Life in Alaska

The other day Nathan went to get me some sausage biscuits from McD's (yes, this baby makes me crave sausage) and saw five or so bald eagles in the trees next to McD's. So, here are some great shots of the bald eagles. It is really cool to live in a place where you can just go outside and see these beautiful birds.



On another note, life here in AK sure has been interesting lately. Just in case you haven't heard, Mt. Redoubt is getting ready to erupt...like any time now. Of course, they have been saying that for about a week or so, but they continue to say that it is inevitable. So, what does that mean for us? Well, Mt. Redoubt is really not that far from where we live...just across the Cook Inlet, and a little south. That means that Anchorage will be getting quite a bit of ash fall from the volcano, depending on the winds. Here are some things you are supposed to do/not do in the event of the volcano erupting:

1. Remain inside...this includes driving, because the ash could ruin your car. (So, if I go into labor, how am I supposed to get to the hospital? Just a thought)
2. If you have to go outside, wear a mask or damp cloth across you mouth so that you don't inhale the ash.
3. Do not wear contact lenses, and basically, try to cover your eyes as much as possible so that the ash doesn't damage them.
4. Wear long sleeve clothing to protect your skin as much as possible. OK- this is Alaska, who isn't going to be wearing long sleeves???
5. Cover all electronics to protect them from ash.
6. Have a weeks worth of food and water on hand.

So, that is a short list of what to do. There is so much to think about. And, on top of it all...I am 38 weeks pregnant now, so that means (at least for me), that I could have this baby any day. Let's just say that I am progressed. So, our option is for us to go live at the hospital if the volcano erupts. And, we have to bring all of our own food. And, we won't have a refrigerator. HOW FUN!!! So, the bags, for all in the family, are packed. I have a list of what food to take, we have a case of bottled water in the car. I think, that when this volcano erupts, we will be able to get to the hospital within an hour or so. At least, that is my plan...we'll see how it goes.

So, if you hear that there has been a volcanic eruption in AK, and don't hear from me for several days, don't be to alarmed. I should be able to have cell phone reception, and I will keep in contact with my parents. So, I will ask Dad to post something about how we are on his blog.

My question is...who will erupt first? Me, or the volcano? I am betting on the volcano.

I just saw that my friend Ruth posted about this volcano as well, and she has some awesome pics of the mountain and some interesting facts. Check out her blog here.

Happy Second Birthday Nate!!!

My baby Nate turned two years old on Monday, January 26th. We celebrated his birthday with all of his (and our) friends last weekend at McDonald's. It was so much fun, and the best part for me was that I didn't have to clean up!!! This is Nate saying "cheese" after blowing out his candle. Isn't he adorable???

This is a pic of most of the gang that was there for the party. Notice all the pregnant ladies sitting on the left side of the picture. We are all having babies in February. In addition to those three pregnant ladies, there were two more in attendance. I think that there is something in the water at our church!

This is Nate's friend from church, Amelia. What a cutie!!! She obviously loved her chocolate cupcake!

And, here is our good friend Aubrey, also enjoying her cupcake!

Brianna sure did enjoy playing in the big treehouse!

And, of course, Nate was probably the only child who actually sat and ate most of his food. I tell you, if you put food in front of the boy, he is happy. He especially liked his cupcakes that Brianna and I made for the party!

So, what do you say about baby Nate??? Well, I guess I can start with the fact that we are not going to be able to call him "baby" any more...just Nate. He has definitely grown up so much the past few months. He loves to play with his animals and trains. He absolutely LOVES to be read to...we could do that for hours on end. He has a contagious smile and laugh. He loves to play tackle with his Daddy. He looks so much like his Momma, it is sometimes scary. He has a tender heart. He started singing this week..."Jesus Loves Me." Except, when we get to the "Yes, Jesus loves me" part, he says "Yes, Jesus loves Nate" which is just way to cute. He has absolutely stolen my heart.

I love you Nate, and I pray that your heart will stay tender, that you will come to know Christ as your Savior at a very young age, and that your life will honor Him in all that you do.

Catching Up on Pics

It has been awhile since I have posted any pictures, because I didn't know how to download them onto the laptop, and Nathan wouldn't do it for me. But, he recently showed me how to do it, so here are some pictures for you all to enjoy!!!

Grandma Hendricks sent us a Rice Krispy Treat House Kit, so one evening Brianna and I made and decorated these fun houses.

This is a pic of my kids doing their push-ups with Daddy. They also do sit-ups...it is so cute.

Here is Brianna in her cute outfit that Grandma Hendricks sent her for Christmas.

This is just a really cute pic of Nate saying "Cheese" really loud!

And, here is Nate in the outfit that Grandma Hendricks sent him for Christmas. Again, saying "Cheese" but not so loud.

So, one day I told Nate it was time for naptime, and he needed to go to his room. When I got there, this is what I found. He was pretending to take a nap under his Cowboys floor mat. How cute!!!

This was our Christmas tree. Well, the second one that we had. We went and picked out a real tree first, and within a couple of weeks, it was completely dead, despite our valiant efforts to keep it watered and alive. So, a week before Christmas, we threw it out and got out my old, faithful pre-lit tree that I just love.

