Three Weeks Home

I must say things do change! Being gone for three and a half months does affect how a person thinks and react. There are many things I learned while in Alaska, but I am very greatful to have a family to return to. Now I have compleated three weeks of school and all my classes are going well. So far I have made A's in all my quizes, but a really big one is coming up this Wednesday! I started taking Ballroom Dance lessons and love every minute of it!
For laborday weekend, my family went to the beach and I got burnt really bad! That's what I get for thinking I can tan after staying in Alaska so long!

Three Weeks Home

I must say things do change! Being gone for three and a half months does affect how a person thinks and react. There are many things I learned while in Alaska, but I am very greatful to have a family to return to. Now I have compleated three weeks of school and all my classes are going well. So far I have made A's in all my quizes, but a really big one is coming up this Wednesday! I started taking Ballroom Dance lessons and love every minute of it!
For laborday weekend, my family went to the beach and I got burnt really bad! That's what I get for thinking I can tan after staying in Alaska so long!

Three Weeks Home

I must say things do change! Being gone for three and a half months does affect how a person thinks and react. There are many things I learned while in Alaska, but I am very greatful to have a family to return to. Now I have compleated three weeks of school and all my classes are going well. So far I have made A's in all my quizes, but a really big one is coming up this Wednesday! I started taking Ballroom Dance lessons and love every minute of it!
For laborday weekend, my family went to the beach and I got burnt really bad! That's what I get for thinking I can tan after staying in Alaska so long!

Three Weeks Home

I must say things do change! Being gone for three and a half months does affect how a person thinks and react. There are many things I learned while in Alaska, but I am very greatful to have a family to return to. Now I have compleated three weeks of school and all my classes are going well. So far I have made A's in all my quizes, but a really big one is coming up this Wednesday! I started taking Ballroom Dance lessons and love every minute of it!
For laborday weekend, my family went to the beach and I got burnt really bad! That's what I get for thinking I can tan after staying in Alaska so long!

Three Weeks Home

I must say things do change! Being gone for three and a half months does affect how a person thinks and react. There are many things I learned while in Alaska, but I am very greatful to have a family to return to. Now I have compleated three weeks of school and all my classes are going well. So far I have made A's in all my quizes, but a really big one is coming up this Wednesday! I started taking Ballroom Dance lessons and love every minute of it!
For laborday weekend, my family went to the beach and I got burnt really bad! That's what I get for thinking I can tan after staying in Alaska so long!

Three Weeks Home

I must say things do change! Being gone for three and a half months does affect how a person thinks and react. There are many things I learned while in Alaska, but I am very greatful to have a family to return to. Now I have compleated three weeks of school and all my classes are going well. So far I have made A's in all my quizes, but a really big one is coming up this Wednesday! I started taking Ballroom Dance lessons and love every minute of it!
For laborday weekend, my family went to the beach and I got burnt really bad! That's what I get for thinking I can tan after staying in Alaska so long!

Alaskan Life!!!

So it has been almost a month sense I have posted anything on here. I know many of you are frustrated about that! :) Well here is another post for you!

First, Thank you to everyone who made the movie for me. I love having something to watch, with everyone's smiling faces. You guys had me crying one minute and rolling with laughter the next minute. I made a list of all the things people want to do when I get back. It's my goal to get them all accomplished the first month I get back, except one! Mr. Jessee will have to wait until October 19th! The first week I am home I will not plan anything, just so I can be home, see my family and get back into school! I know you have not seen the movie but I have to tell you about one part! The last question asked was, "What do you want to do with Sarah when she gets back?" Joe Graham stood there for a moment, blushed and ran over to the camera and gave it a big kiss! My heart just melted!

The last month has gone by so fast!!! Work has remained to same mostly. The season is beginning to wind down so people are making preparations. At Holland America, bosses are trying to figure out just how many drivers they will have through the end of the season. My boss is trying to figure out what she is going to do when Nathan and I leave. We leave the same week because we both go to UCF, so we have to get back for school. At the my other job, we are looking at inventory to see how little we need to buy and how to get rid of the extra stuff we have!

The Leggett house hold just emptied out. They had three people visiting from Texas, 4 people including 2 babies from Fairbanks, Alaska and a lady who did a T-Tapp exercise event stay with them! Their house was full!!! We went hiking up to West Creek one day. (The Internet is too slow or I would up load them here.) The hike is very steep up the mountain. At the top there are blueberry bushes everywhere. We picked only a few to try. If we eat all of them the bears will have nothing to eat!
The glaciers are more clear now! We can see them just standing in town! There were a couple of really hot days which melted the snow enough for them to be visible. It has been a rather cold and wet summer, but most days there is a little bit of sun.

