spring break

Though I'm not really a teacher yet, most of my income is from the xchool, which means that I gave myself spring break too. And how did I celebrate this amazing week? I swam with porpoise. Kinda. One might also call it falling in the water while kayaking. Well, the porpoise weren't really even that close. Maybe I swam near porpoise rather than with them. Though, I didn't really go swimming. I just stood I. The water up to my waist and laughed. A lot. And maybe it wasn't really porpoise at all. Because I was on a different side of the island from where they were. So maybe I just fell in. But it was still pretty hilarious if you ask me. Or if you ask my roommate, Karen. It was good times.
and I went to Juneau with my peeps. But that wasn't as cool as kayaking with somewhere around 200 porpoise.

Winter...

It's snowing sideways. We're 24" of snow shy of the record in town since they started keeping track... and it's supposed to dump 14" tonight... I'm trying my best to enjoy it...

Grateful for outdoor gear

Today I went cross country skiing. It was pretty much awesome. I forgot my camera though... my bad.

On a random note, this is my 200th post...

Grateful for snow

I live in a winter wonderland. And for now, I'm still grateful for it. I just need to remember that I'm grateful for it in April... when it's gross and melty... but until then, it's gorgeous.

Grateful for family

I love my biological family. They are amazing people who I generally enjoy spending time with. But once again as I returned to Haines yesterday, I was reminded that I have so much more family than people that share my last name. The family that I have in Haines is such a blessing. I was welcomed home with open arms and received four dinner invitations for later that day. People here welcome me into their home as one of their own. When I'm in Seattle, I have a set of parents who love me very much and a sibling who is pretty close and one who is a few hours away. But when I am in Haines, I have three sets of parents, siblings next door and down the street, little people who love me almost as much as Owen, Calla, and Josh, and a smattering of grandparents here and there. I am so blessed to live in a town that has so much love to share. As I went to a memorial service for one of those grandparents yesterday, I was reminded of what living a selfless, loving life can really be like and how long that memory will live on. Arlene Jackson will be missed for a long time to come. But Haines still has a lot to offer.

Grateful for Christmas songs

I've realized that as I've gotten older, I've started feeling less "in the Christmas spirit." Which then makes me feel a little guilty because it's the day of our savior's birth and that is something worth celebrating. But this year I've started really listening to the words of some of the Christmas songs that I've heard so many times before, and it's gotten me into the spirit of Christmas. Not the commercial spirit (though I do enjoy buying presents for the whole family with my parents money so there is something under the tree on the 25th), but the spirit of what Christmas really is. And while this viewpoint might not be very popular, it isn't even about my family and how great it is to be giving and loving during this time of year. It's about my Jesus. It's about being thankful. And that really is what the season is all about. But it's not just this season. On the 26th we should be just as thankful and in awe of the gift of Jesus as we are on the 25th.

And just for good measure, here's a couple of my favorite less traditional Christmas songs.
Leaving Heaven
Day After Christmas
Evergreen
While You Were Sleeping

Grateful for... uh... stuff

Grateful heart Friday time! Today, I don't necessarily have anything in particular that I am grateful for. I mean, I'm grateful for all kinds of things, but nothing sticks out today. I'm grateful for all the standard things, like having a place to stay and food to eat, and a fairly good life in general. But I guess that I should focus more on the things in my life that are worth being grateful for. So yeah.

Grateful for Haines... and Seattle...

It has been brought to my attention that my last blog post was a little on the downer side of things. So I am going to reinstate Grateful Heart Fridays starting today so I can be reminded of all the things that I am thankful for...

This week I am particularly grateful for my friends in Haines... the fact that a couple new people showed up in town that I think are ridiculously awesome. And the awesome people that have been there for the past couple years who I can hang out with like I never left.

I am also mega grateful for my time in Seattle. What I looked at with trepidation in the moments before leaving Haines, has become a blessing. Not that it's always easy, but I do believe that there is a good purpose for my time here. So I'm trusting God in that. And I do love the time that I get to spend with the little Maxwells.