Nate got a "pound-pound" (as his father used to call it when he was a child) for Christmas.

Brianna got a baby doll stroller for Christmas. She actually got two, but the first one broke, so the second one came in really handy. I took the broken one back to the store, and she got some really cool Dora tennis shoes, that she just doesn't want to take off.

Positive!!!

Well, we have survived the great freeze in Alaska. It is officially out of the negative temperatures now. After over two weeks of extremely negative temps, it is finally above zero degrees. In fact, we are having a warm front come through...it is actually supposed to be in the teens today, with snow. Now, you may think I am crazy for saying that, but when it has been as cold as it has been for the past 2 1/2 weeks, the teens sounds AMAZING!!! When it is finally warm enough to snow, it is a good thing.

On other news, we haven't done too much lately, just because of the extreme temps, and Nathan has been taking my car to work because his is literally frozen (seriously, the tailgate will not go back up because it is frozen down). I do plan to take the kids to run errands tomorrow, probably just to Target and the Commissary, but that is exciting for me these days. And, we have MOPS this week, so that is always a fun thing to look forward to.

We have also been battling colds around our house. It started with Brianna last week, and then I have it, but I am getting better. I think Baby Nate has a bit of a cold, but not sure yet how bad it is- so far just a touch of a runny nose. And, then last night Nathan said he thought that he was coming down with it. So, the course continues. At least there is no vomit...yet.

The interest in our home has picked up a little bit. We really haven't done too much to advertise, but we are getting some phone calls and people setting up appointments to come and see it. So far, only one person has actually come, but hopefully more will start to come now that the temperatures are on the positive side. We created another blog so that people can view our house in more detail than just the few pics you can put on craigslist or whatever other site we are using. It is www.11734galenabayloop.blogspot.com if anyone is interested.

And, now only five weeks until our little girl is due. I guess I should wash clothes and get out the baby equipment, and that kind of stuff. But, so far, I haven't done a thing. I do plan on buying some diapers and baby laundry detergent at Target tomorrow. At least that is something. Maybe Nathan and I will get the other stuff out this weekend (we've been saying that for a few weekends now) so that I can get stuff washed.

And, one more thing. Baby Nate turns two in just two weeks now. For his birthday party, we are just inviting his friends to go to McD's with us to play. That way, I don't have to entertain people in my home. So, for those of you in the area, we are meeting at the Eagle River McD's at 5pm on Saturday, Jan. 24th, and you are all invited. I can't believe how big he is getting. He has always been my "little man" because he just looks like a little man, but now, he even acts like it. He is so adorable...I could go on and on about how cute he is, but I will save that for his actual birthday.

Thankful Thursday and Happy New Year!

1. I am thankful for a warm and safe house to live in here in AK. The weather has been so cold lately- I don't think that it has gotten above zero once this week. BURRR!!!
2. Since it has been so cold, I haven't gotten out of the house much, which means that I haven't spent any money this week. That is always a good thing!
3. My brother-in-law Josh came over today to teach me how to make Swedish Rolls, which is a very special, and secret, Youngren family recipe. That would be Nathan's mother's family.
4. I am thankful for 33 1/2 weeks of pregnancy that have gone very smoothly. At my last appointment we thought that the baby's heartbeat was a little low, but after going to Labor and Delivery and being hooked up to monitor's for about an hour, and scaring Nathan and the kids in the process, everything is fine.
5. I am thankful that I only have 6 1/2 weeks left until I get to hold my precious little baby girl in my arms. I seriously can't wait!
6. I am so thankful for a wonderful, understanding husband. I have not been sleeping well lately, and he has put up with my tossing and turning, and even crying. He will just lay there and hold me and tell me that it will be OK, not to worry, etc. He is so sweet, and I could not make it through this pregnancy, or any other time of my life, without him. I love you Babe!!!
7. I am so thankful for Brianna, who understands when Momma has had a bad night of sleep, and will take Nate into the other room and play for an hour or so, so that I can get a little more sleep. She has such a tender heart and is such a good playmate for her brother.
8. I am also thankful for my little Baby Nate, whose smile will light up any room, and it definitely lights up my heart every time I see him. He is such a joy and he also plays well with his sister, most of the time.
9. I am thankful for the time that we have had in AK. We have had so much fun exploring this wonderful land that God created, we have been able to meet our financial goals, and most importantly, we have become friends with some of the most wonderful people. We will truly miss them once we leave AK.
10. And, especially since it has been so cold this week, I am thankful that we are moving back to the lower 48. It is weird how the Lord prepares our hearts for the next adventure that HE (not the Air Force) is sending us on. Although it is difficult to leave our friends here is AK, and it is difficult to not move home to OK, I am so excited to move to GA and meet new friends and get settled in to our new life there.

I hope that you all have had a wonderful New Year and that each of you take the time to reflect on the great things that God has done in your life over the past year.

