Birthday Weekend :)

I would have never thought that I would be spending my 23rd birthday in Alaska, in a village for that matter, but it was definitly a memorable one! In the morning during morning meeting, which is when the whole school - that sounds like a lot of people, but it really isn't - gets together in the gym to do some activities/read a story/make announcements and then say the Pledge every morning, they all said happy birthday to me and then sang to me. That was a nice way to start out the day. It was a good day at school and I had forgotten that it was Friday so the kids got out early. I saw about 100 caribou cross behind the school during the day - when I saw 100, I'm not exaggerating. They were counted and the line was never ending. They just made there way through... so neat to see! On my way home from school that afternoon, I had to stop on the "road" to let caribou cross. They got a little scared when I got too close with the truck so I had to stay back a little ways but I was able to grab my iPhone - that I use for an alarm clock or music (since it doesn't work up here) and it happened to be right in my bag - and take a few pictures. Obviously they're not the greatest pictures since they're on the phone but you can get the point. It was pretty neat to see, and who really gets to say that they had to stop to let the caribou cross the road? :)

 

Again, it's not the best picture quality and I wish it was because there were a lot of "bulls" as they call them, I think I just refer to them as buck but that's the PA in me coming out, talking about deer I guess!

 

 

Last night I was fortunate enough to get to spend the night with the great people that I get to work with every day! They planned a birthday dinner for me so everyone came over and got to hang out. We had chicken and pork burritos and then some funfetti cake! And I got sung to again and got to blow out my candles! I couldn't have asked to be surrounded by better people! Thank you all for making this birthday so great, and also for the soda, pickles and beaded glass float.

 

As well as everyone from home that wished me happy birthday! :)

 

 

Today looks like it could be a nice day or the clouds are going to take over, it could go either way! It's a cold weekend here in Port Heiden. I think the temperatures are only supposed to be in the teens or below and it's a little windy but right now the sun is still peaking through. So we'll see what happens! I'm not sure what today has in store but you never know up here!

 

 

Back tracking a little bit, Valentine's Day was a fun one to spend up here, as well. Kasie, Derek, Pat and the basketball team got back from being away, we had Valentine's celebrations, I iced and decorated cookies with the preschoolers and exchanged Valentine's with them and the Elementary kids, got to work with the middle schoolers as usual and then I got to spend a little time with my Valentine... baby Tate :)

 

 

I also experienced my first big snow drifts. With all the wind and the snow we've had in the past couple days, the drifts on Valentine's day morning were big! Well, at least to me... I drove to school that morning in what seemed like half a foot of snow. At certain points, I couldn't tell where the "road" stopped and the tundra started. Luckily, I've become quite familiar with my drive and the fishtailing that I do has become part of my every day drive. :)

 

 

That same morning, I opened the door and had snow fall in... and right off of that step there, I walked right into snow that came up over my boot and into it...

Just two more pictures to show you how quick the weather up here can change. It went from this...

... to this, in a matter of 15 minutes! And along with this big cloud, came hail!

 

 

:)