Firsts-In-February

February has been a month of many firsts for us here in Alaska! Some good, some not so good!

GOOD:

We got to see the Northern Lights last night! Practically in our backyard! David was home sick and I was driving home after picking Gwyneth up from AWANA. I spotted some "smoke" in the sky, but it looked kind of green. I have been anticipating seeing this magnificent beauty that I told myself not to get too excited. As I got further away from the "city" lights I could see that it was not smoke afterall! It was the Northern Lights! I was SO excited, I was loudly telling Gwyneth "Look! Look! Look!" I quickly phoned David, who I am sure thought I'd lost my mind! I told him to bundle up, we were going OUT to get some pictures of it! What an incredible sight! I would have stayed out there till they faded away, if my fingers hadn't frozen on me! It was easily -20° at the time!
NOT SO GOOD:
We experienced our first earthquake. (4.8 Magnitude) Well, I did anyway. David and Gwyneth slept through it!
GOOD:
We sighted a bit of wildlife; a fox in the dawn of morning taking David to work, and a moose! Gwyneth was at a birthday party and David and I were parked out front of the house waiting until it was time to pick her up. David said "Moose!" (Remember we're in a neighborhood here, so I think he's kidding and some guy has a moose figurine on his tow hitch or something.) I look to my left and behold the biggest animal on four legs I have ever been that close to! I was awestruck! It started to cross the street right in front of us! Only one car length away! I was so surprised I didn't happen to notice if it was a male of female! One of the girls at the party must have spotted it too, because all the little 6 year old girls came running out onto the porch squealing with delight!(They were well enough away from the moose as not to get hurt.)
NOT SO GOOD:
The camera we bought to carry everywhere with us for such a time as this was laying on the computer desk waiting for me to clear the memory card! AHHH!! So no pictures of our first moose!
GOOD: (but not really Alaska related)

I finished my very first knitted scarf! It has many flaws, and is made from cheap, itchy acrylic yarn, but it's ALL mine, and finished!
NOT SO GOOD:
David had to be away at school in Anchorage for two weeks the beginning of this month. It's the first time we have been exasperated since he was in Korea four years ago. It is nothing compared to what many men and women in the military go through, but it was lonely just the same! We missed him and were very happy when he was home again!
GOOD:
"Breakup" is closer than it was in January! Ha!
NOT SO GOOD:
We saw -42°! The coldest morning we've felt since we moved here! (And yes, we were out in it! Gwyneth had gymnastics and then we went to the library.)