Our First Kodiak Brown Bear

In all our business Stephen and I have still managed to make a few great memories. One evening we were both pretty tired, but that morning we had decided that we wanted to go fishing. Well the weather had taken a turn for the worse and rain was coming down pretty good, but we braved the elements and headed to our favorite fishing spot! Right when we got there the Lord just cleared the skies and it was a magnificent fall evening. I don't think I can explain just how wonderful it is to have a husband that loves doing the same things as me. We were both in our element as we began fishing. Huge Silver Salmon were jumping all around us and it wasn't long before my line started moving fast! A beautiful Silver had taken hold and Wow! what a rush as Stephen and I worked together to land it. Just one Silver makes about four meals for the two of us, so of course we were excited.
Well as the evening went on Stephen snagged two, but according to the rules you can't keep them. So, even thought the few people around us said "They wouldn't say anything" we made the right choice. Anyway news had traveled down the river that a bear had been seen a little earlier and Stephen and I decided that it was time to probably get going anyway. Stephen began cleaning our salmon and I was watching. Well I happened to stand up, turn around and about 30 feet away was a HUGE Kodiak Brown Bear!!!!! I couldn't breathe and managed to squeak out a few words to Stephen pretty much "Bear" (in hushed tones). This big bear had himself all hunched over scooping up Salmon out of the river. It was one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen. Well it wasn't long before we both realized that our blooding hands (from cleaning the fish) probably needed to get moving. The bear was pretty interested in the river and we didn't want his attention to head in any other direction, mainly ours! So we quietly scurried away.
What a wonderful adventure!

Keeping Our Heads Above Water!

I can't believe it has been a month since our last post. So much has happened since then and I will try to catch everyone up!

Stephen is loving his job as an elementary school counselor, his only complaint is that the 6th grade girls at both schools think he's cute and always want counseling. He has also begun work towards his masters degree. Last weekend he had to travel to Fairbanks for some classes and left Roscoe and me at home for the weekend. He got back into Kodiak Monday morning and had to go right to school for the day.

We're staying busy with our youth group as well. We have been very convicted to speak as plainly has we can to our kids. It is truly our desire that they don't fit into this world but stand out as true Christ Followers. We keep thinking that we will scare them off, but the group continues to grow and that causes Stephen and me to be stretched more and more.

As far as I go, well I'm a bit overwhelmed, but loving my job at the Mission. KACLAC (Kodiak Alaska Community Learning Activity Center) an after school program designed for students that need a bit more academic help or just a place to go after school started last Monday. We bring our staff into the schools to do the activity time each day. At first it was very difficult for me because we cannot have our devotions or chapel time like we do in our programs at the Mission, but I'm convinced that we can speak the name of Jesus through our actions and how we interact with these children. I love when they ask questions about Jesus because we get to tell them all about where our hope comes from. Praise the Lord for the opportunity to speak his name throughout the community.

It snowed for the first time on October 6th! Yep! I was out on my run and it started coming right down. The mountains will be covered in no time!

Please keep us in your prayers. We need the strength of the Lord all the time and the powerful prayers of His people!

The New School Counselor

Things have gotten a bit crazy in the Foreman household since the last time I posted anything. Just a couple of days after we returned from Ouzinkie Stephen headed down to Nebraska for a short visit. He had a wonderful time seeing family, friends, going fishing and being extremely HOT! I on the other hand stayed in Kodiak and enjoyed our one week of summer, but missed my husband.

After Stephen's visit home I met him in Anchorage with a group of our high school youth group kids. There was a big youth conference with tons of speakers and some great bands including Steven Curtis Chapman. We all had a great time, but after four nights on the floor in a school we were both ready to be home!

We returned on Saturday and Monday Stephen went to the new teacher's inservice, even thought he didn't have a job in the school district On Tuesday the Borough Superintendent called Stephen into his office and asked him if he wanted a job. Stephen looked at him and of course said yes! Anyway, the opportunity for Stephen to be a teacher was available, but Mr. LeDoux had a different idea. He wanted Stephen to consider being the school counselor. Stephen could hardly believe what was being requested of him. Just a few weeks earlier Stephen had told him that he was interested in getting his masters in counseling before administration but with getting a teaching job, starting the course work would have to wait a little longer. Now Mr. LeDoux was telling Stephen he wanted him to be the school counselor and that the district would help pay for his education, but he needed to start now. So Stephen’s the new school counselor and he starts classes for his masters on Monday.

Praise the Lord! I’m amazed at the insight he put on Stephen as he prepared him for this new journey and how he answered our prayers in a bigger way than we could have ever imagined!

But that didn't last long. Tuesday evening we were blessed with the opportunity of Stephen's dream job and by Wednesday he was the new Elementary School Counselor. Praise the Lord!

Deer Hunting

It's deer season and Stephen has tags for 3! Austin and Stephen went out a couple of days and found a nice on on Woody Island, but they decided to save it for later.

The Ouzinkie Mission

Stephen and I made it out to Ouzinkie on a Friday evening after catching a nice sized halibut. It was a beautiful evening and it didn't take long for the news to travel around the village that visitors were there. Cindy and Evan spent the night at the mission their with us. It was so incredible to walk into Joyce's home. A place so full a Christ even though she wasn't their anymore the walls could almost sing of the sweet testimony and legacy she left behind. Cindy and Evan left early Saturday and left Stephen and me with the wonderful people of Ouzinkie.


It was very clear that Stephen and I were not from Ouzinkie and many people thought we were the years' teacher at first. However after we told them we were friends of Mrs. Smith they looked at us with a new softness and we made friends. These people grabbed our hearts and the first day we were invited to a birthday party on the beach where we met a bunch of kids. By Sunday we had a following of them and of course their dogs. By Monday Stephen and I had a bonfire for the kids and watched them swim in the very cold 48 degree water. Which for them it might have well been 75! It was wonderful. I can't explain how these children took hold of our heart, but they did. I love them and already miss them even though I'm still so close to them.



When we went out to Ouzinkie we thought it would only be a few days, however we spent about 10! A YWAM team from Homer Alaska came out to help work on the 1930s home and they were wonderful!



The Lord always is faithful to provide what we need, when we need it and we really needed the people, children and for the Lord to work through the island of Ouzinkie in our lives.

Our Trip to Ouzinkie

Along with a nice big halibut Stephen managed to catch a skate on our trip out to the village of Ouzinkie. We had been trying to get out to the village all week but the weather was extremely terrible and our little boat couldn't make it. But the weather cleared on Friday and out we went to Ouzinkie.

Halibut!!!

One of our great fishing trips! Oh, we love Halibut!!