Starting to feel like home

Dillon said to me on Wednesday, "you know, Mom...we have been in this house so long that it feels like home now!" I was SO happy to hear that! I also was glad for the hug from my boy that accompanied that sentiment.
This IS starting to feel like home, here in our snug mobile home. We have gathered some comfort items...like books! :) around us and are settling in.
The children are starting to sleep better, a relief for their parents :) We are discovering the wonderful sledding available out our back door- a terrific run onto the tundra and how like God to save this place for the time when the younger children are ready and able to enjoy it to the fullest extent possible!

While we are all starting to feel like this is home, I was reminded today that there are changes imminent in our living situation. We received the repair estimate from the adjuster today making it very clear that as much as this place feels like home, it is only for awhile. We are about to be thrust into decision making mode. We must first decide whether or not we will actually rebuild. We are leaning in that direction, but there is also the possibility of cashing out, selling the land as-is and buying something else. Please remember us in the next several days as we seek to sort through all the options. My desire is to glorify God, above all...whatever that means; re-build, cash out, rent for a bit...whatever will cause the most people to look at Jesus and realize that He is real and loves them, just like He loves me, that is what I want!

I spent almost all day at the dentist today. I had a tooth that was sensitive to pressure and temperature changes, so I knew going in the door that I probably needed a crown. Yep, I was right! As the dentist was prepping for the crown, he discovered that the contact point between the two teeth concealed a large crack in the enamel of the adjacent tooth. He graciously worked me into his schedule for the afternoon to make it possible to prep the second tooth since this was his last day in Dillingham until April; I came home (after two hours at the office) quickly fed everybody lunch, went into town to check the mail-and collect the inevitable packages :)-and stopped at home to make sure that Alyssa was okay with Suzanna, Thomas and Dillon staying home with her while I went to have the second tooth prepped. Champ that she is, she said that was fine and I took off. Two hours later I returned home to a clean and vacuumed living room and four children who were worn out from sledding! I am now typing this entry at 11:21 waiting for the meds to kick in and conquer the migraine and tooth and jaw ache that I am fighting. At least eveyone is asleep and it is quiet.

Oh, BTW for those of you who don't live in Bush Alaska...our dentist flies in from Anchorage for four days every 5-6 weeks. Unbelievable to most of the US, but just part of living here! There is dental care available all the time at the clinic at the hospital compound, and we take the children there for check ups and work on their baby teeth, but prefer the fly in dentist for grown up teeth.