Sunday, June 14th - Day 2

Again, it was so easy to wake up to such a beautiful view on Sunday morning. Thanks to the body wave I had done a while ago, it was also so easy to fix my hair and get ready for church.

Here's where Settler's Bay Community Church is currently...

...and where they will be meeting (across the street)!

They bought this property, and once they have raised/saved enough money, they will build.

Pastor Jim spoke on Romans 12 (one of my favorite chapters in the Bible) and about serving where you are gifted to serve. We met several of the members at SBCC, and it was great to be a part of a smaller church again. The service was very different than Noonday's and Buckhead Church's... There was a "children's time" during the service, much like what I grew up with at the Methodist Church. It was a great morning!

After church, we went to lunch at the Windbreak Hotel and Cafe. I had fried Halibut fish & chips. Again, very good... I tried to get the baked halibut before it was pointed out to me that it was only available after 5pm! The restaurant reminded me of one in Kampsville (or near K-ville) in Illinois on the Mississippi River... After lunch, we went back to Jim and Brenda's to change. We hung out by the lake waiting on everyone to get ready, then left for Hatcher Pass.

Nolan, Kelsey and me by Wasilla Lake (Jim's backyard!!)

The team stopped for a photo op near Hatcher Pass.
Camille, me, Mardene, Josh, Kelsey, Pastor Henry, Tara, Nolan, Richard & Carole
(Click the photo to zoom in and read about Hatcher Pass!)

Hatcher Pass was amazing. The drive there was incredible (only slightly more incredible than the fact that I did not get carsick!) and with every curve I continued to be amazed at the beauty of it all. Once we got to the top, we parked at Independence Gold Mine and hopped out... Everyone had their cameras plastered to their faced... taking it all in. I have approximately 173 pictures from Hatcher Pass so I'll share just a few...

Richard, Carole, and me

Mardene and me at Hatcher Pass

Independence Gold Mine

The preserved mining community (perspective from the top of the mine)

Checking out the mountain (and we didn't even have to pay-per-use for the telescope viewer thing!)

Pastor Jim and Pastor Henry at Hatcher Pass

"Life began out here in the wilds, not in the city as so many are inclined to believe. So treat this place as if your life depended on it... Because it does."

Author Unknown
Found in a old mining cabin in Archangel Valley, Hatcher Pass.

We spent a while at the top exploring and roaming around taking a ton of pictures... and then headed back down the mountain, stopping at scenic views to take more pictures.

Pastor Henry and me by the Little Su River (I think)

Richard & Carole enjoying the river
Mardene & Nolan - all smiles!
Me & My Girls (Kelsey and Camille)

After an awesome day of church and sightseeing, we headed back to Wasilla, to the grocery store and host home. We had burgers from the charcoal grill for dinner, which were fabulous (apparently because Jim was talking to the fire the whole time) and we were all surprised when we realized it was already late (hey, even at 11pm the sky is still bright)! Henry made another run to Wal Mart to exchange the air mattress for me-- the rest of the trip it stayed inflated! Yay!! I slept much better Sunday night!

Me :-) My cheeks hurt from smiling so much!

More to come...