more Amazing Alaska ...

Moose in my front yard...

Bears in the back yard (not recently of course)...

Walking on Glaciers...
Wolves by Walmart..
Lynx in the park...
Northern lights....
Beautiful snow...
Frigid cold...

Just when I thought I'd experienced Alaska to the fullest.... it deals us a double whammy....

Last Saturday we felt our first earthquake... it was a 6.1 and I didn't like it one bit! I'm sure it will surprise you to know that I was on the computer, checking my e-mail and facebook. I turned to fuss at Rick for walking like an elephant and noticed that he was standing still... uh oh.... he didn't feel anything and was thinking I was crazy (nothing new there right?!). That's when I pointed out the light over the table that was swinging wildly (okay that's a bit of an exaggeration - but it was moving pretty good not to mention the rattling of the computer desk door). At that point I called upstairs to Rian and he was feeling it too but just thought Leo was moving around in the bed. It lasted a good little while but by the time we all thought "Earthquake! - take cover" it was over. We won't make that mistake again... I hope... Our biggest problem is they kind of start out feeling like a large or fast airplane taking off over right over your house... unusual for some of you, but that happens regularly here...

Okaaaay.... so now we can relax... we've really experienced it all... and then someone says 'so Cheryl, what do you think about that Volcano.....'

VOLCANO??? WHAT VOLCANO???? REALLY??? You've got to be kidding....Redoubt?? yeah, I've heard of it but.... REALLY???

It's about 100 miles southwest of here. On a clear day you can see it from points around town. I took the above picture when we went tubing on base earlier in the month. There are actually 3 volcano's in a row....I.R.S. - Illiamna, Redoubt and Spurr.... I believe this one is either Illiamna or Redoubt but don't know for sure... guess I'll know soon enough if it is indeed Redoubt...

So that puts us where we've been almost all week, and certainly for the last 24-48 hours... On volcano watch... Rian and I have become quite the 'Volcanologists' (is that even a word?), watching the ‘webicorder’ pretty closely the last 24 hours...(Homeschooling at it's best!) Our prediction is that something will happen soon.... like any moment! (Wow...We were right! while putting the finishing touches on this a new steam vent has been seen and the ‘webicorder’ has settled down drastically... so maybe it won’t blow today after all.)

When it does finally do it's thing, I think we'll be ready.... well, as ready as you can be for an ash storm... On Wednesday I gathered what I thought were the essential supplies (according to FEMA)....

And then I was informed that we did not have the right supplies so was sent back to complete the supply list according to Rick and Rian....

So, that puts you right up to date on the Vandegrifts.... Sadly, we're pretty snowed in today, so even if I went out there wouldn't be any great pictures of the eruption, all you'll get when it happens is the ugly gray ash that will be covering my freshly fallen snow... Oh well... it will be one more thing on my amazing list of Alaska experiences.... Have a blessed weekend...

P.S. If you’d like to watch the events unfold with us you can do so at the Alaska Volcano Observatory website at http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

Happy Birthday Rian

"They really don't know what's coming do they?"

It's so hard to believe that my "baby" is 15 today and that another year of his life has passed so quickly. Then again, with Rian everything tends to move at 'warp speed' so I guess I really shouldn't be surprised!

WHY shouldn't I wear lipstick?

WHY Should I Use a Spoon for this?

He was 'up and running' long before he was actually born and hasn't stopped yet. I used to say that he was "going" from the time he got up in the morning until I strapped him into bed at night. Of course I never really tied him down, but it obviously crossed my mind at time or two!

He is still the same 'child' to this day! Of course he doesn't run around like a two year old anymore ...well...not usually anyway, BUT his brain never seems to stop (except maybe when it's time for school!). I always thought of Rian as a "strong willed" child, but when I'd read those books it wouldn't really describe him at all... As I look back I don't don't see what I thought was 'rebellion' what I see is 'creativity'... When Rian asked "why?" to "Go put your toys away" I don't think he was asking 'why' or 'if' he had to put his toys away, I think he was asking "why do I have to pick this toy up with my hands?...why can't I pick it up with my feet and then crawl down the hall on my hands? ... or balance it on my head?... or..???.." I'm sure you can imagine the frustration this caused the other 4 people in the family who ended up picking up the toys 'with him?'...(Gerad, who shared a room with him for years, is thinking 'yeah right...I picked up everyone of his toys FOR him...' ) He still asks those questions, like, why do I have to do this math problem like this, why can't I.....???? and it still frustrates those of us who live with him like crazy! But as we see him grow we at least understand it a bit more...

