All Things April

Flattop Mountain
I’ve been meaning to get around to a new post for weeks now, but every time I get a "break", reality calls and reminds me of all that’s on my list and the changes coming my way. So the pressing, albeit fun-sucking, tasks have taken priority while my list of things to include in my post has gotten longer and longer. For example, I planned to start this blog hours ago and yet I’m just now getting to it because tote-packing took priority. I’ll see what I can do to cover the important things that have happened recently. As I typed that, I thought I would look back to figure out how much I needed to recap. I just got another one of those reality checks as I saw that my last entry was written in February… Whoops.. Let’s just go ahead and cover the fact that March went by without anything incredible to note. Alright, now that March has been covered, let’s get back to the whole “All things April” theme I was aiming for. 

Canyon Creek
As a reminder, my school district adopted a new calendar this year and therefore April brought with it our last month of school. April also brought with it the first of the “lasts” as I started the month with my last site visit to Igiugig. It was a short and bittersweet visit and was a peaceful and reflective way to end my time as an itinerant Special Education teacher. I spent a lot of time reflecting on my various site visits to both Pilot Point and Igiuigig and then of course my mind wandered to the many adventures during my time in the district. However I tried to push those memories to the back because I just can't handle that flood of emotions yet. Saying my “see you laters” to my students and co-workers there was a surreal moment, but also provided me with closure on that chapter of my journey. 

One piece of our mural from Day 1! 
Once my site visit was finished, I jumped back into final Special Ed. tasks, paperwork, and meetings in Nondalton. In addition to that, we had our standardized state testing and final academic work days. I was almost as excited as my students were when testing finished, both because the pressure was removed from them but also because it meant our visiting artist would arrive. As part of my internship tasks this year, I applied for an Artists in Schools grant which allowed us to choose an artist to bring to Nondalton in order to complete a two-week long art residency. The artist I worked with on this is currently in her second week of working with our students. During her first week, Kristin worked with students to teach them the basics of drawing and painting. From drawing lines to mixing paints and everything in between, our kids had a week full of arts education. This week, we began our final project which is a large mural in our lobby that will welcome visitors to the school and showcase the student’s hard work for years to come. For me, this has been another sense of closure as all of my hard work and hours spent planning, budgeting, purchasing, and collaborating with various entities is paying off. I cannot wait to see the final product at the end of the week! 
Spotted on the way back from Seward

While I was enjoying the time spent learning from Kristin, I stepped away for a few days to get some MUCH needed city time. More importantly, I was able to get some family time! Momma Rigby arrived in Anchorage last week and I was able to join her and Sam for a few days during her visit. Cessna and I flew out to meet them and then my pupper got some loving from one of her grandma’s before going to spend the weekend with her friends at the vet. I savored the many hugs and love I received from Momma Rigby and being with even just one family member from home was restorative for my soul. Before I could fully relax and enjoy my visit, I had to take three tests that are required for transferring my teaching certificate. Once I took those tests and discovered that I had received the scores required in PA, I was able to let our a deep sigh of relief. Granted, I don't know if we're for sure moving to PA, but that's one necessary component to keep options open. Our weekend was then filled with lots of food and fun as we ate our way through our favorite restaurants and showed off this state that we love so much.

Hatcher Pass
Though I have always soaked in the sights in awe, I paid extra close attention to as many details as possible as we visited Flattop Mountain and Hatcher Pass. Not only the views from the top but the beautiful landscapes on the way to each were just what my soul needed. I cannot describe the sadness I feel in my heart to know that I will soon be leaving this behind. However, I feel just as blessed to have been able to experience this all in the first place. Plain and simply, this state will forever have a piece of my heart. Thought I was perfectly happy to visit my favorite places, I was eager to experience some new sights as we ventured to Seward on Saturday. After a gloomy yet gorgeous drive, lots of stops for pictures along the way, and a pit stop to the Wildlife Conservation Center, we made our way to our destination. Together we visited the SeaLife Center which I’ve wanted to see for almost as long as I have been here. We enjoyed getting up close to many sea creatures and were all blown away by the size of the Sea Lions that were housed there. We then had a delicious dinner in a restaurant that overlooked the harbor and watched as an otter swam back and forth nearby. The drive home graced us with more memories, especially as we visited the town of Whittier. 

