Before leaving, i was able to see my handsome son. I had asked the adoptive parents way before i was in town and was expecting them to say "No".. which i totally would've understood if they did.. but im very blessed that they said "Yes". So we met up at a mall and chatted. Elijah was very interested in a elevator and a train, so we went to the food court and ate there together. It was very encouraging to know that they all pray together. His older brother loved telling me stories, and his sisters were also saying a few things about themselves. Elijah doesn't know about the whole adoption just yet- but they will be telling him when he is old enough to really understand. They said that they had to get his hair cut 5times already--crazzie. 
Away i go to Michigan alone with the kids. It wasn't super bad, tho Jameson was very cranky and forgot his manners- so he didn't get what he wanted right away. I played around with Delaney with a picture book i had {one where you look for the differences between 2 same pics}. Their dad and grandparents met them at the airport and so did my dad. My dad was super siked to have seen me, tho i really wasn't homesick- i saw how Daynasick people were {they all missed me tons}! 
My mom had told me about this one place blowing up a few months ago. She was asleep at the time and didn't even wake up at all when there was a big BANG!.. There were some houses nearby that pretty much is condemned{non-liveable} now and the bussiness around it-windows broken for a few blocks. My mom showed me this place one of the days i was there.. {pic-this is whats left of the building}. This place is just a few hourses away from my friend's house- doesn't look like he is still living there, so i wonder where he is at now--yet too scared to ask him. Praise the Lord tho-- noone was hurt by this, besides some cuts from the broken glass.
I was very glad to be able to see my new sister-in-law! We went out to eat with my little bro {not her hubby} and just chatted. She is one very cool girl. I am very glad that my older brother married her. I was able to help out at a youth-group and just see what Jayme faces each week. Jayme, Deanna and I had went to see the new HarryPotter movie together-people at the movie were super excited and were not quiet during most of it {claping and cheering..etc}. I thought it was super nifty that 2 elderly ladies sat by me and was whispering together--kinda like Kaytie would with me when i am lost about whats going on, or when she just wants to explain something deeper. So i listened to these ladies as i watched the movie and got some inside scoop about it that i wouldn't have if they weren't sitting by me.
Jayme and Deanna has a cute new puppy. He was all over the place and chewing on shoe-laces like crazzie! They surely do have their hands full with this little guy! It was hard to capture a good picture of him, but i finally did! Yays! :D There were some kids that came over one day and they were all over the dog- chasing, putting his toys into his mouth, hugging, lifting him up, and falling on top of him..etc... poor dog. 
The day before i left, Deanna, Jayme, Mom and I went to Green Feild Village and just walked around and checked out the different houses of how people used to live back in the 30s or 50s. My mom brought this hard candy thing that melts in your mouth {i remember her talking about it one time a few hours ago}.. so i tried it, and it was pretty good--tho it was very sugary! Deanna and Jayme made some candles while mom and i watched and took pics and chatted. 
Then i met up with the grandparents at the airport and took the kids on my own back to GA for the night.. we met up with their parents. Delaney fell asleep and i just played with Jameson. He wasn't cranky this time. :D It was a good trip. I just love flying! Tho i wish i could've visited with Stephen for the day. O-wells. We chatted on the phone for a while. It was my last day to be in the same time-zone as him... I really hate the whole 4 hour differences..grr!
Flying from GA to WA... i sat in Daron's seat as he sat with one of the kids and Jenice sat with the other kid. Someone asked me for Daron and i said he would either be in seat 21 or 27... so the lady left and then came back and told me to get my bags- so i did and she took me to seat 1A.. {oh yeah- that's First Class baby!!}. It was super awesome. So i guess Daron had an upgrade and gave it to me.. I got to watch a free movie, drink whatever i wanted {water!}, and eat {tomatoes, some fancy meat thing, and chocolate covered icecream} for free--as well as, have more space!
It was indeed ever so good to get back into "normal".. Played around with the kids, rest, feed them and just enjoy them. They were super happy about their horses and was playing with them. Very cute! So of course i had to take pics of it- and Delaney was being silly by hiding, but i got her! :D Jameson had wanted to go to McD one day, but he was being very pouty and when i told him to clean up- he didn't, so we didn't go to McD. Which i was ok with it. I really don't reward bad behavior- and they know it. I don't have to be nice all the time, that isn't my job {to be nice}, my job is to watch them and make sure nothing bad happens to them. 
I took the kids to the Glacier on Friday, it was very cool. We had to hike it, so we took the pathway that led through the woods yet is gated up a beidged up from the bears.. and we were able to see 2 bears and watch one chase after a fish. The bear was super fast that the fish had no chance! So we left while the bear ate the fish and the tourists were getting to be too much {i am amazed that i even got a pic of the bear bc there were a bunch of tourist there}. Then we walked to the Glacier, Jameson and Delaney wanted to run but i told them that we couldn't right then because of all the tourist {there were at least 3 busses loads of tourist there--yikes!}. But it was still fun! :D
Later that same day, Kjerstin and I went to the Glacier too. It was super amazing! God is ever so amazing! I am just in awe at what all He does in my life and what all He shows me throughout my life and even with my stay here in AK. Kjerstin and I saw at least 5-6 bears and an Eagle eating a left over fish. We were watching the Eagle and was going to try to get a pic of it flying- when a bear came walking out. also another bear with a cub, and then 2 other bears came by--one of the 2 caught a fish and so they frought over that fish and then just played around a bit. it was fun to watch. As we were leaving, there was a bear that walked toward the parking lot-- but it must've gone back into the woods by the time we got to the parking lot. It was just a great time with one of my best friend! 
