October is the month that Wrangell decides to end the summer weather, and turn to rain and shorter days. It may sound terrible, but really after a summer of long days and beautiful weather, and feeling like you need to take full advantage of nature and never rest or sleep, it is a welcomed change.

During the first part of the month, Jim was out as a deckhand on a shrimp boat. You can call him Bubba from now on. He was excited to experience the fast paced shrimping business. Shrimping is way different from crabbing. With my limited knowledge of both fisheries, I do know that shrimping requires more networking and understanding of markets (live markets, tails, spots, stripes, etc.). With shrimping, you are also limited on what hours of the day you can actively pull and set your gear, whereas with crabbing you could work at 2 in the morning if your little heart desired. Shrimping also usually requires that you stay out on the boat overnight occasionally depending on which district is open and where you are shrimping. Jim stayed overnight on the boat a few nights at the beginning of the season. I was happy for him to come home, and then to shower!

We finished up the youth basketball season with a playoff game and practically all the members on our team were picked to go on to the all star league for Wrangell. Wrangell Parks and Recreation schedules games against the neighboring island town of Petersburg during the month of November. The first weekend involves youth basketball players from Petersburg traveling by boat to Wrangell for games and the next weekend, roles are reversed and Wrangell players travel to Petersburg. I just love the fun activities and opportunities for kids in this town.

I have recently gotten involved with an awesome group of people who are starting up a Les Mills facility in Wrangell in February/March, 2017. We have been working out together 4 times a week at 5:30 am... killer! But I am thankful for the opportunity to become a certified Les Mills instructor and be part of the opening of a new fitness venue in Wrangell! Go, team!

Otherwise, we have been watching Toby grow. He is quickly catching up with Beatrice and more than keeps up with her when they play. He weighs about 15 pounds now! He can now jump onto the couch independently, so Beatrice has no "puppy safe zone" anymore. They are getting along very well!

My monthly "God thing":
You can't tell me that prayers do not work! Every morning and every evening I prayed for Jim's safety, the crew's safety, and for plenty of shrimp to fill the pots while they were out on the boat. I prayed for good weather, calm waters, and good experience. Jim was out on the boat for almost 2 full weeks, with only 2 days of light rain, calm waters every day, and no health issues. For southeast Alaska, in October, 2 weeks of fair weather is EXTREMELY rare. Two days after Jim finished shrimping district 7 with the crew, he returned home and to work for good and the crew and boat moved on to shrimp in district 8. Less than 48 hours after Jim got off the boat, he got word that the boat he was on had damage to the hull and was going down. The captain was able to call in for help with Jim's satellite phone that he left on board, beach the boat, and were found by search and rescue with no major injuries very quickly. All three on board returned safely to Wrangell and the boat was brought in a few days later. What a wake up call for both of us! I am so thankful that Jim was on that boat earlier in the season, that he left his satellite phone on the boat, and that all the crew members were returned home safely. Prayers work, people!

This is a special edition post in honor of a very special lady! She is 94 years young on October 18th and is the role model and hero of many people all across the USA and I have a video as proof.

Grandma, you are a wonderful person. You inspire me and many others to be all around better. You light up a room when you enter with your positive spirit and friendship. You always offer a listening ear and give advice (even in situations when it may be hard to take) and look after your "flock".

We all love you so dearly! We have gathered well wishes from all over the USA, even though some we were unable to obtain due to technical issues. Just know that you are in all of our hearts always, but especially on this day.

P.S. Thank you, Kevin for putting together this video. I am sure that I may have eventually figured out how to do it, but I know it wouldn't have looked as good and it would have taken me FOREVER!

Welcome to my September (and a little bit of August) summary!

What a fun month we have had. I hate to sound like a broken record, but this life is so fun and I can't believe I am the one lucky enough to live it. It always amazes me how busy we stay on a little island. Slow days are rare and appreciated. In this past month and a half we said goodbye to all of our out of town wedding guests and my mom, who migrated back south for the winter, and got back into "every day life".

Before the ultimate birthday present (Toby) arrived, Jim spoiled me with a new camera and a picnic hike. The weather was beautiful, the company was perfect, and the sub sandwiches were much desired after a few miles on foot. Beatrice was even pooped after this hike! We almost had to carry her!

Rainbow Falls

The next weekend, this girl reeled in her first halibut! It was about 35 pounds but I swear it fought like it was 60 pounds. It was definitely a thrill and apparently I have great commentary while pulling in a big fish: "my arms don't work anymore!"

Toby arrived mid-September and has been keeping us, but mostly Beatrice, on our toes ever since. He is a ball of energy for sure. Surprisingly, Beatrice was accepting and playful with him from day 1. It is crazy how fast he grows! He has already outgrown his puppy collar and can no longer fit under our quilt trunk to play peek-a-boo with Beatrice. A second dog is definitely easier than the first dog because they have each other as an outlet for energy. Now if I can just get him fully house trained and to sleep past 6:00 am...

                                                

The day after Toby arrived, we were offered a float plane trip to Virginia Lake as a wedding gift (thanks, Mike!). It was a first float plane trip for both Jim and me, although we have both been on a small passenger plane before. I really like the thought of flying on a small float plane, but my stomach does not even though the views were awesome and the flight was smooth. It was nice to be "away" for an afternoon at the cabin with no dogs to watch (thanks mom, dad, and Kevin), no internet to surf, no chores to do, and no distractions. We hopped on a row boat at the lake and fished for trout, sat on the dock, played cribbage, and just enjoyed the sunshine. 

