So you know I won't miss those moose that I showed you yesterday. What will I miss about Alaska? The list is short, yet strangely comprehensive.
1. My gym.
This might be listed as #1 for a reason. This gym got me through a 10 1/2 month deployment. It gave me a place to go. It gave me something outside of work to hang around Alaska for. I know this seems silly. But I read on a blog a few weeks ago about how working out allows you to move your body and give it purpose. Bodies were, in fact, designed to move and not just sit behind a desk all day. I completely agree and I'm thankful I've discovered this.
2. My identity as a teacher.
Our lives often seem geared toward our professions. I'm not sure what to call myself now. Obviously I'm still a teacher, and writing my resume a few weeks ago made me think, "I still want to be a teacher". But there's other stuff I want to do too. I'd love to work from home in some way. I'd love to work at a gym as an instructor. I'd love to go get my Masters and become a college professor. Essentially, everything I've known for the last 3 years is changing. Exciting? Yes! Confusing? Kind of.
3. These wraps from Vagabond Blues. They can probably be made pretty easily, if I'm willing to go out and buy all of the ingredients. Which, I will have to be willing to go out and buy all of the ingredients now that I can't drive a few miles and pay $8 for the most delicious lunch in the entire world.
Spinach, pesto, tomato, red pepper, roasted red pepper, red onion, black olives, and feta. Mmmmm.
4. Snow City Cafe. The best sourdough toast with jam you'll ever have. And their Milky Way Latte is to-die-for.
5. Our current church. We've been to 4 churches in 3 1/2 years. And that included a pretty big stint (like 8 months) of not going to church at all. We've tried CMA, Bible, Non-denominational, and Southern Baptist. I could probably write an entire book on our church experiences in Alaska. In fact, if you know me in real life, chances are I've told you all about it and we've had a good chuckle.
We're enjoying the Baptist church the most and, while we're not involved in it very much, I look forward to that sermon every week.
6. The daylight.
I think this will be what I miss the most. There's nothing better than 21 hours of daylight in the summer.. I know, it seems weird. But once you get used to it, you probably wouldn't want it any other way. You have time to do SO much everyday. The days seem to double in length and everything is a little happier, and much more cheerful than those dark depressing days of winter (I think that goes without saying). I never did find a way to be cheerful during November and December. Living in Alaska by myself during the months of December and January (whcih I've done twice) was likely the most difficult thing I've had to do yet. It's not for the faint of heart.
7. The bulk bins at Fred Meyer. It's where I buy oats, nuts, dried fruit, etc. Essentially it's all so much cheaper than the packaged brands.
What will Scott miss the most?
I don't even want to ask him. He'll start talking about his desire to "own a piece of Alaska". Also, he went bear hunting over the weekend. You can draw your own conclusions.
