Denali National Park, Nanana, Alaska, Tuesday, April 22, 2014, 3:04 p.m., Alaska Time~

Dear All~

Michael here.  Hope this finds y'all well.  I am sitting here; just got on lunch break; I'm on break for an hour.  I am at Denali National Park; I started my training yesterday (Monday); today is my second day, and there's just so much to learn and remember!  I pray with all my heart that I will be able to do what is required ....

The weather up here is pretty chilly: it's partly cloudy out, with temps in the middle forties to lower fifties with a stiff northerly breeze, so it makes it seem even colder outside.  I have a sweater on underneath my uniform shirt and longjohns underneath my pants; I'm FREEZING!! BRRR!!

All week long the temps here are supposed to be in the fifties and lows in the twenties and thirties, sunny or partly cloudy for the first part of the week, then increasing clouds later on.  There have been some incredible aurora displays dancing in the skies; I have been taking lots of pictures and posting them on my Facebook wall (and on my wife's page as well).  The auroras are really beautiful!!  

I am happy to say that I have found us a place in Fairbanks; it's all one floor and handicap-accessible (not so much for ME, but for my wife, who IS).  My wife walks on crutches and wears braces on her legs, so this will not be a problem for her.  It's nice; we live just inside the city limits of Fairbanks on Northern Lights Terrace.  (NICE name for a street, huh? :) )  I think my wife and kids will like it.

The hardest thing is not having Ronee' or Dean and Dillon with me.  Up until this point, they had always been a part of my life and were always around; now I'm all by myself and it's hard to get used to the quiet.  I'm used to the little guys' chattering or getting into everything and Ronee' 's sweet musical voice; now it's just plain SILENCE.  It's just TOO quiet!!  I can't wait until they join up with me later this year (only six months away; SIGH!!)!!  I miss them TERRIBLY!!

I wish I could be there to go with Ronee' when she goes to her audition in New York City at the end of next month.  She is auditioning for a spot to appear on the televised portion of America's Got Talent.  I know she will do well, but I know she will probably be nervous.  She always is just before an important audition.

Speaking of performing, on April 5 Ronee' sang on the 7:30 portion of the Friday night show at the Grand Ole Opry House; she opened for Jimmy C Newman and "Cajun Country".  She did a bang up job; she sang and played her accordion.  

She did "Little Dark-Eyed Cajun Girl", which is an original song she wrote when she was 9 years old.  I was very proud of her, but you could tell she was nervous: her vibrato was more noticable than normal, and the fringe on her shirt was in constant motion, she was shaking so hard!  But she managed to get through the song (and her performance), and you could just see the relief on her face when she was through!

The scenery here is incredible!  Mountains, mountains, and more mountains, abundant wildlife, trees and forests as far as the eyes can see ..... I never expected Alaska to be so beautiful ... or so BIG!!!!  Or so CLEAN!!  I have already seen bears, wolves, caribou, Dall sheep, elk, deer, fox, eagles, ravens, crows, and hawks, and whales (not so much here, but I did see them when I went to the Inner Passageway).  

I can see why Ronee' loves Alaska so much.  She's been to Alaska at least four or five times before.  (And that was before I even met her!)

Well, I hate to go, but I'm getting hungry.  I'm gonna get a big burger, fries, a large Coke, onion rings, and chili.  If I want to eat before I report back to work, I'd better do it or else I won't eat until I get home at 7:00 tonight (a little under four hours from now).  Then I have to be back here at 8:00 tomorrow morning and my day starts all over again with more training and things to remember!  *Sigh*

Take care and Yeshua bless!  Talk to y'all later!

~Michael.