Spring Break with fun kids

Spring Break officially started on Friday at 3:30. Jason and Myra left to spend time together and get some things done in Anchorage. Ethan stayed with Sandy but was in and out of the house. Romay and I went up to Corrine's (fast food movie rental place). We shared Super Nachos and curly fries. We also got a couple of movies for Saturday. I helped with Bible Study this week and it was so much fun.I was exhausted and went to bed early.

On Saturday we watched Game Plan and Saving Sarah Cain. It was nice to relax and spend time with Romay. She can always make me laugh. During the day, Ethan, Romay,Linda and the dogs (Kemper and Berry) went skiing. We went on the ski trail. It wasn't too far but man was I beat when I came back. Ethan and I watched Valiant while Romay and Linda skied more. Linda ate dinner with Romay and I and Ethan spent time with Matt and Mandy.

We had church at home on Sunday. We watched a short movie: In the Arms of Angels. It was a neat story of how a young girl disobeyed her father and got into a rock slide and how God saved her and brother. So we talked about why obedience to parents and God is important and how it protects us. We talked about God's grace, false teachers, etc. They asked a great question. "Where is hell?" I wasn't sure but I know it is real. Romay and I went skiing and packed a lunch of tuna sandwhiches, carrots, and tea. We didn't go very far until Romay said she was cold. It was super windy. We saw planes coming to drop of Iditarod things. We turned around, went back to snack on brownies and hot tea. I went to Bob's to get groceries. We'll watch a movie tonight.

Later.

Trip Update

I am so excited to tell everyone that my sister, Jessica and her great friend Stephanie are coming to Alaska for a week. We have changed our plans a little bit because they don't have as much time as I do. We will be meeting in Anchorage, taking the train to Seward, going on a whale watching, wildlife, glacier boat ride in the Kenai Fjords National Park, and go to the Sealife Center. I did this two years ago with friends who came to visit me also. I'm a little disappointed that we can't do something else but I am glad to spend time with them and share something with them that I already did.

We will then take the train back to Anchorage and fly to Fairbanks. There we will whitewater raft, visit Cheena Hotsprings, take a boat tour of a sled dog musher's place (Susan Butcher), and visit an Athabascan village. We will also visit the UAF museum where the Musk Ox farm is, go to the Salmon Bake, doctor appointments, grocery shop.

I may go to Valdez but we will see. I am a little disappointed that I will not get to do the 27 marathon hike. Maybe I can still find someone go with me.

I also had a long lost friend tell me that she has a friend who probably would love to take care of Berry in Fairbanks. I will check to see if Nome has a kennel first and then try Anchorage.

Can't wait to tell you all about it.

Ski Meet and Biatholon

Two weeks ago we had the ski meet here. Many schools from the district and Nome came to the ski meet we have hosted here before. We have beautiful trails with TREES! A lot of villages here do not have trees. So Friday it started about 2:45 for me. My job was one of the spotters. I got out there a little bit before the race started or so I thought. St. Micheal came in late so the race didn't start until after 3pm. By the way it was 10 below and blowing. I didn't dress warm enough. A spotter cheers on the skiers (3-6th graders, Jr High and High School) and makes sure they go the right way on the trail. It was really fun to get outdoors despite the cold. I haven't been outside for a while since I got sick and sprained my ankle. The sun was so nice! The skiers do not skate cross country but skate ski. It's like roller skating but on skis. Koyuk had only three skiers that were eligible. Ethan, Romay (Jason and Myra's kids) and Linda. On Saturday it was the biatholon. I'm not sure if you all know but I didn't know what one was until I got here. It's when the kids ski the trail once and then take shots with a 22 shotgun. It was colder and more wind on Saturday we decided that they would not take 5 shots but only one shot. In other years I would spot on Saturday but this time I wanted to be on the range. So I kept track of how many shots they got and their bib numbers. The kids lay on the ground and take a shot 50 yards away. The targets were on a rectangular white board.

