I gave away this quilt yesterday.  I was so happy to find who it belonged to.  You see, I made this quilt for someone three years ago, but I didn't know her then.  Here's the story.

The fabric on the back of this quilt has the name Chelsea written on it.  All over the design, in fact.  I don't know where I got the fabric or why it said Chelsea.  I knew when I put the back on that one day I would meet Chelsea and this would be her quilt.  

This quilt has been used a few times, but mostly it has been in the closet on the shelf.  I was cold a few nights ago and pulled this quilt out.  The next morning I was laying in bed enjoying looking at the quilt when I realized that I had met who the quilt belongs to.  I washed the quilt and got it ready to give away.

I wait for God to tell me who gets the next quilt.  There has been a family of kids on my mind but I don't know them, I have just met them in passing.  It would be weird for me to give them quilts as they don't live near me.  But the oldest girl just moved back to my town and we have talked a few times.  She is 14, and her name is Chelsea!

When I gave her the quilt, I told her it had her name written all over it!  I am so thrilled to have given the quilt away!  I knew when I made it I would give it away some day and that day arrived.  This is why I make quilts!

Chili Cook-off

On Jan. 17, Nenana Community Church and Nenana Wellness Coalition sponsored a Chili Cook-off and Freecycle.  

We had seven chili entrants and four judges, and about 50 people showed up for a bowl of free chili!  We held the event at the Tribal Hall, our first event there.  Everyone said they had a great time and are looking forward to doing it again next year!  We awarded prizes for 

Tastiest to Merrily Ver HagenHottest and Grand Champion to Jeff Coghilland Prettiest to Kelvin Schubert.

Our judges were Innoko Chapman, Bill Troxel, Terri Thompson, and Eric Gephart (Superintendent). 

 

We travelled to Anchorage and Glennallen this last week for a short vacation.  I saw this sign in Anchorage and just had to take a photo.  The white sign is the funny part "Swimsuits Ice Grippers".

Heat Wave!

December 2008 

To all our dear friends and family: 

We are hoping this letter finds you happy and healthy and enjoying your family and friends during this most blessed of seasons.  

This year has been full of ups and downs but we are always serving the Lord with all our hearts.  We have become more deeply involved in Nenana and with the people here.  We have been told many times over that we are the right people to reach out to Nenana and that we are a blessing to the town.  Some acquaintances that have lived here longer than we have came to us to ask how to become involved in the community.  We were able to tell them how to find out what’s happening and help them find activities to enjoy. 

We have had many good times.  We started an every other month community activity called a Freecycle – like a yard sale but everything is free, and we provided dinner too.  We traveled to Oregon for a Village Missions conference and then on to Iowa to see Bill’s family.  I have made and given away about six quilts to kids that need an extra measure of love.  Aerin started playing the trombone in the school band this year.  Ethan was just awarded his yellow belt in tae kwon do.  Bill was asked to play Santa for the Senior’s Christmas Bazaar, and had a great time.  We attended our first and second potlatch, a native traditional dinner and dance.  We are involved weekly in AWANA, Bible studies, youth group, Sunday services, tae kwon do and crafting at senior housing.  We also volunteer often at the school and community activities.  We have been losing weight and are down 100 pounds between Bill and Rebecca. 

There have been many tragic deaths in Nenana this last year.  In July, Cindy, a church member, died of metastasized breast cancer, leaving a husband and three children.  In October, the mayor’s 15 year old son, Josh, was killed when his snow machine slid in front of a car on the highway.  A man, Richard, died of alcoholism, just two weeks after Josh.  A week later, another young man that grew up here, Freddy, was killed in a snow machine accident in Fairbanks, and was brought to Nenana for services.  Bill was afforded many opportunities to talk to people about God’s ultimate plan and how to deal with the grief of losing a loved one.  Also in August, Nenana was flooded and property was destroyed but no one perished. 

We are looking forward with great expectation to the new year.  We are sure that we are where God wants us to be and doing what God wants us to do.  So whatever this next year brings, we know God is in control.  We update our web pages often so come and see what we are doing.

   nenana.blogspot.com, rebecca0669.blogspot.com and nenana.wordpress.com

It is cold here today!  And it has been about 30 below F since Saturday!  And it is not going to warm up anytime soon.  So what do you do at -40F?  Stay inside where it is 70 above!  And start the car every few hours!  We do have a lunch to go to at two, we won't turn the car off as there is no place to plug in to keep the engine warm.  And the interior gets so cold too.  There is another potluck to go to tonight at 8 p.m. and then some dogs to check on, and then fireworks at midnight. 

 

About cold, really cold. 

From 0 to -20 F is not bad.  Very liveable weather.  The car needs to warm up about 10 minutes, coats and gloves and hats are needed when going about town.

-20 to -40F is okay.  Snowpants and coveralls are the normal dress.  

The car needs about 20 minutes to function, but it doesn't act warm until about 10 minutes of driving.  The interior doesn't get warm, even with the heat on high.  If the defrost is lowered or changed to heat the interior, the windshield immediately frosts.  The other windows are all frosted all the time.  Moving about town is limited.

