Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

"I just thought, well, lots of people do it so I can do it too."

~Elias, Connie's Dad, on building his own house

Mini Vacation to Bethel
Connie and I flew into Bethel in search of preschool ideas this week. Janet, Connie's sister, picked us up at the airport Wednesday night, I was all about catching a cab so as not to burden anybody...which Connie promptly corrected me, "Friends don't let friends take cabs. At least not in my family." Seemed somehow opposite of the rest of the world but I just shrugged and went along with it. No use in trying to challenge my dear friend, that much I know;) We had a big, juicy burger in our sights for supper so Janet brought us to the Tundra Restaurant where our craving was satisfied then she sneakily treated (Quyana Janet). Thursday we had the opportunity to shadow one of Bethel's great special education preschool teachers on (Quyana Cathy). We gathered lots of great resources! She gave us all kinds of goodies to return with too, a very useful day. It's wild being in Bethel you run into all kinds of people you know. One doesn't have to be in this area very long before you're bumping into familiar faces everywhere you go...might be because there aren't many places to go therefore everyone is in the same places at the time:) It makes me smile.


Mike Is Up!
Back in the north for his 3rd trip. He arrived Friday afternoon, Connie let me use her brother's (Quyana Mike) truck to go pick him up at the airport. The plane was late arriving from Anchorage so I took a little cat nap in the waiting area until he got there. Guess I was sleeping a little harder than intended as I woke up to Mike sitting next to me, "Hi, do you know what time it is?" "What??? How long have you been here?" I groggily asked trying to figure out where I was. "Oh, I just got in," He laughed. Wiping the drool off my face, sleep out of my eyes and and mustering my best belated, "Welcome Back to Bethel" cheer I motioned to the door, "I have a truck." He showed up just in time to catch the first 3 rounds of the wrestling tournament in Bethel. Quin did great! The kids were excited to see him. I had been given the duty of 'film crew', videoing the wrestler's matches. It was entertaining and occasionally challenging when the kids had matches at the same time on two different mats. Camera one...camera two. We cheered our hearts out for the Seahawks who as always, did a great job representing our school.

Chris On Deck
Chris is back too, he returned for the 2nd time on Saturday morning. Erin retrieved him at the airport (Quyana Erin) while back at Connie's parents we were playing hairdresser. Connie was the victim;) When I grow up I want to be a hair stylist so with Elias' quote from above as my slogan I somehow convinced Connie to let me practice on her. Elias, Connie's dad, (who reminds me so much of my Grampa Skime I just want to hug him every time he talks) invited us in to visit. He laughs, gives good advice and calls me Rebecca, which Connie assures me is a compliment since he calls all his 10 daughters by each others names and not their own. He shared all kinds of stories about when he was young, hauling wood by dog sled, building his house and friends he has all over the world, incredible really. Bernie, Connie's mom, would chime in as he told stories, dishing us helpings of moose stew and homemade pumpkin pie and providing the scissors for me to open the impromptu salon;) It was like being at home. You really need that once in a while you know, to feel like you are with family. Walking into their cozy home, smelling coffee and hearing the Captain (Elias is the Honorary Port of Bethel Captain) greet us with a hardy 'Hello There', just makes ya wanna pull up a chair or curl up on the couch and listen. Once Chris arrived, we headed to the Saturday Market. All kinds of goods were displayed seal skin hats, knitted booties, ivory earrings, beaver pelts, Kuskokwim 300 sweatshirts, t shirt, homemade food, cards, candy, dolls, parkas you name it. We did some shopping. It worked out pretty great that Mike and Chris flew in while we were in Bethel.

Josh Is In the Hole
Josh is having fun flying stand by. He is/was supposed to be here Sunday, Monday or maybe Tuesday. So I'll have a house full for this week, Thank You Lord! We are invited to my friend Traci's over in Eek for Thanksgiving so that is the weather permitting plan. Speaking of, it was quite a miracle that we all made it in from Bethel tonight.

Wind and Rain on the Tundra
It was really reminding me of this time last year actually. We had snow and frozen ground Friday then bizarrely the mercury spiked. Everything is melting and the wind is blowing like crazy. We left Anya's who graciously let us stay in her apt while she was gone (Quyana Anya) and taxied out to the airport. Rain was blowing and I was quite confident we wouldn't be going anywhere. However the pilot searched us out as we were gabbing away above Grant Air in the Bethel Bean over coffee and pecan bars, paying no attention to the time factor. The pilot stepped into the little cafe..."3 for Quinhagak?" Opps, we scrambled around gathering our gear, "We're leaving already???" In moments we were 300 feet above the last of the tree spattered tundra of Bethel and making the bumpy, swerve-y, low ride back to Quin. Won't say I wasn't thrilled to see the runway lights in the distance of our little coastal home.

The Latest in Bethel
There is a brand new drive thru in Bethel! Might be the only one Bethel has ever had. That's right it ain't no coffee shop anymore it's an honest to goodness drive thru. Of course we had to check it out for ourselves, Erin 'drove us thru' in her truck. Did I mention that Erin also drug Mike and I out on a 3 mile run Saturday night on the icy roads in the pouring rain? We survived and I suppose she owed me from the beach run with the bears earlier this fall.

"The words of the wise prod us to live well. They're like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd."
Ecclesiastes 12:11