"Go for a walk, say a little prayer, take a deep breath of mountain air..."

It was a strange feeling coming home from Alaska and feeling like I was never really there.  It turned out to be a very fulfilling opportunity and gave me more confidence in knowing that I can, in fact, achieve goals that would  be much more comfortable to never go after in the first place.  I made a list in a previous post of the things that I wanted to see and do during my trip north and am revisiting them now for the first time.  Let's see how I did:

Anna's Alaska To Do List

*Finish my leisure book that I've been "reading" since January

Yes, and then some!
*Hike my butt off, quite literally

Nope, still there but I did cover quite a bit of ground and came to love running outside on trails with some of the most inspiring views that God has made.  I miss that, so do my ankles.
*Relearn how to ride a bike (I'm pretty sure it is something you can forget)

I had no need to ride I bike because they let me use their cars.  I did, however learn how to drive a manual transmission!
*Find a job (in Minnesota!)

Urgh, still working on that.
*Kayak for the first time

Dangit, no, I ran out of money.  I WILL do this next time.
*Write a short story

I started a short story, I think I'm using as a bookmark or something now.
*Have some long conversations with the most important Man in my life

The church that I attended was teenie tiny and (through my well-trained eye) had some of the most poorly done stained glass windows I've ever seen...but it was the most beautiful church I've ever worshiped in.  It looked out over the bay behind the alter which beat any window or mural you could create.  The few regulars there were so welcoming and every week it was full of tourists from around the world.  Every week they would announce that they had white coffee mugs with St. John's written on them for sale in the back of church which was about the most precious thing I've ever seen.
*Get away from all the other men

Success!
*Make money

It's all relative.
*See a moose and a whale

Many moose, no whales which is reason number two that I have to go back.  Kachemak Bay and the Cook Inlet are known for their whales and I was known for wanting to see one.  I think they were hiding from me.
*Avoid bears

Besides from week one, success.
*Meet new people

I met people from France, Netherlands, Israel, Brazil, Japan, England, and Mexico, also, NYC,  Wisconsin, Boston, New Orleans, and all over the lower 48.  Ya, I've got connections.
*Explore watercolors

A little bit with the kids.
*Draw everything I see

Surprisingly it was difficult to get inspired.
*Soak in the beauty

It's still with me.
*Get the need to get away out of my system, for the most part

The opposite, in fact.
*Come home

Here.