Update

There has been so much going on... here's a little update and a look ahead. My next post will be from Sayulita, Mexico! Tomorrow Caitlin, Brooke and I are driving over to Seattle to meet our parents. Saturday morning we will be flying south on Delta. I have never been to Mexico and am getting really excited. I'm trying to pack smart... packing my bags and then getting rid of half of what I put in. So far, so good. The hardest part is not having Kent go with us. This will be the longest time and greatest distance we have been apart since we were married. Like I told Kent, I'm going to have to be adventurous without him! As we explain it to our commercial fisherman relatives, missing this week for Kent would be like going on a vacation in the middle of fishing season. Just can't happen.

Caitlin and I hosted the annual Epiphany party for the younger people (20-30's) at Grace Lutheran. Our friend John invited everyone, so we really didn't know how many people would show up. To our surprise people poured in! It's nice to know that Caitlin's tiny living room can seat 13+! One lady made the epiphany cake which had a surprise inside. Whoever had the piece of cake with the foil covered bean inside would get a prize! Kent was the lucky winner. To our dismay we found out that the prize was a bucket of John's favorite white elephant gifts... yipee! We all had good conversation, lots of laughs, and even played a game of Taboo. It was a good night!

Maisy had to get shaved... doesn't she look happy!?! She is really looking like a poodle now. I thought it was pretty funny how the groomer left her ears and tail long!

Brooke LOVES to grab onto Kent's hair and not let go! Kent now has a good excuse for the lack of hair on his head. By the way, we celebrated Kent's 28th birthday and our six year anniversary on January 4th!

5 Months Old

Wow, time passes fast! Brooke is almost half a year old. Her personality is showing more every day. We can see the growth of her hair, but most people don't notice the invisible blonde hair covering her head. She is quite the performer in public, always catching the eye of strangers and especially grandmothers! We are constantly asked, "Is she ALWAYS this good?" Well...... she can put on a good show; just ask her Auntie Caitlin! Caitlin knows Brooke very well because she babysits her 2-3 times per week during the afternoon. She watched her last night and Brooke screamed the entire time. Caitlin said that would be her last night babysitting! :( Guess we're not going on any date nights anytime soon!

It's so much fun to see her new skills develop. Some of her new skills are grabbing her feet while laying on her back (and putting them in her mouth if her feet are bare), saying "Na's and Ma's", screaming in delight and frustration, rolling from side-to-side and front to back, and much more! For the last 2-3 months she has shown the love of standing and the last two weeks we have been amazed to see her move her feet across the floor as if she's walking. We're a little worried that she may be an early walker like her Great-Uncle Rob (9 months, I'm told!). YIKES!

She just started reaching for things. Let me correct myself, EVERYTHING. As I type she inserts letters and hits the space bar and as I cook with her in the front pack, I have to keep everything at arms length. This means she also grabs my mouth, nose, ears, earrings, hair and especially Kent's arm hair!

For Sure!

Although our meeting was short, Eden and Rogathe were an important part of our time in Petersburg. I learned so much from their arrival at Christmas Eve dinner where they so warmly wished us Merry Christmas by a hug and kiss. Not knowing who they were, I was so impressed by their loving spirit. This couple was visiting our congregation to share about their home in Tanzania, themselves and their faith but they really shared much more!

When we told Eden of our sponsored child in his home country, Tanzania. With out hesitation he told us to bring him her name, age and city so that he could check up on her for us. What a kind heart!

We were saddened to hear that Eden passed away from a heart attack. Please pray for Rogathe who will have such a hard journey home. We pray for the town of Petersburg who will mourning his passing and so very saddened to lose a friend.

IMEKWISHA (Swahili)

'It is finished'

Goodbye Snow

It's raining outside! We're not excited to see what our streets will look like tomorrow morning...

Tonight Brooke and I went to the Cashmere High School basketball games. We got to watch Kent direct his band from across the court. Brooke who was wearing her bulldog orange even got to meet the bulldog mascot. I can see us using this photo when she's a graduating senior!

A Very Cold Walk!

We bundled up and took a walk on Saturday. It was good to get out, but 20* with wind chill was way too cold! It was fun to take photos of some things on our walk. The rose hips added a neat red highlight and we had fun listening to the ice swish, swash and crack below us when we walked over the bridge.

