Wanderer's Life: May through November 2012

I'm pretty sure I just blinked at 2012 flew by without me even noticing....

It's so crazy how time speeds up as you get older. Ellis and I have now been married for 2 years and 4 months, and we just had our 25th birthdays a month or so ago. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact we have been on this earth for a quarter century! Panda is now 6 and Winston 10. Even our little baby boy Waffles is a whopping 12 pound one-and-a-half-year-old. A lot has happened this year for sure.

Going back and reading my last blog post is surreal. It was now 7 months ago that I left My Gym to follow my husband up to the frozen north. I miss California a little, but mostly I miss my kids from work. I'm fortunate to have my favorite kids' parents' facebooks so I can see how well they are doing these days.

May 20th, 2012 --> We packed up most our belongings (and thew away the rest) in a teeny tiny U-box and shipped it up to AK (little did we know we wouldn't see our stuff again for four months..) We loaded our Cube to the absolute brim, and drove us and our 2 dogs and cat up from Santa Rosa, CA to Anchorage, AK. We saw a lot of wildlife: 37 black bears, 15 bison, 6 moose, 3 bunnies, 2 doll sheep, 2 caribou, 1 wolf, 1 brown bear, and 1 prarie dog!

the U-Box

packed to the brim! (we delivered Neo to my brother 2 nights later)

Waffles sleeping on dads lap.

Waffles sleeping between me and the door.

We saw 37 black bears, and this is the one brown bear we saw.

Liard Hot Springs

June 1, 2012 --> This summer was one of the most fun time periods of my life. I did it! I spent over two months on 32' boat with 3 other boys, no bathroom, and one side of a twin size mattress, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! There is something about being on the water, when it just becomes a part of your life, that when you're back on land nothing seems to replace it. Every day I was amazed at the beauty surrounding me, as well as the strength and endurance one human can seem to muster out of the depth of nowhere when necessary (yes myself included!) I was evermore impressed by my husband. After 5 years together he still manages to surprise me with how talented and capable he is. I LOVE being out on the boat and I can't wait to go back as soon as I can.

Joe flew us to Naknek from Homer. 

one thirty am...the darkest it got that night.

woo we caught fish!!!

another beautiful sunset

captain ellis

September, 2012 --> So after the fishing season, Ellis went to Kodiak to fish with his dad for a month, and I stayed in Anchorage and looked for a house for us. I found one in Wasilla and was able to sign the lease and move all our belongings in before Ellis returned from Kodiak. He was very pleased and I felt like superwoman!

300 Schrock!

Our house in the summer...wow it's a lot different now.

October, 2012 --> Now we've been living in our place on 7 acres just waiting for the snow. I was so excited a couple months ago when we first got a teeny bit. I thought the rest of it was coming soon. But of course, and ironically, Alaska is having a major drought year. They aren't even predicting snow before Christmas! And I was so excited for a "guaranteed" white Christmas too! Oh well, even though Ellis describes this as the ugliest time of year, I still am so amazed by what I see around me whenever I leave my house. The mountains are incredible, and I even got to see my first Northern Lights (a slight show anyways) this October.

First little "dusting" in October

Looking out our front window, currently.

November, 2012 --> Ellis and I are both working at Alaska Assistance Dogs. He is the Lead Trainer and I am the Executive Director. Right now we are working on funding through grants, etc... If you want to donate or home a puppy for a short period of time and help a disabled Alaskan email me! Kate@AlaskaAssistanceDogs.org. We need all the help we can get right now!

www.alaskassistancedogs.org

I love my life here in Alaska. The people are warm and friendly, there is plenty of space and hardly any crazy societal rules to follow. It's even dark most the day and I'm still happier here than anywhere else. Ellis and I are in a place in our relationship we've never been before and good things seem to be happening. I would love my friends and family to come visit me. We have a guest room and you would have the time of your life if you can just afford a plane ticket! Here's some more pictures of beautiful scenery.

Now I need to go prep for my Sunday night shows. :D Happy December!

The Ends and Beginnings of Things

Ends

Well, I was thinking about it this morning, and today is the first day of my last week at My Gym. I will only get to go to each of my shifts one more time (for a total of 5 more days of work.) Today is the day I have to start saying goodbye to all my friends under 7 years old. Today and Monday will probably be the hardest days. Today is the last time I will see my little child prodigy, Mia Mojica. That girl has taught me so much about what it is to be kind, generous, and true to yourself. Her and I connected better than any other student during my year and a half at the gym. I feel completely invested in her life, and it will be so hard for me not know what she grows up to be, how successful she is, or not to be there to help her though her hardships and lessons to be learned. This must be how school teachers feel at the end of each year (except I really will NEVER see any of these kids again.) Days when I would come in upset, hurt, angry, whatever, she would be there with her smiling face, so genuinely excited to see me, and it would turn my whole day around. Is it weird that some of my best friends in California have been under the age of 6? All I know is that I will miss each and every one of them and their own little individual personalities, accomplishments, and attitudes.

Working at My Gym has taught me so much about myself; who I am and what kinds of person I really want to be. I could not imagine entering into the stage of my life where we are thinking about children without having first had these experiences. My child development degree definitely helped a lot, but there is no match for being in charge of 35 children, ages 3 and up, in a highly active environment. 2 kids too much trouble?? Pshhh, give me 8 and then we'll talk. How do other people have kids without having learned about them first? I am not scared to have children anymore, I KNOW Ellis and I will be expert parents, there is nothing we can't handle, whether it be dogs or kids. I can only hope other people are able to gain the knowledge and experience I have working at My Gym before they bring their own little terrors into the world, haha. One day I will have my own children and I will forget the hurt I am going to go through this week. But until then, thank you each and every one of you My Gym kids for being one of 250 reasons I get out of bed in the morning.