Stinkin' COLD

So, I know that I need to post about our Christmas, and I will soon, but I was just watching the news and it is NEGATIVE 23 DEGREES outside tonight in Eagle River. That is just stinkin' cold!!! It has been really cold lately...in the singles and negatives for about a week or so, but not THAT cold. Needless to say, I don't plan on leaving the house tomorrow. And, before I go to bed in just a few minutes, I am going to go make sure the kids are covered by their blankets and all nice and tucked in, so that they don't get too cold.

30 Down, 10 To Go

So, I am officially 30 weeks pregnant now...and I can't wait for the next ten weeks to go by. For one thing, I just can't wait to hold and care for our baby girl, Kinley Brooke. And, I can't wait for this uncomfortable phase to be over. For me, it starts early. You know, the sleepless nights, loose joints and muscles, indigestion...the list goes on and on. But, the good thing is that I have so much to do between now and when she arrives.

First of all, the Christmas season keeps us very busy. Today we are planning on going to get our Christmas tree and we are going to have an enjoyable evening decorating the tree. I still have some Christmas shopping to do, but thankfully I got all of our gifts that we have to ship to the lower 48 done and in the mail last week, so I don't have to worry about, or pay extra shipping to get it there on time.

Then, after Christmas, we will get all the Christmas decorations packed away for the move, as well as a few other things. I will then start to get all the baby gear ready to be used again. That is really fun, I think. I already have the baby clothes out and ready to go, because we already packed the rest of the baby clothes away to move. But, all the baby gear needs to be washed and ready to use. Brianna loves to dress up some of her baby dolls in Kinley's baby clothes which is fine because I haven't washed them yet. It is so cute to watch her play "mommy" to her dolls. She will be a big helper with her new sister, and she is already a big help with her little brother.

Then, we have baby Nate's second birthday, and before you know it, Kinley will be here. My mom and brother Bryce are coming to visit us for about ten days after Kinley is born...actually mom is coming to take care of everything, and Bryce is going to play with the kids and be a big helper to mom and myself. There is just something about daughters needing their momma when they have a baby. I am so thankful for frequent flyer miles that have enabled my mom to be here for both births I have had (or am going to have) while in AK.

After they leave, I really don't have much planned out, but I am sure that it will be very chaotic. We will only have two months left in AK once mom leaves before we move, so who really knows what those last two months will hold for us. All I know is I plan on working very hard to have my house sold and be packed up and ready to move by May 1st. We plan on leaving May 1st, and spending the weekend in Portland with Nathan's side of the family before leaving for Georgia on May 4th. We will be there for about one week before we actually close on our new home, which will leave us about twelve days to move in and get somewhat settled in before leaving for OK for Britt and Lauren's wedding.

What a whirlwind of the next six months of our lives!!! We are so blessed by the Lord in so many ways. The most precious being the blessing of the lives of our three children.

A few notes:

BOOMER SOONER!!!

I have missed blogging about several things lately, due to being too busy. But, I will catch up soon. I have several pictures to post!

A good day for sledding

Well, Brianna and Nate got to go sledding today, a big deal for them. It was rather funny, as we climbed up the hill, I was pulling both sleds with a rope connected to Nathan's sled and Brianna holding on with her left hand all the way up the hill. Right at the top, Brianna says... "Dad, my hand is letting go." I said, "Hold on, Brianna, we're almost there" She apparently couldn't hold for the next three seconds, so her first trip down the hill was backwards on her belly in the new faster sled we bought. She was scared and cried a little bit, but I just can't help but chuckle at her doing an advanced trick on her first sledding in almost a year.

Then Nathan was able to give it a "1, 2, 3. DOOUGH!" and off he went. He seemed to have enough fun and always said "DOOUGH" when he was ready. We got a great picture of Brianna and him in the sled. Nathan looks like he is traveling at incredibly high speed, but he really is just sneezing. Talk about a funny picture, click it and zoom in on his funny face! (It seems like he is in a wind tunnel and Brianna looks just fine.)




But after a few more tries, they conquered their fear of the "big hill" and showed off their sled in a victory pose.

After a while, Brianna made it clear that she didn't want to get anything to eat, the only thing she needed was to get home to a warm bath! A warm bath up in Alaska is the best way to finish a sledding trip. What a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody from the Hendricks in Alaska!

God is Good!!!

Well, it seems that much has been going on in our lives these days. Let me start with a little over a week ago.

Last Monday, we finally, after 4 1/2 years of marriage, are free of debt. Praise the Lord!!! We have been working diligently (most of the time) to pay off all student loans, credit cards and car loans that we had. So, the only thing left is our home, but that is an asset, so we aren't really counting that. But, we are so excited that the Lord has blessed us to the point of being able to live debt free.

Then, Tuesday, we had the elections, and even though things did not turn out the way we would have chosen, we are confident in our God, that He will work His plan for our country. Nathan has been encouraging us to pray for our leaders, which is all we can do at this point.

Wednesday was another great day for us. Nathan actually had the day off of work, which was a welcome break. However, he found out that morning that the stipulations for the pilots bonus came out, and he qualified for it. So, he went to work briefly to fill out the proper forms for that, and we will be getting that in the near future.