Otherwise, we are embracing the activities of day-to-day life including chasing the Northern Lights (no big deal) and coaching 4th-6th grade youth basketball. Okay, let's be real, Jim is coaching - I am more of a cheerleader/behavioral support. It's fun! We have enjoyed getting to know some kids here and see them learn how to work as a team. 

Here is to the next month of adventure! Jim is out on a shrimp boat until October 12th, which means I am trying to keep up with these crazy puppies by myself. Maybe next month's update will include tips and tricks on maintaining your sanity with a 10 week old beagle who pees everywhere! Stay tuned.

My monthly "God thing": 

You know those days when everything seems to happen all at once? Sure, you may start the day with the right attitude and a healthy breakfast but then everything else happens. Your husband leaves to shrimp for two weeks, your dogs constantly want each other's bones and toys, the light in the kitchen won't stop flickering, you are coaching a team of kids who just lost their first game, and you have a busier day at work than expected so have to go in later to finish paperwork. I had a day like that this week and do you want to know how God presented himself and said, "It's okay, Kristen. I've got you"? My last little patient showed up to her session with a bright, beautiful bouquet of flowers. He is always there for us and send us bits of encouragement right when we need them. You just have to listen. 

GUESS WHO'S BACK!!
I wish I could adequately tell you how busy I have been and how fast the past year seemed to fly by for us. It has been just over a year since my last post (which is embarrassing) so my plan is to give you a year in review with my favorite picture from each month from September 2015 to August 2016. Then, it is my goal to update my blog monthly, which is more realistic than my previous weekly updates. Anyway, here we go!

September, 2015:

Jim's parents made their first trip to Wrangell! It is always exciting to have visitors, but especially first time visitors that are seeing our home for the first time. We love showing Wrangell off. 

October, 2015: 

I got my first view of the Northern Lights, which I think is on everyone's "bucket list". They do not disappoint and are definitely one of the best things about the darker days in Wrangell. 

November, 2015: 

I made my first trip "down south" to North Carolina since our move. It was awesome to see family and friends that I had been missing for 11 months. I spent two weeks trying to visit and fit everyone in and realized just how great it is to have people who love you all across the country. Distance did not change a thing!

December, 2015: 

I returned to Wrangell for the holidays. We spent our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in our new house. We (and when I say we, I mean Jim) chopped down our Christmas tree, which added the perfect touch to our cabin decor. 

January, 2016: 

I spent January learning to quilt, thanks to my friend Mindy. It's dark, rainy/snowy, and cold out so I loved getting crafty with our wood stove burning and coffee brewing. 

February, 2016: 

We always did our best to attend home basketball games at Wrangell High School, but we would have never missed the Homecoming game when Kevin was crowned Homecoming King of Wrangell High School, 2016. It was so fun to watch him accept his crown to the sound of the Imperial March playing by the background by the high school band. Go, little bro! I love this town!

March, 2016: 

I could not pick just one picture for March - sorry, not sorry. Jim and I traveled to North Carolina and Virginia together to be showered with love and gifts from family and friends at two different showers on Easter weekend. I also met my best friends first born, Geoffrey (love at first sight does exist) and found out my little sister and her husband are expecting their first sweet baby girl (love at first thought exists too)! 

April, 2016: 

I spent a weekend in April bettering my self as a Speech-Language Pathologist by attending a Vital Stim course in Seattle. This is a modality which uses neuromuscular electric stimulation to strengthen and re-education swallowing muscles to do their thing! I can't describe how weird this felt...

May, 2016: 

The salmon derby opens in Wrangell during the month of May and this past derby I caught my first King Salmon! You can bet I took my fish proudly to the scales to enter it in for the derby and swear the scales were broken. I am still proud of my (barely legal size) 10.5 lb fish. 

June, 2016: 

We celebrated Jim's 30th birthday and my mom's 60th birthday (but don't tell her I told you) during the month of June. With the help of many others, I successfully pulled off a surprise cookout party. Jim also experienced his first commercial crabbing season opening the day after his birthday. I am always proud of him and his enthusiasm towards learning new things. 

July, 2016: 

July was spent in last minute preparation for the wedding and embracing the last few "legally single" date nights, fishing trips, and adventures we could. Every piece of our wedding fell into place beautifully and I am so thankful for all the support and help we received. 

August, 2016: 

We had the best day EVER on August 6, 2016! We said our "I do's" at 11 that Saturday morning and spent the afternoon eating yummy food and cake (thanks Tammy and Sherri) and celebrating with our friends and family. We were blessed with the best weather you could imagine and safe travel for all of our out of town guests. We are so lucky!

So now here we are in September, 2016, still loving everything about this beautiful life and learning more and more as we go. Beatrice the beagle is still doing well and will be gaining a friend this month - another beagle named Tobias/"Toby". I can't wait to meet him in just a few weeks!

Stay tuned for next month's update which is sure to include an unhealthy amount of beagle pictures. :)

My monthly "God thing": 

A lot of sad news has come across our media in the past year. The more I hear and see, the more I would like to disconnect from all the propaganda. Then I was reminded by this song (link below) this morning that we should continue to do what we are all called to do as Christians and continue to Love. I purposefully capitalize Love to give specificity to the word and not use it loosely. When I say Love, I mean to Love as we are commanded, as Christ has loved us. His Love is unconditional and the realist thing out there. 

#wheresthelove?