It was very interesting to watch kids of all different ages shoot a gun. Some had a lot of experience and some had none or very little and that is why we had many adults down at the range. Some didn't even know the gun went off because they put their finger in the trigger before sighting it in. I helped the kids remember not to put their finger on the trigger before they shot.

The last hour was really cold so a lot of us were jumping up and down, doing arm circles trying to stay warm. Jason came and brought me back to school. I got on the snow machine with my clipboard and the score sheet flew away and disappeared so quick I couldn't run to get it. I felt awful for the next hour and then I was finally able to let it go. It all worked out.

I had a wonderful visit with Esther an elder I have grown to really admire. We shared Nachos together and talked about Koyuk and school when she was younger. They had school up at Haycock. It is where a lot of people used to live a ways away from where the village is now. I guess there was a big fire and it burned so people moved to where the village is now. I am sure there is more that I don't know but something I learned. Esther offered to make me a beaver hat. She made a beautiful land otter hat. It looks great on her. That was the first thing she made for herself all these years. She has been so busy making things for other people.

Romay placed and 6th
Ethan placed 7th
Linda placed 7th.

Pen Pals in WI

We've been busy writing to pen pals in LaCrosse, WI. I did this last year with the same teacher last year. First, we started with whole class emails, then we hooked up each student with a pen pal and a picture to tell a little bit about each other. Next, the North Woods International School sent a movie they created that showed and told about their school. Then the students wrote about an answer to my students' questions, something about their school, and a question for us. It was neat how they made their letter match up with their video. Their letters also had a photo of the place along with their pen pals and they showed and talked about on the movie. The first grade teacher and I are in the process of taking the photos and making the movie. It has been difficult to find the time to record and find a camcorder that picks up good sound. Hopefully we will get this finished and then at the end of the year, we will do a video conference where each pen pal will ask each other one question and answer it. It's been neat to hear the kids mention the similarities and differences as they watch the movie and the DVD.

Will update later.

Who will travel with me?

I have some exciting plans for summer. Well, my family would not think so because I am not coming home this summer because it is getting to expensive to fly home twice a year. I will be staying in Koyuk to pick berries, fish, camp, pick sera (young willow leaves-make a salad out of it.) It will be nice to run outside again and travel Alaska.

This July, I will travel to Fairbanks for all my doctor appointments. I'm thankful I found all of them already and made an appointment for one. I decided on Fairbanks because it is much easier to drive around than Anchorage. It seems to me it is like LaCrosse where everything is close by and easy to get to. I will also be doing my grocery shopping. They will box up and ship it out via parcel post.

I also plan on traveling around Fairbanks, Anchorage, Valdez. WHO HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO TRAVEL TO ALASKA? MAKE IT A DREAM AND MEET ME IN FAIRBANKS FOR A LOT OF FUN. I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TRAVEL WITH SINCE IT IS MORE FUN AND THE PERSON(S) CAN BE MY MAP SINCE I'M HORRIBLE WITH DIRECTIONS.

HERE IS THE ITERNARY:

June 29th-Fly to Fairbanks

June 30-UAF (Univeristy of Alaska Fairbanks) Museum, Research Park (live animals display-musk ox)

July 1-Drive to Cheena Hotsprings, Salmon Bake

July 2-Grocery Shopping

July 3rd-doctor appointments

July 4th-Train to Anchorage

July 5- Dipnetting

July 6th-Anchorage-Crowpass Trail 26.2 miles to Girdwood

July 7th-Drive through pass in Valdez

July 8th-Kayak to shoop glacier, cabins to rent

July 9th-Travel back for Rafting in Tsana River

July 10th-Day hikes

July 11th or 12- Travel back to Koyuk.

There is also a paddle boat to go on also. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME VISIT ME AND HELP THIS POOR LADY NOT GET LOST GIVE ME A CALL OR SHOOT ME AN EMAIL. I WILL BE WILLING TO NOT MAKE THIS TRIP SO FULL OF OUTDOOR SPORTS.

I also plan to be a camp counselor at the Unalakleet Bible Camp for a week. This has been one of my dreams to teach children about God.

