New additions!!

Well the past week or so have been pretty fun out here. The snow has been falling pretty regularly and I have been able to explore the tundra with some of the guys and their snowmobiles. Unfortunately I do not have a snowmobile so I am pulling in a big metal sled; i have been using my life jacket as a cushion for my bum. The first time I went out four other guys and myself took off about 5 or so miles outside of town to do some skiing and snowboarding. We don't have to many hills around here so we just get pulled by the snowmobile. I fell once on the skis but got right back up and was good to go!! I found out some interesting things that day, 1. My goggles suck - they froze on the inside and fogged up. I guess I wont buy cheap goggles anymore off of Amazon.com. 2. Skiing is not like riding a bike - you do forget some of the techniques needed in order to not spend the day on the ground. 3. The boots Brie and I bought are huge and definitely keep our feet warm but difficult to hike around in. 4. Being pulled in a metal sled hurts the butt a bit.

About a week after the skiing and metal sled day, Brie and I decided it was too nice out to be indoors so we loaded up our snow gear and headed over to a big hill next to our place to attempt to go sledding with a plastic bin. We took the lid just in case it would be easier than me trying to fit inside a bin. Once we got to the hill we realized that going down this hill would be stupid in a bin and luckily we found a nice saucer sled laying around. I was the first to go and it was a fun ride down until I got to the bottom and realized that there was a nice bump in the path which of course I headed right for and then landed on my already sore behind from that darn sled! Once I landed I rolled off of the saucer and into a snow pile next to the tree that I nearly because very personal with. It was fun but a little rough for an Iowa guy; usually our hills have grass under the snow but here we enjoyed frozen dirt!! Brie went down a couple times and followed with the bump and fall technique that I invented a few turns before. It was a fun afternoon and one we needed after being stuck inside for a while. After we got home that evening I ran to my computer and ordered a new sled. It was much easier buying sleds as a kid because I fit in anything but now I am an adult and most sleds would break by the thought of me sitting in them.

Brie and I decided that we needed to buy something that would give us an opportunity to leave the village for a day or so but that wasn't going to cost us 4,000 - 5,000 thousand dollars. A while back I suggested that we purchase some cross country skis. When it snows here you can go anywhere because all of the rivers and streams are frozen so basically the tundra is our playground. Both Brie and I have downhill skied before but neither one of us has ever cross country skied. There is a BIG difference. About a week ago our skis finally arrived in the mail and this past Sunday Brie's principal was kind enough to help us put them together. It wasn't a difficult process so if we ever order any more then I will be able to do them myself. Sunday afternoon it was a pretty warm day here. It was almost 40 and the snow was starting to get very sloppy which isn't the best condition for Cross Country skiing. Brie and I decided to venture out anyway just to see what it was like to cross country ski.....It was difficult but fun at the same time. We both need to learn some techniques but over time we will get the hang of it. We have been told that its better with powdery snow so hopefully we get some of that soon.

Aside from the snow sports Brie and I have been busy with some dogs around here. This mother dog randomly showed up one day a few weeks ago and just seemed to always be around when ever we were outside. We didn't know what her name was so we called her Nipsy - we later found out her name is actually smearal. Dint ask!! One day when Brie was walking home from school Nipsy had two little puppies with her. One was golden colored with a little black and the other was black and looked like a husky. We found out last weekend that both puppies belonged to Nipsy. The puppies would show up at our door basically every day and I would put out some Cheerios or anything else we had that we probably wouldn't eat. We dint know who they belonged to or if they even had an owner. Sometimes we brought the puppies in and gave them some water and a chance to get warm. We found out this past weekend who they belonged to and were told to take them if we wanted them. Well both Brie and I are softies when it comes to dogs and Brie's sister Claire wanted a dog so she took the black one back with her to Togiak and Brie and I kept the little golden one; we have since named it Huxley. He will be coming home for Christmas with us so flying should be interesting. We are putting him up in the plane with us under our seats so hopefully he wont whine to much!!

Brie and I are hosting Thanksgiving on Thursday. We are expecting 10-15 people. We have a nice 16 lb turkey, a 10 lb ham, mashed potato's, stuffing, homemade ice cream. The other people coming are bringing some thing as well; it should be a lot of fun and we should have a ton of food! We both hate missing the holiday with our families but we are really happy to be sharing it with some good friends!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday! Eat tons of food and take some nice long naps!

Love from the Icebox!

Brandon

The other side of the coin...

My last post was a little bit of a downer, and knowing how easy it is to spiral out of control in response to the force of gravity, I felt compelled to write a more upbeat “Top Ten” list to counterbalance my previous entry.

Top Ten Reasons to Live in Bush Alaska:

10. No matter how rough things get, eventually it gets so boring focusing on the negatives, that the only thing to do when you’re done is search out the positives.

