Summer Time

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

I’ve discovered something.

Teachers are more excited about summer than the kids are.

Fact.

Or at least that’s been the case with me! I’m SO excited! Today is our last full day in Pilot Point. We’ll be flying out tomorrow, (it’s the bush so it’s almost obligatory to add: weather permitting) right after we send the kids home for their summer vacation!

Here are the things I’m most excited for in heading back to the lower 48:

• Family! Famiiiiiiily! Faaaaaaaaaaaamily! Famillllllllllyyyy!!! No explanation necessary. It’s just good to be around people you love and who love you back.
• Food. Things I want in my mouth as soon as possible include but are not limited to: ice cold lemonade, watermelon, this Our Best Bites Thai Peanut Salad and Dressing (I do it without the noodles), my mom’s spring rolls, my dad’s cheesy potatoes, and just about any Chinese food I can get my hands on.
• Sunshine. Something like 5 weeks ago we started having days here where we were like “Spring’s going to be here soon!” Buuuuuuut that kinda never really happened. This weekend was we had 2 absolutely gorgeous days here in PIP. For the first time since getting here, I ran in a short sleeve tee! It was awesome! However, the weather is back to blustery cold where I felt chilly in even my winter coat. My skin is in need of some vitamin D and I plan on soaking up some serious rays, please and thank you.
• Options. Truthfully, Ben and I aren’t the most happening people in the world, but we still appreciate availability! You know…running to the store when you’re out of an ingredient…or going to see a movie if you don’t have anything else to do…or going out to eat because you just don’t feel like cooking, darn it! All this equals delicious option-y music to my ears.

Everyone says that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m sure, after we leave, I’ll pinpoint a huge handful of things I miss about PIP. But right up front, here are things I know I’ll miss once we’re gone:

• The nature-y-ness of the bush. Do you guys know that vibe you get in the morning during a camping trip? The one you get after rolling out of your sleeping bag and stepping out of your tent into nature? It’s so serene and fresh and birds are chirping in the background and it’s pretty much one of the best things ever? That’s what it’s like all the time in the bush! It’s kind of magical.
• Not having to be wary of traffic while running. Everywhere else that I’ve lived, I’ve had to be hyper-diligent in watching out for cars while I’m running so as not to get smooshed. But out here…I basically don’t see anyone else while I’m out for a run. And on the off chance that I do cross paths with a vehicle, more likely than not it’s a 4 wheeler and takes up only a little bit more of the road than I do. It’s pretty sweet.
• The small town kinda pace. I have some relatives who live in this teeny tiny town near Bryce Canyon National Park and I’ve always wondered how they live in a town that is so minuscule. But living out here totally makes me see the benefits. Especially because in the Lower 48, you can drive x amount of time and be back in civilization! I’m not saying I’m signing up for small town life from here on out. I’m just saying that I could rock a small town and I’d like it!
• Time. I know I’ve complained about having too much of it….but it really has, for the most part, been a good balance. I work, get off by 4, and have plenty of time to do other stuff. It’s nice being able to get stuff done. It’s nice being able to not get stuff done (ha!). And I especially love all the time Ben and I get to spend with each other (and Jaeger Dog). For the record: I’m not sick of either of them!

So here we go! Utah (by way of Anchorage to Seattle to SLC) or bust!