Why can't I catch fish with this wood, line & a hook?

In his short life span, Rian has taught me so many things! Like, how radically different patience and persistence are! I can't explain it to you here, but I can tell you that Rian is the most persistent person I know, which has pushed me into being way more patient than I ever thought I could be (which isn't saying much!!). He is the perfect picture of "Where there's a will, there's a way!" He has taught me that there is most certainly "more than one way to skin a cat." And to never give up even when the people closest to you think you're crazy!! Take a lesson from me....whatever you do, don't tell him "That won't work... you can't do that" because he WILL prove you wrong, even if it takes a year and a half to do it!

Why can't I make that out of cardboard?

In so many ways Rian is just a typical teenager, he thinks we should live on Pizza and soda. He likes to hang out with his friends, play video games, go snowboarding, play baseball, etc... but in so many other ways he is this amazing young man, that yes, drives me crazy on a daily basis, but brings so much joy and creativity to our home and I can't imagine what it would be like with out him!

I don't know what God has in store for Rian... I think Engineering might work for him (if he could just focus a bit more on that Algebra...) and he often gazes out the window thinking... "I want to fly one of those" (that would be an F-22 fighter jet). . . We'll see... one thing I do know is that when Rian figures out what his calling is, you need to move out of his way, because there will be NO stopping him!

As a mom watching my children, all to quickly, grow into adults, I love that in the midst of their growth and change, God continues to give me glimpses of those little people I used to know in the wonderful people they are today. And how fun it is to see how God has taken those little pieces of personality that I did not understand at all when they were little and made them into the people he intended them to be. What an awesome God!

"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare
and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

The New Year Starts Now...

Okay, so once again I'm a little behind, or so it may seem...

I feel like I don't get to enjoy Christmas until the 'hype' is over, so I usually spend the week after Christmas just relaxing, looking at the tree, savoring the last of the Holy Day. Then New Year's hits... more food, more fun, and little time to contemplate the past and the future until its over. So, traditionally speaking, I take the first week after New Years (I love that about homeschooling!) and spend that time getting my house in order, both physically and spiritually. So, that's where I'm at now... a week behind, but right on schedule!

I for the most part don't do resolutions... the one thing I did resolve to do this year, I already didn't do, need I say more? We have in the past made 'dream sheets' for our family; What do we want to learn this year? What do we want to do this year? How do we want to be better next year? What are we praying for, etc... It is amazing to look back at those and see how many of those dreams were accomplished and how those prayers were and are still being answered. I hate to admit that as my children have grown older, many of the things we intentionally did have fallen by the wayside... I wonder if they (especially Rian) even remember those 'dream sheets'...

So... what's in store for the New Year? Well, I may have to re-instate the dream sheet, but until then I'll share what my personal thoughts are for the New Year... The verse that will be my 'theme' so to speak, is an odd one for me, ...I prefer Proverbs, Psalms...something about who God's is, or something about his love or care, etc... but when I started thinking about the coming year what came to my mind was Luke 2:52...

"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

I need to grow first in wisdom, to be more diligent in presenting myself approved to God, a workman who is not ashamed (2 Timothy 2;15). To do this I need to be in and with The Word more and consistently, I need to be in prayer more. My second goal, while this might stretch the original intent of the verse, is to work on my 'stature.'

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit...and that you are not your own. You have been bought with a price, therefore, glorify God in your body."

I have fallen into a very lazy life style in the last year, not only physically, but spiritually and mentally as well. Does any one want to repeat this with me.... "My name is......... and I'm a blogaholic." We won't even talk about Facebook, my 'drug of choice'. I don't believe God is calling me to give those up, but He is certainly calling me to some moderation in those areas! I don't think this will affect my blogging... it just means I need to be more intentional in the time I spend on the computer (i.e. like creating a blog header instead of watching for 'changes in status' on Facebook.) AND to get a life outside of my house and my computer... those changes are in the works, I'm sure you'll hear about them as they progress.

Although I can't say I have a great outlook for the coming year... I think it's possible that it's going to be a pretty rough year for a lot of people. However, I think I have a more positive attitude towards the coming year than I have had in several years and am excited to see the the things God has in store for 2009.

So... Happy New Year to all of you! I pray that God will bless you with peace, no matter what the year brings! For those of you who are missing the pictures in this blog... check out the slide show at the bottom... We have had some bitterly cold temperatures (like 21 below zero this morning when I dropped Rick off at the hospital)...but they make for beautiful scenery... enjoy!