Two and a half weeks ago, my dad, the kids, and I went to Anchorage to see our Uncle Jonnie who wasn’t doing too well, and to get my wisdom teeth removed. My dad and I woke up at 6 a.m. to get ready to go to the dentist for my appointment. We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 a.m. and I waited for one and a half hours to see the dentist. The dentist told me they had an appointment slot for pulling wisdom teeth open and I could, so I did. That’s when dad took some time to go get our prescription medication. I had my teeth x-rayed again, and left with the assistant dentist to a small room where the operation would be preformed. I met my dentist and they started their work; first was the bottom left wisdom tooth. The dentist started the laughing gas and put it on me, they then numbed my mouth; I waited patiently while they pulled that tooth. When they were done, they started on the top left. When they finished that, they said I was good to go, they let the laughing gas wear off then told me I was done. I went to look for my dad, and found him in a room at the pharmacy afterI saw the flash of his headband in the six inch by six inch window. I went into the room; we got our medicine, and went to see Uncle Jonny. He was doing fine and my mouth didn’t hurt until after I had left Anchorage.

_  I live in a small town called Chitina, but my true home is nine miles away at the “property”. It has always been ours. I love to be there because it’s peaceful and there is plenty to do even when you think there’s nothing. When I was younger, I remember playing in our house in the middle of the woods. I didn’t know what I was playing just that I was. The house we had was two stories high and instead of stairs it had a ladder that led to a big room with a window in the corner. I remember looking out that window staring at the tree tops as birds fluttered by. It was a nice house before it burned to the ground. That beautiful building was my home and now it stands almost the same way it did before, but it has stairs. I don’t play anymore like I did when I was younger. I more or less just clean up the yard and try to make forts for the kids. The motor-homes with their busted windows sit still like they’re watching as the world slowly passes its time away. The smoke house is no more what it was meant to be, since a bear knocked it down and it was put back in its place. Instead it’s now used as a tool shed. The cars and trucks that also sit waiting to be hauled off to the crusher are filled with trash and old unused items that no longer have any value.  Yet, no matter how much this little bit of property may change, it’s still my home. That house at nine mile will always be my home sweet home.

 

_      On Wednesday, December 14, my family and I were heading to Anchorage when I was told we were going to turn around and head back home. I asked why and my dad told me that the car was acting up; then it stopped.  I looked up after I smelled something funny. I realized the car was smoking bad. Dad was looking on the dashboard to see what it was that was smoking when I told him it wasn’t the dash; it was coming from under the hood of the car. He jumped out and popped the hood. All I could see was a cloud of smoke and the lick of a flame around the hood. “Get out of the car hurry up, and grab the bags,” dad said. We listened, and before we knew it, we had run about 30 feet behind the car, without our shoes.

I threw a blanket on the ground and told the girls to step on it and wait for me to come back. I took off for the rest of the stuff and left it with them. Pulling on my sweater we waited in silence. We waited until dad had put the fire out and called us back. Happily we ran for the car. Our feet numb and fingers chilled, we got in and sat, warming ourselves as we waited for my sister Danyle and Trooper Heinbaugh to come. When they arrived we told them what happened. The older two of my nieces, my nephew, and I climbed into the back of the Trooper Heinbaugh’s police car. Danyle pulled the car to a pull off and dad got in the trooper car with us. We where brought to the Glennallen hub, where we waited for about an hour for a ride to come from Chitina. Then we went home. Our minds scrambled into a heap of emotions from the excitement.   

Alichia's blog this week is delivered via podcast.

     Have you ever stopped and wondered if your parents really love you? Even if you know they do. I’ve always known my dad has, but when we yell at each other it feels like a part of me is being ripped from my body. Then again it doesn’t take long to pull myself together and do the things I have to do, just to make dad happy with me again.

            I’ve often wondered, what it would have been like if my nieces and nephew never came to my house to live with us. It hurts that I even think about it, because I love them so much, dad does too, and I know they love us. Although, I can’t help but wonder if it would have been better or worse for our relationship. I don’t want my dad’s or brothers’ kids gone. I just want a better understanding of how my dad feels about me, of how much he really loves and cares for me. Instead of feeling like I failed him.

     I tried so much just to get him to realize that I can do things and that we can get through this together. I’ve tried to clean, but I also know what the problem is: It’s more than not cleaning. It’s me and my dad, the problems we share. The kids, the cleaning of the house, and the cooking, yet I know that if I try I could probably get to the point in where I can clean, watch kids, and help out around the house. I know that I could get better at helping my dad out if only I tried.

Hello again,
            This is me, your friend Alichia, reporting in. I have a few stories, but I can’t tell you them all at once so I’ll pick the one about when I got my first dog.
            It all started one day when I told Viann that I was lonely since my mom moved out and all I had to talk to was my dad since my sisters no longer lived with us. I also told her that I asked my dad for a dog. I told her that he told me that he’d think about it.
    The next time we met was the day of the week when she took me to see my mom like she did every week. So I went to see her and on the way home she told me she had a friend she wanted me to meet and a surprise for me when we got there. A few minutes later, she reached Tazalina; then we drove on a dirt road, turned to the left and stopped. We got out of the car and walked to the house. When the door opened, out ran a little tan colored dog with a man following. Viann introduced me to the man. He then asked me if I knew why we where there. I shook my head, and he looked at Viann and told me that I was there to pick up the puppy that had run out the door earlier. I looked at him kind of puzzled at first, then looked at the puppy. I turned to Viann and gave her a hug, then turned my attention to the puppy. The guy gave me a box for the puppy to sit in while we went home, and when I asked the guy what the puppy’s name was, he told me I had to name him. I thanked him for the dog, and we went to get back in the car with the puppy in my lap and a smile on my mud-streaked face.
            On the way home, I realized that he still needed a name. I looked up as we passed the Tazalina sign, then I looked down at my hand, and in my wallet was a picture of the Tazmanian devil. I looked at the puppy then back at Viann and told her, “You know, I found his name.” “Really, what is it?” she asked. “The Tazmanian Devil from Tazlina.”

Hi my name is Alichia Stevens. I’m 16 and live with my dad. For the past two years we’ve had four new additions to our house: my brother’s kids. When they make a mess I know have to clean up after them, but it sometimes gets complicated with me starting school and everything. I get tired of it. At my house I barely get time to myself and when I do it’s when I’m going to bed or when the kids are outside. Even then I have to clean or do homework. I sometimes have problems listening to my dad when he tells me to do something for him, but I end up doing it anyway, every day. But since two years have passed by it’s not so hard. I still want time to do my own thing and when I do I usually spend it thinking about my future, which by the way, is going to college to get my veterinarian’s degree and starting my dude ranch. My friend Tamara and I have had this dream since we were little. I hope my place will be wonderful. I know if it happens that my nieces will love it. By the time it is built, they will be old enough to ride and play on the farm. Oh and I’d be in heaven with the animals, a sketch book, and a pencil. I’d love it on the farm, drawing, playing and working hard. That’s what I want to do with my life.