Tender Mercies

I remember the first time I saw a Bod Pod while touring a potential college during my senior year of high school.  I thought it was so cool that this school had a machine for the Athletic Training students to use to measure and learn about body composition. While I would have loved to have gone to this particular school and learn about and use the Bod Pod, the university I ended up attending and graduating from did not have such luxuries. I never thought I would have my curiosity appeased and actually get to use one until last month when I heard that the Army Wellness Center on post had one.  Naturally, I made an appointment to be tested so that I could have a baseline of what my body fat % is as well as my resting metabolic rate, though I know numbers are not everything.  (If you are interested in this kind of testing and you are in the military, I would highly suggest checking out your wellness center to make an appointment because it is FREE.) It's an egg-spa...

I know I am biased, but I absolutely love this picture After 13 months of waiting, my husband was finally promoted to Sergeant! **Happy Dance** He passed the promotion board in August 2013, but had to wait. and wait. and wait until he earned enough promotion points as well as for the points to drop to a reachable level.  I don't agree with the point system, but since that is the way things work in the lower enlisted side of the Army, I suppose we will just have to play the game until he can switch over the officer side. In terms of pay, he was promoted on October 1, 2014, but he waited an entire week to get pinned, just so that I could do it. I was really surprised he did this because he can't be called Sergeant Adams until he gets pinned. It would have driven me crazy if I were in his position, but I am really touched that he sacrificed so that I could take part in the event. Being in the Army can be silly sometimes. Most of the times.  But, it is the small thing, lik...

It is now safe to say that summer is officially over. The temperatures have cooled down to below freezing at night, there is now less sunlight than night, and we picked up our final share of farm-fresh veggies last week from our CSA farm. What is a CSA you ask? It stands for Community Shared Agrilculture , which is a program where you have a direct relationship with the farmer and where your veggies grow. We payed $365 at the beginning of the season and picked up our fresh veggies every Monday from June through September.  There are a handful of CSA farms in and around Fairbanks, but I am glad we picked Calypso Farm ( click for link ). I had the opportunity to go to the farm a couple of times to help out with farm, talk with the wonderful farmers, Susan, Christie, and the other farm hands, and get my hands dirty! I was able to help out with some thinning of the carrot plants in the early season, and then in August I was able to help with their compost pile. The season official...

For dinner last night, we ate chili. Caribou heart chili to be exact. I have to give thanks to our friend, Grant Petersen, for giving us the heart from the caribou he shot a couple of weeks ago. While many people to not enjoy organ meats, we really do. Other than the fact that they're delicious, it is also probably because I did not grow up on them, and only began incorporating them into our meals a year ago. Did you know organ meats were highly prized by native groups traditionally? I've read that they would eat the organ meats first, saving the muscle meat for the dogs. This was especially true for their warriors and pregnant and lactating women. Organ meats just have a greater nutrient profile than muscle meats. I know I feel SO great after a meal that contains organ meats.  Let's look at the nutrient profile of heart meat: (This is for beef, but caribou is going to be similar, with probably greater values since it is wild game). Heart Nutrients High in zi...

My favorite mode of learning is from other people's examples. On Monday I was reading my little sister's weekly letter from the mission field, and I really liked this part: "My new companion is Sister Kira Barker--and I couldn't be happier! She is always happy and I asked her how she stays so happy all the time, and she says she is just super grateful." Super Grateful. The wheels in my mind began to turn, and I felt like I wanted to put this to the test. Although I have been taught countless times to show gratitude, it is so easy to slip into the "wo is me" attitude. I really have LOVED these past four days because I have been SO much happier and more my true self.  Here are some examples of ways I have changed my thought patterns: "I can't believe Marshall is gone again and this time I do not know when we will see each other again," to "I am so grateful Marshall has a great job that he is good at, and that we are so good at havi...

Earlier this summer I stopped by the farmer's market to pick up a couple of things on my shopping list. While I was there, I ran into an acquaintance and FRG leader of my husband's company. I said hi and we exchanged "how are you," but that was it. You see, I was in a hurry. I didn't think I had the time to talk and grow a friendship. I was subconsciously going through my list of things I needed to accomplish that afternoon and nothing was going to stop me from my goal. Wow. I am really embarrassed to share this story, but it helps to make a point.   I used to be the queen of to-do lists, so much so that if I completed a task that was not on my list, I would write it down just so I could check it off.  But I've now realized that when I had these lists, I would get so caught up in getting everything done, that I would often miss small moments in my day that are really precious. Things like a conversation with a friend you run into at the farmer's m...

Have you ever had a week where it seemed like the world was testing you for everything you really really wanted? That was my week last week. When Saturday came, it was time to escape and find some peace and refuge from the clamors of the world.  With limited time left in Alaska, we set off on a new hike we've been wanting to do for quite some time: Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs. Because we weren't up for doing 17.4 miles in one day, we drove to Chena Hot Springs, rode our bikes 7 miles down to the trail head for Angel Rocks, and then hiked the 8.7 miles back to the hot springs.  What a beautiful day it was! This was from the summit at mile 3. After we passed the summit, we were alone. I felt so much peace and calm while walking along the ridge top. I did not want to leave. It was 360 degrees of beauty and nature. No planes, no people, no roads, no buildings. Just the hills, clouds, birds, and sunshine. This was what my body needed. It was a lovely afterno...