Signs of Spring

Ashley

Well, we survived our first week back from Spring Break, and it actually went fairly well, all things considered. We eased the kids back into routines, laying back on the intensity of academic work, choosing instead to spend more time engaged in conversation and informal learning. To my students' credit, I think they could sit around and talk for hours, about any topic connected to anecdotes and real life issues. Philip also had to serve as both teacher and principal this week, since our principal has been out sick, so we were grateful that no major adverse events happened at school.

The weather this week has been rather warm, some of the warmest it's been since our arrival in October. I've actually stopped taking my coat to school. As such, the snow is beginning to melt. It's been rather therapeutic, watching it drip off our roof, our personal overhead glacier, slowly whittling down into a series of frozen stalactites. Eventually, the whole shelf is going to slide, and I hope we get to see it. (And hopefully, it won't damage any roof structures, like our electrical mast...) Fortunately, the ice bulk is off to the side of our house, where we are safe from the possibility of getting caught underneath it. It's rather thrilling, looking forward to our first real thaw, unlike the mini ones we've experienced back in Texas. I'm also seeing the beginning of buds on the birches and aspens. I don't think it'll be long before the first hints of green juxtapose themselves against the white backdrop that has been our view for the last five months. Looking up historical climatological river data, it seems that breakup happens around the 3rd or 4th week of April. I am really excited to see that for the first time, especially since our village is out of harm's way for any potential flooding. It also means the bears should be waking soon, so that will add an extra consideration to our hikes in the woods!

Our family is continuing to do well. Jadyn and Emily are actually flying out today, embarking on a 2 week adventure that will allow them to experience more of Fairbanks, as well as parts of Colorado, Nebraska and South Dakota. They applied to two different grant-funded programs, and were accepted to both. This week, they will be working through some training at a healthcare camp in Fairbanks, learning some basics about various healthcare careers, and even earning a certification in critical life care. Then, they'll fly on to Denver, CO, and from there drive to Chadron, NE, where they'll spend a week at Chadron State University, getting a taste of college life, staying in a dorm, participating in campus activities, and exploring various careers in education. They'll also get to do some sightseeing while they're there, including visiting Mount Rushmore, Hot Springs, a geological museum, and Wind Cave National Park. I'm of course, nervous about their travels, but also excited that they get to go on this adventure together, learning from opportunities that are possible through this district. I will say, with all the grants our district receives, our kids have been able to see a lot more of the world, and gain some valuable experiences away from Philip and I. It's been good for us, letting go of the tether a bit, and allowing them to enjoy some independence, making decisions without our supervision. It still strikes me as humorous, how flying for everyone out here is no big deal, because that's the only way out of the village. But for us, it's still a big deal.

Now, the focus is on finishing out the quarter (with not one single holiday, not even Good Friday...), wrapping up testing, and beginning to look ahead to summer plans, and planning for next school year. It's weird to think that we're in the last stretch; this year has felt like two years wrapped into one, considering where we started in August. Time is flying out here, which you wouldn't think possible with the remote quiet in which we find ourselves. Yet, the horizon is all around us, both physically and metaphorically, which provides ample motivation to reflect on our present and future. Our kids are growing up fast, and it won't be long before they're all off on their own independent adventures. So I'm soaking up the minutes, knowing these days will never come back around quite the same.

With that, I leave you with some final shots of our winter landscape at its peak.

Last before the thaw

Finally melting on Friday!