Now Reading: "Crunchy Cons: How birkenstocked Burkeans, gun-loving organic gardeners, evangelical free-range farmers, hip homeschooling mama, right-wing nature lovers, and thier diverse tribe of countercultural conservatives plan to save America (or at least the republican party)" by Rob Dreher

A Baby Story...

...should come with warnings. "This program contains graphic images that persons contemplating pregnancy should avoid." or "Viewer discression advised" It's my new favorite show to watch while I am working out at the gym. I think it's good birth control. But we've been married for five years and it's time for us to start thinking about children. So we've been trying for the past few months. It took me a long time to decide that I WOULD give up my job when I had kids. It's wonderful to have a job that you love, and teaching will still be there some day when I am done being a full time mom. But I still think I will bawl my eyes out on the first day of school when I don't go back. In case there is any confusion here, I am NOT pregnant yet, just thinking about it.

Our garden. If you come see us, you'll go home with produce (whether you want to or not). This year we are experimenting with pickling cucumbers. So far I have canned 3 quarts. I'm finding that they don't come fast enough at the same time to make it worth canning. So I ordered some from the produce stand. Also, we have spaghetti squash right now. This vegetable really does not get the credit it deserves. I love it with spaghetti sauce on top.

oh...yes...

Five Years!

On my husband....

my husband is reading a book called "Awakening The Financial Genius Inside You"

just what I need. if you got to know my husband very well, you would know that he regularly refers to himself as a genius. i love this self confidence. he inspires me to think the best about myself, the very best, the very best possible. and when I do something genius-like he says, "whoa...lady".
when he and his brother, Dan, were in highschool they decided to start using the word "cheap" hoping that it would catch on among thier friends. it did. "that's so cheap" can mean good or bad. it really all has to do with the voice infection and context.
my husband loves all my friends even if they are wierd. he gets along with almost anyone. except people who throw plates into the street. hey that reminds me of a story:
one time when we lived in portland there was a lady across the street who was throwing plates into the street. yeah, it was a halfway house and she was off her meds. we lived in a apartment on the third floor with a balcony. we shared the balcony with the johansens. it was hot and paul had his shirt off. oh, and I was on the phone. all this to set up the scene:
so this lady is running in and out of the house pretty much hurling every plate in the place into the street. she would run in, get some plates, run out, and chuck them into the street, creating quite a mess.
Paul: "HEY!" (yelling from the balcony) STOP THROWING THOSE PLATES!
Lady: "WHY SHOULD I?"
Paul: "IT'S AGAINST THE LAW TO OBSRUCT THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY!"
Lady: "ARE YOU GONNA MAKE ME? YOU THINK YOU'RE SO TOUGH UP THERE WITH YOUR SHIRT OFF?"
we had many laughs about this (otherwise unhappy) incident. paul went down and helped the other people that lived there sweep up the plates in the street. paul doesn't mind confronting people. and this is a true story. ask the johansens. they witnessed it all.
he grows vegetables because I like to eat them. he takes care of me. i missed him so much when i was in alaska that swore never to leave him again.
anyway, tomorrow is our five year aniversary and this is my tribute to him. he is a man who knows who he is and I love him. right now as i am writing this he is singing a little jibberish song to me.

Pictures from Alaska

I think I am going to have to blog about Alaska in parts, because the whole is just really too much for me to digest at once. Really, where do you start talking about a missions trip and how God worked in a certain place. It's too much.
I actually had never been on a missions trip before. Anyways, I really can't even think of where to start, even now. I guess you'll have to wait.

for more pictures click here

I saw a moose!
This is in Unalakleet. You can see the fish dying in the buildings.

I saw a mountain goat.
I went imprompu sledding on someones coat, in July.
Dad really likes flying in these little planes. Whenever he had a choice he chose the ones with the most stops. We saw some amazing things on the way back from Unalakleet.