I look forward to seeing all of you in person again!

Big Plans

Matthew West has a song were he sings about staying in the center of God's plan for him. As I was listening to this song, I realized a couple of things. First, there is nothing more important then seeking God. Second, there is nothing more rewarding then being in the center of God's care. Today I realized I am exactly where God wants me. There are many scary choices I had to make to get me here and I had no idea what some of the details would entail, but here I am! I have fallen into the habit of listening to a message while I am baking for work at 5am, then listening to worship music before my co-workers show up! Today I listened to Matthew West! Just as the white chocolate and raspberry scones were coming out of the oven, I had the most incredible realization. So far in my twenty years on this earth, I have only had one other realization so clear to me. Taking those scones out of the oven was exactly what God wanted me to do. I have never had a feeling of being safe like I felt at that moment. When I was young and the baby sitter was over, I could never fall asleep until my parents got home, because I didn't feel safe. In a kitchen at 5:30 am, with no one else around, I felt the presence of God surround, protect, and assure me! I am exactly where the plan of God has me and wants me to be! I am in the center of God's plan for my life and there is no better place to be!

Sunday Morning

Sunday was a very busy day! Ashlei and I got up early to make breakfast for anyone who wanted it at the Westmark. I noticed most of the people at the Westmark are morman and go to church on Sunday mornings, however they were always late because they woke up too early to make breakfast and get to church on time. When I was talking to one of the guys he thought it was a great idea when I brought up the subject of making breakfast for everyone. They pay $6 a person and I take care of everything. Ashlei was very gracious to help me make all the pancakes with blueberries, eggs, and bacon! Because the kitchen is very small, we set up tables and chairs in the alcove in the hallway. When everyone came out to breakfast they were so surprised! They LOVED it!

About 12 people altogether showed up for breakfast! They thought it was great to smell the food cooking and get up to have it ready for them! Ashlei and I had two griddles going at the same time and flipped the breaker. The funny thing was half the kitchen was connected to one side of the hall and the other side was connected to the hall I live down. One of the guys came out and asked if they we had lost power, because he had apparintly lost power about the time we flipped the breaker. So we had to finish cooking everything on half the kitchen!

After Ashlei and I finished cleaning up, we had to get everything gathered into the van to get to church for 11 am! We made it just in time! Ray suprised us by taking us to the gun range for a shooting lesson! I got to shoot a pistol, riffle and revolver! I liked the riffle best, because it was the easiest to aim and made the least amount of kick back.

A Greatful Heart

I am so greatful to God for allowing me to be taken out of my home into a land of great beauty for a time of reflection. The world is full of of troubles and hard times. How amazing it is to be promised hard times just as God promises to be with us every step of the way. Even though I am working 60 hours a week, the pace of the town has alowed me to slow down an reflect just how much God has protected me from and how much he has done for me. These next two months I want to focus on prayer more. I find that God removes people from perticular situations to have them pray. Seeing as I am 3000 miles away and there are many things to pray for back at Metro Life Church, there must be lots of praying I need to do. God has led me to this scripture to share with you. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strenght, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be removed into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at is swells.

Father's Day

Because today is father's day, I am going to post about my dad and all the other men who have been very influential in my life! This might turn out to be the longest post of all.
My dad is one of the first people I run to with a problem. When it came to tough question in chemistry in 10th grade to questions about modesty in my dress. Many years ago I struggled with asking God why I was in the family God put me in. Thankfully, through many different people's guidance, I am grateful to say my family is the perfect family for me! My dad has been the perfect instrument in God's plan to help me change and grow closer to Him. There have been many different times we have gone on "wisdom walks" and discussed things into the far hours of the night. Last year I got to honor my dad in front of the whole church! It was great fun surprising him! Seeing as this is my first Father's Day away from home, things are very different this year! However, I still want everyone to know how much I respect my dad and how wonderful it is to be submitted to him and his guidance. There are many times my parents have helped me with difficult situation in the last couple of months, especially leading up to my departure to Alaska! There have been time where my parents have come in MY room to talk and had stayed in there until 1 or 2 in the morning talking!
I love home my dad invites people over to our house when he wants to disciple someone. This allows me to practice hospitality and grow in taking care of a home. I love cooking for him and my brothers because they are so grateful even when the meal does not come out the way we planed. I love being home with the whole family spending hours talking and laughing at each other's lame jokes.
There are also other men who have been very influential in my life. Right now Ray Legget who is the pastor and chief of police in Alaska. He has given me a better picture of what it is to turn over our earthly possession to God. One of the first stories he told me was of a time they were back in Texas at another church. There car got them to church, but would not start to take them home. Thankfully they could walk home, so he started to leave the church. His friend asked him if he was going to fix it. He responded, No God has a problem with His car, I let him know about it already, so I am going home to take a nap. And so he went home to take a nap. I so desire to have this kind of attitude, and not allow small distractions of the world to take priority over the true reason for living.