9. While still cold as hell, the snow falls in colossal-sized flakes that look like doilies blanketing the earth.

8. Watching the same episodes or movies over and over again almost always gives you an opportunity to recognize something you didn’t notice before.

7. Similar to number eight, interacting with the same people on a daily basis, in the same settings, with the same dynamics influencing each situation, almost always gives you an opportunity to recognize characteristics or value something in a person you didn’t recognize or value before.

6. Without the hustle and bustle of city life, you have the time to explore and develop interests in ubiquitous objects. Suddenly, a box of crayons or packable snow can hold my attention for hours, and leave me with a sense of accomplishment lacking a trace of productivity when I’m finished.

5. Distance truly does make the heart grow fonder.

4. I’ve developed packing and traveling skills that force me to be prepared for anything, making me a much more laid-back and enjoyable person to travel with. Even ask Brandon!

3. At the dinner table, there’s always room for one more, whether we’re visiting or having visitors, and that warmth and sense of belonging never fails to remind me of my wonderful parents.

2. I’ve learned how to make Doritos out of tortilla chips, powdered cheese and taco seasoning.

1. Homesickness is only a sign of how blessed one is to have someone to love, miss and look forward to reuniting with. I feel very sorry for people who take more pride in proving their independence to no one, than sharing a life with someone.

It truly is an amazing place out here, and I’d hate for my moments of pessimism to seep through and taint the perspective for anyone else wishing to experience this lifestyle; all because I didn’t have the right frame of mind to acknowledge the beauty of life in the Bush. Regardless of the situation, this experience is making me a better wife, and a better person. I’m learning to choose my battles and articulate my needs, both fronts I’ve been known to fall short on. And I’m really enjoying some of the more artistic sides of me that I haven’t really been in touch with since elementary school. It’s amazing how therapeutic crayons can be on a rough day. Anyway, I really am lucky to be out here with a wonderful, supportive husband, who seems to know just what to say when I need a break or some encouraging words. I’m also lucky to be getting the notes and conversations from the amazing friends and family back home. It's a time for giving thanks, so giving thanks is what I'm going to try to do.

Love you all,

Brie

Venting Session

Top 10 Truths about Bush Alaska that they don't tell you when you move here.

10. Internet service and HDMI cables, no matter what the cost, are a necessity for your sanity and connection to the outside world. **Caution: craziness is almost inavoidable.**

9. Coastal or not, it gets frickin’ cold here and any outdoor gear brought up from the lower 48 will probably serve better as kindling for a fire, than insulation for your body.

8. Everything is going to cost at least three times as much.

7. Everything shipped is going to take at least three times as long.

6. The only time anything is on sale is when it’s expired. At that point, it only costs twice as much.

5. All flight times and destinations are subject to change and your pilot may or may not be on his cell phone the duration of your flight.

4. Accountability for lost bypass mail falls on the shoulders of the purchaser, not the shipper.

3. The post office gets all major holidays off. And any other day deemed appropriate by its one employee. Birthday parties, smoke breaks, trips out of town and errand-running all fall into the "holiday" category.

2. Cell phone service is less reliable and more intermittent than the postal service.

1. Electricity is a luxury that can and will be shut off with little or no notice, at the discretion of anyone working with live wires, on extremely cold and windy days. Always be prepared by having the following items on hand: flashlight; battery-operated camping stove; canned food; a can opener; and a working VHF.

Needless to say, it's been one of those weeks. It was teacher evaluation week, which was smooth and encouraging, followed by a number of reality checks that bounced, one right after another. My workdays have been extended three, going on four, nights out of five, and the weekends seem to disappear as quickly as the daylight has these recent days. Daylight-savings time, while nice that first Sunday morning, has left me restless by 6am and sleepy about twelve hours later. Students are traveling and a recent death in the village has cast a gloomy shadow over our students and community members. While it'll be nice to have a half day tomorrow morning (Friday) I feel like time to make progress is dwindling as we approach holiday season. And knowing that anything I give is better than what they've gotten in the past, I'm struggling with the concept that anything is good enough. I don't have a complacent bone in my body, and it seems the more I talk with people who've been here for a while, the more I get this notion that I'm going to have to lower my expectations for myself and everyone around me in order to feel a sense of accomplishment or like we've even settled in.

There's a very thin line between challenging a student to reach his potential and stepping on the toes of a dwindling culture, already feeling the pressures from modern-day society crowding in on it. Walking that line on a daily basis has become exhausting; which makes it easy to feel like I'm fighting a losing battle. A little positive reinforcement or constructive criticism goes a very long way with me, and it was just what I needed from my principal to ignite the fire that's driven me in my position. But with Friday less than three hours away, I'm beginning to feel that fire fizzle and I find myself in need of some encouraging words to help refocus my frame of mind. I'm hoping once I've vented it all out, I'll have a clear mind to process any feedback.

