Where to start....

   What a crazy week it has been. I think it has been the longest and most exhausting week, ever.
I'll start back last Friday when we were off to Kokhanok. At 4 o'clock we were gearing up and bundling up for the long drive ahead of us. I put on our thick socks, under armor cold gear pants and shirt, layered with long sleeve shirt and sweater, scarves, gloves, hat, jacket, face mask, googles, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something lol. Oh, hand warmers for inside our gloves (these were lifesavers!). Basically everything was covered from head to toe. We started off down First Road here in Nondalton and then across Six Mile Lake. Danielle and I were on one Honda (aka ATV), Bryan on the other Honda pulling a small John Deer trailer with all our stuff, and then Ron on his snow machine. We were doing good until we were almost across the lake. Our Honda gets stuck and Ron/Bryan had to come over and help pull it out of the snow. After a few minutes of messing around we were back on track and heading towards the trail that led to the road. We have had a lot of snow lately and so our Hondas were having a bit of a hard time trying to get through some of the snow. There were a couple hills and what not that we just couldn't make it. Ron had to tie a rope to our honda and attach it to his snow machine to get us unstuck. After about 3 or 4 times getting stuck we finally reached the road that led to Iliamna/Newhalen. Danielle did the driving for the first 20 or so minutes then we switched. I enjoyed driving the Honda. I was nervous at first because I've never driven one before, especially one where I had to switch gears. Although it was pretty easy. We were going about 35-40 mph on the Honda and making good time on the road. It was a beautiful afternoon. The sun was shining down on us. The mountains were glistening with snow. I felt God there with me. I just smiled and thanked Him for this amazing opportunity he had given me. I drove for the next 20 or so minutes until we pulled into the gas station in Iliamna. There was a store there as well so Ron filled up our tanks as we went inside to warm up a bit. Remember our temperature was somewhere between 0-10 degrees. The sun was helping to keep us warm though. Anyway, we filled up the tanks and then we continued onward to the Newhalen school to pick up Linda (Ron's wife). We got there a bit later than expected since we got stuck so many times. We packed up Linda's stuff in the trailer and then we were off to cross the lake to Kokhanok. We started off and for the first 2 minutes across the lake we were good and then low and behold we got stuck and so did Bryan. So Ron pulled us a ways and then went back to get Bryan and pulled him. We kept trying to go but the snow was so deep our hondas kept sinking every time Ron let us off his snow machine. By this time it was getting dark and cold. We still had about an hour ahead of us and at the rate we were going with having to keep getting unstuck Ron said this is not safe for us, the sun is going down, it'll be dark and we'll never make it. So we decided to turn around and head back home. Now let me take a second to share a few laughs. Now as the hondas kept getting stuck we'd hop off and help push it and pull it. With how deep the snow was we kept falling. At one point Ron and Bryan were pushing the honda and the honda took off and was going but they were laying flat on their faces. Danielle and I laughed as I made a comment "Now that's sexy boys." Another time my foot went so deep in the snow I fell backwards and couldn't get up. I kept trying but failed twice so I just laid there and laughed at the situation we were all in. Linda fell in the snow as well and needed Bryan to help her up. Now I know you're probably thinking, please tell me you got pictures of this. And unfortunately we did not. Ron did get a few pictures of us bundled up ready to get on the hondas. So if he ever gets those to us I will definitely share them with all of you. So, back to the drive home, Ron had to take turns dragging Danielle and I and then Bryan back to the road in Newhalen. It was taking a very long time and at that point I just wanted to get home. My hands were really starting to get cold. Danielle and I had to keep switching every 10ish minutes because our hands were so cold. You're driving this honda in freezing temperatures at a fast speed with nothing to protect you from the cold other than your clothes. It was awful! My thumb was burning from applying the pressure to the ignition. I can remember as I was driving telling myself "Just push through the pain and get home." We all would stop occasionally and  change drivers to give the person up front a break. The person riding in the back could shield themselves behind the driver from the cold. We were getting really close to the trail that led to Six Mile Lake when we all pulled over. I was driving and my hands were so cold I was fearful of frostbite. Ron said for me to hop on behind Bryan and give myself a break and Linda would drive the other honda with danielle behind her. We took off and made it to the trail no problems. The trail is very bumpy and hilly. I just grabbed onto Bryan and held on tight as he gunned it to get over the hills and through the snow without getting stuck. To my surprise even though it was vaguely scary going at this speed over the hills I couldn't help but laugh. A couple times we were airborne flying through the air with or butts off the seat. Yet we were still laughing.  We got to the lake thankfully without getting stuck and began to cross the lake and Bryan was saying his hands were killing him so I just kept encouraging him to just cross the lake and then we are there in Nondalton. I could see the lights in the village and all I could say was "Thank God!" We got to the road in Nondalton and I took over driving back to Ron/Linda's. We finally made it home safe and sound. I couldn't wait to get inside to warm up. My legs were red and frozen as well as my hands. Danielle and I went home and changed, got out of our wet, cold clothes and then went over to Ron/Linda's for some hot cocoa and Baileys. I just remember shaking trying to warm up. No matter how many layers I put on, it just wasn't warming me up. It was quite the adventure and I was glad that we all made it back safe and sound.