I was reminded of a story that I meant to blog about at the time and didn't. My mother in law said she sent it in to reader's digest:)

OK, My friend Sarah bought us Tshirts that say "I love Paul" on them because we are both married to someone named Paul. Our Pauls have Tshirts that say "Paul" on them. It's very cute, I should have a picture of all of us together. Anyway, I happened to be wearing this T-shirt one day when I was walking into Wild Oats (a grocery story)and there was a person outside giving free samples of Silk Soy Smoothies (or something similar). Well, I got my free sample and I was chatting with the young man about his product and then I said goodbye and turned to walk away. THEN - I hear him call out from behind me, "Who do you love?!?" Now, I had totally forgotten that I was wearing the shirt and hadn't the foggiest idea what he was talking about. His product? was it a pickup line? I turned slowly and said, "ummm, silk soymilk?" He gave me the weirdest look, "No, you love Paul!" he said laughing. At this point you would have thought that I would have figured it out. But no. I'm Annie, remember. "How did you know that?" I said. This man was cracking up. Anyway, you can guess how the rest went.

This is kind of fun:

www.praize.com/sgifts

Now I can start my normal life again. smiles. it's a hot, hot day. I think 103. too hot to be outside so I have the laptop outside even though it's 11pm. we were thinking of sleeping outside tonight. it is soooo good to be home. Paul and I decided that we are much more effective together than apart. Oh, the company of a person who helps me where I fail and needs me more than I realized. Thanks to everyone who took pity and invited him over for meals and fellowship.

I have about a month to do nothing before school starts, and believe me, it's an important nothing. I will write about Alaska at some point but right now I still need some time to process. This ministry for our church is really not a one time only thing. I feel like now we are committed to going back and parntering with this village. anyway, still processing.


"Your face is beautiful, and your eyes are like the stars
your gentle hands have healing, there inside the scars
your loving arms they draw me near, and your smile it brings me peace,
draw me closer Oh my Lord, draw me closer lord to thee"

I'm baaaaaack!

from Alaska

really tired

pictures and stories later

hugs

annie

Hi from Alaska!
I found a computer. yeah, I think this is probably the one and only time I will be using one. On Monday we fly out to a remote village. I am going through blog withdrawls. Alaska is great. I have seen a moose and a mountain goat and am hopeful about seeing a bear. You know I am all about the animals. Also hiked to a glacier today. Paul would be hyperventilating if he were here right now. I'm pretty sure we would be taking pictures every ten minutes down the highway. I'm planning to bring him back as a tourist. I am staying with some people that live by the Kenai River, a famous fishing river. In fact when we drove here there were fishermen lined up down the river catching fish.

Annie

Paul and Brandon exploring the caves.

Mark, Barb and Will (Paul's sister Rebecca's boyfriend). This was Will's first time camping ever! He said he liked it.

Tahklahk Lake - we just love this campground, it's so beautiful!

Mark and I tried fishing with no luck. Last year I caught six or seven, but this year they just weren't biting. Maybe I'll have better luck in Alaska?

Our campsite

You won't hear from me for a while. I am leaving tomorrow on a mission's trip with my church. A great adventure! Paul and I just got back from camping at Tahklahk Lake with our family and friends. I will try to post some pictures before I leave, right now my computer is being a little wierd.

Paul comes into the kitchen from the garden:

Paul: "guess what, the birds LOVE me."
Annie: "have you been talking to them again?" (he has a history of this, and whistling to them)
Annie: (note to self: this is going to be great for my blog)
Paul goes on to tell Annie elaborate story of a hummingbird who got REALLY close to him.
Paul: "... it was so close, but then I got freaked out a little, and I moved, and it flew away."
Annie: "freaked out?"
Paul: "yeah, haven't you ever seen thier beaks?"

Yeah, Sarah is probably the only one laughing right now, but I think it's so funny.

Do you love to cook? Do you love to eat? Share your recipes with us. I created a new blog called Food Love where you can share recipes and food stories with everyone. Email me to become a member!

CYIA team from Lewis County, from left: Mark, Tobin, Alicia, Emma, me, Alana and Marie.

I'm back from summer camp! I am soooo glad to be home.