Summing Up '16

One of my favorite
photos from this year

As another year comes to a close, I am thankful to have a chance to reflect on the year and all that has happened in just 365 days. There have been moments of pure happiness and also moments of tragic loss, and then everything in between. While I feel that I have been able to keep up adequately enough on my blog throughout the year, I wanted to take the chance to highlight some of, but not nearly all of, my favorite moments from this year. 

Top Moments of 2016-

My favorite picture
from Ryan's visit<3

1. Visitors!- 2016 was the year of east coasters coming to visit the “Last Frontier". The visits started off with an unplanned visit from my mom and older sister after mine and Sam’s accident in early March. Though I don’t remember much of their visit, I appreciate their ability to come and help to care for us in the days following the accident. 

Later in the year, April brought with it a stream of back-to-back visits. From mine and Sam’s friends Jon and Elisabeth (who got engaged during their stay!), to my sister and brother-in-law, to our final visitor of the year, our friend Ryan, the month was nonstop. I valued every minute of these visits and often reminisce on the adventures had and memories made during the month. *I look forward to seeing more familiar faces stepping foot in Alaska in the coming months! 

Annabelle and I loving Dr. Seuss

2. Annabelle Dixie- I cannot get enough of Sam’s niece that made her debut in late March. I wanted nothing more than to fly down to Florida to meet this sweet girl the moment she was born, but the wait was worth it when I finally got some baby snuggles this summer. Don’t get me wrong, her parents and grandparents are also great people, but Miss Annabelle totally steals the show these days! *Two of my Alaskan friends are currently expecting and I am pretty darn excited to meet their little ones!

3. Tiny Houses- For those who might not know, Sam and I enjoy anything and everything tiny house related. I was thrilled to finally be able to go visit a company that designs custom tiny homes while I was in Orlando this summer. It should also be noted that I was ready to purchase a home that day, and often refer back to it when the topic comes up. I call it the “wedding dress” effect in which I can’t help but compare all other tiny house to this particular one. It’s a shame that this house was custom made for someone and was leaving the warehouse a few days after our visit.

4. Back with my Kiddos- By the time August rolled around, I wanted nothing more than to get back to school to see my “kids”. I was even more excited to get final word that I would be the itinerant special education teacher in Pilot Point this year. I count down the days to my monthly Pilot Point visits and am thankful to have the opportunity to work in two schools that have both stolen my heart. 

Our trip to Tanalian Falls

5. Port Alsworth- Early in the school year, I joined Sam, Caitlin, Emily, and Racquel on a boat trip up to Port Alsworth. We spent the night camped out  on the beach under an incredible Norther Lights display, and got to visit with good friends the following day. I loved the trip that our friend Abbey led us on, as we took an 8 mile round trip trek up to Tanalian Falls and then on to Kontrashibuna Lake. The trip home to Nondalton was certainly unforgettable and this trip remains to be one of my favorite Alaskan memories to date. 

A late night viewing:)

6. Northern Lights Sightings- This year has brought with it many middle of the night wake up calls to see some breathtaking Northern Light shows. I don’t think this will ever grow old, and each night of interrupted sleep is well worth the extra caffeine needed the next day. 

7. A Growing Family!- Though I wasn’t able to be there to witness it, I was over the moon when I heard that my future sister-in-law said yes when my brother proposed to her in October. I was then brought to tears last week when Ashley asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. I am so excited to take part in their special day and cannot wait to see what the future holds in store for them!

Sully A.K.A. Ugly Dog <3

8. Ugly Dog- Oh man, my “not my dog” dog has quite simply stolen my heart this year. This little stray is the cutest “Ugly Dog” ever and he has quickly claimed me as his “person”. We’ll see what happens for Sully (he couldn’t be called Ugly forever ) and I in the New Year! 

9. Quality Time with Loved Ones- I love nothing more than to be surrounded by friends and family. Whether adventuring or just sitting around playing games, I crave time to visit with those I love. This year was filled with countless memorable visits and I hope that 2017 provides me with more of the same encounters. 

10. Birthday Celebrations- This year, both of my parents celebrated their 50th birthdays! I am so grateful that their birthdays fall during my school breaks and that I could be home to celebrate both of them. Though his birthday was last week, we are celebrating my Dad’s birthday tomorrow and I am looking forward to the party and to seeing family and friends that I haven’t seen since in months! 

Along with summing up the year, I wanted to come up with some goals for the new year. I don’t want to call them resolutions because that term tends to bring with it guilt when said resolutions are not followed through with. In setting a goal, I feel that I can either take the steps to meet my goal or not, and at the end of the year I can then reflect on the goals and re-evaluate steps I can take for the following year. 

Goals for 2017-

1. Spend More Time Crafting- Definitely did not have enough crafting time this year! I’d like to start something new but nothing has caught my interest enough to commit (suggestions greatly welcomed!). 

Six Mile Lake, Nondalton

2. Get Outside More- To start reaching this goal, Sam and I are planning to acquire my principal’s bikes and to explore our communities from a new perspective! 

3. Stay Present/Remain in the Moment- It is a daily struggle, but I try to remain mindful and stay wholly focused on the present moment.

4. Take Better Care of my Emotional Health/Learn to Say “Sorry, but NO”- Another daily struggle, but I’m getting better at politely saying “No” when my plate is too full.

