a blog about a wedding

This summer, as most of you know, I was married. I guess I always knew that I would get married, but never did I EVER imagine getting married in Alaska. But nor did I ever envision myself living here!? However, now I find that both have taken place.

At first the location of the wedding seemed impossible to decide. If married here I would compromise who could come, loved ones near and dear to me would not be able to attend. But South Carolina still didn't make sense. I hadn't lived there in 10 years, Aaron knew no one, minus my parents, grandparents and brother, and the remainder of my friends and family were spread out all over the country. But did Sitka make sense? It was so far away for both of our families, not to mention expensive. Plus Sitka doesn't even have a venue for the occasion?

However, in everyway Sitka was the perfect marriage spot for us. It was perfect in everyway but one which is impossible: that EVERYONE we know and love couldn't be there with us. Though that imperfection makes me excited about Heaven, where we will all be together!

Thanks to all those who helped make it happen! Thanks to those who sent cards and came to parties. Thanks to those who gave gifts and bought plane tickets. Thanks to those who thought about us on our special day. It was special and the memories live on... Now onto the adventures of marriage!

Photos to come...

Bear Lake

October is not typically the perfect month for hiking. Just this Tuesday we were getting 100 mile and hour wind gusts and roofs were being blown off houses, yes, I saw this! At work I was radioed to come and look at the kayaks that had been blown off the rack and had big dents knocked in them. However fortunately this week I found some wonderful windows of hiking opportunities. These are the photos from yesterday's hike, Bear Lake which I had not climbed since April 28th, 2009! My previous hike on this mountain snow covered the alpine and ice covered the lake. This time, fall colors were out in all their Alaskan glory!

Birthday hike

the snow is back

While on a hike with Em on a beautiful fall day in September (we had 2 weeks of glorious sunshine and 70 degree temperatures... not normal) we decided we should have our friends all try to guess the first day snow would hit Verstovia peak. Verstovia Mnt. is in a sense the momma mountain here in Sitka. It is the backdrop of the town and frequents all photos.

When I returned from the hike I immediately put out an email to our friends. The responses then began to trickle in. Yesterday I woke up and on my run it was confirmed, the snow had arrived. Snow had hit the Sisters, covered Bear and Clarance Kramer and yes it had also dusted the top of Verstovia.

Oct. 3rd was the winning date, the snow is now back! The mountains will probably not be clear from snow again until sometime in June or July. Winter has arrived on the mountain top.