So, throughout all of this, we have been looking for a home in GA, and trying to get our home ready to sell here in AK. We found a home that we really, really like in GA, and contacted the owners. Come to find out, they are not leaving until May, so the timing seemed to be perfect. We communicated with this sweet couple for several days. They sent us additional video of their home and the property, paperwork and all kinds of stuff. And, because of the news of receiving the bonus, we felt comfortable going ahead and making an offer on the home. And, they accepted!!! YEA!!! So, we will have a home to move into when we move to GA. That is a bit of relief for me because Nathan will be starting training June 3, and so we can get somewhat settled in before we go to OK for Britt's wedding and before Nathan starts training.

Now, we just need to pray that our home sells in a timely manner. We have spent a lot of time working on the appearance of this home the past few days, getting ready to post it on Military For Sale By Owner. Since we are having Kinley in February, it would be nice to sell our home to someone who doesn't need it until mid-March or sometime in April. Please join us in this prayer!!!

OK, so all of that to say that GOD IS GOOD! We are so thankful for the provisions that God has given us.

Thanks Aunt Brookie!

Brianna was so happy to wear her new clothes from Aunt Brookskipoodledoodledoo-yodelaheehoohoohoo (We call her Brooke for short). We had to do the photo shoot and put up the pictures.













Brianna and Nathan have big smiles on their faces, because their Dad is very funny and makes them laugh!!

Our Baby Girl's Name

Well, I know that you have all been anxiously awaiting the name of our baby girl. This was a little more difficult for us because we were having a hard time agreeing. Even though Nathan told me that I could choose for myself, I think it is important for him to like the name. And the name I really liked, he didn't and the name that he really liked, I didn't. So, we went back to square one. We had something in mind, but couldn't come up with a good middle name. While at dinner about a week ago, we were discussing it, and Nathan just said the perfect name, and we are stuck with it now. The good thing is that we both really like it, although, it is a little different. So, our baby girl's name is................Kinley Brooke Hendricks. Named Kinley after the tallest mountain in the US, which is also in AK, Mt. McKinley, and named Brooke after my dear younger sister Brooke. I think it goes together well, and if you think of a mountain brook, it is very beautiful and very peaceful. It reminds me of God's creation, which of course, our baby girl is also His creation. So, there you have it. Let me know what you think!

Family Day

Yesterday, we played hooky from church. We never do this, but we really felt the need to have a family day. Nathan arrived back in town Saturday afternoon, and we were able to spend a few hours with him Saturday evening, but it just wasn't enough time...considering that the kids and I took naps, and bathtime and such. I made the comment that evening that I wished we could just have a family day the next day, because lets face it, on church day, we just don't spend to much time together. We get up, get dressed and ready to go, the children go in the nursery, I sing in the choir, we were having church potluck this Sunday, and then it is home for naps, wake up, go to evening church, come home, eat and put the kids down for nap. So, we just decided since Nathan had to go back to work on Monday (even though it is a federal holiday and he was supposed to have it off) we would just play hooky. We had a good time together as a family. We went to IHOP for breakfast, and then we went to the mall for a little while...we didn't find much, I just bought some new pajamas. We then came home and took naps...except for Nathan who watched to Cowboys game. After naps, we went to the new TARGET store that just opened...it was so cool. I really love that store, and I have missed it so much. I can't wait to move into a new house and be able to decorate it (on a reasonable budget) from Target. As we walked through the home decor section, I thought that I could really decorate so much just from that one store. I can't wait. We also finished buying winter gear for our kids. Nate needed a snowsuit (luckily someone gave us one for Brianna) and they both needed snow boots. I also got Nate a couple of solid colored shirts, and now we are officially ready for winter. Good thing too....it snowed a lot last night. Anyway, after that we just came home and I cooked dinner and Nathan and the kids just hung out and played while I made homemade bread for Nathan.
It was a really relaxing day, and even though we hated missing church, we felt very refreshed at the end of the day.

Snow...and stuff

So, I guess by your fourth winter in AK the first snowfall of the year isn't as big of a deal. We did get our first snow this past Sunday, and I didn't even take a picture of it. It was really cute though...I was just sitting in the living room with Nate and Brianna, and I glanced out the window, and saw the snow. I told Brianna and Nate to check it out, and they ran to the window. Brianna was so excited (I should have taken the picture of her, but she had just thrown up on her shirt and was actually topless, so I didn't) and all she wanted to do was call her Daddy and let him know. We tried, but he wasn't available at that moment, but he called back soon enough. It snowed off and on for the rest of the evening, and the roads were really icy Monday morning. My friend Nicole came over and we took my car in to have the snow tires put on it...of course that is going to take them a few days, but at least I have Nathan's truck to drive in the mean time (it has all weather tires on it).