5. Continue to Strengthen my Faith- I have witnessed unwavering faith during two tragic times this year and both instances have inspired me in ways I cannot put into words. Last year my goal was to read the Bible, and my progress has been slow but also steady and I am eager to continue my reading in the upcoming year!  

Processing, Prayers, and Positivity

Miss Paige sure was having a “Monday” today. From the moment she saw me this morning, Emily kept saying that I wasn’t acting like myself, and asking what was wrong. I continued to swear that yes I was fine, that yes I got sleep, that yes I had my morning coffee. However, as the day went by, I too noticed that I was having an “off” day, but I pushed through, feeling thankful that to know that this time next Monday I will be on the east coast, surrounded by family. Yet, when I got home from school, I just couldn’t shed this feeling of “off-ness”, this tired, sorrowful feeling; that is, until now. 

Throughout my teenage life and now into my adulthood, writing has been my go to in times of need. I journal almost daily, I write cards and letters to family and friends, and I do my best to keep up with my blog. There is an emotional release that comes along with each time I put pen to paper, or fingers to keypad, and tonight I am in desperate need of this release. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling grateful for the tears that are finally flowing as I type this. Sometimes in life, really bad things happen and we do our best to process them and move on. For me, writing helps to process and to express feelings that I cannot otherwise share, and so tonight I am going to share and process, so that tomorrow is not a “Monday” kind of Tuesday. 

As many people who read my blog also follow my Facebook postings, I don’t think I need to go into the specifics of the tragedy that occurred in a nearby village last week. However, for anyone who might not know, I will share that there was an airplane crash involving two students from our district, their father, and the boyfriend of a close friend of mine. Before there was official word of the crash, the plane and it’s passengers had been missing and a wide-spread search took place. As this happened during the school week, it was impossible and would have been unfair for us to try to keep our students in the dark. By the morning after the plane was listed as missing, students had come to school telling us who was on board and details that they were hearing through word of mouth, many of which were inaccurate. It was important for us to talk with our students and to be there for them should they have questions. 

As prepared as I thought I was for the questions and concerns that may arise, I was wrong. I was in the middle of a reading block with three students when one of them looked at me with such innocence and concern and asked a question that will forever make my heart ache. I was almost brought to tears when I realized that I didn’t have the answers to their questions. To feel helpless in the search and in comforting my friend was one awful feeling, but to be unable to answer the questions that my sweet young students were asking me was one of the worst feelings I think I will ever encounter. I think back to times in which I must have asked my parents questions that they were unable to answer, and can now sympathize with the sorrow they were faced with in being unable to answer them. 

Shaken, I decided not to join my students for our normal lunch routine, and was then able to, with Caitlin and Emily, reflect on the conversation that occurred during reading block. Later in the day, as I talked with one of our paraprofessionals, who is also a mother of four, I realized the pain that she was feeling as a mother. What we both agreed on was that we felt so shaken because it could have been anyone. It could have been me last week during my unsettling flight home from Pilot Point, or this para and her son returning from a trip to Anchorage. While we try to remind ourselves that driving down the highway is much more dangerous, I think the reality of having flight as our only true means of travel is what makes this hit so close to home. Yet, I truly believe in and have faith in God's plan and try to live my life knowing that he is in control. 

Similarly to what I experienced when my friend Ryan unexpectedly died this summer, I have again witnessed such unwavering faith since the search began last week. The family and friends of those who were on the plane have come together and have displayed inspiring grace in this difficult time. I admire the strength that I have witnessed, and I know that the families and friends, the community, our district, will make it through this. We will come together, we will listen, we will try to answer the hard questions, we will provide hugs, love, and comfort, and we will celebrate the lives of those that we lost. 

As people will do after any tragedy that they can connect with, I have since re-evaluated the way that I prepare for traveling by plane. I realized that yes, the extra layer can fit in my bag, that yes I can toss a lighter in my backpack, and that taking lint from the lint trap (a fire-starter) is not unreasonable. Much like packing an emergency kit for car accidents, flat tires, or snowstorms, it is equally important to have items packed when traveling on our small planes. In talking with my principal yesterday and hearing as he offered to help make me a survival kit, I suggested that we get the supplies to have our students that travel make them as well. I think in doing so, they will feel better, but they will also realize the importance of being prepared in the event of an emergency. 

The past week has thrown my already anxious brain into near panic everyday, but it has also shown me some really positive things. I have seen a community join together to offer help and prayer through the search. I have read about the incredible love that my friend and her boyfriend shared. I watched as our students came together today and put a lot of thought and effort into making cards to send to the students and staff in Port Alsworth. I read about the strength of the brother, and son, of those on the plane, as he and his volleyball team continued on in a tournament in honor of his younger siblings. I watched in awe as donations poured in to help provide loved ones with travel and memorial expenses, raising over $30,000 in the short span of 48 hours. Though a great loss took place last week, it did not cripple the community or our district, and I will continue to try to remember that when I am feeling helpless or when I just don’t have the answers. 

If I have learned one thing in my life, it is that this life is short and it is precious. I urge you to take the time to called loved ones, write letters, send texts, to just let the people you love know that you love them. To anyone reading this, please know that I love you for taking the time to read my posts and follow along with my life, though the good and the bad. 

