An Apology

To All My Faithful Blog Followers....

I apologize for not having blogged in a while.  I have been incredibly homesick as have the kids, and I have been trying very hard to be strong for them, which leaves me with little energy or desire to do much else.  I have been consoling, encouraging, cuddling and helping the kids to sleep, and as soon as they are, I cry myself to get out all my sadness in order to be strong for them the next morning.  It's exhausting really.

To top that off, life in the classroom hasn't exactly been easy.  I won't say much, but suffice to say that Grade 7/8, with all the typical attitudes and hormones, is one thing, but add a HUGE disinterest in learning or even caring about school, and that has left both Greg and I disheartened and frustrated. That is not to say that all of the kids are like this is why I am most grateful that Michele, the new Grade 7/8 teacher, is taking over, and I can enjoy supply teaching.

That said, it was hard to leave the classroom last Friday.  The students had been told on Wednesday that Michele would be taking over and that I would be supply teaching around the school.  The problem was, it took so long to hire a replacement for the original teacher who was supposed to be in the role that they grew to like me and who bonded to me.  There were kids who actually cried and got upset when they heard that I was no longer going to be their teacher!  I received notes saying that I was the best teacher they had ever had and how much they were going to miss me being their 'everyday' teacher.  I was shocked, and quite pleased, although I do feel bad that they have to get used to a new teacher and new procedures and a new schedule all over again....6 weeks into school.  However, it is all for the better.  They made me cards, and students I didn't even think cared that much about me were asking me not to go and to please be their teacher.  Huh?  If they only knew how unprepared and overwhelmed I felt during the 5 weeks I was in their classroom!  At least I didn't let them see how I really felt!

This week has been exceptionally difficult because Greg and all of the 800 permanent teachers in the Northwest Territories are in Yellowknife this week for a week-long conference.  This means that not only is Greg gone, but so are 99% of the other adults in Tuk with whom I fraternize.  The kids and I are lumping along, but we will all be happy when our Fearless Leader, who is NOT homesick, arrives home on Friday.

Anyway, it's been pretty emotionally draining around here lately....but the good news is that we have reached out to our family and friends to ask for some help and you have all been absolutely wonderful, bridging the 6,500 km gap through Skype, email, phone, Facetime, Facebook and snail mail.  We are so lucky to have all of you in our lives!!  We have also had loads of support from our Spiritual Army!  You have lifted us up in prayer and during times when I am low, I remember how much love and support we have from all of you, and I immediately feel comforted knowing how much you all care.  Words cannot express my gratitude to you.

It was so much fun to take my Mom, Darren and Natalie on a tour of our house via Face Time yesterday.  We get to show off our place and you can see what I have been describing.  I have heard a lot of compliments about my writing (blush)...many people say that they feel as though they are here with us, and I humbly thank you for your compliments.  It was SO cool to show my family what our house looks like and when I stepped out on the front deck to show them what it looked like outside, they saw, to their shock and horror, that it was snowing out, and that it was staying on the ground!  It hasn't left yet, although as the day goes on you can see the ground poking through.  They also asked to see the Arctic Ocean, and so I swung them around and....there it was!  Unfortunately it was a grey day, so the sky and the ground and ocean all looked pretty drab....but they saw that it was a 2 minute walk from my doorstep.

Charlotte's BFF's family just got a web cam and got all hooked up with Skype.  Charlotte was over the moon that she got to sit and video chat with her BFF, who is just as equally having a hard time being away from Char as she is from her BFF.  Today is also her BFF's birthday, so it was great that they got to chat together for the first time.

So...if you want to Face Time us, call us at the number we have given you, and we'll give you the $20 tour.  As I said to my Mom, it is a $5 tour but because you have to cross the Arctic Circle there is a surcharge.

Again, my heartfelt apologies for not posting recently.  Tomorrow I think I will take you on a tour of Tuk, and I will post some pics of some of the different buildings.  We did go to church for the first time on Sunday and it was....interesting.  We will bring the camera along next week and take some pics.

And thanks to those who posted on my Facebook wall that they missed my posts.  You have spurred me into action and my commitment to you about communicating what life this far north is like will get me through my homesickness.  I have asked the kids to help me tomorrow and they are quite excited.  Hopefully this will help all of us!!  Thank you everybody!!  We love you all!!! xoxoxo