I too can hardly believe it has been almost 20 years! I have been married to the love of my life for 18 of those also! I was just 19 and WAY TOO young, but it’s been fun. I left Alaska in ‘89 for the lovely(NOT) desert of Utah and have been here ever since. We have 5 children together(Reid 17,Rachel 15,Rory 13,Rebeka 12,&Ryker 10) and he has a daughter(23) from his first marriage who just made us GRANDPARENTS 3 months ago!
I have read almost everyone else’s entries and it makes me yearn for little ones again. I have 3 almost 4 teenagers! So enjoy your little ones NOW, soon they will drive you bonkers! My husband just recently(NOV) returned from 18 months in Iraq, and they did just that. We are transitioning back into normal family life though.
We have not ever had the time or money to take all of our children up to Alaska. Now with my oldest son graduating in May and maybe moving out on his own we need to do one last big family vacation. We are trying to plan a way to do it, but there are a lot of things to get rearranged and in place to make it feasible. We too run into the school starting thing in early August. We will be coming up the ALCAN in the motorhome if we do come, and it will be with all 5 kids and 2 dogs. FUN,FUN,FUN!
I do miss Alaska a lot and we have kicked around the idea of moving back. My hubby is from Palmer, but I still love him! At least here in UT we get snow and have some awesome skiing! I find comfort in that, but the ugly brown desert just sucks!
I never completed my colege degree(I just couldn’t find the time between being preggers and raising babies), but I think about it now with the kids older and in school. I do so want to see how everyone is and have some laughs, but it will take some juggling.
Just a little note to Dan: Bald is HOT! Check out my pic, my hubby was losing it when we met and I thought he was cute then and is just the bomb still! Hair isn’t all that, and anyway mines grey. I don’t care because like I tell my kids, it’s their fault! Life and age kind of sneak up and do that to ya! We won’t even begin to discuss the weight issue!
I am trying to get my busy life in order to make it happen in August. Hopefully, I can pull it off. If I can I will look forward to seeing you all up in Anchorage in August.

Renate Campbell (Zelenka)