Craziness and Canoing

Things have been crazy around the trailer and the American Prairie Refuge this week. We've got some people camping in our front yard here. They are from the Montana Conservation Corps and they are taking down some of the internal fences that are still in the Bison Range. Wednesday night, we went over to the Yurt Camp (a camp with these circular permanent tents for the donors to APR and WWF) where they were just finishing up a safari. The safaris are like mini camps for the high dollar donors and potential donors. The WWF and APR staff drive the guests all around the Refuge to see the bison and different wildlife and they wine and dine them with delicious food and drinks. They asked us to come over for the last dinner so people could meet Jeff and ask any questions they had. We didn't get tons of questions, but we had a good time (and good food).

The next day, Jeff's advisor, Dr. Paul Krauseman, came out from Missoula to see the study site and to see what Jeff and Mike had been doing. Jeff, Kyran (the project director), and Dr. Krauseman, drove ALL over the huge property on Thursday looking for bison, checking the fence that Jeff had built and seeing the land. It was kind of neat to see the whole thing, but I was REALLY sick of being in the truck on bumpy little two-track roads.

Yesterday, Jeff worked some in the morning and early afternoon, but came home early so we could actually see each other for a while. It's nice right now being the only people that are in the trailer. Mike is in Helena getting married until next Sunday, so Jeff and I got to cuddle on the couch and spend some time alone. Although, the trailer is not conducive to spending time together. We probably killed 10+ moths, some flies, and found a dead mouse during our lovely alone time together. I will be very VERY glad when we are not living here anymore. We did go canoing on Forchette Bay yesterday evening . Forchette Bay is a little piece of Fort Peck Lake that comes in about 20 miles from the trailer. The Missouri River actually makes Fort Peck Lake, and as you drive down to in, the landscape changes dramatically. It goes from flat sagebrush prairie to very hilly country with different vegetation. In some places there are big cliffs that go down to the lake. It's called "the Breaks". Here are some pictures from out canoing trip yesterday.

This is the view of the cliffs across the bay from the top of the road

These are the cliffs from the water...very far away.

We saw the biggest spider either of us had ever seen, but I wouldn't stay near it long enough to take a picture. We also saw huge things in the water. We're not sure if they were giant fish...there's walleye and some other big fish in the lake, or if it was a mammal of some sort.

This is what the landscape looks like most of the time. Off in the distance, you can faintly see the Little Rocky Mountain Range.

Jeff is doing well. His helper isn't here this week or next week. That slows things down and I know Jeff doesn't like that. I can't go out and put up fence all day...I can't even lift a fence post. He's been working on a lot of computer stuff and getting locations for bison and moving some wood to places he needs it to be, but I think he wishes he could keep going on the exclosures he needs to get put up.

I'm feeling fine. I felt the baby move this week and I'm positive it's the baby. I've never felt anything like it before and it is VERY reassuring. My tummy is also starting to look more like a pregnant tummy too. We're hoping to hear back about insurance and assistance stuff soon so I can go to the Dr. for a check up and hopefully find out what the gender is soon! We've got names picked out for both a boy and a girl, so we are just chomping at the bit to know what it is!

Well, Jeff has really gotten started on his project this week. He and Mike have been out a lot putting up fence and collaring cows from different ranches in he area. He got burnt really badly the first day he went out with Mike to fence despite my harping at him to wear sunblock. So, I put the sunblock in the truck. He's remembered to wear it since. I went to town every day this week (except Monday when I was sick) to help with VBS at church. I decided that VBS is awesome, but it is the ultimate energy drain :) I came home yesterday and napped for three hours I was so beat.

It was nice being in town so much this week because I got to see a lot of people and get to know people in the church more, but it got really old driving an hour to town and an hour back everyday (not to mention pricey). I also did a lot of things we needed to in town this week like license the truck, look at houses, talk to the WIC people, etc. On Monday I have my appointment with the WIC people to see if I qualify for the program. Hopefully I'll also get to take Jeff to town next week to see the house that I liked in town.

I'm counting down the days until I get to go home for a little while. I think I'm going to be home for about three weeks. I'm kind of sad because it's the longest Jeff and I have been apart since we've been married, but I am excited to see friends and family that I haven't seen in a while. I also have various St. Louis/Kirksville things I would like to do - get coffee from Java Co, eat at Imo's and Panera and Longhorn, go to the Zoo, and others.

Supposedly, this week, there are supposed to be a lot of people coming in and out of the trailer here. I think there's someone coming today. Although the last time they told us two big shots from WWF were coming to stay here, they never showed up, so who knows?!

Anyway, this morning I was watching some music videos while I ate my breakfast and the lyrics from this song really struck me.

How He Loves Us - Jesus Culture

He is jealous for me
Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me.
Oh, how He loves us so
Oh, how He loves us
How He loves us so.

Yeah, He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves.

So we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way

That he loves us,
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves us
Oh, how He loves

I love this song and you can watch the video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps

In sickness and in health...

We've got some illness going around the trailer. Jeff's dad came up to help us move and caught a cold on the way up here, Jeff got it, and now I have it. I've spent all morning sleeping trying to get rid of it as soon as possible. It makes me nervous being sick while I'm pregnant, but at least I have the time to take care of myself while we're out here.

I really don't want to be sick tomorrow. A couple from the church we went to on Sunday invited us to their ranch for cattle branding, dinner, and bible study. Jeff is very excited about the cattle branding part. When we went to church last Sunday, people were super super nice. We're going to go to the church picnic this Sunday, so I'm excited to get to know people.

Jeff and I are looking for a place in Malta. We're not really sure where to start. We know where to look to buy houses and there a quite a few for sale, but we're not sure where to start looking for rentals. There's no website or listings in the paper, so we mentioned it at church and people said they knew some people they could hook us up with.

I think going to church is going to help Jeff with his project too. For his project to be successful, he needs the cooperation of a lot of people who disagree with the organization (American Prairie Foundation) whose land Jeff is working on. Jeff really has a neat ability to see both sides of every story and really sees why the ranchers and area folks could be offended by the APF. He also sees ranching as an important and valuable part of life out here, which some people he works with fail to recognize. I think the relationships that we build in the community will really help Jeff understand the policies and people he's working with.

Well, Jeff and Mike are back home from the field, so it's lunch time.