Then There Were Three

Finally taking some time to sit down and write today in the midst of so much craziness. Just over one week ago Colby and I were discussing plans for how to divide our time during our first trip to Pennsylvania as a family of 3! We planned to fly to Florida for Job's wedding (which was on Friday!! Congratulations!!!!) Then make the jump to spend 2 weeks in PA. There was going to be a baby dedication and lots of hugs for David from grandparents and other family members. However, after much prayer and discussion we both felt that given the state of our country, and the clear request of our government to avoid unnecessary travel, it would be wise to cancel our plans. Compared to what many people are facing right now, a canceled trip is not a big deal, but as this was our little mans only chance to meet his grandparents (at least as far as we can see) for quite a few months, it was a very difficult decision and a big disappointment. Although I'm still pretty sad, I've been reminded that "The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." ~Proverbs 16:9. I can't say I understand why things are currently unfolding as they are. But I do know that our God is sovereign, and I know that He is good and works all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. So I am praying that he will give me the strength to trust Him and to use this time for His glory. Having said all of that, I'm going to start by updating you all on our last few months (which were pretty eventful). Hopefully this will at least give you something to read if you also happen to be stuck at home!

Pennsylvania

 

As most of you know we were able to travel home for a few weeks in November to spend Thanksgiving (and the start of rifle season ;-) with our families. The travel was a bit less enjoyable for me than it sometimes is, as I was pretty pregnant, but God gave us great health and safety throughout. During our time, my sister planned an amazing Baby shower for me which allowed me to catch up with friends I might not have otherwise had the chance to see. We packed our time and did our best to see as many people as we could during the short time. We also spent quite a few hours in the woods during the week after Thanksgiving and were both successful! Colby was able to harvest (or catch as they say up here) a really nice buck, and I got a doe. Truly we were so blessed in every aspect of the trip, and even though it was hard, as always, to say goodbye, we returned to Bethel feeling encouraged and refreshed.

 

Real Alaskan Winter

We returned to Bethel in early December and were welcomed by frigid temperatures and lots of snow. Unlike our last 2 winters here (and really winters here for quite a few years), this one has been legit. Our temperatures seem to have been below zero more than above and I have gotten quite a few pictures like this one from Colby... Because of the cold work got really busy through the month of December with wound care cases for frostbite. When temperatures are in the -20's with even colder wind chills, frostbite can happen to anyone who is slightly unprepared or finds themselves in an unfortunate situation. When you add in the fact that many people out here struggle with alcohol, the low temps become even more dangerous. The other problem with the extreme cold is frozen pipes. Frozen pipes at the gym, at the hospital, at the police station, and (minorly) in our house, and many others around town. Colby will tell you that dealing with this problem is probably one of his least favorite things. If you think about what is typically carried in pipes that drain out of one's house, you can probably imagine why :-P While we are ready to see some temperatures that aren't preceded by a little dash, cold up here is truly what makes life run well. The ice road is thicker and longer than it has ever been and snow machine trails are in excellent condition, making travel between villages and to the Yukon much easier. People have been able to ice fish and travel to hunt moose to provide for their families. All things considered we're thankful for the cold!

The Great Remodel...

With the expected arrival of our little person quickly approaching, we (especially Colby) felt a pressure to push forward and finish the big, messy projects in our home as quickly as possible. The day before we left for Pennsylvania in the fall, Colby finished hanging the drywall in our entire upstairs. Just a few short weeks after our return he had finished painting, installing flooring and interior doors (upstairs and downstairs) as well as some molding. We are relieved to announce that aside from some final touches (like counter tops...but plywood is working just fine), we are done with this home remodeling phase of our lives and able to focus our time and energy elsewhere. We are praying that God will show us ways to practice hospitality and open our home to be a blessing to others. Here are the nursery before and after pictures for you....

Visitor...and an Early Arrival: )

Shortly after the start of the New Year, we had the blessing of another visitor from PA! Colby's longest friend Brad made the trek across the country, and braved the cold to spend a week in Bethel with us. He chose to come in the winter months in hopes of traveling with Colby to the Yukon to experience a moose hunt, and he managed to time the trip to also hit the K300 dog sled race. This just so happened to mean he would be here until about 1 week before my due date...but we were just banking on an on time, or slightly delayed, entrance.

When he hit the ground in Bethel, we showed him all of the highlights of town (this took about 1 hour). He then spent the first few days helping Colby with some tasks, and tagging along with our usual activities. He got to watch Colby lead King's Kids, which I think he thoroughly enjoyed. After a few quick trial runs on a borrowed snow machine, and a whirlwind of gear gathering and packing, the boys headed off on a day trip adventure to the Yukon. God gave them absolutely perfect conditions, with beautiful snow, cold (but above zero) temperatures, and a clear day. They made the 70 mile trip in good time and Colby was able to shoot a moose before they even reached the island where he usually hunts. Brad got to experience skinning, quartering and loading the massive animal onto a sled before their smooth return trip to Bethel. 

