My Christmas letter

Blessings to our friends and family,

It’s twenty degrees below zero and pitch black outside (at 9:37AM!). I guess you could call the weather “frightful” up here, but we’ve gotten used to it by now. We’re in our fifth winter in Fairbanks. Alaska winters have been challenging for me, but I’m learning to seek the “treasures of darkness” (Isaiah 45:3).

It’s been a year of marking milestones and overcoming obstacles. Paul and I both hit the big “40” this year, and we now have a teen and “tween”: Mia is 13, soon to be 14—the legal age for obtaining a driver’s permit and a “real” job, here in Alaska! Ben is 12; God bless all teachers of junior boys!

We love our female Maltese, Snowberry, and our new 9-week old puppy, Sakari (means “sweet” in Eskimo, like saccharin?) a giant Alaskan Malamute. We figured a “real” dog that stayed outside might help us to get out and exercise more. Winter sports like Skijoring, dogsledding, etc., are a big thing up here.

We made our first trip to CA last month to the Monterey Bay area. It was beautiful! We are planning a trip to Hawaii in February so those two “escapes” have made this winter much easier to take!

Alaska has its challenges, but nothing beats the beauty of the summer days that never end: The Land of the Midnight Sun. Come and visit us when you can. God bless you, dear friends, “til we meet again.” We pray you’ll have a wonderful holiday season.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; may the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”