12 April 2007

Lots of wonderful news.

I got the message today that Lorrell has been approved by the US government in Hanoi for adoption. I want so badly to send a picture of her for all of you to see, but don't know how to get them off their blog on to mine. Trust me, she's beautiful.

Jim and Charmin are anxious now to get home to Portland and be a real family in a real home, with their real dog (who, by the way, got himself lost for 24 hours from the house where he was staying) I will fly to Portland on the 28th and stay through the baptism on May 6.

I flew the mail plane from Grayling to Anvik on Wednesday and returned to McGrath on Thursday.


(leaving Grayling behind)





(Blackwell School in Anvik on left)

I didn't spend enough time in Anvik to come to any conclusions except that the library needs new shelves before I can do anything there. It's a very small village and all the teachers are related to the students and each other.


It was amazing the difference that 23 days had made in the weather and therefore the town of McGrath. We are now experiencing breakup. Because of permafrost, the melting snow has nowhere to go and everything turns to mud.

The other exciting news is that Joyce arrived in McGrath on Saturday. We couldn't find a place for her to live so she is in the bunkhouse, but in a private room. We have arranged to move into a three bedroom, log cabin on the 21st of the month. Since she lived next to Jim and Charmin for many years, I can share the excitement of the new granddaughter with her.


Others are awash in my excitement. Kaye, who has an office next to mine, posted a sign on my door - Warning, New Grandma inside, Be prepared for overwhelming, Pride..., Happiness..., and picture viewing eye-strain.

More exciting news - I finally got a 4-wheeler on Saturday, and my daughters will not be surprised to hear that I ran out of gas today. I had to bring some gasoline to get the machine away from the AC store where I purchased it, but then thought nothing more about gas until today - oh, oh! But, now I've learned about reserve gas. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. I'm terrified everytime I have to drive through thick mud and mind myself that this is an all-terrain vehicle.

I hope you'll check back on the previous entry; I went back and added a lot of pictures of Grayling