-40 to -60F is just about awful.  The car is so cold, it doesn't warm up.  If you have to drive somewhere, the car has square tires that take a mile or so to round out.  If you get the car started, you must plug it in where ever you go or leave it running.  Snow pants, coveralls, face masks, gloves, long underwear, sweaters and layers are all required attire.  Town travel is just not worth it and road travel is just what is really necessary.  Any travel requires blankets, and all emergency gear in the car.

-60F and colder.  What is so necessary to do in this weather?  Most people stay home.  School is cancelled at 55 below.  Work is optional; so many cars won't start, it is expected people won't come in.  Travel is emergency only.  You won't get warm in the car, so full winter attire, blankets and hand warmers are necessary.  

We went to Fairbanks yesterday for a dentist appointment and groceries, driving about town the signs said -38F.  So many cars are left running, the air quality is awful.  Added to wood smoke, you just about can't breathe.  Everything is kept at ground level, the pollution doesn't lift due to the cold.  Wow, it was really cold.  We left the car running while visiting with some friends in McDonalds for an hour, we had the groceries in the car and didn't want them to freeze.  Winter is hard on the gas budget, so thank God that we are now paying $2.45 a gallon, not the $4.63 we were paying.  

The sun is finally peeking above the trees, it is 11:30 a.m. and it will be dark by 4.  I mean DARK.  There is no warmth to the sun, just brightness, and not much of that. I just took this photo out the front window.  The sun won't get any higher.

We have been busy these last few weeks with Christmas activities.  Bill was asked to play Santa for the Seniors Christmas Bazaar, and he had a great time!

Bill was asked to be the Narrator for the Nativity Program and Ethan was a shepard and Aerin was an angel.

We arranged a caroling session last night.  I was shocked when 40 people showed up to go caroling!  We sang to about 12 houses and then stopped for cookies and hot chocolate.  It was about -10 F.  Everyone said it was a great time and next year we should do it again!

Tonight is a Christmas party, tomorrow night is a Christmas party, and Wednesday is a Christmas party at our house.  Whew!

Happy Thanksgiving!  

We have already been to two Thanksgiving meals and it is not the official day yet!  We went to the school community lunch on Monday and then to the Senior Housing Dinner on Tuesday.  We were invited especially so that Bill could pray for the dinner.  There were about 35 people there, and our presence was really appreciated. Bill talked with Nina about beading, his new hobby.  In this community, beading opens up a lot of doors, and leads to many conversations.  Nina makes beaded slippers and gloves and sells them in the store here.  They are breath-taking, the whole top part is beaded.

This last week, we attended our first potlatch and then the second the same week.  A potlatch is a big party in honor of a native who died.  The first potlatch was for Richard, a 37 year old; and the second was for Freddy, another youth who died in a snow machine accident.  When someone dies, the family starts cooking at the native hall.  Usually food is cooked for up to five days, all meals, for anyone who wants to come.  After the funeral service, always held at 2 p.m., the main  potlatch starts at 6 p.m.  Chairs are set up around the outer perimeter of the room, and then another row is set up facing those chairs about six feet apart.  Then another row is set up back to back of the second row and sometimes a fourth row of chairs is added.  Large rolls of freezer paper are unrolled at your feet and this becomes your table.   There is a foot wide space between the freezer paper tables and this is where the servers scooch down the row, serving as they go.  It is tradition to bring your own dishes, and lots of plastic bags, and a soup container.  The family gives away moose meat (a traditional hunt is allowed any time someone dies), and oodles of food.  Moose soup is the big thing, and they make it in vats over an open fire.  When the food is all given out and some of it eaten, everyone helps to clear the chairs.  Then the singing and dancing begins.

The first part of the singing is  mourning.  They are sad slow songs, sung by the elders mostly, and sung in honor of the deceased.  After about half an hour, the drums come out and the dancing begins.  The men stand in front of the drums, then the children and the women in the back.   The drums are so loud, and then the guys start stomping.  Wow, you just have to bop with the music.

There is one dance called the Athabascan Twist, and all the guys go find a partner and do the twist.  

There is a game that is played with candy as the prize.  The family unrolls bolts of fabric to make a huge rope.  There are about 10 bolts.  Everyone holds the rope and gets in a big circle, moving clockwise around the room, as big as the circle can be.

Then when the music stops, everyone runs together to make one long rope, and tug of war begins!  Pull, pull, pull!  After one side wins, the game is started over again.

When the last tug of war is done, bags of candy are opened and the candy is thrown everywhere.  Everyone is on the floor scrambling for bits of sweetness.  

After the dancing is finished, the family gives out gifts to the gravediggers, casket makers, cooks and helpers.  Sometimes the potlatches go on until wee morning hours.

I have been sewing with Ruth for about a year on Tuesday mornings.  We are making quilts.  She is so dedicated, working on one project at a time, until it is finished.  I work on this, then that, then finish something else.  

Vern and Cindy came to visit.  They are the district reps for Village Missions.  We had a great time! They are pleased with our work here and think we are doing all the right things.  Praise the Lord!

And this is our cute gingerbread house!

We have had a tragedy here in Nenana.

A 15 year old boy was hit and killed by a car while riding his snowmachine.  

The town is devastated.

Bill will be participating in the funeral on Friday.  

Please pray for him and for the people of Nenana.

It is snowing here today!!!!