Bill was asked to preach the sermon for the Tanana River Blessing on June 7. This is an annual event held during River Daze, the first weekend of June.


There were about 50 people in attendance.


After the River Daze parade, a group always gathers to say a prayer for Nenana. This is Rita on the left and Sue on the right.


We like to spend time on the river bank. The kids play in the muddy silt (it washes off, really!) The river is so silty, you can see your feet when you are only in up to your ankles.


Look what Rebecca did today! She put up a rope swing which included borrowing and CLIMBING a ladder! The kiddos are thrilled!

We have had a chance to rest so far in June. Bill and I celebrated our 15th anniversary on June 6th, and celebrated in part by going to Jester's, a local bar, for soda and to listen to a friend play live music.

We had a freecycle tonight, an everything is free yard sale, and there were about 30 in attendance. We grilled hot dogs, salmon and burgers. We had some great fellowship and made some new friends too. Today was Nenana River Daze, with a parade and everything.

The church is seeing some new attendees. We are now up to an average of about 35 on Sunday mornings and 20 or so on Sunday nights. This is really wonderful, but we are outgrowing our space. We would really like to build our own building here in Nenana, but we are short in the finance department. God knows our need and he will fill it in his time.

I am looking for someone to quilt some tops for me as a charity project. If there is anyone you know who can help me, please drop me an email.

This is Aerin, the tied for first place winner of the Nenana River Daze pie eating contest!

The Nenana Patchers made a quilt for a lady going through chemo and radiation, (I made the block in the upper right hand corner) and we presented it to her last Thursday at a lunch party.

We were able to go on a riverboat ride the day after school got out, 

and this is where Ethan spent most of the ride!  He was watching the paddle wheel.

Here is a current photo of our little family.  We had such a great time!

Aerin and I saw sandhill cranes yesterday at Creamer's Field in Fairbanks.

Nenana Ice Classic is over for 2009

The tripod went out this evening.  The clock stopped at 9:42 p.m. May 1st!  (official time is 8:41 p.m., something about daylight savings?) And guess what!  I was there to see it!!!!!!

These pictures do not do it justice!  When the ice was moving, it felt like a train was going by, the earth was rumbling.  The sound was a loud rumbling, creaking and whooshing.  It was huge!

This last picture shows the channel behind the tripod opening and ice chuncks piling up behind it.

Not only did Pastor Bill lose his hair, Mr. Schubert, the youth pastor also lost his beard.  The AWANA kids said another 100 sections in order to shave Mr. Schubert's beard.  The kids said more than 300 sections in 10 weeks.

This weekend is another freecycle, with dinner being a baked potato bar.  We will be showing National Treasure also.  We are looking forward to a great time!

Breakup is here!  And what a difference a few days make!  The snow is melting and the water is still standing around.  The puddles are so fun to drive thru!  It reminds me of one time in Hawaii, my parents drove thru a storm valley in the road and it was so much fun we turned around and did it twice more!

There was a house fire in our community a few weeks ago and I gave some more quilts away.

My dh is such a good sport!  For AWANA we challenged the kids to say 200 sections in 10 weeks, and they did it in 6!  Their reward? 

 Shave the pastor's head!!!