Anniversary Alaskan Adventure

First off, this would’ve never been possible without Grandma who graciously agreed to watch all four children for all eight days. She gave us an incredible 15th anniversary gift!

When we saw a super cheap flight to Anchorage come across our email, we made a quick decision with excitement that we would be able to visit our friends from El Salvador that we originally met in Niger when they were missionaries there. Six months ago they traveled to Alaska to begin a 12 year mission commitment to serve a church based in Anchorage with church plants in Africa (they speak French fluently) and to minister to the Hispanics in Alaska (they speak Spanish, too). The Rivas Family is very dear to us as they were instrumental in making a way for us to bring Leila home. They are also some of our very favorite people to be with.

In our one week visit, we traveled to Seward, Denali, Wasilla and the Alyeska resort in Girdwood where we had 2 nights to celebrate our anniversary. The other 5 days we stayed with the Rivas. Here's our trip in pictures. 

Seward, Alaska - where many cruise ships dock. I came here as a child when my grandparents lived in Alaska. 

Alaska is so beautiful, especially in the fall with the leaves having changed colors.

A sweet seal!

This is a sea lion we saw at a conservation center.

Almost everywhere we went in Alaska, we felt like we were driving through a painting. This is driving down the road in Anchorage. Soon after I put my camera away, we saw a bear scampering up a hill!

The Rivas are used to warm weather, so Geoff wanted to make sure their fire place was in good working order for the cold winters that are up ahead. 

My best friend and amazing husband - on our way to Denali!

Denali was beautiful, and we saw a moose and mountain goats while there. 

Though Geoff was convinced moose were a myth because he didn't spot one until the end of our trip.

More of Denali. It started snowing on the mountain tops while we were there. 

The Rivas family after our 2 mile hike along this river in Denali. 

I love my friend, Juanita. I am known as Sunshine, and she is Stormy Clouds. We are the complete opposite in many ways!

We saw rainbows almost every day in Alaska. Here's a double one. 

This made us laugh! We ventured to a Christmas craft show in Wasilla complete with reindeer sausage and cheese curds, which seem to be pretty popular there. 

This was my grandparents home when they lived in Anchorage for almost 40 years. It's been renovated and is only about 1 mile from the Rivas' home. 

Wow! This is Mirror Lake. It lives up to its name. 

Love this guy!

At the end of the trip we ventured to Girdwood and stayed at Hotel Alyeska (a popular ski resort). This was the view after taking the ski lift up 2000 feet. 

Quite possibly the most exhilarating thing I have ever done was this helicopter ride that took us to a glacier where we learned to ice climb. 

Here we go! Our first ever ride in a helicopter. I highly recommend it. 

Coming around the mountain and catching our first glimpse of the glacier we're going to land on. 

Spencer Glacier. 

God made a beautiful world. 

A bull moose we saw from the air. We also saw a few black bears, but we didn't capture pictures of them. 

This was an estimated 80 foot deep glacier pool. The blue was beautiful!

Geoff learning to use ice picks with our guide Benny (he was a real expert and does this all over the world). 

Go ahead, Geoff!

That's me.

Did we really just do that?

Trying to look like we know what we're doing. This really was incredible and terrifying at the same time!

We witnessed the bore tide at Turnagain Arm one morning. 

A massive bull elk at a wildlife conservation center. 

Time to say goodbye. 

Love. 

Back to School 2020

Oh glorious day! The extra long summer has been fun and family-filled, but we were all cheering for the first day of school. The kids were longing to see their friends and teachers, and we were longing for routine and a change of pace. Despite masks and many other changes to accommodate the COVID world, the kids had a wonderful first week. In addition to school, the girls started a dance class at Dawn’s School of Dance and momma began a part-time job as the Groups Director (overseeing small groups) at church. It was a big week!

RVA Hope Center Mission

Three days ministering in our own city of Richmond grew our compassion and stretched each of us personally. With the three older kids, our missions pastor, the Young family and our friends who have recently started an organization to serve the poorest communities in Richmond, women involved in human trafficking and the homeless, we set out to bless and be blessed. Our kids blew us away with their boldness to connect and pray with strangers, do new things and love on children they’d just met that lived very differently than them. With wisdom we entered areas of our city riddled with gun violence and rivalry. RVA Hope Center has consistently served these communities and established a reputation for bringing good and love over the last few years. We met so many who have lost their young men in the last year. Our hearts broke for the children we read with who were barely reading after several years of school. We saw the brokenness of run down buildings and families struggling to feed their families. Our hope was to show them that they had value, that they mattered and that they were loved. It was a privilege to serve and hold their hands and hear their stories and pray for their needs.

Making sandwiches and HOPE bags for the homeless.

Exercise class with Vangie!

Push-up challenge with Geoff and a new friend.

Listening to stories and the challenges from a group of men living on the streets. We were also able to hand our hand sanitizer and masks.

Teaching a new song and dance to our friends in Creighton Court.

Making sno cones for a block party we helped with in Highland Park.

The sno cone volunteers! Mary-Michael ran all over the sidewalk offering free sno cones. She was in her element!

With some new friends we met in Mosby.

It’s reading time!

We spent the final part of our time together in Evergreen Cemetery, an African-American cemetery that’s been neglected. Volunteers come regularly to help clean it up and restore it as it should be.