The Last Christmas Post

Here are some random photographs from Petersburg.

I was really excited to see the new swimming facility. I didn't get a chance to try the pools, but hopefully I'll get to swim there this summer. There is a hot pool with a water slide and a large pool for swimming and diving.

Uncle John let us try out his snowmobiles. It was a lot of fun to run around the muskeg behind his house. We lost Caitlin for a while, but luckily we all ended up back at the house!



Brooke fell asleep in an interesting position... nice belly!

Our family loves playing "Mexican train dominoes". We always have a good laugh and get to tease each other as the game progresses. My dad always announces the scores, Grandpa or Caitlin keeps the Mexican train organized and we all hope for some good luck.

I had one of the best Christmases ever. It was all about being back home after four years (seven years since my last Alaskan Christmas), reconnecting with family and friends, introducing Brooke to everyone, playing in the snow, going to church and performing Christmas music. We especially loved staying at my grandparent's house. They are some of the most loving, humorous, energetic and generous people I know and I'm so lucky to have them as my grandparents. I've been telling myself for four years that I could never live in Alaska again, but this time I really didn't want to leave. I'm excited to spend a few weeks in Alaska again this summer when I reconnect with the Petersburg High School class of 1999 at our ten year reunion!

Christmas Day

In the future, Christmas will not only mean the birth of Jesus for our family but the day we reflect back on Kent and Brooke's baptism. Surrounded by family and light seeping through the stained glass, Pastor Al Solmonson baptized Kent and Brooke and also gave a touching sermon.

It was a special moment when Pastor Al asked for our family to join us in front. Great-Grandmother Colleen was asked to pour the water and Grandparents John and Carol lit the candles. Brooke wore the Swanson family heirloom, a white baptismal gown first worn by my Uncle Rob and then each family member afterward. It was sewn by my Great-Grandmother Ann McDonald. Brooke was also given a beautiful Danish cross given to her by her Grandparents Bing and Britta.

Brooke was a well behaved baby during her baptism. She squirmed at first but then gave a big smile for her Auntie Caitlin. It was a great day! A big thank you to Pastor Al for welcoming us with open arms and being an important part of the community of Petersburg and the Lutheran Church.

Winter Scenes from Petersburg, Alaska

A few of the mornings we were lucky enough to see the sun rise and light up the mountains.

We drove "out the road" to Blind Slough. The snow covered all the branches of the trees and the iced over slough.

There were two deer enjoying the blueberry bushes outside our house. They both had already lost one of their antlers.

A green marker keeps boaters from getting into shallow water.

The downtown was bustling on Christmas Eve with julebukking. Lots of the local businesses set up drinks and treats to thank the locals for their support this year. We stood in Lee's Clothing for over an hour and ended up seeing our entire family plus past teachers and friends. We didn't even make it to the goodies! I think julebukking should be adopted by every community!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve has a lot of tradition in my family. Click here to watch a video about our Norwegian tradition of making lutefisk and korv for Christmas Eve dinner. Early in the morning all the men in the family arrive at Grandpa Wally's house to make the korv (sausage). The potatoes are ground, meat and spices added and then put into the casings. Everyone gets a chance to help.

All the Swanson family men (and Brooke) at Grandpa Wally's house on Christmas Eve morning. From left to right: Matt, Kent and Brooke, Gerald, Adam, Ethan, Jim, Sawyer, Lance, Logan, John S., Brian, John M., Rob, and Wally.

Forty people arrived at Aunt Terri and Uncle Rob's home for dinner that evening. Every inch of their house was so beautifully decorated for Christmas.

Brooke looked pretty cute with her Christmas dress on. The cute velvet shoes were her Auntie Caitlin's shoes from 1983!

Christmas + Music = A Very Merry Christmas

It would not be Christmas without music! We both brought our trumpets up to perform in a concert and two church services on Christmas Eve. Above: Kent and Grandma Koke play some jazzy Christmas music.

We joined the Oxford Carolers as they sang Christmas carols at the local businesses and hospital.

The group of carolers walked on snow filled streets between stops at local businesses.