I do hope I can find someone to take Berry while I'm in Fairbanks. It's hard to find someone in the village because many people do not care for their dogs. I have two people in mind. If not, I take her to Fairbanks or Nome and kennel her. I'm hoping I can take her to camp with me.

Am I returning to Koyuk?

This was a hard decision after I found out some sad news. Jason and Myra, my bosom buddies, hunting friends, and most of all great Christian friends have decided to leave Koyuk. They were trying to buy a lot in Koyuk to build their own house. Well, to make a long story short...some people in this community do not accept outsiders. There were a lot of village politics as well that made Jason and Myra not get the land also.

This is why it was hard for me to make a decision. Do I leave also and follow Jason and Myra? I didn't have peace about the decision and with much prayer, I knew God wanted me to stay. Why? I'm not sure but I know that his plans are not harm me but to prosper me, give me a hope and future. He knows what is best and am I'm trusting in that.

Another reason why I want to leave is because there is so much lawlessness hear. We have no state trooper like some villages have like Unalakleet. I'm pleased that the Unalakleet trooper is coming to Koyuk as much as he can and has had one confession of child sexual abuse. The bad thing is, this minor did not get put in jail until 3-4 months later. That was very frustrating to me. Other crime happens and nothing is done either because some don't want to tell or protect their family, or the village doesn't do anything either. Most villages have VPSO. I don't know what it stands for but it basically is some law, lower than a state trooper. The village has not hired one and has not even found a mayor. Ok..this is enough. I'm getting a little bummed talking about this.

The reason why I want to stay is because I love the small classes, a great Church with an awesome pastor and wife, tons of berries, fish, ducks, and of course my favorite the caribou. I also like the school district very much. They are the best in the state. I also love how I can walk to a lot of places without a Honda or a snowmachine. There is a lot of land to ski, snowshoe, hike, camp, and take Berry. I do love the kids a whole lot too!

We have three people leaving this year: our principal, special educational teacher, and Jason (language arts). We will have a new principal and it sounds that the two who are interested are wonderful. They already work in the district. We'll see in three weeks when contracts for non-ten yeared are due.

One student in class

Well, it has been a while since I wrote. I guess I'm frustrated because I can't upload pictures, and I love pictures. I've also been told I should write more...maybe that is why no one is leaving comments...get the hint! A few weeks ago the flu and cold hit Koyuk hard. For 1 week I had between 1-2 students. That was so nice to work on individual standards with the child and also for me to get some classroom work done: clean my counters, order books, work on Solution Team things. I was so thankful that I did not get sick throughout this whole time when my kids were sick.

Well, I got sick last week and I'm just getting over it. I had sore throat, terrible cough, aches, chills, sweats, congestion. I thought I was better so I went to school after taking one sick day. I worked for two days and felt even worse. I stayed home for two more days and got so sick of sleeping but it has helped tremendously. I finally decided to go the clinic. That was an interesting experience. I'm always leary in going because I hear how they are always out of medicine and tell patients off the wall things or don't know what to do. I had a great experience. It was nice to be taken care of by a woman who goes to the Church. She is a such a sweet heart. Jessie, the health aide, asked me like 20 questions from this huge book. Then she did the normal, weight, check ears, nose, throat, and heart, and blood pressure. I did have a sinus infection and she said she would have to check the pharmacy to see if she had any antibiotics. I prayed she did and she came back with a bottle of meds. Hooray! They are working great! You see in bush Alaska...what do I mean by bush? A place where there are no roads to travel out of the village and the only way to travel is by bush plane-8 seater. The doctors only come in every couple of months and dentists once or twice.

I'm feeling ok now. I get better each day! Today I cleaned house and did lots of dishes, laundry, and tax things, made Apple Crisp for Bible Study. I was feeling pretty weak so I layed down. It's pretty hard to nap in an apartment building and with a dog who is freaking out because she hears people in the hallway and wants to join in the fun. So it was nice to lay down but now I feel sleepy.