For anyone wanting to help relieve the families of upcoming expenses:

https://www.gofundme.com/kyle-longerbeam-memorial-fund

https://www.youcaring.com/joshsamblom-714090

*The original donation page set up for the travel and funeral expenses for the Bloms went over the $20,000 goal in just 24 hours. They have since created a separate fund to help the two surviving sons with their college expenses in order to help remove some of the future financial burdens this family might have to face. 

For anyone wanting to read more: 

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2016/12/09/father-two-children-headed-to-anchorage-high-school-volleyball-tournament-when-plane-crashed/

https://www.adn.com/sports/2016/12/10/tanalian-volleyball-team-community-finding-strength-in-christian-faith-in-wake-of-tragedy/

Gobble 'Til You Wobble!

Out shooting on the ice

It is Sunday as I write this, and I think I am still recovering from Thursday’s post dinner food coma. Either that, or the amount of activities from this long weekend have simply worn me out. Though it was only two extra weekend days, I feel as though I haven’t been in school for weeks. Hopefully the return of the work week tomorrow won’t be too rough on me. However, if I am a bit sleepy throughout the day I think I can just remember all that happened this weekend and the memories will hopefully help me power through the urge to curl up and sleep on my desk. 

The Northern Lights at 5a.m.

This weekend's fun started on Thanksgiving Eve when I had everyone over to play games and hang out. In addition to Sam and Racquel, all of my Nondalton coworkers were over, so it was basically just a dress rehearsal for Thursday. The girls and I stayed up late to go to the airport and see the Northern Lights, and an amazing view of the Milky Way. However, the lights were a bit faint and the real entertainment was a curious fox who wanted to be our friend. Luckily, Caitlin called me at 5a.m. to tell me that the Aurora was out again, and the two of us took a quick walk down the beach to watch them as they danced in the dark. Watching them is something that will never grow old or become any less amazing. 

Our Thanksgiving Dinner!

While Thanksgiving has always been a great time to gather with friends and family in the past, I had never felt the stress of being a hostess for the holiday. In past years, I have just helped out or simply showed up to see my family and eat the deliciousness that had been cooked up. This year though, Sam and I decided to host Thanksgiving at my place and therefore I went into hostess mode. On Thursday, along with Racquel, we spent most of the morning preparing for the feast. It was fun to spend the day sharing memories of past Thanksgiving get togethers and family traditions; the smells that filled my apartment made my stomach growl for most of the day. Thanks to a very generous Alaskan man, all of the people in my village get a turkey for Thanksgiving, and thanks to Cassie, I was not in charge of cooking mine for our dinner! I made some pumpkin spice cookies and used my grandmother's recipe to try to recreate her famous, delicious mashed potatoes. When the rest of the crew joined us, our combined contributions made for a mouth watering buffet style feast. 

My newest dream catcher:)

After we had eaten, instead of letting ourselves lay down for the naps that our bodies yearned for, we were all rather productive and creative. Sam, Caitlin and I went out on the ice to skeet shoot for a little while which was a first for me. It was fun, but it was also very cold out so we didn’t stay out for long. We came back into the apartment and joined Cassie, Emily, and Racquel for a few hours of crafting. Emily, Racquel and I made dream catchers while Cassie sewed mittens and Caitlin worked on her newest hobby of jewelry making. I appreciated the time to sit around and to productively relax after our dinner. We then went down and ended the night by sitting around a fire on the snowy beach. Days like this make me feel as if I am getting a handle on this whole “adulting” thing! 

Ugly Dog! 

The rest of the weekend followed suit in terms of being fun, creative, and productive. After eating green eggs and ham for breakfast on Friday, I went out and fed my “Ugly Dog” his meal of Thanksgiving leftovers. Ugly (whose real name is Snoopy) is a mangy dread-lock covered stray village pup that I have fallen in love with. I have been thinking very seriously of taking him in, but for now I just feed him whenever I see him going by. He even responds to me whistling for him and yelling “Ug!” down the street when I have something for him to eat. It certainly isn’t helping this whole crazy dog lady thing that seemingly worsens by the day.. 

A beautiful, snowy ride

After feeding Ug, my priorities for Friday included watching Gilmore Girls and being a bum. I think I did a pretty good job of that, but was also glad to get out of the house when Sam and I went to take Racquel back home to Newhalen. The trip was refreshing, but also solidified the fact that winter is right around the corner. The temperature has been dropping and not stopping, and the ice is getting thicker by the hour. We should be able to cross any day now, and hopefully it will be a longer freeze than last year in which we only got to cross for one weekend. As the tundra is a glistening winter wonderland right now, it was a gorgeous ride to Newhalen and then back home. This past week has shown more snow than I’ve seen during my entire time of living in Alaska, and I am hoping it is just the beginning for this winter!

Red pancakes with
 green eggs and ham:)

Saturday brought with it mine and Sam’s second anniversary and I was grateful that we could be together for it. Though we thought about hitting the newest restaurant in town and then seeing a movie at the theater (just kidding, those don’t exist where we live), we instead spent the day outside Christmas tree hunting and enjoying the snow. Though the trees are simply not Wyckoff’s Tree Farm material, the Alaskan wilderness has some pretty nice trees to offer and it didn't take long to find one that we both liked. We chopped it down and quickly got it put up and decorated. I love being able to look up from my chair and see it standing in the corner!

