First year in Alaska

Posted On April 17, 2023

Our first year in Alaska was far different than anything we could have imagined. Everything we had planned out before moving went out the window! I think God sometimes laughs at our future plans when we make them. We are so sure of ourselves and our abilities to accomplish our goals, yet we cannot see the future or even the big picture. We make our plans to the best of our abilities…and it goes POOF!

PLANS

We had planned to have our house sold in a couple months as it was a “hot market” we were told, we had our list of things we wanted in the new house as well. We wanted to live on several acres with no neighbors. Jared was going to work and I was going to get Jessica through high school. We wanted a greenhouse, shop, plenty of room to homestead, everything was planned out. We had planned out our new life and was so excited to get started! Well, God had other plans and we would soon find out. Nothing could have been further from what really happened!

So we arrived with great excitement and dreams, and then the house didn’t sell and that started a domino effect. Our house did not sell in the timeframe we thought, we ended up having to make double payments for the Washington house and our living expenses here. I had to go back to work to make up the difference in unplanned expenditures. We could not buy a house until ours sold so we lived in our camp trailer FOR ALMOST A YEAR! We had two outside cats that were going to go right back outside (have I mentioned I am not a cat person?) when we bought our new house, uh-huh, yeah, that didn’t happen. So there we were, the 3 of us, Jessica’s German Shepherd, and 2 cats in a 30ft trailer. It was a little cramped, LOL! Those plans of ours looked great on paper, but God had other plans and our faith was being tested, my patience was being tested as well!

“FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU’ DECLARES THE LORD, ‘PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU A HOPE AND A FUTURE” – Jeremiah 29:11

Well, our home did finally sell in God’s timing and plan. Because it took so long to sell the house our eldest daughter was able to finish up her Masters degree, got an amazing job and was able to buy it herself. God had everything under control and our stress and worry about the house not selling did nothing. In God’s timing, He kept the house in the family with Tanya being the 4^th generation to have the home, God is Good!!

That job I had to get to keep the bills paid? I have met some amazing people and have made some great friends locally, I am truly blessed! The job Jared had when we arrived did not pan out so by my having a job we were able to continue meeting our bills on time, God knew the whole time I would need it and worked it out. I was able to work across the street from the RV park were we were staying at so Jessica was within easy and quick reach should she need anything, putting this mommas mind at rest.

When our home finally sold and we were able to start looking here, we again faced a test of patience and faith. We looked at so many homes and put offers in on several but nothing worked out, even our realtor (as good as they were) was getting a little frustrated, but there again, God had a plan. We were at our wits end, cramped and a getting a little overwhelmed when Jared found a house. It was an absolute DUMP but he said he felt like God was pushing him to jump on it. So we set a date and went to look with the realtor. WOW! Words cannot express the garbage and stench in and around this place. Jared had way more vision than I did, I was just disgusted and a little angry. I tried not to show my true feelings as I knew my husband was doing his best to provide a home and wasn’t anymore happy about the circumstances we were in than I was. It was overwhelming to walk through and try to see the good.

WHY?!

Why would God lead us all the way here to Alaska, give up our beautiful home there and give us a dump to live in instead?! It really didn’t seem fair. All I could think of is WHY?! We had both left good jobs, a beautiful home, our family, friends, property, and everything we held dear to obey God and this is what we get for it? Sketchy job situation for Jared, living in a cramped trailer in a RV park, water lines froze up, flooded trailer, walked up the driveway and up a flight of stairs just to use a bathroom or shower or refill our water bottle, trailer started molding, ice started creeping up the walls, sickness, and nowhere to put any of the piles of snow gear so everything would get wet or muddy. We didn’t let on to anyone just how overwhelming and depressing it was, we just kept trusting God had a plan for it if we could keep going, keep trusting, and keep following Him. We were being stretched, tested, and forced to walk by faith in ways we could never have experienced in Wa. So when we prayed about it and realized the nasty house was what He wanted us to go with, I was angry, discouraged and frustrated. Thank God He understands we are but humans and lose faith and hope sometimes. His love and goodness to us is amazing!

REBUILDING OUR LIFE

We bought the house and started cleaning it out by just using gloves, shovels, and hundreds of garbage bags. We ended up having to just gut the kitchen completely to the subfloor, tore down some walls on the second floor, and ripped up carpet and flooring throughout. We paid some local boys to haul off 20 yards of just garbage to the dump. That wasn’t all of it though, we ended up hauling off several more truckloads later. We started a bonfire and anything burnable just went into it that helped with the dump bill! The amount of stuff we had to throw away just to get to the cleaning is shocking, but we made it. We had help from some friends up the street who also happen to be our pastor, lol. Their help was greatly appreciated!

We eventually did get it cleaned out and started the rebuilding process, guess what? God is good! He has supplied for every need. Just when something would come up that we wasn’t sure how we could afford it, God would supply the need. We needed flooring but it was going to cost a fortune, well, I went to Home Depot and started chatting with an associate. While he was helping me, his manager let him know if I liked the coloring, there was 10 boxes of it that had been returned. This was very expensive waterproof/life-proof/pet-proof flooring but the manager said he wanted it out of the way so he gave it to me for $10 a box (regular price was $80)! Not joking – it was perfect!!! The color and quality was way more than I could have afforded and there was enough to do my kitchen and both bathrooms! God is good! I found the stove I wanted but it was expensive, well, Jared found a used appliance place so I went to check it out. There was the exact stove I wanted for ½ the price! I was able to get an amazing fridge for 1/2 the price and a washer/dryer set as well.  God knew what I wanted, it wasn’t a need, I could have went with a cheap set but He supplied the desires of my heart in His goodness. I am very blessed and thankful.  I could tell many stories of the goodness of God in the rebuilding of this home.

Jared has been custom building the kitchen and most aspects of the house so it’s slow as he is also working full time. He is doing an amazing job! I have been able to have my kitchen built how I want it, that’s been a dream come true. Is the house perfect? No, its not what I would have picked out, and yes it has issues, but God knew what we needed and has been helping us in so many ways. We are excited to see what the future holds in our new home.

We have made so many new friends here and found a wonderful little church to attend. We love our new neighborhood, there are a handful of neighbors close by but we are all spread out with plenty of “elbow room”, lol! Jessica has friends right up the road so they are constantly on the run as teenagers do. They go ice skating A LOT in the winter right up the road at the school’s outdoor ice rink. In the summer they are playing volleyball or off riding the side-by-side and 4wheelers around. God has definitely answered our prayers where she is concerned. Jessica is doing amazing here, there are good friends and plenty to do to keep a teenager busy!

God is good, He has everything under control, and our faith has grown so much in ways we could never have imagined. I will update on the house and property later this summer when the rebuilding is complete and the outside landscaping is finished. We need to put in a new well and septic system but God is already moving in incredible ways to accomplish this! Will update that as well when the snow melts and we can get started outside. We are excited to see what the future holds for us and our home in God’s plan.