Leaving the Arctic

Our arctic adventure has officially ended for the girls and me. I am glad to be back to what I am used to: being around family, being able to drive to the store...things like that. But I have had a lot of mixed feelings about leaving. I have been apprehensive about being with out Tom for two months again but I have also been a little sad to leave this stage of my live and enter a new one.

Living in Point Hope has definitely been a huge challenge for us. On the flip side I have learned so much about myself and about other people by being there and as a result it has become a huge part of who I am now. One thing that I noticed about the people of Point Hope is how genuine they are. They do not pretend to feel one way or an other. They act exactly how they feel. This is both good and bad but it is nice to know that when they treat you like a friend it is not just because they feel obligated to. Here are some of our friends in Point Hope who will be missed.

Gail: She taught Mandy and I how to make the traditional native atigluks.

Patty: Her daughter is around Chalyse's age and the girls enjoys having her come over and play. Patty is a lunch worker and the girls liked seeing her when we came for lunch.

Kathy and Cheryl teach in the elementary

Dorothy and Lovey are a couple of Tom's students. All the kids know Chalyse's and Ellora's names and enjoy playing with them.

Susan teaches the ECE. She is so great with the kids and has so much patience and love for them. The girls loved going to play in Susan's classroom.

Shea was one of our next door neighbors and good friends. She teaches 1st grade with help form her aid Hazel.

Here are a few teachers at the school. Debbie, Shea, and Beth.

Emily was one of our first and best friends from Point Hope. The girls just adore her. She is the one who made my parki for me. She also recently gave the girls their Eskimo names. She has lived in Point Hope all her life and grew up in the old sod homes. Tom is going to have her write down the names so we can remember them. I will post them and their meanings. 

Regina lived in our building and was always there when we needed anything. The girls also loved to visit her and her little dog Thumbalina and her cat Mo.

Emily was another neighbor and good friend. She teaches 5th grade.

Don is the shop teacher at the school. He joined us for church each week. The girls loved having him over and not just because he would bring them M&M's.