Christmas is around the corner! 

Today was a recovery day from all of the socialization and activities from the rest of the weekend. It was nice to just sit on the couch and binge on some more Gilmore Girls. I did have to "adult" for a bit and get some paperwork done, but I didn’t mind it. I felt that I had received plenty of time for pleasure this weekend and that was definitely worth spending a few hours working today. I am looking forward to seeing my kiddos tomorrow and hearing about their Thanksgiving dinners and their snowy adventures from the long weekend. Let’s hope they got some sleep and aren’t too grumpy or wild tomorrow! I only get one full day with them before I hop on a plane and head down to Pilot Point on Tuesday where I will spend the rest of my week. While I will be missing my Nondalton students, it has been a while since my last visit and I am eager to see the students and teachers down there! 

As always, I am thankful that you join me as I reflect on my adventures and excursions! I hope you all gobbled 'til you wobbled and got to spend time with family and friends this weekend! 

A Wonderful Wednesday!

A morning beach walk:) 

Every once in awhile, there are days that stand out and really help you grasp the reality of where you are in life. There are also days that come to a close and you look back on the events of the day and wonder how you possibly participated in or accomplished all the things you’re now thinking about. Today was the perfect example of one of those days for me. As I walked three miles home from “Fish Camp” tonight with Caitlin and Emily, I found myself asking the two of them if they had ever in their lives pictured themselves living where we do and having a day like we had today. I was potentially having some cold-induced epiphany about life, but at least they humored me. Before I get too far off track, let me rewind a bit and touch on the events of this wonderful Wednesday.  

Tazimna Falls (The silver box in the bottom left
 is where we came out at the bottom)

As usual, my day started with a cup of coffee and a book, which if we’re being honest, makes today awesome in itself. I was greeted by a bright moon and a sky full of constellations on my walk to the car, and hoped that the lack of clouds would make for a beautiful sunrise. Once school started, the rest of the teachers felt the same way, and we decided it would be fun to take the students down to the beach. I had two of my little kiddos with me and was nervous about if they’d be alright with the trip, but they let us bundle them up and take them on an adventure. We got down to the beach and were rewarded with yet another incredible sight. We even got the kids to stand still long enough to snap a picture of them; it is one that I will keep for years to come. 

Don't leave him in charge!

The rest of my morning was a bit stressful because during my short breaks, I had to try to plan a last minute trip to Anchorage for the upcoming weekend. After trying to be stubborn and hold off until winter break, I finally broke down and scheduled an appointment to see a doctor about pain I have been having in one of my legs/hips (Side note: Mom and Dad- I’m going to Anchorage this weekend...I’ll text ya when I fly!). On the bright side, Caitlin has also been pushing off some appointments and she decided it would be cost efficient to plan her trip at the same time so we can split costs of rentals. Once our appointments were scheduled and we had flights, a rental car, and our Airbnb booked, we were able to get excited about going to restaurants and doing some non-online shopping. Though it will be a short trip, I think we both will benefit from being able to recharge during a weekend in town. 

Climbing down
 into darkness...

Thankfully, all of our plans were set before we had to get ready for an after school adventure to Tazimna Falls. Not only does this site have a stunning waterfall, but it is also the home of the Tazimna Hydroelectric plant; this plant supplies the electric power for Nondalton, Iliamna, and Newhalen. Though I have visited the falls a number of times, I had never been on a tour of the plant and was looking forward to it. A parent boated Caitlin, Emily, and I across the lake where we were picked up and taken down to Tazimna. It wasn’t a school trip, so not all of the students came, but we did have nine students and some parents join us. We started off in the control room and then headed down an elevator that reminded me of something you would see in a mine. Needless to say, I screamed and grabbed onto the shoulder of the dad in front of me (good thing he’s friendly!) when the elevator jolted to a start and took us 120 feet underground. We got to see what the pipes look like and hear about the current project the workers are completing. Just when I thought it was wrapping up, we were all led to a ladder that would take us another 20 feet lower, into a dark tunnel.

Tazimna Falls from below

As if someone flipped a switch, Caitlin, Emily and I simultaneously went into “Mom" modes. Caitlin and I surrounded the kids and tried to offer a hand of support as they climbed down while Emily made sure to get pictures of the kids as the descended into the darkness. The parents of the kids laughed about this and politely teased us the whole time, but they also didn’t stop us from being overprotective. I had a proud moment when one of my more cautious students looked down, exclaimed “This will be the scariest and coolest thing I’ve ever done!”, and then after a couple of false starts, bravely made his way down. Once we all made it the bottom, it was explained to us that the tunnel we were in is usually filled to the top with water, but was currently empty for maintenance purposes. This is what allowed us to continue down the tunnel where we then got to exit onto a rocky area at the bottom of the waterall. We were able to walk around, carefully, and take in the sight of the waterfall from a whole new perspective. It was breathtaking and I am so grateful that we were invited to go on this tour. 

Smiling but really crying inside knowing
 how close they are to the edge...

After we had all made it back through the tunnel and up the ladder, we were then invited to skip the elevator ride and instead climb up the 120 feet on a few more ladders. Many of the kids, and even Emily took them up on this offer, while I took one look up and chose to hop back on the elevator with the rest of the group. We were then able to take a peak at the falls from the top, and I was sure to hold onto the coats or hands of any students who wanted to get near the edge (My sister and brother-in-law can attest to this, as I was the same way when they visited last spring). Though it felt like we had been there for hours, we were headed back to Nondalton a little over an hour after we got there. The wind had really picked up which caused the lake to become very choppy, so the ladies and I decided to get dropped off on our side of fish camp and then walk home. 

