the perfect day

Yesterday was the perfect day.

I slept in while Josh manned the kids; then they all napped; then we headed outside.

It was perfect timing, as Wyatt was ready for his third & final nap of the day.

So he snoozed away, cozy in his Ergo, wrapped in a million layers, plus a blanket.

Our first destination was the river. The Yukon River.  Walking there was a piece of cake- all downhill.

I will tell you, though, that coming back up kicked my butt! I'm wearing the baby (probably about 25 pounds now) and pushing Logan's back to help him keep momentum... My thighs were burning!  That kind of hill plus the snow makes for a killer workout!

It was so beautiful, the wind mild enough to be refreshing, I think we were all filled with wonder.

The boys scampered down the hill towards the boats parked on the bank.

As we crept nearer and nearer I kept asking Josh if we were on the river yet.

Finally he said yes. We were on the river. And he pointed out that the chunks of ice in the snow were pieces that had at one point floated on the river while it was in the process of freezing.

Here we are, about halfway across the river.  Not far from where we were, there was a group of people ice fishing. I kind of wish I hadn't seen that... it made me realize that the ice is not as thick as I might think!

While we were walking down to the river, all four of us holding hands, I said, "Can you believe we are just out walking on Saturday afternoon down to the Yukon River?  That we live, with our three kids, in the middle of nowhere?"  

He replied, "It's kind of a "never in a million years" sort of thing. I would have never predicted this."

Then as we walked out, taking in the trees, the mountains, the sun, the clouds, I just felt peace. Peace about the choices we've had to make, peace about the road it took to get here (the suffering, the tears) and peace about our future here.

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You get a good feel for the village, standing in the middle of the frozen river, snapping shots in a row...

The houses, the boats...

The four wheelers & snowmobiles, 

"snow-go's" as Marshall kids call them, 

"snow-bales" as Jack calls them, 

and "snowers" as Logan calls them.

I am anxious to see what the river looks like when it's melted.

Josh says it's breathtaking.  He has a view of it from his classroom, you know.

From our house, if you crane your neck out Logan & Jack's bedroom window, you can see a trace of it.  But mostly we see tundra.

So I think this walk to the river will likely become a regular thing, so I can get my eyes on it.

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That's like the size of my graduating class. 

Unreal.

After our trek back up the hill, we headed to Marshall School to play on the playground.

The boys are just loving it here.  Jack loves being with Josh.  For him, that's the only thing that matters. In the mornings he wants Daddy to make him breakfast; after work he wants Daddy to hold him on his lap; and at bedtime he wants Daddy to read his story.

Logan loves exploring outside. He was the one who so desperately wanted to see the river.  He wanted to go all the way across!  The other day when we went out, just the boys and I, he climbed a "snow mountain" (AKA snow pile created by the city plow) and afterward he stood at the top and exclaimed, "I am the best climber in the world!"

They also love seeing the other kids.  And the other kids love meeting them. They are always trying to figure out how to tell them apart. It's sweet.

The snow at the playground is very high. Josh estimates there is about four feet of snow.

So the slide & some of the other equipment are buried at the bottom.

That didn't stop the boys from having a good time, though!

On Friday one of the principal's daughters asked me what I thought of Marshall. I told her honestly, "We are very happy here."  It felt good to say. It feels even better that it's true.

"The grand essentials of happiness are: 

something to do, 

something to love, 

and something to hope for." 

-Allan K. Chalmers

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After about two hours outside, we headed home for some warm cocoa with marshmallows & fresh baked cookies out of the oven.  Just as we were finishing up our snack, Flora (our next door neighbor & Josh's fellow teacher) pounded on the front door, motioning for us to come out.

I grabbed Jack and Josh grabbed Logan and we flew out the front door onto the railing to discover a moose, just steps from our railing stairwell.  Josh ran back in the house for his camera & memory card, so by the time he snapped some pictures, the moose had moved on, but let me tell you- it was so close!

Within minutes there was a crowd of people, and about five snow machines & four wheelers, full of people, there to see. Josh says when there is a moose in town, someone gets on what they call the VHF & announces it, so everyone in the village knows.

It was a cow- a little girl moose- so not very big.  Had it been a bull, Josh says we probably would have watched it get killed.  Crazy, right?!?

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Such an eventful, awesome day.  

The best day I've had in Marshall yet.  

I can only imagine more like it on the way!