Feelin' the Love!

You can never predict when we will get mail out here… especially letters.

Priority boxes are easy - they usually come within 4-5 days if you are in Seward like my husband, or around 7-8 days if you are my mom, or near my mom, in IL. 

Weather permitting of course.

But letters are tricky lil things!

Love Day (a.k.a. Valentine's Day) was a week ago… I know, I know - so why am I blogging about it now?? 

I would just like to point out that I felt the love last week and this week… all thanks to the postal service!

My first {{love}} day box was from my husband. He was even on the ball this year and I actually got it a day or two early.

He sent me bagels, some orange crush packets (which are ah-maze-ing), and a yummy bag of apples. I didn't know how much I loved apples until I moved here. I guess they are just the easiest fruit to send through the mail!

The best gift though was my new pink Columbia jacket that he picked out all by himself.

At first, I didn't understand why he would get me a rain jacket without a hood. Hellooo, my hair!

But then I got it, and I have worn it almost every day since! It is super light, but super warm. With these mighty gusts Newtok sometimes has, this jacket is ah-maze-ing (that could be my new catch phrase, eh??).

Kudos to the hubs!

My second {{love}} day box as from my mama.

My mom has got this rural Alaskan mail system down. Her Valentine's box came right on Valentine's Day. 

I can always count on her to send at least some apples and some veggies.

She always makes her boxes fun, because she will put the most random items in it! 

It is always exciting, and I think I can say that for both of us, when she lets me know that she sent one off.

I'm always like a kid in a candy store when I am waiting patiently for a box to arrive (especially my mom's!).

Anyways, this box was extremely awesome. 

She sent me two books, some sentence cards for my students, bagels, chunky peanut butter and chocolate chips (for the bagels), peanut m&m's (Valentine colors), and three wonderful apples. I'm sure I am missing things, too! The best part though, she loaded that box down with all kinds of veggies - two huge bags of big and small carrots, potatoes, onions, and celery. I mean, no rural Alaskan refrigerator has ever held so many fresh vegetables! 

Mom's are the best!

But like I said, the mail system is a bit tricky for letters.

For instance, I finally got this New Year's card a month later than it's post marked date. 

It had a tough time getting here, don't ya think?

But I can always count on my grandma Judy to send me something sweet!

She sent me this card…

I don't think you can read the handwriting, but it says "Couldn't find hot tea!" Grandma's always remember the little things!

But then I opened the card and found this…

Ha! I definitely chuckled when I opened the card. Apparently, she doesn't want my breath smelling bad after drinking coffee/hot tea! Thanks to Grandma, I'm set!

But my best surprise was from my best friend, Katie!

Okay, okay. I admit it. I saw that other people had gotten one of these on her Facebook page and I figured that since I had moved out of the state (and nowhere near it) that she had just forgotten about me and I didn't matter to her anymore. 

Did I sound dramatic enough??

But to my surprise and utter enjoyment, she sent me a sweet valentine like the sweetest friend she is!

She even included a great picture of us!

I jokingly called her after I got it and said "Man, you really are on the ball for Valentine's Day 2015!"

You know… since it arrived after Valentine's Day 2014.

So I am definitely feelin' the love in my tiny neck of the woods (or tundra) in bush Alaska!

Oh yeah - my lesson plans are finished for next week already, I have Saturday school stuff all laid out for tomorrow, and I splurged last night at the store and got Diogiorno dipping sticks ($17) and a bag of Tyson buffalo chicken strips ($15). Plus, a six pack of pop. (Yes, I just said pop. It is normal for me now. I don't want to talk about it. I don't know what happened.) So needless to say, I am going to have an awesome weekend.

And on the greatest note ever- - - - - Joshua is coming again March 14th! That is only three weeks away! Anddd it's on his BIRTHDAY!

He actually does not know this yet because he is still at work right now as I am typing this blog post. Our school's counselor, Brad, helped us out and purchased a flight for Joshua to come see me for a long weekend. How cool is that?! Seriously, people in Alaska, and especially this school district, are the nicest human beings I think we will ever meet. So appreciative, there are no words!

Hope everyone is feelin' some love wherever they are!