Return to My Beginnings

"Don't take life too seriously because you can't come out of it alive." A quote from Warren Miller which helps to keep life in perspective.  This year marks 23rd year in the classroom for me. This is my last year in the traditional American classroom.  Last week, I handed in my contract saying I am resigning.  It was a well thought out decision and one I don't have an ounce of regret over at all!  I feel so fantastic to be wrapping up my professional career.

The saying "Full Circle" is what I am laughing about!  Long ago I was a bit of a ski bum.  Coaching Nordic skiing, teaching beginner Alpine ski lessons, and waiting tables.  I wanted to travel and work with kids.  I got married and my husband and I became teachers.  We worked overseas for 11 years before returning to teach in rural Alaska.  Our lives overseas were pretty darn great.  We were able to travel and really did some wonderful trips in Oman, Sweden, Norway, Morocco, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Canada.  While teaching in Peru we could return to Montana and ski every North American winter.  We kept getting jobs in the tropical region of the world but we missed winter.  We came home and landed jobs in Alaska.  School/job has been good.  The added plus of being here was we are able to ski.  I could coach cross-country skiing.  A bonus would be coaching the sport of ski biathlon!

Time has come to say goodbye to the classroom and return to my roots.  Spending more time outside, being fit, and just coaching!  Now as I say, "I am retiring from school but not from work!"  I will sub this coming year and coach the ski team. I will figure out how to make a living and just see what new opportunities present themselves or I can create.

I love returning to where I left off . . . no matter what returning to my beginnings feels magical!

Ms. Sadie and I on the night of the Super Moon.

First-grade skiers on a nice foggy frosty day!

My girl!

A tea break a must on our ski tours.

A chilly ski tour but under a huge blue tundra sky!

UpDate: Winter

I will be honest this has been a rather crappy winter here in Alaska.  We have not had much snow, stormy weather, or anything that is wintery.  We have been skiing on a 1.25K loop 98% of the time.  How the kids manage to think this is fun is beyond me and how I manage to maintain skiing as fun is beyond me as well!  REALLY going around a snow fence since December  and it is now March . . . I give us all a lot of credit!

Back in December I took one of our older skiers an alumni into World Jr. Trials for Biathlon in Anchorage.  This was a big time race for this small time coach but we did have a blast.  Aly did very well and has made huge growth working in a more formal program with skiers her age/level.

I have always considered a ski program successful if once the skiers leave the program that still ski on some level.  I am glad to see several of our skiers still skiing.

Here are some photos from the Trials:

Aly on day one and please note the snow in the background. Anchorage had far less snow than us. 

Day three of racing and we all felt like we were trying to out race the disappearing snow coverage.  Mind you this a mixture natural and man made snow.

A few of my coaching cohorts!  A great group to work with and always helpful!

On the range sighting rifles . . .