Whittier A.K.A. Ghost Town
Stopping in Whittier required us to travel through a one-way tunnel that goes through a huge mountain. The tunnel works on a 30-minute traffic system in which each direction is allowed to travel through the tunnel for a total of 30-minutes at a time. We arrived at the tunnel at 8:00 but were unable to go through until the light turned green at 8:30. We then were not allowed to come back through the tunnel to return to Anchorage until 9:00,10:00, or 11:00. The tunnel closes at 11:00 and does not reopen until the morning, so if we were to have missed the 11:00 tunnel opening, we would have been stuck overnight. Luckily we only spend about 15 minutes driving through the creepy ghost-like town that we found on the other end of the tunnel. We drove through the tunnel in about 8-minutes and then entered Whittier which due to it being off-season was seemingly a ghost-town. During our short visit we barely saw any residents, even though we drove around the singular condo building that houses all community members. The time of night, gloomy skies, and run down buildings led to a very eerie feeling all around. While I can imagine the beauty this town has to offer during the booming summer months, I shudder to imagine getting stuck and needing to spend the night. Needless to say, I was very happy to see the light turn green sot that we could leave Whittier behind. 

Hatcher Pass
Then, as if I arrived in Anchorage and blinked, it was time for Cessna and I to return home. Due to the artist being here and Culture Week being this week, I wasn’t able to stay for an extended visit. I ached to leave Momma Rigby and Sam behind, but was so very thankful that the timing worked out so that I was able to spend a few days with them. With a belly content until my next trip to the city, fresh produce to last a few weeks, and new memories to replay, it was time to board a plane. After a not so fun “see you later”, Cessna and I hopped on the Pilatus with 4 other passengers and 2 pilots. Knowing that the past few days had been gloomy, I was aware that the trip home was likely to bring with it some bumps. Our departure from Anchorage provided some anxiety causing turbulence, but the rest of the flight was pretty smooth. As we began our descent and I could see familiar landscapes, I began to let out the deep breathe I had been holding. However, I must have acted too soon, because the lower to the ground we got, the windier and bumpier it became. I will say that through all of my flights I have kept my composure rather well, including my recent Pedro Bay encounter. Yesterday, however, was as if I was a new person. 

<3 <3 <3 
As we came over Lake Clark and the bumps got more intense, a local Dad looked to me and questioned if I was doing okay. I tried to make conversation but could not do so as I was focused on gripping the seat for dear life and trying not to hyperventilate. My efforts were pointless at that rate because I soon found myself in the midst of a full blown panic attack. It truly felt that we were flying at rocket ship speeds at this point. The problem was not that I didn’t trust the very skilled pilot with whom I have flown with countless times. Honestly, I am not quite sure what the true problem was, but I was in full on freak out mode. Caitlin reminded me later that flying in and out of the village on the Pilatus is always worse because you can feel the bumps so much more severely than in the smaller planes. In the moment, I lost all rational thought and envisioned only the worst. It was then that God reminded me the kindness that others can provide and the comfort that can be found in people who we virtually have no relationship to. The dad sitting next to me began to talk me through the moves the pilot was making, held direct eye contact with me so as to keep me grounded, and after a particularly scary bought of turbulence allowed me to squeeze his hand for the remainder of the flight. Me, Paige Norman, world’s most awkward person grabbing onto this man's hand for dear life. Yup, just let that one sink in.. Of course, because I’m me, I broke out of my panic to apologize to him and the other passengers for my full blown panic. It was this very surreal moment that even in my state of anxiety I was able to reflect upon. Thankfully, we arrived safely to the ground where of course the passengers then felt it was okay to gently tease me. Four years and a couple hundred flights later, yet I think I remain a scared newbie in their eyes. After ten thousand more apologies, thanks for the hand holding and talking down, and the some more apologies for my unexpected freak-out, Cessna and I all but ran from the plane and to the safety of home. 
Before the terror..

Reflecting on the flight again brings with it this awe for the comfort that can be found in strangers in times of need. Sure, I knew this Dad and have joked around with him now and again, but for all intents and purposes, he is a stranger. Though I was not a fan of the last few minutes of the flight, I am thankful for the lesson it brought with it. Fear leads for us to jump right out of our comfort zones to find  comfort, and that’s okay. It’s healthy to admit fear and uncertainty and to seek help, even in the most unexpected places or from the most unexpected people. It's also okay to talk about your fears so that others may connect with your encounters and know that they are not alone in their anxiety. Maybe this sounds like rambling from the crazy girl who mildly freaked out on a plane, but to me it’s a weird and surreal life lesson. 

Momma Rigby lovin'
at Canyon Creek<3

With one of my second to last (for now) bush flight behind me, I was glad to get settled in at home. Though I wish I’d been able to stay with Sam and his mom until she left this evening, I was ready to sleep in my own bed. Today began another “last” as Culture Week kicked off. This promises to be another busy week, but also brings with it the last full week of school, so rest is on the horizon! I am hoping to stay in the moment as much as possible and to soak in everything that is happening around me. I know that I appreciated the quirks and activities from today much more than I have in the past, and for that I am thankful. Just 1 more Monday, 6 more school days, 1 teacher work day, 2 graduate school classes, and 1 final grant report to go!