When we got to our side, we all bundled up with our normal outer layers and set off for home. In the beginning, we were walking against the wind and I felt like we would be walking forever, but that quickly changed as the wind calmed down. At one point we stopped as we walked over a frozen stream and it was so clear that we could see the water moving below the already thick ice. After awhile, one of the students offered to take us back on their honda, but we turned down the offer because it felt nice to be out in the fresh air. By the time we made it home I had taken off my hat, mittens, buff (face protection), and even had my coat unzipped. During this walk home, I had my millionth reflection about how amazing it is that the events of this day were completely normal to us.

The cold start of our walk home!

As I sit here writing this, it is only just after 8:00, and I’m in normal school night mode of drinking a cup of tea and getting ready to curl up with my book. My Wednesday started and ended on a seemingly routine note, and that is what makes it so much more incredible to me. The things that happened today could have happened yesterday and could happen tomorrow. I am constantly and continuously offered beautiful sights, memorable experiences, and new stories to tell. Today was just one of those days in which I realized that this is not just a vacation and that these adventures are my daily life. That statement, that realization, overwhelms me with feelings of gratitude and awe. This Wednesday was a good one because this life is a great one. 

If you want to learn more about the Tazimna Hydroelectric Plant, take a look at the following:

http://www.innelectric.com/our-history.html

Brain Games

Getting themselves into "Trouble"

Now that the start of the year craziness has died down a bit, school has gotten into a pretty good routine. As I reread that sentence I have to laugh because I realize that our routine is just organized chaos that I have adapted to. Either way, things are going smoothly for the most part and it is hard to believe that winter break is just around the corner. Though I realize it has been over a month since I last checked in, I have to admit that the break from writing has been refreshing. Over the past few weeks, I have been able to focus on my students and paperwork, but also my ever growing list of "books to read". Most days, I come home from school and go for a walk with Caitlin and Emily as we try to soak up the ever shrinking amount of daylight we have. Then, I have dinner with Sam and spend the rest of the night curled up on the couch with my nose in a book. However, on Tuesdays I stay at school a bit later to spend time with some of my favorite people. 

Learning to play "Yahtzee"

In the beginning of the school year I decided to start a “Brain Games” club as a way to give our students time to just be kids. Knowing the students in my school and what some of their home lives are like, I wanted to provide them with a safe space to play fun, educational games with their friends. Through “Donors Choose” I was gifted with a variety of games to help keep the kids entertained and challenged. A few weeks ago, I had my first club gathering and I was anxiously excited to see which of the students would take part. At the end of the day, I was pleasantly surprised as 12, out of our school's 25-ish, students came to see what my club was about. There were a few middle schoolers that I was surprised to see, and even some high-school students that wanted to attend but who had to go to volleyball practice. The kids and I all had a great time as they played games they enjoy and also learned how to play some new games. One of the group favorites has been “Hedbanz”, a game that is sure to bring countless giggles and funny questions as each person tries to guess what object is out of sight on their forehead. One of my coworkers joined me on the day of the first get together and we both caught ourselves stopping just to watch the students play and listen to their laughter. It was a very satisfying feeling when it was time to go home and the kids all begged to stay longer. 

Giggling over a game of "Hedbanz" :)

When I set up this club, I planned to hold it once every other week. However, the popularity of it has continued to hold strong and has brought me to schedule the club for each week. I have even been thinking about holding “meetings" twice a week, especially now that the days are getting much shorter and the temperature has been continuing to drop. At our whole school morning meeting yesterday, I told the students that we would have to take next week off as we have another school event planned. I wasn’t expecting the level of disappointment that I received, and therefore promised to schedule a get together for another day next week. That promise, along with our principal's request to come teach them how to play chess, quickly turned their frowns upside down. 

It is one thing to have a vision and to do what you can to make it a reality, but it is a completely different thing to see the result of your work and the impact it can have on a group of kids. The concept of my club is such a simple one in my mind because I played games all the time growing up, but this process has reminded me that the children I work with have different home lives and varying access to what I have always considered as staple household games. After only three meetings, I am happily enjoying the turnout of my club and looking forward to continuing it throughout the rest of the year. Due to shipping delays, not all of the games I ordered have arrived yet, but I am excited to see as the kids are exposed to some of my childhood favorites like “Guess Who?”, “Sorry”, and "Connect Four”. I have also been thinking of additional games that I’d like to invest in, but any suggestions are gladly welcomed! 

S.O.S.

Out for a walk in King Salmon

After my whirlwind trip to Pilot Point, I spent the weekend at my district’s “home-base” in King Salmon. As I would be spending the following week in Naknek, it hadn’t made sense for my to fly home just to turn around and head down south again two days later. Though there are often people coming and going at District Office, I was the only one there for the weekend. On Saturday, I was able to have dinner and a nice long visit with my friend Kasie. Though she used to visit Pilot Point monthly when I lived there, we’ve not seen much of each other since my move to the north. It was great to sit down and catch up over a delicious meal at one of the local fishing lodges. I then hunkered down and got a bunch of things crossed off my to-do list on Sunday. 

