wish I could be there too. Don't you know when I'm having an adventure, you're all supposed to sit and wait until I come home to have fun? I am looking forward to a good sleep on a bed that I don't have to crawl into,(I'm sure glad you're enjoying mine, Mom!) and I think after living in a trailer, my house will be bigger than I remember. And that is always a good thing!

When we receive a letter from home, it always brighten our day. A special package of clothes for the little ones this week was such a treat. (Thanks, Tanya!) When I told Lynn about the parcel, she said, "Now you know what it's like to be a missionary getting care packages in the mail!" And when I'm blogging, somehow you don't seem quite so far away. It's like I'm talking to you over tea ( or should I say a cappuccino!--Oh I know Kurt is missing that!), except I am definitely monopolizing the conversation.

I'll tell you another tale tomorrow.

On the Job

September 1-2

The plumbers arrived on Monday and have been working hard at the church. The four workers are staying for the week at the Hanthorns. Wayne said he was in the same boat as everyone else now- he’s going to have to leave before the church is finished. But they sure are doing all they can.

Kurt made it to PIN-B, also known as Clifton Point. It’s a site he’s never been to before, unlike the others he has visited year after year. He’s starting from scratch and can only hope to get a good start on the job before the cold weather sets in. He said the weather is beautiful, 11 degrees and no wind. He couldn’t ask for better weather in September. It got plenty warm here too-17 degrees- an Arctic heat wave! However, there is visible snow in the mountains, so we better enjoy the warmth while we can.

Naomi is in a drawing frenzy. We have paper stashed , crammed, and stored in every nook and cranny in the trailer as she cannot part with any of her creations. Bronwyn took matters into her own hands and gave Naomi a drawing lesson from the book I used when she was Naomi’s age. Naomi was thrilled and can’t wait for some more instruction.

Josiah, on the other hand, has baking fever. He has been making chocolate chip cookies and wacky cake like nobody’s business. At least his creations are consumable, and he is really enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Bronwyn has a running ‘gig’ now. There is an older fellow with Down’s Syndrome, Martin, who stops by the Hanthorns ‘ frequently. He sits down on the couch, points to the violin sitting in the corner, and says, “I know how” as he makes bowing gestures. That’s Bronwyn’s cue to play him a few songs. Martin loves it, and Bronwyn said “It’s kind of like having a job.”

And she should know. Bronwyn got her first real paycheck on Monday from her job at the Tent and Canvas Shop. She was ecstatic. I don’t think she had even considered that she would be paid for her time there. She was just happy to fill in for Sarah, so she could go to Whitehorse with the rest of her family. Bronwyn is continuing to work there this week so Sarah can do her month-end accounting.




Bronwyn and Mackenzie, along with Ruth and Annah, got their swim team jackets. They look very sharp and their names are going to be embroidered on them. The Tent and Canvas Shop will personalize the jackets. They will make nice souvenirs from McPhoo, and from the very shop where Bronwyn worked. Isn’t that perfect?

Take Off and Pull Over

August 30-31



The ferry was on the move late Sunday morning. Kurt led music at church again and Heather helped me make a very late lunch for our families, Wayne, and the missionary crew of Ed, Ben, and Al. Estelle kept Kurt and I awake until 4 am that night. She's teething and that terrible cough she had is back, though not as severe.

As a result, we slept late Monday morning, even though I was brought to my senses twice, once by the sewage truck and once by the water truck. The water truck comes every morning at 8:30 AM to refill the Hanthorns' tank and it parks right beside our trailer to do so. A pretty reliable alarm system, except for the odd time when it doesn't show up until 11 am. It has made us very conscious of our water consumption. Paul and Lynn have run out of their daily water supply a few times since we've been here, and one time it was our fault, from flushing the toilet too often. The sewage truck is not that regular. But I digress.....

Kurt checked his email and he found out his plane for his next job was at 2:30 PM. With a 2 and a half hour drive, that didn't give us a whole lot of time for packing, refueling, and the like. But we got the kids settled with some instructions, and then Kurt, Estelle, and I headed for Inuvik. We saw a hint of snow on the way up. Kurt made his flight for Yellowknife with enough time to spare for us to grab lunch at the airport. He'll be gone for 2-3 weeks but it's his last stint.

I took advantage of being in a 'booming metropolis.' I loaded up on groceries, fueled up, went to the bank, picked up our propane tanks (YAY!), and went on an unsuccessful hunt for Diana's birthday present. Then I headed back for McPhoo. I was barely out of town when I was pulled over by the police. While I was waiting for the officer to approach my window, I wracked my brain, trying to figure out what law I had broken. Speeding. No. Unfastened seatbelt. No. Baby unbuckled. No. License too muddy. Maybe.

The mountie came to my window. “What’s your name?”

I answered him, even though, I was surprised by the less-than-standard question. Whatever happened to, “License and registration please.” Or at least, “Do you know why you were stopped, ma’am?”

Then he said, “Can you verify that with some ID?” I showed him my driver’s license.

“Thank you ,” he said. “You are not who we are looking for,. But your vehicle matches the description of a suspect heading for McPherson. Which way are you headed?”

“McPherson.”

“Well, you’re free to go. Have a nice day.”



The drive back was beautiful. The fall colors were out and I tried to capture them on my camera but somehow a picture never seems to do them justice. I got back an hour before the Hanthorns returned from Whitehorse. They came home to an uninhabited house and if we hadn’t told them, they never would have known their house had been a temporary ‘bed and breakfast’ for the week. Sarah and Annah gave Mackenzie $50 for watching their dogs, and Joel offered money to Keegan, but he declined. And we were all happy to see our friends again. But isn't it ironic, Kurt arrived the day the Hanthorns left, and he left when they returned. They didn't even cross paths. Kurt joked,"Tell Paul and Lynn I'm not trying to avoid them. Honest!"