Light in Sight

We're right in the thick of the darkest days of the year. Currently the sun rises at 10:10am and sets at 3:40pm - exactly five and a half hours of "day". The solstice is on Sunday so we probably won't lose much more daylight in the next four days (thank goodness). It's weird to write when the sun rises and sets because I'm surprised at how short my "days" really are right now. It honestly hasn't affected me at all since I'm at work all day anyway. I'll admit that there are times that I'll glance over my shoulder at the windows and am startled that it's already (or still) pitch black outside but most of the time I barely pay attention. I think it'll be weirder for me in the summer when it'll constantly be so bright out! 

Garrett and I are both working the rest of this week and half of next week. Even though I've been counting down the days until Christmas, it seems crazy that it's already almost a week away! I still have to get Garrett's gifts this weekend because we had a really busy weekend and I wasn't able to sneak away. I better hurry! 

Speaking of this weekend, we attended Garrett's company Christmas party in Wasilla and had such a great time! I finally got to put faces to names and it was nice to be surrounded by new friends. There were so many babies there - about ten of them - so I got my baby-fix and was a happy camper. Garrett and I both received very generous gifts and can't wait for the day when we can pay it forward. Then we spent the night at Mammaw and Bills' house and enjoyed some family time!

We took a walk on Sunday on the trails by our house and the lighting was so beautiful. The mom and baby moose that hang out in our yard once in a while were on the trail, just hanging out. I was nervous walking by them but they didn't so much as glance up at us. There are so many people on the trails at any given time that I'm sure Mama and Baby are used to being approached. They're such cool creatures! I wish I could have one to ride around on in the mountains...

Speaking of moose, we had a new visitor last week! A fairly young (and limping) male wandered into our yard and ate some branches off our trees. He then found himself a nice little snowy spot across the way and slept there all night - curled up into a little moose ball. It was the CUTEST THING ever! The moonlight, the glittery snowflakes falling, the pine trees, the sleepy moose...it was basically a Christmas card scene. We think he was the one that got caught up in someone's barbed wire fence across town earlier this fall, which would explain the limping. Someone had called to report a struggling moose but the AK Fish & Game said to leave him be. Supposedly he got out but was pretty injured so hung out in the person's backyard for a while until he could walk again. If it's the same one, he must be doing a lot better if he made the journey from Muldoon all the way to Sand Lake! It's so weird to think that moose to Alaskans are like deer to Montanans!