Family reunion at Eddies:)

During the day on Monday, I worked at District Office and was planning to grab a ride to Naknek at the end of the work day. Some co-workers and I decided to grab lunch at Eddies, but little did I know that I was in for a big surprise. When we sat down, there was a group of men sitting at the table next to us, one of whom was in uniform. Being lunchtime, Eddies was busy and menus were hard to come by. The men at the table offered us theirs, and as the man in the uniform handed his to one of my friends, I felt that his profile looked very familiar. I wracked my brain trying to think of how I could know this man, when it hit me. I spent the rest of the lunch considering whether it was possible for my cousin to really be seated at the table next to me, at the only restaurant in town, in rural Alaska. When the men got up to leave, my suspicions were confirmed when I saw his face and the name badge on his uniform. I quickly called his name and was excited, yet also in shock, as I got up to
greet him. Have I mentioned that I hadn't seen this cousin since I was about eight years old? Though I knew he and his family had moved to Anchorage over the summer, I hadn't known that he would be visiting King Salmon. I then learned that he was just visiting for the day, and thought about how this was one of those "small world" moments. Had we gone to lunch just thirty minutes later, our paths would not have crossed! I still find it hard to believe that we were both in King Salmon at the same time, and I feel grateful that I was able to run into him.

Just another airplane picture

While I was busy having my family reunion, many of the schools from my district were sending their 7th-12th graders to Naknek for our first SOS Meet. In the past, there have been a few different events held in the fall for academic and athletic purposes. While it may sound like a distress call, the SOS (Sciences, Occupations, and Sports) Meet was held to combine the different activities into one jam-packed week, as opposed to holding a few shorter events. As we now have an SOS Meet and an AA Meet, my friends and I joked that we need to stop letting the person in charge name our gatherings. All joking aside, last week was a busy and educational one as we spent our days in sessions where students were led in activities by upcoming teachers from the University of Alaska. During my first year in the district, I was able to see the development of a collaborative effort between my district and the University. It has been great to watch this relationship strengthen and to see the effect it has had on our students and their understanding of, and interest in, the world around them. 

One of the rainbows
from our flight

During the week, teachers and other chaperones were put in charge of groups which contained both LPSD students as well as students from Bristol Bay School District. Bristol Bay School was also where LPSD students and staff were housed for the week. It was fun to be able to work with students from my district that I don’t often see, and also to get to know some of the Bristol Bay students. As our AA meet is usually the first time that 7th graders are allowed to travel, the SOS Meet allowed them to have an earlier start to their traveling for LPSD events. It was easy to differentiate between which students had been to a jamboree before, and which had not. Some classes that we attended included “Choreography”, “Amazing Glaciers”, and “Beauty of Nature". Throughout the week, students made “flubber”, learned how to identify a variety of birds, competed in different track and field events, and took part in a few other interesting activities that were relevant to the communities in which we live. I think it is awesome for our students to have the opportunity to attend events such as the SOS Meet, and I was glad to be a part of the fun. 

Some artwork on
the Alaska Peninsula Highway

While I enjoyed the daily classes, as the coach of our school’s Cross Country team, I had most been looking forward to the day of the race. It was a bit chilly and windy outside, but other than that it was a great day for a run. Due to some students needing a modified course,  I was able to get some fresh air and walk the course with a colleague. This allowed us to be able to cheer on students as we saw them along the path. Though none of my students placed, it was exciting to watch as the top three runners for both boys and girls came running across the finish line, knowing that they would get to travel to Anchorage to attend the state championship in a few weeks. At the end of the day, I considered it to be a victory that my students got out, participated, and put effort into completing what they had started. 

We were excited to get home!

By Friday morning, I think everyone was feeling the wear and tear of a week’s worth of long, tiring days and nights spent sleeping on the floor. With last year’s jamboree in mind, and the fact that we got stuck for two extra days, I wasn’t getting my hopes up for an early flight home. We watched as most of the other schools took off early in the morning, and then we awaited our call to load up. We made it as far as getting packed up and seated in the van before we were told that our plane had been running behind and that our departure would be delayed by about two hours. Thankfully, the weather was favorable for flying which meant we actually were able to take off about two hours later. Our flight home was a calm one, and we even got to see a few rainbows along the way. After more than a week away, it felt so comforting to touch down in Nondalton. 

We hiked to the top
 of the peak on the left

Though I had enough time to unpack, I quickly had to gear up again for my weekend commute down to Newhalen. I was ready for a relaxing weekend, but was also hoping to get outside to soak up some sunshine. It is becoming just a little bit darker with each passing day, and I know that our days will soon be darker for much longer than they are light. While it wasn’t the sunniest of days, Sam and I got out on Saturday to take a ride on my favorite trail. We took Bear Creek Trail all the way up to the base of Roadhouse Mountain, which we had planned to hike to the top of. However, we soon saw that we were not alone and spent some time watching a brown bear sow and her cubs traipsing along the mountain-side. It was my first up-close bear sighting near home, and even after they had gone over the other side of the mountain, I was a bit anxious that we might run into them on our hike. My desire to hike won out though and, after allowing the bear family to move on, we made our way up to the top of one of the peaks. 