     Now, this week. Where to start there. Well first off, the boy I work with had a very difficult week. He's so stubborn and his attitude is not doing well. So that alone is exhausting for me. Now this next part is going to get gruesome so if you don't have the stomach for it, you may not want to read the rest. Anyway, Thursday comes and I was happy the day was over after having a rough day with my student. I had just walked him upstairs to the front door and said good bye when I walked into the office and saw Cal and Bryan standing there. They looked a bit bewildered. Me, having no knowledge of anything, said "So this is where all the cool kids hang out." They laughed and said "oh yea of course." Then Cal said I just missed Ron. I said "oh?" She replied, "We just got a phone call from Susan and she was very distressed saying "I think he's dead!"" I looked at Cal and said "what?" "That's what I said", she replied. Susan said "My neighbor, Alex, he just got beat up and I think he's dead, I need an EMT now!" So Ron being an EMT took off like a bat out of hell down to the scene. Cal, Bryan and I had no idea what to expect so we continued talking about our days and randomness. 10-15 minutes later Ron returned with some blood on his jacket. Cal said "well, what happened Ron?" "He's dead" Ron replied. No one said anything for a minute. We all just looked at each other. I don't remember if someone asked Ron what happened or if he just started talking about it. But he went into gruesome detail of what he saw. I clasped my hands over my mouth in shock and disgust. A 68 year old man, considered an elder in the village, with one eye was brutally attacked by a juvenile with a knife. Ron told us how the mans throat was sliced and his face was cut up so bad. He said they tried giving CPR but whenever they pumped his chest but the blood would gush out of his neck, so Ron said he put his fingers in his neck to stop the bleeding. He said they couldn't give him mouth to mouth because his mouth was sliced so they couldn't get him air. Ron said that at 4:06ish they declared him dead. He believed that a 13 year old boy in the village had witnessed the attack and wasn't sure who it was but had a good idea. We all went home and ended up and Ron/Lindas for dinner to just be together. The troopers were called in Dilingham and said they were not sure if they could make it out tonight. Luckily Iliamna Air went to pick them up with the Pilatus. Another good thing is that we have light till about 9:30pm. We were hopeful that they would catch the guy that did it that night. Around 6:30 the Pilatus landed at the airport and shortly after that the mayor in his red pick up truck drove by with 4 State Troopers in the back. Ron made a comment about how they don't usually send more than 1 trooper but since this was a murder they sent a few more. A few minutes later Ron's phone rang. It was Regina from the clinic saying the troopers needed snow machines, could Ron led his out. Ron said "I'm on my way" He took off and a few minutes later he was back saying how the troopers were gearing up in all their gear and guns ready to go. About 7:15 they took off from the clinic towards the airport. The town radio was dead quiet not a word was being spoken. The whole village was dead. Everyone was bunkered down in their houses. It was spooky. About an hour later (8:15) we got a call from Regina saying they had found the suspect and Ron could come get his machine back. We all took a sigh of relief to hearing the news. As Ron was leaving we all told him "Get the scoop and don't come back without it lol." A little later Ron came back saying it was a 19 year old boy who attacked the man, no alcohol was involved, they believe it to maybe be a robbery. The police are investigating. The fight began in the home and then ended out on First Road. The boy was found in the woods not far from the airport. He was accompanied by his father who was recently let out of jail. According to some of the villagers he's been here for about a month visiting with his father. They claim when you looked at the boy "He didn't look right in the head". So mental issues can be part of it. Several village men accompanied the troopers with their weapons to help them. Before the troopers got there a lot of the village men were out looking already. The kids and wives were locked away in the houses safe and sound. The body of the 68 year old man has been taken to Anchorage to be autopsied. The boy is being charged with second degree murder (last I heard). His father was not pressed with any chargers. The 68 year old man had several grown daughters. The woman he lived with, was visiting a neighboring village (Kokhanok) and was not home at the time of the murder.
    I was worried and scared not only for myself but for everyone in the village. I did not want any more harm to come out of this. I had called my mom when I got home to inform her of what was going on and to pray for all of us. So for her and everyone else who said prayers for our safety, etc. I thank you! Friday we had school and the kids talked about it a bit. One of our younger students cried and was saying she was scared that something like that could happen again and hurt her or her family. This was not a story I wanted to tell about my Alaska adventure but it is making national news so I figured I'd let you know and end the worrying. All is well now and we are safe again. I am grateful to the troopers for coming in and getting the job done quickly and safely.
There's one of the articles on it if you are interesting in reading it (doesn't have all the details that I can provide):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46766408#.T2PkzRF8Cnk