Hanging in there...?

So one of my dear old friends in Haines, Arlene, died last week. And yet, I know that she is in a better place and she is far happier now than she was while she was still on this earth. For the past two years, when someone would ask how she was doing she would either feign a "good" or reply more honestly with "I'm hanging in there."
I've been feeling a little bit like that this week. I'm not good, but I say that I am. Or if I respond honestly, I'm hanging in there. But there is so much more to life than just hanging in there. I feel like I'm not making the most of my life when I'm just hanging in there. If I'm supposed to consider it pure joy whenever I face trials (James 1), then I should be doing more than just hanging in there. If I'm not supposed to worry and just pray about things (Philippians 4), then I should be doing more than just hanging in there. If I'm supposed to fully understand the love of God (Ephesians 3), then I should definitely be more than just hanging in there.
Sometimes I may just be hanging in there. But I'm called to more than that. We all are.

Weekend Highlights

Spending five days with the family can be super fun and tiring all at the same time. But generally, some awesomeness will ensue... so let's focus on the positive, shall we?

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Calla has learned her "t" sound well enough to call me Kate rather than kak.

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Josh knocked over the tower that Owen had proudly been working on and wandered around the room saying "I knocked it" with a huge grin on his face.

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Laughing so hard I cried with my siblings playing a random word game... and no, Bonzo is not a clown.

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Best alarm clock ever -getting jumped on by a four year old

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Owen asked me if I was married. Because the only reason anyone would ever wear a ring is if they were married, right? I told him he'd probably know if I got married.

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Josh 'riding' his bike


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Scott's version of parkour -running around the playground equipment and then throwing his arms in the air after a successful landing

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Watching the huskies beat the cougars with five other former huskies and the future huskies (hopefully)... and a falcon (who is a husky fan out of necessity by marrying a Maxwell)...

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Actual conversations with my family since I'm not a great phone talker

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Remembering that I do actually have a significant number of things in my life to be thankful for

Seattle

I find myself laying in bed in my parents' house once again tonight. It's an odd feeling, this living in two places. I mean, I spend most of my time in Haines. My heart is in Haines. I feel like God is calling me to live in Haines right now. But for the next month and a half or so, I'm down south. I have to trust that God will use this time for His glory somehow. I feel like I've been clinging to Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Long time no update!

Hello blogishpere!

I'm alive and well. Living in Haines is pretty much everything I missed about when I left a year ago. I'm subbing a bunch at the school, still working for the town handyman, and just loving life in general. Of course, the thing that I added on this year is camp stuff, which is pretty much my dream.

This summer was absolutely awesome. It was exhausting and challenging and frustrating at times, and I wouldn't change it for anything. I laughed a ton, cried (just once :)) and ran and played and spoke in front of kids about serious things.

Life now is pretty much whatever comes my way. I work when and where I can. I'm living with the Jones family until I can figure out a more long-term solution. So life in general is good... though I do miss my family (especially the little ones) a lot...

Grateful for Friends

There is nothing in particular that I am grateful for, so I'm going to talk about how awesome my friends are... and all the awesome places we go together. I went to Vegas with Beckie and Caitlin


I went to go see some pretty flowers with Jenna


And I get to go drive across the country with Becca soon. I'm pretty stoked. Not so stoked about trying to see a bunch of my friends in the next couple weeks before I take off for the forseeable future...

Grateful for Family

I got to spend a few days with my nephews this week. They pretty much make my heart happy...

Grateful for education

This week I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue my education. I finished up my student teaching last Friday, and I've been working on finishing up all the assignments that go along with that. That also means that I get to start working more hardcore and seriously on my masters thesis, which in a way, I'm grateful for as well. I'm grateful that God gave me this great mind and that I'm actually using it. And I'm super grateful that I get to take off with some good friends and just relax next week. :)