Walking on top of
Roadhouse Mountain

Once we made it to the top, Sam’s GPS showed that we had climbed 2,313 feet up. I couldn’t believe how incredible the view was, and I loved that I was able to see Sam’s village and my own, at the same time. We took in the scenery and enjoyed the peacefulness, but didn’t stay long as we could see rain clouds approaching the mountain. We carefully made our way back down (the rocks were steep and a bit unsteady), and I think we both felt accomplished when we made it back to the honda. On our ride back to the village, we were able to see a bright rainbow which I had an overwhelming feeling was a sign from our friend Ryan, letting us know he had been with us on our adventure. 

A Rainbow from Ryan<3

Believe it or not, as it is mid September, I am typing this after having just taught my first Monday of the school year. Our first few Mondays were teacher inservice days, and last Monday had been the first in which students were to be in school. However, because of the SOS Meet, I had another Monday out of my classroom. It feels strange to be six weeks into the school year, and to be just now experiencing my first week in which I will have students for the entire week. To be honest, the hardest thing to believe is that we are already in our sixth week of school! Let’s hope it passes by quickly and without issues, because Miss Paige is in need of a hibernation-style nap, and it is only Monday..

Pilot Point: Round Two

My morning flight! 

When I left Pilot Point about a year and a half ago, I was uncertain as to whether or not I would ever return. As much as I love this little village, it is not an easy place to come visit unless you have a specific purpose for doing so. Luckily for me, the itinerant special education teaching position opened up in Pilot Point last spring, and I quickly asked to be considered to fill the spot. My summer was spent knowing that this possibility was on the table, but not wanting to jinx it by talking about it to many people. A few weeks ago, I got the official notice that I would be taking on the role for this school year, and I could not have been happier. Though the reality didn’t hit me until earlier this week, I have been looking forward to returning to my first Alaskan home since the opening was brought to my attention. 

Another day, another plane

Yesterday, on Thursday, I had an early morning commute and I honestly became rather anxious as we began to land. I was overwhelmed with many different emotions when the plane touched down, and as I got my bags. My time in Pilot Point was filled with many challenges, but also brought with it triumphs and incredible memories. Fortunately, I was a bit early and had to wait a few minutes for someone to come pick me up. This time alone at the runway allowed me a moment to take a deep breath and focus myself on what I was here to do. As eager as I was to return to my “kids”, I couldn’t help but worry that they would not be as excited to see me. After all, I had left them to work in a different school, with different students, and I would not have blamed them for being unenthused to see me. 

However, all of my worries washed away the moment I stepped into the school and saw the faces that I thought I might never see, in person, again. I have gotten to Skype with my kiddos a few times since I left, but watching as they ran across the gym to greet me is a sight that video calls cannot come close to providing. I hugged them all close, and did my best to answer the many questions they threw at me. Seeing as how no one else has told me, my kids were quick to inform me that in the past year and a half, I have gotten taller, my voice has changed, and my eyes have become a different color. In that moment, I wondered if they truly remembered me;) The rest of my day was spent observing in one of the classrooms and accepting the numerous random hugs that students offered me as they passed me by. My afternoon in the school was a much needed tank filler, and it made my “engine” run on high for hours afterwards (that one’s for you LPSD counseling team!).

Loon Lake 

Last night, during a long walk around the village, I was able to process all of the emotions I was feeling. In addition to my positive feelings about returning to the village, I was able to reflect on and fully come to terms with something that has been with me since last winter. I don’t know that I have mentioned it in a previous post, but in February I received news that one of my former students had been killed in a car accident. While I was in Pilot Point, this student was on an independent track as she neared the completion of her schoolwork. I might not have taught her directly, but I spent time with her, tried to keep her motivated, and shared her excitement as she reached the finish line. My heart aches over the loss of this young girl whose future was bright, and who had so much life ahead of her. It has been bittersweet, and healing, to return to a place that was once a home we shared. 

Sunrise over Loon Lake

After a low-key, hug-filled day today, I again went for a walk around the village. On today’s walk, I was joined by one of the new teachers and a few students who wanted to tag along. It was nice to be able to visit with them outside of school and to soak up a little more time with them until my next visit. Being the itinerant special ed. teacher requires me to make monthly visits, something which seemed to please my former students. I am hoping my future visits all go as smoothly and positively as this one. Tomorrow, I will fly to King Salmon where I will spend the rest of the weekend. I am looking forward to visiting with some friends and grabbing a meal from Eddie's or D&D; or maybe even both! On Monday, I will meet up with Caitlin and my Cross Country runners so we can enjoy a week in Naknek at Bristol Bay School. Stay tuned to hear more about our district’s first SOS (Science, Occupation, and Sports) Camp! 

Village Hopping

One of the many
sights along the way

Another weekend brought with it another exciting adventure. After school on Friday, Sam and Racquel (our district’s newest guidance counselor) boated up from Newhalen to pick Caitlin, Emily and I up for a trip to our district's northern most village, Port Alsworth. We were looking forward to the trip as none of us had ever boated up there and only a few of us have been to Port Alsworth before. To get there, we had to boat up Six Mile Lake into Lake Clark. There are a many cabins along the way and it was fun to finally see the places that my students so often tell me about. We even made a couple pit stops along the way, just to stop and enjoy the scenery. 

