Ch-ch-changes...

So much is happening so fast. In case you haven't heard, Andy was terminated 2 1/2 weeks ago. He's looking for jobs anywhere in the US - the east coast is our first pick, but let's face it we'll go where ever he can find a job.

We've decided to move. We are giving our landlord 30 days notice tomorrow. The plan is to move back to the lower 48. Andy has been having some great interviews with an HR firm in Boston, be we need a job offer before we move there as it's crazy expensive. I thought Anchorage was expensive - and coming from NH it is - but Boston and DC (another place we were looking) are just CRAZY!

So, that's what is going on here. If you know of anyone looking for an HR Manager/Director let us know. Andy has a good amount of experience in HR and has been focusing on employment law, regulations, unions, training, etc.

We are, however, enjoy having Andy home at this time. Monday we took the kids to the state fair and the boys went crazy at the firetruck. Here are Ben and Christian - they are still talking about how much fun they had!

We had a hard time getting Christian to get down - he was ready to stay! Maybe we'll get back to the east coast in time for another fair.  We'll see.

Sammy is Mobile!

Sammy started crawling about two weeks ago. He just loves being mobile. He has great fun chasing kitties and siblings, but alas, he just can't quite catch them! It's tough to be the youngest.

Sarah's Baptism

Well, it's been several months since I've updated my blog. We've been getting settled in Alaska. It's been hard, we're all terribly homesick but we know we made the right choice and it feels so good to be together as a family again.

The highlight of the last few months has been Sarah's baptism. She turned 8 on May 13th. I don't like the way our ward does baptisms for children, they take - what I call - the "cattle call" approach. All children get baptised on the first Thursday night of the month, you can pick the month, but that's it. It's very efficient, but not very personal. With Sarah being so homesick, "Mom, I really wish all my friends could be at my baptism," and going through a shy streak, this just wasn't what I wanted for her. So, over Memorial Day weekend we drove up to Fairbanks (a 6-hour drive to the middle of Alaska), and had Sarah baptised at her Uncle's ward. It was great!

Andy's family was in Fairbanks for the holiday weekend and was able to join us. We filled up the first three pews at the church! The talks were just for Sarah, some of her older cousins did her hair, and we all just loved and doted on her. It was a very special day for a very special girl.

My "Alaska Mission"

We are back in Alaska.

For the past 8 months the kids and I have been in our home in New Hampshire while Andy looked for a job there and continued to work in Alaska. While we loved, loved, loved being with our friends again in NH, we missed Andy too much and the job search was going on far too long. So we decided to reunite the family and head back to Alaska for a short time. We will continue to search for a job in NH, but we will do as a family from Alaska.

Sunday after church some of my dear friends started singing one of my favorite hymns - a few started and then the whole room spontaneously joined in:

God be with you till we meet again;
By his counsels guide, uphold you;
With his sheep securely fold you.
God be with you till we meet again.
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’ feet,
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.

I was so touched. I know that I will always remember the love I felt in that room. I am so grateful for my friends - my sisters - from whom I have learned so much.

God be with you till we meet again.