So, I guess that is all the fun information going on here. Not much happening. Today was the middle day of Nathan's trip away, so that is good. Tomorrow I have Bible Study, Wednesday I don't have much planned, but I was going to see if Uncle Josh would watch the kids so I could have some time to myself, and Thursday a friend is having a Southern Living party, so that should be fun...I always love to spend money. Although, I don't really know what I would get, but at least I am going to get out of the house. Hopefully by myself. Friday we will probably just go grocery shopping and make sure the house is cleaned up (although, how come I can keep the house so much cleaner when Nathan isn't here???). And then, Saturday we will get up early to watch the OU/Texas game (it is on at 8am here) and then I am going to the Arctic Bazaar (a craft show) on base, and then we will go pick up Nathan at the airport. So, hopefully we will make it through this week.

OK, enough about me...I'll talk with you later, when something interesting happens.

It's A Girl!!!

We are so excited!!! We had our ultrasound yesterday, and we are having a girl...at least, that is what we think. The technician wouldn't say for certain, but do they really ever? We had a pretty good picture of the baby's "private" area, and there wasn't anything there...so that tells me it is a girl. Which is what I suspected, because this pregnancy is much like the one with Brianna. Anyway, the ultrasound took forever because they have a new 3-D ultrasound machine, and the tech was actually in training on how to use it, and I was one of the guinea pigs. But, we didn't mind too much because we got to look at the baby for a long time, and we even got a 3-D picture of her face and one arm, bent at the elbow. I don't quite know how to use our scanner to try to post the pic, but when Nathan gets back in town I will have him do that so you can see our precious little girl.

So, if you haven't noticed, I have a poll question. We aren't sure what to name the baby...so everyone gets a vote. Let me explain them to you. The first one, Hosanna Grace, is mostly because of Brianna. She has been saying that we were going to have a sister, and that her name would be Hosanna (because she likes the song "Sing Hosanna, Sing Hosanna...) for a long time. I think it is cute, but would having a Brianna and Hosanna be too much? I really just like the names Rachel Elizabeth, Isabella Grace (calling her Bella), and Emery Elizabeth. So, vote and let me know what you think. Feel free to leave a comment to let me know why you like one name over another.

So, tomorrow, I am going shopping for the kids. It should be fun. You would think with this being our second girl that we wouldn't need clothes, right? But, unfortunately for Nathan, or fortunately for me, we do. Let me explain. Brianna was born in OK in the summer...therefore all her 0-3 month clothes are summer clothes and then basically we moved to AK, so all her 3-12 month clothes are winter. But, with this girl, she is going to be born in AK in the winter, thus needing 0-3 month winter clothes, and then we are moving to GA, where she will need mostly summer clothes. It does kind of even out after 12 months...fortunately for Nathan. Anyway, I am excited to go buy a cute baby outfit or two. I will try not to go overboard, because knowing my family, we will get some between now and when she is born. And, I will want to shop the day after Thanksgiving and get some good things on sale.

OK, I'll stop rambling now. Pray for the kids and myself as Nathan is out of town for awhile. It is especially hard this time because, well, with this pregnancy, I am pretty much an emotional basket case all the time. But, the Lord will sustain me. Thank the Lord for Uncle Josh who came over to play with the kids tonight to give me a little bit of alone time. And, I am thankful for good friends to go hang out with. OK- really, enough rambling....go vote on my poll.

Georgia Bound!

Well, as you might have guessed from the title, we received our next assignment, and we will be moving to Warner Robins, GA in May. This came as quite a surprise, because is was not even "on our radar" as a possibility. But, the Lord knows what He is doing with our lives. We have always taken the approach that God is sending us out to our next mission field, not the Air Force. Anyway, we knew that Nathan would be getting another flying assignment, because apparently the Air Force is in need of pilots right now. So, we naturally thought we would most likely go to Tinker because that is where AWACS are located. But, Nathan will actually be changing air crafts. He will be flying the JSTARS, which is another radar aircraft, but it works more with other services. While slightly disappointed that we will not be moving back to OK, the Lord has given us both a peace about this assignment. And, it is a beautiful location, close to the beach and close to several fun vacation spots. And, it is in the lower 48, where I can just drive home if I need or want to.

Thirty!!!

Welp (as Brooke would say), today is my thirtieth birthday. I am excited. Really, it doesn't bother me to turn 30 years old, because Nathan will always be 5 years older than I am. :) Anyway, I thought I would try to make a list of thirty things I am thankful for...let's see if I can think of that many today...