Sunrise by the fire

After making it to Port Alsworth, we were invited to listen to a concert that two members of the band Kutless were preforming. Though I had not listened to them much before, I was aware that Kutless is a very well known, famous even, Christian rock band. I’m not sure how they became connected with Port Alsworth, but members of the band had stopped by last year as well, so they seem to enjoy their Alaskan getaways. It was surreal to be in a small room with less than fifty people, in a rural Alaskan village, listening to them play and hearing of their most recent trip overseas. 

Just some friends from Newhalen,
Nondalton, and Port Alsworth

Once the concert had ended, we met up with a few of our friends who are also teachers in our district. After visiting for a few minutes, we looked outside and simply could not resist the beautiful weather. Our original plan was to spend the night in the school, but we had camping gear with us in case we had to stop on the way home for any reason. We made plans with our friends to meet up the next day and hopped back in the boat to find a place to spend the night. About a mile north of the village, we found a little spot on the shore where we were able to make camp. Before long, we had everything set up and had a fire going to make a late dinner and to help us stay warm. I myself have never been camping before so it was an exciting, yet somewhat nerve wracking experience. I kept fearing that a bear would smell our food and come looking for us, but luckily we never saw one!

The Northern Lights
with my favorite<3

One thing we did see after being out by the fire for a few hours was a show being put on by the Northern Lights. Caitlin, Emily, and I had seen them the night before while we were in Nondalton, but that was nothing compared to this. Aside from our fire, we had no light pollution and therefore we were able to see them brightly and clearly. We watched them dance in the sky until we couldn’t keep our eyes open and then settled in for the night. I had a tough time sleeping soundly because our sleeping quarters were rather crammed, and also due to the fact that every little sound I heard put me on alert. I am used to hearing salmon jump in the water, but hearing that every few minutes led to a restless night. 

So pumped for
my burger and fries!

On Saturday morning, we watched the sun come up while sitting by the fire and then packed up camp to head back to the village. We spent a few hours at school before heading out to “The General” for lunch. This is a seasonal lodge and restaurant, but is no hole in the wall. Walking through the door felt as though we were stepping into a contemporary rustic cafe in Anchorage. We almost didn’t know what to do with ourselves as we looked through local-made art and jewelry that they had for sale; we were then salivating over our choices on the menu. I know it has only been a few weeks since I have been out to eat, but a cheeseburger and fries (that I didn’t have to cook) has never tasted so delicious. 

Tanalian Falls

After eating more than our stomachs could handle, we met up with our friends Abbey and Asha for a hike up to Tanalian Falls. Our eight mile (round trip) hike seemed to fly by as we all caught up along the way. I have wanted to visit the falls for a long time now, and was bummed to have been in my “boot of shame” (pre-surgery) last year when I was in Port Alsworth for the district’s volleyball jamboree. My excitement grew when I could hear the roar of the falls, and my heart skipped a beat when I finally rounded a corner and saw them. Once again, I was amazed by the sight in front of me. After climbing around for a bit, we decided to hike a little bit farther to Kontrashibuna Lake, which proved to be incredibly serene place to stop and rest; it was a spot that I would frequent if I lived in Port Alsworth. 

Kontrashibuna Lake

Once we had made our way back to the school, we were all feeling accomplished and in great spirits. We all would have liked to explore more and visit longer, but we had to make our way back down to Nondalton and Newhalen that afternoon. We had checked the weather and had also spoken with a pilot who had recently flown over the lake, and we were prepared for a bit of a choppy start which would quickly became calm water for the remainder of the trip. However, when we got out on the lake we all knew that it would not be choppy for just a short time. The waves were at least five feet tall and showed no signs of calming down (yes, we were all wearing life jackets). The first forty five minutes of the ride were ones in which I planned my escape route (kicking my shoes off and swimming to shore), should we take on water and need to make it to safety. Sam kept calm and in control though, and we eventually made it to calmer waters. Had we been in real danger and not just in unfavorable conditions, we were close to shore and could have easily pulled over to wait out the worst of it. However, we all just wanted to trudge through and make it home to warm, dry clothes and comfy beds. After the scary patch, my knuckles were white and my whole body tense, but I had also been at the front of the boat where the view is different and you feel every bump more strongly than in the other seats. I was overjoyed when we finally made it back to Nondalton to drop off Caitlin and Emily, and again when we were finally in Newhalen and done with our travels for the day. 

Our path for our weekend adventure

After our incredibly long and eventful 24 hours, I was perfectly fine with spending the rest of the weekend relaxing and being rather lazy. It has been rainy and dreary outside which helped us decide to stay indoors and not go out on adventures. I also needed to rest up as my next two weeks will be filled with long, busy days. I am excited to finally be able to say that I will be the itinerant special education teacher in Pilot Point this year. This role requires me to travel down to PIP once a month to monitor student progress, and I have been anxiously awaiting my trip down to my first Alaskan home! I will be there this week from Thursday until Saturday, and then I will spend the rest of the weekend in King Salmon. Next Monday, all of the 7th-12th graders in the district will fly down to King Salmon and then head to Naknek for this year’s first SOS Meet (more to come on that soon!), and also for the annual Cross Country jamboree. As long as the team doesn’t get weathered in Naknek for two extra days like we did last year, I will be back home next Friday. I am hoping the next two days pass quickly so that I can start my week of traveling, and finally get back down to Pilot Point!