Meanwhile, I'm celebrating every small success I can get my hands on. Today, one of my students who started the year reading 65 words per minute, read 155 words per minute, fluently. He felt silly talking like "Ms. Good," but he had fun developing a rhythm with his words, voice intonation and fluctuation. He really provided me with a series of happy moments in the day to remind me of why I do what I do. I think today will be the start of a journal, highlighting one good thing to end the day on, as it's easy to focus on the negatives when we have ample time to think.

Still loving any notes, emails, phone calls, pictures, etc. sent this way. As the holiday season approaches, familiar faces from outside the village are a good reminder of how lucky we are to have loved ones to miss so much.

Love you all,

Brie

It's Official...We live in Alaska!

Today began like any other Friday. Brandon woke up at his regular time, while I slept in until seven o'clock, then hit "snooze," also known as telling Bran to wake me up in fifteen minutes, until I finally rolled out of bed around 7:20. With the sun rising well after going to work, I think my body's on the sun's work schedule, but nevertheless, I'm still getting to work on time, and day by day, my job is getting easier to go to, stay at, and enjoy.

Every Friday, I have four students volunteering at Head Start to help out and figure out if it'd be a career choice down the road. I drive them down and drop them off for about an hour and drive back down and pick them up. As excited as the girls are to miss school and volunteer, I'd say they're about ten times as excited to ride in an SUV. The girls journal about their experiences, and almost every journal discusses how much they want a car of their own some day so they can go driving and listen to music without their headphones. It's funny, but I doubt, prior to this Friday volunteer day, that they've been in a car more than a dozen times.

With the weather change, I now have to go start the school vehicle about ten minutes before we leave to warm it up, but this interferes with one my classes. Instead of sending my student to another teacher, I asked him if we wanted to walk with me to start the car. He had no idea what I was talking about, so I told him to go get his coat. He grabbed his coat and walked the 30 seconds it took to the SUV. His eyes lit up when he realized I had keys in my hands. After explaining that we were only starting the car, my student became confused, asking why he couldn't ride in the car that we just started. After a few minutes of talking him through it, he finally understood there wasn't room, but requested that next time he makes it all five days to school, instead of playing basketball in the gym, he wanted to go for a ride in the car. It's amazing how different the incentives are from lower-48er kids to the ones out here.

After dropping off my students at Head Start, I was on my way back to the school. When I pulled up to the intersection, I was greeted by a team of dogs pulling a four-wheeler up the hill, being followed by a snow mobile with a tobboggan on the back. Now call me crazy, but it's not every day you're passed by a team of dogs pulling a "honda" up the hill and a "snow-go" pulling a tobboggan. This was when it finally hit me that we're not in Kansas anymore, or Iowa to be more specific.

The rest of the day went as any other day has gone thus far. After school, Brandon and I were signed up to work the wrestling meet. And while everything was just as normal as could be there, there was a moment where Brandon and I had yet another reality check that this is thousands of miles from home. Taking tickets, we made small talk with a number of people coming through the gate. Most were asking where the 50/50 drawing was held, and the rest were just plain being polite to the newbies. But one man came over, nudged Brandon and asked if he'd be interested in buying a wolf.

Brandon: Excuse me, a wolf sir?
Man: Yes, a wolf. Are you interested?
Brandon: Are you serious?
Man: Yes, you want a wolf?
Brandon: Uh...no...

The man walks away, and Brandon looks at me and says, "Was he serious? A wolf? I mean it'd be cool, but a wolf?"

WTA...Welcome to Alaska. :)

Although I don't think Brandon's the biggest fan of volunteering all the time, I sure have a good time. I met an older woman that gave me the names of about fifty people she was related to, I, however, understanding maybe two or three of them, but she was also one of the sweetest ladies I've every met, smiling and patting my back when I'd admit to miscounting someone's change. She kept me company while Brandon was away. But the ones I enjoyed interacting with the most, were the little ones running around playing hide and seek, tapping me, tickling me and asking me all sorts of questions. I had one little girl playing with my hair and counting to a hundred for me, while the rest of her friends were showing me their nail polish, asking me where my crayon box was, and trying to figure out how I made the lines on my eyelids (make-up not wrinkles). The more I interact with them, the more I love their little giggles and their big brown eyes. Don't be surprised if I come home with a dozen of these kids come summer. Between these little ones, my high schoolers, and a stray dog outside, I may become the old woman who lived in a shoe by the time Alaska's finished with me, not to mention a missing husband who's avoiding his sucker of a wife.

Anyway, between dogsleds and wolves, we've had our fair share of differences with this life, but we're thankful everyday for the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, with some of the most beautiful people.

Love to you all,

Brie