I'm finding that it is taking so much longer to get settled in this time.    I do not even have pictures up.    I'm not sure how much of it is that fact that we will NOT be moving again in a couple years or because we are just tired.  I don't know maybe a little of a lot of things.  Palmer is feeling like home though.  It has been a long time since a place felt like home! 

The kids have been studying the Iditarod the last few weeks.  They are working on a lap book.  We will be going with others in our church a little north of here along the trail to watch the mushers go by.  We are all so excited about doing that.  That will be on Sunday afternoon.  Chris is planning to take some pictures.  I'll post some next week.

I was asked a few weeks ago how we ended up in Alaska.  Well that is not a simple question to answer.  I went to Fairbanks while I was in college.  I was a semester and summer missionary there.  I don't know how to explain in a way that makes sense to most people, but it just felt like home.  Alaska is a special place.  It often has strong impression on lot of people.  I grew up in Louisiana and while it still holds special memories and special people for me, it just isn't home.  I fell in love with Alaska.  Chris was in Fairbanks with the Air Force and it had the same effect on him.  We tried for the last 12 years to come back.  It just wasn't God's timing, but with Chris getting out of the AF there was an open door to return and we did.  We just think this is where we are supposed to be. 

So why are we not in Fairbanks?  I don't know.  I still love Fairbanks.  We considered a number of different places.  There was just something about Palmer that drew us.  As well as the practical matter of being close enough to Anchorage that he could commute there for a job if need be.  After having been here for two months, I think it is where we are supposed to be.  I really don't have a good answer.  I'll have to think on that some more.  All I know is we don't want to move.  We love it here!  We love our church, our new friends and this is the most beautiful place I think I have ever seen.  There are so many things we love that are hard to put down in words.  We love the freedom to homeschool without government  interference.  We love waking up to find a moose and her calf in our back yard.  I looking forward to picking berries this summer and so many more things.  I just love Alaska and we love the Mat-Su Valley.