Monday, October 5, 2009

Alaska Arrival... Finally!

Hi, everyone!  Thank you so much for being so patient while we were traveling and out of touch.  We arrived on Friday safe and sound and had the internet hooked up today.  It's so nice to get back on line.  Only problem is I have so much unpacking and organizing to do, I feel guilty getting on the computer right now.

I have missed all my bloggy friends so much!  I can't wait to sit down and get caught up on what everyone is up to!

We had a blessed trip.... God is so good.

Tom drove the entire way.  I offered a couple of times (secretly hoping he would say no), but he always wanted to do the driving.  We pulled a trailer behind us with everything that would fit into it including my car.  Thank goodness nothing else would fit in the trailer, because this apartment is nice, but so very small.  I have to do some creative organizing.  But I will say, this is my favorite part of moving... unpacking, organizing, everything fresh and new.

We drove 93 hours, 53 minutes in 7 days.  No offense to the Canadians out there, but I hated being out of the country for 3 days.  I had no idea I was going to feel that way, but I just had an uneasy feeling the entire time we were in Canada.  I couldn't wait to get back on American soil.  I wonder if my son feels that way while he's in Iraq?

The Canadian scenery was absolutely the most boring I've ever experienced.  Nothing but plains, hay fields, windmill farms, and more hay fields.  I'm sure Canada has a lot to offer, but our particular route.... BORING!  Until we got to the Yukon, that is.  The Yukon was breath-takingly beautiful.  Snowy mountain ranges.  Gorgeous!

When we crossed back into America onto Alaskan soil, we had already been driving through snowfall for 2 hours.  This was making Tom a little nervous since we didn't have snow tires on the truck.  But once we crossed the border, the snow started to ease up and stop.

I could feel the prayer going up for us.  Everything just fell into place the entire trip. When we stopped in Minneapolis to apply for passports again since ours didn't arrive before we left, we were pleasantly surprised that we only had to pay the expedite fees instead of reapplying again and paying all the fees.  This was a major deal.  We are talking a difference of paying $180 instead of the $460 we had planned on.  Yes, I thanked God for that. (Notice pic of empty office room - that was the passport office and we were the ONLY ones there!)

While stopping at a gas station within a day of arriving, a trucker noticed bad tire wear on the trailer and approached Tom about it.  That was a shocker.  One of the tires was not wearing well.  So on Thursday, Tom took that tire off and put the spare on.  The next day, I had to make one of my frequent stops, so Tom pulled off onto a rest area with potties and checked the tires.  The spare was leaking air so fast, he could hear it.  Again, thank You God, for me having to make a stop and Tom checking the tires BEFORE it was flat.  So Tom removed the spare and put the original tire that was balding back on.  Yes, Tom was concerned about the tires the rest of the way.

On Friday, 2 hours from our destination, we stopped at McDonald's (yes, I had to go again - I can't help it), and a man walked up asking Tom about the trailer saying he was looking into getting one.  Well, oh my gosh, he bought it.  Now remember, this is the trailer we bought for the sole purpose of moving our belongings and my car here.  It was cheaper to buy one than to rent a U-Haul or have my car shipped here for us.  Our intention the entire time was to sell it after we got here.  The guy came by yesterday (Saturday) and paid cash and picked it up.  Again, I can feel the prayer going up for us.  Things have just worked out like this the entire time we have been planning on moving.  I'm so very grateful.

We have gone out a couple of times to the grocery store and to Walmart for things we've needed.  Tomorrow Tom starts his new job.  Oh, I pray he likes it and that it's a great place to work.  I'm intimidated right now about this new town.  I get lost so easily no matter where I live, so I'm afraid to venture out on my own.  But, I will do it tomorrow anyway, and hope I don't have a panic attack.  In fact, just thinking about it kinda makes my stomach hurt.  My sister knows about my silly stomach aches.  She's had to deal with them while we were growing up.  Whenever I get really nervous, the stomach aches start up.  It's much better now that I'm grown, but they come back sometimes in situations like this.

Thank you all for thinking of us and being so supportive.  I will try to start the posting on a regular basis now, although it may take a while before they become a daily thing again.

Enjoy the pics.  I hope I didn't post too many.

Hugs and love to you all!

Janis

Janis

1 comment:

Debi said...

I don't know how I missed this post, I think I get mixed up with the two blogs and probably didn't check here.
I'm glad to hear everything is falling into place for you three.
I also hate venturing out in new places,maybe we both need a GPS.