Recent Happenings

10-8-03

Hello!  I put some new kayak photos up today, as well as a few more overhead pics on the /news/kasigluk.htm page.  What is going on here in Akiuk?  Tammy has been continuing to work hard, long hours at school.  She has recently heard from her principal, and separately from a district bigwig, that they are very pleased and impressed with her teaching.  See Miss, I told you!  I am so proud of you!  It is my job to help her get to bed early and eat well so she stays healthy.

I have been helping to coach the high school volleyball team, which practices every day.  I've also been subbing for the high school algebra (was not my favorite subject!) teacher whenever he is out moose hunting, about 4 or 5 days in the last month.  What else is happening?  I bought a fishing license so I can try getting pulled around the river in my kayak by a pike.  I'll let you know how that goes.  I need to get out there soon before freeze-up! 

There is an in-service in Bethel next week, which will pull Tammy into town for a few days, while I head to WA for a wedding and to visit family and friends.  Tammy will be going to LA for Thanksgiving to attend a wedding, and we'll both head to Seattle on December 24th to be home for Christmas.  The last day of school before the holiday is the 23rd!  But we do get a 3 week break, which is nice.  We will be back on Jan 7th, in time to participate in the week-long Russian Orthodox Christmas celebration!

I have had my bad days as far as freaking out about not having a job.  Today is a good day though.  ☺ I've been doing some worship, and recording some of it on my trusty four-track, which is like a medicine for my heart.  And lately, since we sent the email about this site, I've been doing LOTS of email!  It has been great to hear from, and reconnect with, so many friends and family.  Last weekend we had some other teachers over and we all watched Smoke Signals, great movie, and then talked for a while afterward.  I was glad to connect with them, as we haven't had many opportunities for that just because everyone is so busy.  It makes me all the more determined to spend our summers here, so that not all our time here is spent busy and stressed out!   I'm still mourning my fallen Mariners (again!), and rooting for a Sox/Cubs world series.  Oh, and we have attended church here the last two Sundays, which has been great!  I really enjoy singing the hymns in Yupik, which helps me to get used to how the language flows and the vowels sound.  In the Yupik Moravian churches here, everyone sings in parts, though the only thing on the page is text.  So its fun to try and sing harmony to songs I've never heard in another language!  It is truly amazing to have a place to go in Akiuk where I can hear scripture and worship God with fellow believers.  Thanks God!  And thanks to you for reading our news!