Alaska

Like coming out of a stuffy room into a cool night.
Like seeing your mother's face again after a long absence.
Like coming home.
I breathe the Alaskan air and some soul pocket of drought is filled; watered. The mountains glisten their blue sheen. The quaking aspen wave their many-handed welcome. Every way I turn, a memory winks at me. I search faces walking by and realize I'm looking for their childish counter-parts, the friends I had 20 years ago. I forget that I am grown up; that these next to me are my offspring. Page, my best friend of 20 years, and I talk late into the night, forgetting the baby will wake us at dawn. I forget the now and remember the then.

This is the tree out at Beluga that Amy and I almost set on fire. The kids love to hear the story of a windy night and a bon-fire gone bad. They love to touch the black marks and know their mommy and auntie were responsible for the desecration.

My beloved friend Page is well equipped for so many things in life. However....there was no tea kettle or pot to be found so I had to brew my tea in a vase.

One of my favorite places to go in Alaska is Potter's Marsh, a wilderness boardwalk. In the autumn all the green grass is golden and it's reminiscent of Heaven. I walk along it and hum, "it is well with my soul" because it always is well here.

We celebrated Page's birthday at Red Robin. Isn't she cute?

Grant and Isaiah celebrated with her.

Avonlea and Grant love the huge chocolate fountain at the candy store. Isn't that tempting?

I was able to see two of the little girls I nannied. I love them and I love the laughter we always share.

Page's little woman is sweet and funny and happy-go-lucky. She's so like her mama.

I was in a summertime production called the Music Machine for many (nine?) years. We were able to go see the show and it brought so much forgotten joy. I had to stop myself from jumping up on stage a couple times!

All that fun in 48 hours. And the soul pocket filled and the drought ended.......for a year or two anyway.