1. First and foremost, I am thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for giving my eternal life.
2. I am so thankful for my husband, who loves me SOOOOO much and shows me more and more every day. He is so thoughtful...he just brought me a McD's sausage biscuit for breakfast. Which brings me to another thing I am thankful for...
3. Sausage biscuits...now, I am not normally prone to eating these, but during this pregnancy, they are one of the things that tastes so good to me. I do not eat them every day though...that would be bad for me.
4. I am so thankful for Brianna. She is the sweetest, most adorable little girl ever. She is such a helper around the house...she loves to dust (thanks Swiffer) and she plays really well with her little brother.
5. Nate is such a joy to have around the house...normally. I can't really say that this week, because he has a double ear infection right now, so he has been rather cranky all week, but NORMALLY he is so fun. His little smile just lights up the room, and his laugh is contagious.
6. I am thankful for this next little blessing that the Lord has chosen to trust us with. I can't wait to find out if it is a boy or girl, and I really can't wait to hold her...yes, I think it is a girl, but I could be wrong.
7. I am thankful for my parents, who have loved me unconditionally, and who have sacrificed so much for me. There is no way I could write out all that they mean to me.
8. Becky...my older sister. Growing up, I wouldn't say that we were not the closest of sisters, but as we have matured, we have become great friends. Now, the only reason we aren't close is because of distance. Miss you Becky!
9. Britt...the older of my younger brothers. Such a servant in all that he does. Lauren is going to have a wonderful husband.
10. Brooke...she is the laughter of our family. In a good way...go Kar-Ate.
11. Bryce...the surprise of our family. But, life would not be the same without the love of this little guy.
12. I also have a huge extended family, for which I am greatful. I still have all of my grandparents- I know I am very blessed in this way. Plus, tons of aunts and uncles and cousins. And, my in-laws...even from a distance, they have been a blessing to us.
13. I am thankful for my church family here in Alaska. We were fortunate to find the sweetest group of believers. They have been such a support for us while we have been here.
14. I am thankful for Alaska. It is some of the most beautiful country in the world. One minute, I can see the ocean front, and then be driving into the mountains within just about twenty minutes.
15. I am thankful for our Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain and especially for his running mate, our Governor, Sarah Palin. She is awesome, and she meant it when she said that she was giving the money back to the people of AK!!!
16. It's PFD Day!!! YEA!!! This year, not only do we get PFD's, but we get an energy rebate tacked on top of it...a total of worth about $13,000. All for my birthday...I think I might go shopping today.
17. Online banking...yeah, I just went and checked...the money is there.
18. I am thankful for the Air Force, specifically the 962nd. They have been a great support system for us throughout the past few years.
19. I would have to say, even though I have loved living in AK the past three years, I am so thankful that this is going to be our last winter in AK. They are just sooo loooong.
20. I am thankful for PWOC...a Bible study group on base that I am just now getting involved in.
21 . Our MOPS group at church...what a wonderful time of fellowship and outreach.
22. I am thankful that I am able to stay home with my children. What a privilege it is to be able to be with them each and every day.
23. I am thankful for Nicole, who watches my children when I am in need of a break, or if I have a doctor's appointment. She is such a good friend to me, and she loves my children as if they were her own.
24. I am thankful for Premier Designs, because they have given me an outlet to make friends, earn money, and essentially, because of them, we have been able to get out of debt...within the next month.
25. I am thankful for naptime...I can't wait for it today. Both of my children were up before 7am today.
26. The Written Word of God...what a comfort it is!
27. Christian Children's songs...I love having Christian music filling our home, and having my children sing those songs all day long.
28. I am thankful for Nathan being so diligent to teach Brianna her Bible verses. She is only three and a half years old, and she can already say five verses. Eph. 6:1, Gen. 1:1, Joshua 1:5-6, John 14:6, and Jeremiah 29:11.
29. I am thankful for the Urgent Care Clinic that got Nate in yesterday so that we could get him on some medicine, and for the referral from Tricare so that we didn't have to pay for it out of pocket.
30. Am I already here...Ok, so I have to say, I am so thankful for the second sausage biscuit I found in the bag from Nathan. He loves me so much!!! I will have to eat that a little later this morning!!

Go Sarah Palin!!

Well, I have to say, we are very excited about our governor, Sarah Palin being chosen by John McCain to be his Vice Presidential running mate. Sarah Palin is a unique person involved in politics. Her life story says more about her pro-life record than anyone's voting record ever could. Two other things are especially great about her regarding her record. She sold the state jet on ebay because of the irresponsible waste that it was. She also fired the governer's chef because she said she can make sandwiches for her kids and herself. It's a great thing to have someone whose main focus is to stop corruption, and we think its long overdue!

Her nickname, Sarah Barracuda is well deserved, and if Joe Biden thinks he's going to run over her in the upcoming debate on October 2nd, he's going to be surprised. It will be interesting to watch, we can hardly wait!

Nathan and Beth.

Brianna was so happy to have her Grandpa Hendricks up here last month



Josh had a great birthday, he got what he REALLY wanted all along!




We went to the Alaska State Fair today with Josh, a rainy day but a real good time for everyone. Watching the kids getting to see all the cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats that they've read about all winter was a big thrill. They both loved the petting zoo, here they are keeping the pigs awake during their nap. They each got to feed a baby calf and goats, too.


Brianna loves to ride horses, can you tell?



Here's Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in the U.S. at 20,320 feet. It is unbelievable to see this every day I fly. Click on this one to see it full size.



That river below the mountain is a glacier, frozen of course, but still looks a lot like running water cutting through the valley.


And driving home after a great flight, there's a moose with her calf in the background. You gotta love Alaska!!


Here's a good picture of Nathan, I'll bet he's thinkin... "Dad, put down that camera, I want to play in the bathtub... PEEEZE " He's our "little man" that's for sure.



