We're here!

We're here. I've tried to write for the last couple days but have been so muddled that I couldn't find words to describe the magnitude of the things I was feeling. Even now I feel ill equipped. I feel like I've entered the the Twilight Zone (insert theme music here).

The last month has been a glorious long holiday full of fun, family and friends. We loved Calgary with the Brandts, Tsawwassen with the grandparents (my dad and stepmom) and Victoria with Auntie Janette and Cousin Brody. We made wonderful new friends in Clint (my sisters beau) and his boys Douglas and Easton - an absolute hoot! And we visited with timeless friends Karen (KP) and the de Lestards and Becky and her family. Amazing people all and I could write endlessly about how each one has impacted me either recently or in our pasts. I'm reminded again that my greatest riches have always been found in friends and family.

But now the next part of our story has begun as well as the out of body feelings! I arrived in Whitehorse, Yukon on Wednesday the 19th after 4 days of travelling with my mom and the kids. Ken left on the 15th to get to Whitehorse in time to be a part of an orientation that he had to attend as a new teacher to the Yukon and my mom (bless her crazy heart!) graciously agreed to help me drive the Symanski clan north. We made it in spite of the moose that tried to play chicken with our car! By the time I got here I was played out from the driving, the kids fighting, the driving, the kids whining, the driving, the kids breathing. I think the first couple days here, actually I know, my mom thought I was going to crack up on her. But then she seems to think I live fairly close to the edge of insanity all the time...

Ultimately I think the glazed over look in my eye and the nervous twitching (okay, no nervous twitching, just a glum, long face as if my favorite dark roast coffee had just spilled with no hope for more) was because I was starting to wrestle with the reality of this crazy ride we're on as a family. For those of you who know me, you know that I am a woman of grandiose ideas and pitiful follow through. How on earth did our little thought of "wouldn't it be neat to spend a year in the Yukon some time?" actually come to be?!? I'm flabbergasted, overwhelmed, terrified, excited, stunned and 'wowed' that it's really happening! Can we really pull this off and maintain our fragile grip on sanity? Thankfully my family was wonderful as I stumbled through those first few days here and I eventually came to my senses. (As much as is possible for me!) Now I feel flabbergasted, overwhelmed, terrified, excited, stunned and 'wowed' as well as at peace. Whew.

Now the good part... we took a drive out to Haines Junction where we'll be living this next year. It's just what I needed. And even though it was a dreary overcast day, I loved it! What a wonderful place to spend a year. We met a few people and they didn't point at me and laugh because I have adult onset acne (what a drag!), they just seemed like genuine town folk who could have a good laugh. And I have to be honest that both Ken and I perked up even more when we visited the little local bakery. Me, because they serve a great Americano coffee and Ken because they have wireless. More first impressions? I didn't get to see the mountain peaks with the cloud cover but it is still a very lovely place. Lots of new and old mixed together, the run down places as well as the prettied up places of every small town. It's quite spread out but everything is still in walking distance. The school is very nice and proof that the government here pours a lot of money into the outlying communities. (Something Ken learned from the folks he met in the orientation he was at.) The kids were thrilled with the play structure and the gym (it's full size as it is a K to 12 school). The boys were convinced that they would never find their way around and Brenna seemed quiet as she took it all in. They're all doing remarkably considering all the new things being thrown at them. We'll be staying in Whitehorse for another week and then we'll head out to Haines Junction to start life there. We have my parents very comfortable R.V. until we get into our place on the 1st of Sept. School starts on Aug. 31 so it should be fun getting everyone off to school from a R.V.!

Today we're having church together for the first time since we left Winnipeg. Although there has been many "God moments" along the way, the kids are excited about having church here at Grandma's and Grandpa's. When I suggested it to the kids last night they dove right in suggesting all the things they wanted to do. Jay wants to provide the singing, Brenna and Will want to lead a lesson. It seems that after three years of being in a home church they really get the fact that it is a joint endeavour and everyone has something to contribute. It's neat to see.

It's time for me to wrap this up... I have more to say but I'll save it for another post. I've got to get better at finishing posts - with our busy days it's been difficult to sit down to write and I don't like dragging them out.

Jesus,
Thank you. For your nearness in the midst of change. I love you.

until next time,
Dianna