Early October took Mark to Barrow, Alaska, a first time experience for him. The purpose was to transport people to a funeral in Barrow.
While Mark is away, gallavanting all over the state, the kids and I remain at home with our noses to the school grindstone. The last three months were challenging for me as I had been dealing with a health issue. The kids were great during that time. They kept right on going with their schoolwork needing minimal attention from me. I am doing much better now and once again feel like we are on track with our work.
Simulating rock crystals with gumdrops and toothpicks. Who says school can't be fun!
Neakita observing the composition of an igneous rock.
The kids are participating in Pizza Hut's "Book It" program. As their teacher, I set extra-curricular reading goals for them to accomplish and they each earn a personal pan pizza at the end of each month.
Mid-October found Mark in Manakotak transporting people from surrounding villages to a Moravian Church Spiritual Feast. It was standing room only for the services that lasted late into the night.
While there Mark had the extra special opportuntiy to observe walrus being butchered (I left out the really bloody pictures.) Walrus is still an important part of the Eskimo diet.
While there Mark had the extra special opportuntiy to observe walrus being butchered (I left out the really bloody pictures.) Walrus is still an important part of the Eskimo diet.
The kids had a blast participating in this years AWANA Grand Prix Races. Here, Jeremiah is meticulously working on his car.
There were a total of 23 entries.
The kid's cars were fast. If there had been 4th, 5th, and 6th place trophies, they would have won them.
Neakita won 1st place for design.
Honestly, I was amazed at the results of Neakita's car. When she said she wanted hers to look like a violin, I didn't think it would be possible. Since this was her last Grand Prix race, winning a trophy made it an extra special memory.
Alaina's car didn't quite turn out to look like she had imagined it to, but she was content with what it was. Her attitude made Mark and I very proud of her. She had lots of fun racing it.
Jeremiah's car looked great - a real racer.
After the Grand Prix races, we were ourselves racing against time to get Neakita to the auditorium where her orchestra group was performing with the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra. Being Halloween Day, the orchestra members all dressed up for the occation.
In November, Mark took a Child Evangelism Fellowship family team to Nulato to evangelize through Kid's Clubs. This family has been going to Nulato twice a year for the last eight years. The consistency has made an impact. Two girls from the village were themselves trained at this years CEF training camp where they learned to teach children about Jesus with CEF materials. The hope is to some day soon see the teens in Nulato conducting their own CEF clubs, teaching, and evangelizing the children in their own village and then reaching out to surrounding villages. But to see the goal accomplished takes dedication and perserverance now.
Nulato's teen center is were Mark and the CEF team eat, sleep, and minister while they are there.
While there, Mark had the opportunity to help the missionary in that village to take care of his sled dog team. Here are a few of his dogs. Oh, Mark was able to take with him on the flight out there, a new lead dog for the team.
When most of us feed our dogs, we just get a scoop of food out of a bag and dump it in a bowl. In the villages, when people feed their dog teams, first they have to build a fire. Then, a big pot of salmon (heads and all) is cooked over the fire. Sometimes rice is added.
Then the salmon "soup" is ladled into the dog's bowls. Now imagine doing all that in sub-zero temps.
With winter's arrival, I pick up one of my favorite hobbies, fur-skin sewing. I am on my third pair of baby slippers. I've gifted one pair to the newest MARC family member and the other two will wait to see what babies will come along in the months ahead.
My big project for this year was a hat and matching mittens. What fun I have had the last month working on these things.
There were a total of 23 entries.
The kid's cars were fast. If there had been 4th, 5th, and 6th place trophies, they would have won them.
Neakita won 1st place for design.
Honestly, I was amazed at the results of Neakita's car. When she said she wanted hers to look like a violin, I didn't think it would be possible. Since this was her last Grand Prix race, winning a trophy made it an extra special memory.
Alaina's car didn't quite turn out to look like she had imagined it to, but she was content with what it was. Her attitude made Mark and I very proud of her. She had lots of fun racing it.
Jeremiah's car looked great - a real racer.
After the Grand Prix races, we were ourselves racing against time to get Neakita to the auditorium where her orchestra group was performing with the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra. Being Halloween Day, the orchestra members all dressed up for the occation.
In November, Mark took a Child Evangelism Fellowship family team to Nulato to evangelize through Kid's Clubs. This family has been going to Nulato twice a year for the last eight years. The consistency has made an impact. Two girls from the village were themselves trained at this years CEF training camp where they learned to teach children about Jesus with CEF materials. The hope is to some day soon see the teens in Nulato conducting their own CEF clubs, teaching, and evangelizing the children in their own village and then reaching out to surrounding villages. But to see the goal accomplished takes dedication and perserverance now.
Nulato's teen center is were Mark and the CEF team eat, sleep, and minister while they are there.
While there, Mark had the opportunity to help the missionary in that village to take care of his sled dog team. Here are a few of his dogs. Oh, Mark was able to take with him on the flight out there, a new lead dog for the team. 
When most of us feed our dogs, we just get a scoop of food out of a bag and dump it in a bowl. In the villages, when people feed their dog teams, first they have to build a fire. Then, a big pot of salmon (heads and all) is cooked over the fire. Sometimes rice is added.
Then the salmon "soup" is ladled into the dog's bowls. Now imagine doing all that in sub-zero temps.
With winter's arrival, I pick up one of my favorite hobbies, fur-skin sewing. I am on my third pair of baby slippers. I've gifted one pair to the newest MARC family member and the other two will wait to see what babies will come along in the months ahead.
My big project for this year was a hat and matching mittens. What fun I have had the last month working on these things.