Well, that's our update, we'll try to do that more than once every 2 months! Ahem, yeah, I'm talking to you!!

Nathan, Beth, Brianna, and Nathan

One More Thing...

So, I forgot a very important announcement in my last post. My brother Britt finally proposed to his girlfriend Lauren Werner, and they are now engaged to by married. We are totally excited for them!!! The big day is going to be next May 30, so that should make for a very exciting May for us. We are also due to PCS that month, so we will see what happens. If you want to read about the proposal you can check out my dad's blog for a really funny account of it (www.inthemasterpottershand.blogspot.com), my brother's blog (www.brittonclay.blogspot.com) for his view, or Lauren's blog (www.hisfootprintsmyguide.blogspot.com) for her view. They are all really good stories.

Just an Update

Well, I haven't posted in a long time. The last two posts were from Nathan, and I am so thankful for him keeping everyone up to date+ on what has been going on in our lives. Not that I haven't been capable of getting on the computer and posting, but I haven't been feeling the best these days. I have been very, very tired with this pregnancy. And then, of course, there are those fun moments of...well, throwing up. So, posting on our blog hasn't been at the top of my list of things to do.

Let me start by back tracking just a little bit. I went to Ft. Worth, TX a few weeks ago for a conference with Premier Designs. It was a wonderful, fun time. When I first walked in, I ran into Debbie Thompson, who is the mother of a dear friend, and she is a dear friend as well. She took me around and introduced me to all of the missionaries there and it was such a blessing to see how the Lord uses Premier to work in the lives of these missionaries all around the world. Throughout the conference, we were able to hear testimonies from them, and that blessed me so much. I cried a lot throughout those testimonies. Anyway, I had a great time, but I was so glad to get back home to my husband and children. I missed them so much!!!

The day after I got home, we had Mr. Todd Burgess up "in view of a call" (Nathan isn't quite sure why this phrase is used) at our church. We enjoyed a good week with he and his wife, and the next week the church did vote to extend the call, and the Burgess' accepted. So, once again we have a pastor and we are excited to have them up here as of August 15th.

We also had VBS the next week, and I was the helper for the kindergarten classroom. The other Miss Beth and I had a great time with our children for the week. But, because I was battling pregnancy sickness the whole time, I was glad to have that week end. But, my children had a great time in the preschool classroom, which was just for workers children. My good friends Nicole, Melissa and Robin took care of the children.

The only bad thing about VBS was that Nate contracted Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease from our time there. Oh, and I forgot the mention that the week of VBS, my father-in-law and brother-in-law came to town. Most of that week they were gone fishing with Nathan and my other brother-in-law. But, Monday we went on a glacier cruise through Prince William Sound. While on the boat, I noticed Nate had several spots on him. At first I thought it was the chicken pox. But, a quick call to the nurse's hotline told me that it was a viral rash. My friend Nicole's son Cutter also had it, and she took him to the doctor, where we got the official diagnosis. So, that was all kinds of fun. Brianna got a slight case of it, but hers wasn't bad at all.

Then, when we returned from the glacier cruise, we found out that the 3rd Wing Commander at Elmendorf passed away suddenly in his home on base late Sunday evening. Nathan worked fairly closely with him for the past year, so this was a very difficult thing for both Nathan and the entire Elmendorf family. We attended a memorial service for him last Thursday. It was a great celebration of his life, and his love for his family as well as his love for the air force and the people he served with.

This week has passed fairly uneventfully. I had an appointment with a nurse on base to check for the heartbeat on Tuesday, and I was able to have another ultrasound at that time. It is so amazing to see a baby so small have so many distinct features. I have one picture of the little one that shows head, body, arms, hands, legs and feet. And she (my guess is that it is a girl- but I may be wrong) is only about an inch and a half long at this point. Pregnancy and childbirth is such an amazing miracle!!! I look at those pictures and ask myself how anyone could ever think that is not a child?

OK, so enough of my rantings. Hopefully that updates you on what is going on in my life right now. I am going today to have a glucose test done, so pray that goes well. And, pray that I don't get too fatigued. It seems that if I can keep up on my sleep, then I don't get as sick.

Love to all!!!

THE all time Alaska Fishing Trip

Well, Dad and Jon were able to come up for a fishing trip on the world class Kenai river for King Salmon with Josh and me. Dad caught the biggest fish of his life, a 48 and 1/2 inch Chinook salmon that weighed 50 pounds! Even though the rest of us didn't bring a fish into the boat, we were happy for him. Dad officially holds the record in our family for the biggest fish caught in freshwater now. As I joked with Dad about it, I told him I was getting emotional, because I remember when I helped him tie on his first hook! Nice Fish, DAD!!! (Notice he had to hold up the fish with both hands, and the boat supporting its weight!) Click on the picture to get a sense of how BIG this fella was.


As we drove around later, we found a Moose with her 2 baby calves right near the side of the road. Keep in mind, we only had our car between them and us! Great picture, except for the one or two drops of rain on the lens.