The two of them spent the majority of the next 2 days cutting, grinding and storing meat. They got the last bags packed away late Thursday night....And early Friday morning (the day of the K300) I woke up with contractions. Things weren't too bad, so I decided to go to work on Friday, assuming it would be quite some time before a baby arrived. To our surprise, I let Colby know he should come around 11:30 a.m., we walked upstairs (benefits of working in the hospital) around 11:53 and David Lawrence Spatz made his appearance at 12:58 p.m. I can't tell you how incredibly thankful we are for the way the entire day unfolded, and for a healthy little boy!

Clearly this was not in our plans for the week of Brad's visit. In fact we were praying that this would not happen until after his time here, but once again, Gods plans are far better than ours. Thankfully Brad is a very independent guest! He took himself to the K300 and got some great close up pictures of the dogs and mushers, then brought Colby a burger (hospital food was not working for him) and got to be one of the first to meet David. It was really amazing to know that someone was in our house, making sure things were still working, while we spent the night in the hospital. Before heading home, Brad ended his trip by being the first Pennsylvanian to hold this little guy : ) 

Sleepless Nights

The first weeks after David's arrival are a bit of a blur to me if I'm honest, but I think they can be summed up by saying they were some of the hardest and most wonderful weeks of our lives so far. So many adjustments on so little sleep. I was told by many people that God uses children, much like marriage, to refine us and draw us closer to him. As a person who very much likes to live by a schedule and be in control, nothing has made me so aware of areas of idols and lack of trust in God in my life. Not a fun process, but a good one, and I know this is only the beginning. 

In the midst of those first weeks,  my sister flew across the country to meet her first little nephew. It was so great to have her here. She got to enjoy the little guy, and did so much cleaning and organizing in our house that I just wasn't able to get to. We also got to spend some good time together to talk and catch up when David slept. Thankfully she was able to come and go just before the current wave of events and restrictions unfolded. There were definitely some tears when she left, but we're grateful for the moments we get to spend in the same state.

Another Moose Hunt

Most recently we got to enjoy another visit. This time from a good friend of ours, Derek Black, who is a Pastor/Ministry leader in Soldotna. He and his wife, along with another couple from Soldotna, had come to Bethel early in February to lead our annual Marriage Gods Way conference. The conference was a wonderfully encouraging/challenging time (Colby and I were able to attend the whole thing with a very little David in tow). During that weekend Derek mentioned that he had not yet been able to make the snow machine trip to the Yukon or shoot a moose. He had attempted this several times in the past, but trips were prevented due to the ever changing weather conditions out here. As conditions have been great this year, Colby offered to travel with him to the Yukon and help with the moose. Derek arrived in Bethel on a Thursday afternoon and the two spent the day gathering gear and packing the sled (I've gotten quite used to this process), then left early Friday morning. Once again God gave a safe and successful trip and they returned with Derek's first moose! On Saturday we turned our house into a meat processing plant and managed to de-bone, cut, grind, package and pack the entire thing into totes before his return flight to Anchorage on Sunday morning.

Final Thoughts

I recently came across these quotes from Corrie ten Boom; "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." and "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." I will be the first to admit that I struggle with worry, really on a daily basis, and Satan is certainly attempting to use the current pandemic and the worlds response to it, to launch a new attack. These are clearly uncertain times, and the amount of change we've seen in the last week can easily make a person's head spin. I am so thankful to be able to look to an unchanging God and to cling to his everlasting word in times like these. In ladies Bible study last week we read 1 Peter 1 which reminds us in vs. 23-24 that God's word is living and abiding and that "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." God's living word is our guide to navigating any situations/events that the world may throw at us. It reminds us not to live in fear (2 Timothy 1:7), to put others before ourselves (Philippians 2:3), to give thanks in ALL circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and to be anxious about nothing, but bring all of our concerns and requests to the Lord in prayer (Philippians 4:6). It also reminds us that our God is unchanging and in Him we have a great hope as the anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19). I love the picture of an anchor holding us fast in the midst of the storms that life throws at us. In the middle of this storm I want to be another voice encouraging you (and myself) to use this time to dig deeper into Gods word and let Him be your guide, strength and hope through difficult situations.

Sun Halo..what happens when light is refracted through ice crystals in the clouds on incredibly cold days

Prayer Requests

• Please pray for Bethel and the YK Delta region in response to the coronavirus. Given the tight living quarters and generally poor health of the population, as well as the small and understaffed hospital serving them, a significant outbreak out here could be very harmful. In response, travel has been limited to all villages and several have closed themselves off to any travel in or out. In an area where fear and depression are already widespread, additional isolation could be as detrimental as the disease itself. Pray that God would spare this area from the effects of the virus and that the precautions/restrictions could be short lived. For wisdom for medical providers at this time. And above all that God would use this situation to draw more people to himself. 
• As Colby and I continue to adjust to our new roles as parents, we would appreciate prayer for wisdom as we begin to raise this little guy, and also to know where to invest our time/energy outside of our home to serve the Lord most effectively in this community.
• As Job is now beginning the next chapter in his life, Colby will no longer be working for Job's Done Right, and is working to attain his own business license to continue working as a general contractor here in Bethel. Pray that all would go smoothly with the process and that God would provide work opportunities.

A Few More Pictures...

Before...

After! Colby decided to trim up for Job's wedding : )