There are so many people in Orlando I could write about. First, Mr. Jessee has been a very influential person in my life. I am very fortunate to have been in his home group for the last 10 years. The Bible says a friend close by is better then a brother far away. Well in many ways I feel much closer to the Jessee family then I do my real family. Mr. Jessee has always made himself available whenever I need anything. They have always opened their home to me if I need a place to stay or just to have me over for dinner. I had so much fun working for him during those 5 summers. I have always said that the perfect husband for me is a combination of my dad and Andy Jessee rolled into Logan Bartholomew's body! That would be a perfect husband!

The other man in our home group is Leonard Lippy! Many who read this will wonder why. However, Mr. Lippy has a very special place in my heart! If someone ever just heard him, they would think he was a chauvinistic pig, but I know different! However, if anyone saw how he looked and treated his Barbara, his ray of sunshine, they would know the complete difference. She respected him in the hard times and he doted on her. There is so much I have learned through watching their relationship. I wish I could be as much of an encouragement to him as he has been to me.

The last but not least is Mr. Graham. There are so many things Mr. Graham has taught me about serving his family. There are so many times he has opened his house up to other people. I love how I am asked why I have not been over enough even when I had been there about three or four times in that particular week! There have been times he and Mrs. Graham have sat and talked to me for hours about everything and nothing. He has encouraged me in tough times and challenged me in other times. There has never been a moment where I felt judged or condescended for my actions or beliefs that were different then his or his families.

I am so grateful God has given me so many different men in my life. There are so many examples of what a Godly man looks like. I am very glad each one of them is in my life!
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Dinner

So I have been in Alaska for one month and one day!!!!!! W00t!!! (Says Alexis). Tonight is hambergur night at the Leggetts and Cheri made her Potato Salad, which is the best ever and Alexis could not get her head out of the bowl. With Ray making hamburers!

Tonight we had cooked hamburgers! Last week they were still mooing as they came to the table! Ray assumed everyone likes a mooing hamburger! However, he is the only one!

When Harley gets scared he hids in the bathroom! Which is as small as a lavitory in an airplane!

We also had chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake! Which was amazing.

Ashlei made the cake to make up for the mid-term I had to take today. She was so sweet to make this for me. The mid-term was a long, essey question test. The professor might not get it for two weeks because the post office is so backed up!

I forgot to post about Mojo! He is 6 foot monkey they keep in the back yard!!! Just kidding! This is the costume used during birthday parties and other Skagway events!!

June

So it is now the second of June and, according to my dad, I have 12 weeks left before I come home. Yesterday, was the most stressful day at work I have had yet! I had to ride the train to give people their tickets (for land excursions) and get their money for them. There was five groups in five different train cars and I only made it through three in an hour and a half!!!!!!!!!! Half way through the third car I ran out of paper for the credit card machine! Thankfully I had extra paper, however, the roll was too big to fit into the machine. So I had to roll the paper onto the empty roll. Then I had two rolls so I put on in the machine. What would happen then, the receipt would not print on the paper. So I had to hand write each receipt, which I am almost certain is illegal! One lady insisted I had charged her to much. Which I had NOT. She just did not want to pay the price we charge. So I got my boss on the radio and told her how far behind I was and she would not stop asking questions, which was not helpful. By the time all the people got off the train and on the ship, I was exhausted.
The day started off really well! I got to ride in one of the coaches on the way up to Fraser. The driver's name is David! He is from Utah and this is his second year as a Skagway driver. His style of touring is different then all the others I have ever seen! He wears a Lei and plays the ukulele as people come to get on his coach. As we were talking the subject of the snow melting came up. When I got here the mountains were covered in snow, now they are almost bare near town and up the pass the snow is slowly melting and the lake is defrosting. One of the other drivers had stopped to let me touch snow on the other trip up. David asked if I had ever made a snow ball, to which I reply, "No." He then preseaded to find a good place to pull over and have a snowball fight. He told me one of the joys of snowball fights is to hit someone with a snowball. He made me throw a snow ball at him!! I had a really hard time hitting him. It seemed so weird to have him stand there while I aimed at him. He also informend me that I also had to experiance what it was like to get hit with a snow ball! The snow has melted so much it feels like snowcone ice! We then had to go on to meet the train. So Ladies and gentlemen I had my first snowball fight. Let me tell you that snow is COLD!