This is where it really gets tough. Josh, Jon and I plotted revenge to update the saltwater record. We all broke it individually, Jon had a 50 pounder, Josh netted a 92 pounder, and I got a 159 pound halibut! Dad raked in two 30 pound halibut himself. Someone on the boat got a 205 pounder, it was a great day for J&J smart charters, we'll probably be in the brochure for the next few years!! Stupid water on the lens!
Ever wonder what halibut eat off the bottom that makes them so delicious? I NEVER expected whole crab!! But, I guess it makes sense.
Then, we realized that we could clear off the lens of the camera and yesterday, we were able to get some great pictures on our cruise. Of course, the best ones were of Brianna and how much she loves her Grandpa Hendricks!
Then, Nathan got to play with Grandpa too. Look at that face!
And then, we got the picture we'd all been waiting for, the Suprise glacier in the background with all of us posing for the family photo. Dad and Jon leave tonight after Josh's birthday party, so we'll sure miss them, but it was definitely a trip to remember!!!

Alaska to Texas

Well, here's a few pictures from our trip to Fairbanks, we had a great time!!
We got to do some gold mining, and keep what we found.


Ok, so we didn't really find nuggets THAT big, only a few of those smaller pieces, about $33

But we had a great time swimming in the pool.


Then we saw the Great Alaskan Pipeline. Hey, lets get some more oil in that thing, these gas prices are killing us!



After scouting for about 15 hours on the road for animals and seeing only a caribou and one rabbit, we come home and see this visitor in our backyard. I risked my life to get a picture this close, so hope you enjoy it!



And of course, a compelling case for the cutest kids in the world.

Tonight, Beth is leaving me with these two for a trip to Dallas for a business conference, so I'm going to need all the help I can get. We're sure going to miss her, and she'll be back real soon. Beth, we'll sing "Deep in the heart of Texas" every night until you come back!

Announcement

Well, I know that I said in my last post that my next post would be about our vacation, but that is going to have to wait for a little while.

So, for the big announcement...we are expecting Hendricks Baby #3!!! We are so excited that the Lord has blessed us with another little baby!!! We have actually known for about a month or so, but we were unsure of when the due date would be. We had an ultrasound this past Thursday, and found out that we are due on February 16th, 2009. So, this next 10 months is shaping up to be very busy. Nathan is very busy at work, will hopefully be upgrading to Instructor Pilot, we will be having a baby, and most likely be moving.

Please pray that the Lord will keep our baby safe and keep me strong and healthy. I have been very fatigued this time...much more than the last two pregnancies. And, when I am tired, I am nauseous. So, that is all kinds of fun. Brianna has been such a help, even though she is just barely three years old.

Lots to Update

Well, it has been a while since I have posted a blog, but for good reason. We have been very busy around here. Last time I posted, Nathan was gone on a trip down to the lower 48, both in Louisiana and in Oklahoma. While he was gone, I got out a new project for the kids. We don't really have a backyard, so they can't just go outside to play anytime they want. But, I do let them play on our back deck. I had this plastic tub, and so I just filled it with rice and put some play cups and scoops and buckets with it. Hours of entertainment, and it cost me almost nothing!!!

The day that Nathan was due to come back from Oklahoma was the first day of the Air Show at Elmendorf. So, I loaded up the kids and took them out for awhile to kill the time until Daddy came home. They had a bouncy house inside one of the hangers, and Brianna wanted to jump in it. So, we waited in line. When it was her turn, she ended up being in there with a bunch of really rowdy big boys. And, since she had never been in one before, she was a little scared. But, she stood in that spot the whole time, hung on to the side the entire time, and had a blast jumping up and down. She did not want to get out.

Nathan got in safely Saturday evening, and we were so thankful to have him home with us. However, he had to work all day Sunday at the Air Show. So, we planned to go and hang out with him there. The start of the "show" portion of the Air Show was this guy who jumped out of an airplane (I don't remember which one- either a C-17 or C-130) and flew the American Flag over the Air Show. That was pretty cool.

We were able to take the kids on their first tour of the AWACS. Now, you may think that we would have done this before, but honestly, when it is such a part of your life, you just don't think to do things like that. Besides, security is usually tight around the squadron. Anyway, we went through and Nathan got to let Brianna sit in the pilot's seat where he sits, and that was cool. This is a picture of Nate and the kids in front of "his" plane. Notice the cute flight jacket that Baby Nate is wearing.

The big attraction to this Air Show was the Thunderbirds, which are F-16 fighter jets. They did a really amazing job! This picture is of two of them flying incredibly close, one upside down on top of the other. I am so thankful that my husband is NOT a fighter pilot!!!

So, after the Thunderbirds flew, I left with the kids and we went home and slept...we were all exhausted. Nathan had to stay and finish his work for the day. He made it home about 6:30, but had to leave to go to a meeting with the Pastor Search Committee that night. He was gone until almost midnight, but they did come to agreement on calling a pastor to our church! Yea!!! Last night they announced it at church, so he will be coming in just the next week to preach and to meet the congregation. We are so excited to hopefully have a pastor soon.

So, my next post will cover our vacation, which we left on the very next day.