Tougher in Alaska

Living here hasn't been as much of a challenge as I had envisioned. BUT it has pushed me to be tougher. Today, I had a lot of time to think, 2 1/2 hours to be exact. As a mother, I don't usually get that much time to think unless it is bed time, but by then I am too tired to think. Anyways...today, I got to shovel some more snow. We had a system come through and there was a lot of wind. In some areas, the snow was 3ft high. Yesterday, I spent an hour and a half digging the truck out just in case I needed to go somewhere. Today, I spent two and a half hours shoveling the rest of the area I am responsible for. The snow was very high and I had to get it all out to the street. It was tough, but I did it. I am very proud of myself to be honest. Like I said, this time spent shoveling snow gave me plenty of time to reflect on living here. Most of the time, I was thinking, "I can't wait til summer!" The few times I thought something else, I was thinking about what I have learned from my abilities. I have grown accustom to having my husband around to do all the manly jobs, like shovel snow, take out the trash, take care of the truck. Then there are the other things he does like going to the store because I forgot to get something. Now, if I forget something, I have to either load up all 3 kids in their winter gear and get them in the truck or forget about it and find a substitute. Now, I get to take on the manly jobs now. I can shovel tons of snow. The trash, no problem. The truck...well, I will just drive carefully and make sure I have good car people. There will be new things I will be doing when summer rolls around. I will mow my yard, it will be the first time ever!
Then there are the other things that have made me tough...eating and cooking with moose. I grew up on chicken and beef. Much else is a stretch for me. Moose has been one of those things I have really learned to like.
We can't forget the driving. I have never driven on snow and ice, but here it is common place.
It is not just living here that has made me tougher, it is also the military. You have to be wiling to be independent, because as a spouse there will be many many times you will be alone. Many women tell me that they can't do what I do, meaning, being a military spouse. My response is, "Yes, you can." You learn.
I really do find the women that live here fascinating. Many can shoot a gun (I am sure I can too, but hitting the target is another thing), they hunt (not for sport, but to provide food for their family), they fish...combat fishing at that, they can drive a dog sled, they even work traditional male jobs, like road construction, there are so many things they do. Pretty much anything a man can do here so can a woman. Fascinating!

Oh and by the way, after I came in from shoveling snow, I had to thaw out for a couple hours and I was so sore from head to toe, the muscles in my fingers hurt!