Hiking Trip

We went up to Lower Dewie Lake last Sunday as a group of people. Once we were at the top we got to have a picnic lunch together. So I finally have pictures of myself thanks to Alexis! She is a photographer who loves to take pictures of very random things! She is very eccentric person. When she wakes up in the morning she asks herself, "What clothes do I have that do NOT match," and she will pick those clothes. We had a blast hiking up the trail.

Latest

I know it has been a long time sense the last post, sorry about that! Things have been crazy! I have finished all my training for both my jobs and am now flying solo! Tomorrow is the first day I will be going on the train by myself. No pressure!
On Saturday when the group came in from Whitehorse, there was a young man that I thought I recognized, but just put off the thought. When we got back to Skagway, he came to check in his group. I asked him where he was from and he said Florida. So I said, "You are from Orlando, aren't you?" To which he replied, with a puzzled look, "Yes, how did you know that?" So I asked if e had ever been to Metro. He is one of Rachael Brunson's friends, who has come to b-games and church on occasion! Go figure I would see someone like that even up in A-L-A-S-K-A!

First Ship Day

So what is ship day? Well, its the day the ships come in that we deal with. We have to go on the ship and shuffle the people to get them off in their correct groups. Or we go on the train (same on as I road the other day) and take payment for the tours they will be taking in town, so they can get on their tours right away! All went well today! There hasn't been much going on. It seems as if I have been here much longer then a week and a half.
The other day, we went into Whitehorse, Canada, so I can now say I have been out of the country twice! We had a great lunch at a Japanese Restaurant where we all had sushi. Then we went to a Canadian Superstore, which is the same as a Wal-Mart. The prices on everything is much higher then in Florida. A gallon of milk is almost $6 here, and a loaf of bread is $4.36! Being able to buy food at a lower price was a really the reason for the trip! There is not a lot of selection when it comes to fresh produce. Floridians are very lucky, because we get a lot of great produce. The idea of corn-on-the-cob is foreign here. I had to get a 'green' supplement because of the lack of produce.
On the way back from Whitehorse, we saw not one but two BEARS! The first one was a brown bear and he just walked across the street, looking at us. When I get the camera out I will post pictures of it. The other bear was a black bear! This one ran for the hills when he saw us! The black bears are much smaller. To be able to see two bears in one day was quit the treat.
More later...
Love you all,
Sarah

Train Ride and More!

Once a week I will be riding The White Pass Mountain Railroad. Yes, it is part of my job! What is amazing is that I get payed to look at a great view! My fellow workers and I rode the train so that we could see what the ride is like and sell the train experience to people. The ride was about three hours of the best scenery in the world. We started at sea level and claimed all the way to 2884 feet in the mountains. At the top, there was a lake that was stil frozen over and covered in snow. The snow gave off a beautiful blue glow.
Later, after dinner, Mrs. Leggett took me up to Diyea, which is a ghost town from back in 1890. After the Gold Rush this town went from 20,000 people to just 3 almost over night! There is second forest growth now. The locals go to this place to take their four-wheelers out. Latter in the summer, the black bears come out to play in the planes.
While I was riding the train and looking at the tall trees, I got to thinking about how tall they are even in one of the windiest towns in the USA. (NO, even Chigaco is not as windy. It just has a bigger population to complain about it the wind). These trees are, sometime, bigger then three story houses, yet even amongest the wind they stand firm. When the trees are little they have the houses and other trees to block the wind, but they get enough to build up a resistance. As the years go by they grow taller and get a little more wind. Their roots grow stronger and deeper as they receive a little more wind each year. God used this part of nature to show me something. When I was a child my parents took most of the "blunt force of the wind" and used that time to help me grow my "roots" in Christ strong. As I have grown "taller and stronger" in Christ, He has sent me trials and tribulations to prove that I am strong, but also to keep my roots firmly planted in his word. For all that read this post, this revilation is not simply a beautiful picture that came to me, but God showing his love in a "practical picture" during very challenging times. He is showing me more and more that the harder the wind the better I will be able to stand the wind. His grace is so much more evident when the wind is blowing harder. I love being covered in the Grace of God. During the trip, when I was tempted to fear, I could remember that God had promised me I would spend this time here to grow in Him and return home to my family. This ment that nothing could hinder me from reaching Skagway.
Love you all,
Sarah

Tour Day

Today I started my job at the Westmark Hotel and we did a tour of the town! We got to see the town with a towner's perspective! There was a short video that gave a brief description of the settling of the town. The town was not settled by natives because they knew the valley was not a good place to settle a town. There is not very much good fishing here and the moose and elk cannot make it down the steep mountains. But this man settle the town way before the gold rush and made a killing when the gold was found in Dawson city. We also went to the historical grave yard where Soapy Smith was buried. We do the tours in a yellow bus! The people dress in clothing that is from the time period.

