GREAT BIG SIGH

Yesterday I kept pushing to get things done. I longed to have at least the kitchen and the living room put together, but I only got 50% of that as the kitchen is done! Brother Nowling and I went grocery shopping at Fred Meyer and at Walmart. I haven't taken on driving around town myself yet and I'm too physically and emotionlly overwhelmed. I long to be able to have someone know where a particular item was packed, or where to put something, or make the various phone calls, or do the grocery shopping without me, but it's NOT going to happen. Not that they haven't tried...it just doesn't seem to work that way. Anyway, we had our first home cooked meal in weeks! Homemade chicken noodle soup. We even ate at the small kitchen table (Jessa's table that is, as after arguing to bring our big oak table, it's 2 feet too big even without the leaves in it). I don't know if I told anyone but we left almost all of kitchen stuff behind. That means no dishes, glasses, spices, can goods, or boxed goods. I have our small appliances, our good cookware set, two plastic bowls, silverware, and crock pots. When we went grocery shopping we bought microwaved items, forgetting we didn't have a microwave. Because of that we headed to Walmart and bought a small inexpensive microwave that was replacing our 19 year old monster one. We also bought some corelle ware plates & bowls, pizza pan, cookie sheet and me a tea kettle. So now our cupboards aren't empty of dishes or food. The quantity is low...but it's there ~smile~

Then as Jenna said, I pushed on as Brother Nowling had Micah hanging pictures for me. I think he thought we were done but were not! The rest was going to have to wait. The kids (I don't know what to call them any more), I should say Micah, Josh, Caleb, Jessa and Joleesa all stayed up and watched a movie with threats from both my brother and I that they better be quiet. Brother Nowling was already sleeping as you know he wasn't feeling good. He seems to be a lot better today but not totally.

Today was a different sort of a day. Brother Nowling and I got up and started trying to sort through our room and put some clothes away there before I called the Anchorage Daily News to let them know I was in town, and the IDEA homeschool people to get Joleesa enrolled (I'll tell you about that in a moment). As for me to employed at ADN everything is tingent on a drug test (I don't think I need your prayers for that one ~lol~). I've never done one of these before and I felt like a criminal almost. I understand all their percautions, but it was definitely uncomfortable.

That didn't take to long and I came back and Jody and I took Joleesa to get her enrolled in school. Here's another answered prayer. Joleesa's been homeschooled the last 4 years, but we didn't have the money for another year and she wanted to have a regular graduation ceremony, so we had agreed to let her go to the public school and I just succumbed to the fact that I would constantly be pleading the blood over her. Well, we live near East High School, over 2000 students and I had her transcripts sent there. Cody, one of the girls that go to church here, goes to West. She really wanted Joleesa to go there and her dad said he'd pick her up and bring her home. They had nothing good to say about East. I called West on Wednesday and they are closed to out of the area students as they are more than full! The principal was really nice and tried different ways of getting her in but it wasn't working. Well, our landlady is a Christian and homeschool's her five kids through IDEA (I don't remember what it stands for) and she was telling me about it and even printed off info for me (I had also heard about it through the Grants). So Joleesa had the option of East or homeschooling and she chose homeschooling. IDEA is awesome. They pay for up to $2000 for her homeschooling. She get's a lap top, she can take various PE activities and they'll pay for it. Photography class as well. She was set great credit wise (they accepted 2 of her 3 Bible classes) so she just need an English, a Science, 1/2 credit PE and 2 electives. So she is taking Gold English (a basic English that covers a little of everything), Geology, Meteorology, Alaskan History, and various activities for her 90 hrs of PE for sure. Then possibly digital/video photography and piano. The people were so helpful. There were several that came into welcome her and us to Alaska. They spent a lot of time going over her options with her. They did come on strong about an academic decathalon that I think she would have enjoyed if she would've gave it a try, but it merited a lot of reading and she was confident that she could do it. A land lady's son has done it for 3 years and this year will be the captain and he just happened to be there and he even tried to convince her (he was a "Hot" young man as the girls would say. Had the surfer boy look) but that wasn't enough. She actually started crying as she was afraid I'd make her and she really felt she couldn't do it. I really think she could, and I so wanted her to, but we left it to her. Through IDEA they have various activities that keep the families and 900+ kids Anchorage kids enrolled connected. Friday from 11 am - 2 pm there is a potluck lunch at the park. What better way for us to meet people.

To say the least nothing more has been done on the house as Jessa, Jenna, Caleb and Kelly all went to the coast while we were enrolling Joleesa. I didn't mind, nor did Joleesa or Jody as the thought of another 100+ miles on the road didn't thrill me. After all, the coast isn't going anywhere and neither are we for a very, very long time. Then of course we have service tonight (which they better be back for) which I'm really looking forward to and we then take my brother and nephew back to the airport.

Overall the people here in Anchorage have been very friendly and helpful. God continues to be good to us.

I'm sorry for the long post. I haven't allowed myself the time to read and post on anyone's blog until now and it felt good to put down what's been going on. Tomorrow it's back to working on the house. I won't be at peace until everything's in its place and a place for everything ~smile~