We decided to do a little sight-seeing in Soldotna on our way home from Clam Gulch. Soldotna? Really? Why's that? Because Ash did some growing up in Soldotna. It was actually while he was living in SOldotna that we met. That story is for another blog though... this one is for showing a couple pictures from Ash's past.
This picture is of Charlotte standing in front of a church Ash's parents helped plant.
Ashley's parents came to Alaska as church planters. My knowledge of their adventures is limited, but I know they lived in Juneau, Ketchikan and Soldotna. Both of his parents grew up in South Carolina, so I always enjoyed the stories my mother-in-love would share about first arriving in Alaska as a young wife. My mother-in-love was a featured twirler for the South Carolina Gamecocks in college, so I can only imagine her thoughts when she rode the ferry from Prince Rupert into Ketchikan for the first time. What must Alaska have looked like through those eyes? After college, my in-loves moved to Ketchikan for a year. In fact, they spent their first wedding anniversary in Ketchikan. My mother-in-love has shared that their first home here was without plumbling! As I understand it, God used that year to grow a vision in my in-loves to be involved in planting churches in Alaska. Running hard after God would take them to seminary in New Orleans, to Juneau, Alaska, to Ketchikan again, and finally Soldotna, Alaska where their first home was a dilapitated trailer-- with three young boys! Wouldn't her stories be a treasure to read? I've heard many from her and from my husband, and some of them make my eyes go wide-- like teaching in the Desire projects in New Orleans while her husband pushed through seminary! I've asked her to write some of those on her blog. You can check her blog out by visiting my in-loves link to the right. 
This last picture is from the Soldotna High Football field. Ash grew up across the street from this field. We had a donut picnic here-- donuts from The Moose is Loose Bakery- formerly the Black Forest Deli.
3 comments:
Girl after my own heart!!Now this made my day. The pictures were so sweet. Love getting a lot at one time like this. Maybe I am selfish. Just can't get enough.Wish I could see all of you Wed. But maybe next time. The whole family looks so sweet. Love, Love, Nana jane
Walks down memory lane can be lots of fun . . . I can imagine Ash was full of stories. The Black Forest Deli had great sandwiches; I can only hope the new establishment's donuts were as yummy. Ahh . . . the three A's spent SO much time on and around that football field; much of it with Onyx and Red!
Cute family shot! I love you guys ~
those must be amazing stories. I hope she shared some of them. I can not imagine being without plumbing...or living in a trailer with three small children.
Post a Comment