Next stop…Alaska

After Ellie and I returned from Cali, we decided we had so much fun that we would try again but this time head to Alaska to see my mom. Not really. I had been wanting to head up there for quite some time, but wasn’t sure how to pull it off without spending a fortune and hiring a babysitter. After a generous gift in the form of a companion ticket, I was able to book a flight for both Ellie and I for a reasonable amount of money.

We left on a Thursday and returned the following Friday (eight days!). That is the longest I have been away from Seth since we have been married. Taking Ellie made it much more doable since the other kids are in school from 8-3:30-ish most days. Not to mention, a few of our neighbors brought in meals while I was gone. To be honest, I was quite surprised how well things seemed to go while I was away. I guess that means I can do it more often, right Seth? 🙂

Unfortunately the weather was rainy most of the time. We did get a few days where we the sun came out long enough for us to go to the beach and see the wild flowers, but most of the visit was spent indoors.

I made the visit to see my mom. She had a few surgeries this summer that made me anxious to get up there and spend some time together. I spent a lot of time cooking dinner, hanging out, and watching movies. I even got to sleep in most days. Although it may not sound like some crazy, fun vacation, I loved it! I really needed the down time and relaxation. Plus, I loved spending time with my mom. I hate the distance between us. I wish it were easier to see each other.

We also were able to visit with a few other people while we were up there. My dad and Kathy picked us up in Anchorage, saving us the cost of two flights to Kenai. He surprised Ellie with an ENORMOUS bear that she loved and decided to name “Kenai”. We had a few dinner dates with them too. My sister and her boys came over and hung out as well. Ellie made a quick connection with Erika and they had a great time playing together. I also ran into a few friends and acquaintances while we were up there. I went to our old Kenai ward and got to spend time visiting with some of my favorite people from my teenage years.

My mom and I took several drives around my old stomping grounds. We visited the home I grew up in…that was strange. It looked so old and run-down and made me kind of sad actually. We also drove out to my high school and I peeked down at the track where I spent many hours running and training for track and field and cross-country. It was so strange to be there and have all those memories come flooding back.

Ellie and I flew out of Anchorage on Thursday evening, just before midnight. We arrived early because my dad drove us up and needed to get home at a reasonable time (it is a 3 hour drive each way). While waiting for our flight the craziest thing happened! My mom was texting my brother, who I haven’t seen in 5+ years, and she realized he had just flown to the same airport. He quickly found Ellie and I and we got to have a short reunion. He stayed until we boarded our flight a couple hours later. It was a great surprise.

My flight home was interesting. A 26 year-old Canadian gentlemen named Konstantine sat by me on my red-eye flight and was ready to chat. Ellie was out in minutes and I was following suit when he starting talking with me. It didn’t take long to get me talking back. We visited the entire flight to Seattle. I enjoyed getting to know him and learning about his Russian background, but boy did I pay the price. By the time we got on our next flight to SLC, I was beat.

I was thrilled to see Seth and be back home. It took me a few days to catch up on sleep and life, but it was nice to be home. I anticipate it will be a while before I head out on another adventure.