There were some locals and a few toustist there. But not as much as there were in the afternoon {when i had gone with the kids}. Kjerstin had taken some very sweet shots of the bears and the eagle. And i got some shots of her taking pics-- haha.. thats the kind of friend i am! :P haha! Pic of the tourist- they were looking at a bear eating a fish and was waiting for it to move--which it did after a while. 
The Wednesday i was back, Jenny {a new friend i've made this summer} asked to have dinner with me we the Waffle shop and then invited me to a college-Bible Study group {which turned out to be very cool.. didn't really know about- but wouldn't have mattered if i did, because i am usually always busy on Wednesday, and will be this semester for surely}. They were having a prom night that day too- but i skipped out on it because i was still mega tired from the plane-trip. But while i was there, i heard about this hiking thing that they were planning on doing.. so i found out where they were meeting up at and met them there and went with Jenny's group {which i am ever so glad i did- she is a sweetheart}. We were the 2nd group to have left {4 groups in all} and didn't have to be a huge hurry. {the last group ran up the trails-- i am impressed by them}
It was a very hard hike for me... nothing but up hill and step-like paths. I was so sore and tired and worn out... Jenny stood by me the whole time.. and then after a while the rest of the group decided to just let me lead them and go at my own pace- They were very encouraging and very sweet. We stoped 4 times before our main stop {where the cross was at} and just prayed for Juneau, Others, and Ourselves {our own personal walk with Jesus, our own mountain that we may be facing or will be facing}. Once we made it to the cross, we sang songs and just enjoyed the view- i prayed and sang as i admire God's handiwork! A big group, afterwards, ended up leaving {hiked back down, while a group of us went to hike up the mountian to the summit {top}.
I really wanted to make it to the top... but of course i couldn't.. but we did made it very far up and i was very impressed and proud of how much God's Strength there was.. I am sure i would've made it all the way to the top- but i didn't want to make Jenny very late for a thing she had to go later that day. So we met up with a small group {2girls and 2 buys} and just hanged out with them, ate lunch and just chatted. I am very blessed with Jenny and know that God has something amazing planned for her.
{pic} this is where we were hanging out before we head on down. We were very far up- yet another 2miles away from the top {so close- yet so far away... here we were about 7miles.... took us about 7hours because it was just up hill and bc we prayed/stopped a few times}.What did i learn on this hike? I learned that even if we started to head the wrong way and are willing to go back to God and give Him everything {repent and give Him our all} then we will get back onto the trail that He has made for us... I know i surely couldn't make it up 5feet alone {on my own strength}-- and desperately needing His strength. And the more i depended on Him the further i was able to go. Yeah i may had to stop often to catch my breath or get a drink of water but each step i had to take was really from God. And to those that ran up the mountian, and even those that made it all the way to the top-- i am very impressed with them. they make it look so easy- yet i know how hard it is just to walk up it. In the end- it was ever so worth it! I may have to try to do it again someday, and make sure i have some bear-spray or something with me {just in case}! I would love to make it to the top someday and just be able to say that I've done it and had done it with the power of God {i surely wouldn't be able to do it on my own}.. So Mt. Roberts was my 1st mountian that i climbed up, and was the 1st one that i tried to make it to the top... so close yet so far away. There is no way I could jump from this mountian to the next without the cross of Jesus {the bridge that He made with His own blood}. This morning service was very well spoken- about being rescued and knowing when you despreatly{sp} needing to be rescued {like being stuck in a barn that is on fire and there is no way out}. Jesus came to rescue us and to help us to see {just like He did with the blind man who couldn't see and admitted that he couldn't see... and unlike the pharisees who claim to see yet was blind}. It was a message that related {to me} to the hiking... I needed to be resued and He directed the pathway.... I need to remember this and continue going on- looking toward Him. Yeah, He can use my mistakes for His Glory- but what a blessing it'll be to do what He tells me to do the 1st time and just give Him the Glory for all the blessing that'll come out of it!! WOW.. God is just so amazing! How can one look at this view and not praise Him?!? Poor souls who are blinded to the truth!
Well.. hope you didn't mind this book i just wrote {so it'll seem like}.. :D thanks for your time! May God blessed you and encourage you through your path and your own struggles. I'll be that cheerleader that cheers you on even tho i don't know what you are going through {just like i did with all those people that either passed us or was coming down while we were still going up the mountian... i don't know how far they made it, or what they were struggleing with... but God does and i can just encourage them or just put a small smile on their face while they continue going on}.. Jenny had mentioned a few times how amazed she was that I was encouraging others when i was struggling so much to just make it part way... So i guess through that- i was encouraging her {spiritally} without really knowing it at the time. :D And now- i hope that i have encouraged you, even just a small bit. All this is going to the glory of God.. because i surely can't do anything to help you--- but i know He can and will! :D