Which brings me to the teachers, my true best friends, my whole world here in Cali. Bri, Kristin and Alyssa, thank you for being my BFFs. Every girl needs another girl to vent to, cry to, laugh with, paint your nails, and drink wine with. And you girls were it! I love you both so much and I WILL fly you to AK to visit me.

AJ, Lorna, and Deanne: I could not be more thankful to you for opening your hearts and minds to this weird, awkward girl from the sticks up in Washington. Thank you for giving me a place to belong, to learn and to grow. Thank you for teaching me, more than just about kids. You have been my role models and mentors. Lorna, thank you for this amazing opportunity, you and My Gym have changed my life and I will forever be grateful for that. You've taught me so much about being a mother, wife, and business owner. I truly hope some of your success has rubbed off on me.

Beginnings


The aforementioned above is not meant to evoke reactions or to be melancholy, just appreciative. I would hate to send the message that I am not 100% completely excited and READY to move out of this state and to Alaska. There will be so many new things starting. First of all, I've never taken this long of a road trip. It's almost the entire vertical length of the North American continent, and I should be spending about two weeks in a car. But I am so excited! We have stops planned along the way for tourists attractions, scenery, and just overall enjoying the journey to our destination.

Once we get to AK, this will be my first entire fishing season on a boat. I'm pretty nervous, but with how well the two weeks went last year, it should hopefully only take a little getting used too. Then its time for a new house, new location, new weather, even new light and dark schedules. Everything I am completely ready and willing to enjoyably experience. I'll get a new job, and Ellis will finally be able to work through the Winter at what he loves, dog training. Our clientele list will start building, and before you know it, we have our rehabilitation center and our dreams are coming true.

Overall I feel like these two years in Cali have been such a learning and growing experience for both Ellis and me. It has been NECESSARY in order to really get where we want to be in life. But now that time is coming to a close, and i am sad and a little anxious about change, but right now is the time our life as an independent married couple starts to really get on track. The last thing I want to say is:

Thank you Lord, Thank you Jesus. Thank you for all the experiences, good and bad, that have led Ellis and I to the ground we stand on firmly now. You are the rock, the inspiration. Your glory is what makes all things possible. This extremely bumpy road you've lead us down was the right path the entire time, and now we're at the brink of paradise!

This Easter

First and foremost, Happy Easter! Sending love to all my family and friends!

This Easter is a little different for me, and it has definitely been a blessing in disguise. Recently, Ellis and I have had to cut back quite a bit to make our financial ends meet, so that has mean a lot of sacrificing of the extraneous parts of our life. Because of this, coupled with the fact our closest family members are in Washington, we decided to take this Easter as a simple day to ourselves to be able to remember what the holiday is actually about: Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sins and rising again so we could live forever with Him. So today's plans consist of sleeping in late, spending family time in the morning, making a breakfast at home, then probably going on a local hike or to the dog park to let our furry kids enjoy the day as well. I truly feel like the circumstances leading up to this have taught me a lesson in some perspective, that I needed to learn, or at  least be reminded of again.

 For example, this is the first year in my life I haven't dyed Easter eggs. I've always been a stickler for traditions, but honestly, I didn't even think about it this year. It was just so out of the question in terms of frivolous spending that it never even crossed my mind. The surprising part to me is that the fact that I actually forgot about one of my "beloved" traditions. After some thinking and some piecing together of a couple other hard things going on in my life,* I've come to the conclusion that even though on the outside I felt like I was really making a change in not being so focused on "things of this earth", my mental state has been just as burdened by these wants and desires the whole time. Without as much money to go out and do things out of the house, I have been learning how to entertain myself with what already exists in my life, even the thoughts in my head (blog time!). However, extra time around the house means more time on the internet, aka Pinterest. I love the site but I have been daydreaming too much about what I want and desire versus focusing on what I already have and how that should make me happy. I am glad to be working on changing my mental state regarding this. But even what I've already done, really making an effort to correct the way I think as well as simplifying what material things I do need in my life, I feel humbled and grounded, and in a sense, cleansed. But that is what Easter is all about right? Rebirth and renewal.


*One of the hard things just happened last night. Someone went fishing in an uncovered fish tank, and we had to say goodbye to my beloved Mr. Beta. My first fish, been with me for almost a year and a half. His fins competed with those of show betas, and he was my most personable fish. He recognized me, showed off for me, and was tough as nails. Here's to you Beta, hope you can swim freely and eat all the little guppy babies you want in the big fish tank in the sky.

Have You Ever "Googled" Yourself?

So I thought I'd start this thing off with just a simple post to get something up here.

Being married has had many many advantages and funny moments, but probably one of my favorite occurences is when I introduce myself to the kids at work. At the beginning of each class we have a circle time where we go around and learn everyone's names and ask them a different question every week. Sometimes we get to ask them what their full name is. Let me tell you some of the responses I've heard could win thousands of dollars on a TV show. (My life is so blessed!) Anyways, I always start things off, and it never fails, after introducing myself as Kathryn Elyse Gugel, giggles and belly laughs commence. I even get a few funny looks from the parents. Needless to say, there is always someone who asks, "...like the website?" or my personal favorite, "Have you ever Googled yourself?" (snicker snicker). Not that I mind any of this, in fact I have to admit I like the extra attention. Yet the best part for me is seeing the kids' reactions when they find out "Ms. Kate" has such a silly last name. :)

And yes, I've Googled myself.