The Aurora Borealis

Last night I finally got to see the Aurora Borealis!!! I was so excited, I've been waiting since I got to Alaska to see them. Unfortunately this is not my picture.. just a picture from online but this is what it looked it. My camera had a hard time capturing it. Not that it matters too much because it will forever be a picture in my brain. 

Danielle and I went out at 10pm to try and see if we could see anything from the lake. We started heading down and couldn't see much. It was still a bit cloudy but we could see some green on the horizon. We walked back to the house and Danielle didn't think we'd see them again so we went to bed. I woke up again around 11:40 and went and looked out my bedroom window and sure enough right above the house and across the sky was the Northern Lights. I couldn't do anything but stare and wonder. It was so beautiful. The sky was a beautiful green. It did not seem to be moving in huge waves like I've heard they do but they were definitely moving slowly. I watched for about 10ish minutes and then got back in bed. I woke up again several times during the night to look out my window and nothing had changed. AFter 2am the reports said it would be difficult to see them again so I stopped looking. To my surprise, Ron messages us this morning telling us that at 5am they were amazing and just lighting up the sky and moving like crazy. I was so bummed I missed it. But hopefully we'll get another chance to see them tonight! I am so blessed to have these amazing experiences. I thank God for it all!

Also, tonight after school a couple staff members are driving across some lakes to head to another village called Kokhanok for their carnival. It should be a great time and I promise to fill you in about it as soon as I can. Just keep your fingers crossed we don't freeze driving over on the ATV's and that we make it there safely. It'll be about a 2 hour drive. Danielle and I are not 100% comfortable driving this thing manually. Having to switch gears is not something either of us are accompanied with. So say a few prayers for us!! 

When looking at this map, we are traveling from Nondalton (up North) down to NewHalen (a bit South) then over to Kokhanok (East). First we'll be crossing Six Mile Lake and then Lake Iliamna. Just so you have a visual :)

Well I made it back to the village on Saturday. The flight was good just couldn't see much of anything since we have been getting so much snow lately. Jim was my pilot again and when he saw me he said "Hey kid, want to ride up front with me again?" and of course I said yes. This would be my 3rd time riding in the co-pilot spot with Jim as my pilot. He's a great guy and I enjoy his flights. He makes the best landings. They are always so smooth you can hardly tell you are touching the ground. It's always flawless. He enjoys chatting on the flight and I am always curious about what is going on or what we are seeing. He explains the sights we are seeing and answers my questions about flying the aircraft and what happens to the plane in turbulence, etc. Even though it always makes me nervous to fly in the co-pilot spot, I really enjoy it. Now not to worry all of you, but to answer the question as to why I am always nervous about sitting there, it's because if a small plane like ours was to crash, Jim and I would be the first to go. Scary. But not to worry all is well. I always say my prayers and things go smoothly. I have faith in the Lord that he will protect me.

This is a picture I took at Alyeska. It was so cloudy there everyday but then on this day the sun started to poke through the clouds and it was perfect the way it was hitting the mountains. I was lucky to get such an amazing photo of this. I just thought I'd share it with you and see the amazing beauty I am surrounded by each and everyday. Hard not to look at this and not see God in it. 

Also, after staying at the resort, a bunch of us rented a house (still in Girdwood). It was a beautiful house and a perfect size for the amount of people we had. It was three floors and had lots of things to do. There was a hot tub, pool table, slot machine, foosball table, plenty of board games, etc. The first night we all had drinks and talked. We ended up playing 90's Trivial Pursuit and to our surprise we did not know as much as we thought we would. A couple of the guys in the group were kicking our butts. But then the next night we played Battle of the Sexes and the girls kicked the boys butts! So it's all good. The boys were not too happy but the girls were thrilled.