Tonight we had a company BBQ! There were people down from Dawson City and Whitehorse, so we had a big company dinner! We had the picnic on the Skagway River. The sun didn't set until around 9:30 and dark still has not fully come on and it is after 10pm!

Tomorrow, I will be going on a cruise ship to learn the disembarkation process for the ships. The Leggetts are having a bake sale for a young lady who is going to Africa for five weeks on a mission trip. They are trying to help her earn money toward the trip. The kitchen smells really good! They have made cake sticks, which are really good! There are also cookies and pear cake to sell tomorrow.

Timothy has become my little buddy. He is with all the time! Whenever I go to their house he comes up to me and want to to talk about everything! When he started poking me, I warned him I was coming after him and he didn't believe me. So I got up and chased him into the living room, where I threw him onto the couch and tickled him good. I was tickling his feet and he yelled, "No feet, no feet, no feet!" But when I asked him if he was ticklish on his feet he told me no, so I went for his feet and he said, "Ok, yes I am ticklish, don't tickle them!"

Love you all,

Sarah

Work Day

Today was my first day working at the Mercantile!

It is a great job! I have to make lots of different things from scratch. We make Lemon Pound Cake, oatmeal cookies, and sandwiches. Tomorrow I will start at the other job, which is the one I got at school. The last few days it has been raining and cold, but today it has been sunny and warm, well in the high 40's. The mountains still all have snow on top. So far I have walked the whole town and saw every store.

My room-mate doesn't show up until the middle of next month. There is only one grocery store in the whole town and it doesn't always have the things you need! But I love how small it is and there are not so many choices, so people don't take an hour to choose which brand they want.

All you southerners will be happy to know the Leggetts love Sweet Tea as much as you do! The Leggetts have two dogs, Harley, is a mix, but part husky! He doesn't know how big he is because he want to climb into my lap every time I sit down!

Well More Later!

First Full Day

Last night I got to have dinner with the Legget Family! Their whole family is very hospitable! Half the neighborhood was at their House awaiting my arrival! Nathaniel, who is 11, could give Logan a run for his money! He asked so many questions about so many things, I could hardly keep up. Their youngest, Timothy, is 5 and he gets into everything. They are going to be so much fun to hang out with! Mr. Legget has already agreed to teach me how to shoot a hand gun. So for everyone who was worried about my protection, I will soon be able to shoot!
Today, I have been to the grocery store, post office, and the library. Talk about getting around. It has been raining all day, but it is still beautiful! Now I have to dust my room, clean the bathroom, and cook some meals for later in the week!
Yes, there are pictures coming, but I had to find a place for wifi. Now that I have one you will have pictures very soon.
Love to All,
Sarah

First Flight Over

To start at the begining of today, my family went to the beach, so I could soak up some Florida sun before I left. The sun rise was beautiful, but the wind was cold! When we got home, I took a nap, and was therefore late starting my packing. Thankfully, Amber and Heather Sutter helped me get my stuff all together. For a late lunch or early dinner we had Papa John's pizza (a fine home cooked meal)!
It took three cars to get everyone to the airport! Including my family, there was 7 other ladies that came to see me off!
Right now, I am sitting in my hotel room in Seattle, WA. My flight left Orlando at 6:20 and arrived in Seattle at 9:20 pm. This is the first time I have flown by myself and on a flight longer than 2 hours. So I must say that today, I do NOT like flying. Its not that I got motion sickness, its just that my head feels like it is about to explode!
Tomorrow is the big adventure! Two flights, both on smaller planes. My next post will be from A-L-A-S-K-A!!!!

Welcome!

I can't believe it! I'm leaving for Skagway, Alaska on Monday, May 10th for a three month adventure. If you would like to join me, pray for me, encourage me, enjoy the view with me or all of the above - then sign-up to receive my blog posts via e-mail. I will miss you all, but look forward to seeing what the Lord has for me through this time.

I'm excited to post about my trip on a regular basis, and this blog helps keep it all in one place for my convenience and yours as well. Be sure to bookmark it in your favorites!

Thank you!

Sarah