Alaska. Can you imagine?! It’s a place many of us have on our must visit list. Years of saving up for that once in a lifetime cruise/land trip followed by 7 to 14 days of glaciers, mountains, and wilderness. I remember seeing pictures and talking to my grandparents about their trip out there when I was younger. (I can’t say when I was little. I’ve always been little and hopefully always will be!) Aidan and Zachary have been asking to go for a while now and I always said someday…

It’s someday…at least it’s my someday. Two hours to Minneapolis, four hour layover, 5 hour flight to Anchorage with a 9 pm arrival that will be 1 am to me. My hotel has amazing views but right now there is only about 5 hours of daylight so I might not even see them.

I didn’t apply for this job. I don’t think I would have ever considered applying for a job in Alaska. The news director found me online and my first reaction was a certified WTF. You have to be joking. I’ve written about not being afraid of a new chapter, an adventure, a new beginning, but never did I imagine this possibility. When the initial shock wore off, and I got passed  the ‘what did I do to deserve this’ feeling, it quickly became clear that maybe this is what I’m supposed to be doing. This trip out is a meet and greet, a quick exploration of my potential new home. If I don’t win the lotto before December 30 and as long as an arrest I am unaware of doesn’t pop up on my background check, I’m in this thing for the next two years.

The kids are thrilled at the possibility of this adventure. Everyone had that initial WTF moment but ultimately it was decided by all that this would be a must do should the pieces fall into place. Glaciers, mountains, grizzly bears, sled dogs and racing, snow machines, northern lights and ice fishing…hiking, white water rafting, moose spotting, and flannel shirts. How could we pass it up?! Plus, there is a good chance I’ll be considered tan up there…for now anyway.

So, right now I’m writing this from somewhere above Ohio, on my way to meet my potential future boss at an airport in Anchorage after 14 hours of travel. I just sent him an email saying my makeup will have melted off, it will be 1 am to me, and please don’t judge…I’ll clean up nicely tomorrow.

When I said ‘Mile High Club’ I meant for blogging…get your minds out of the gutter. (It got you to read this, didn’t it?!)

I’ll write again tomorrow from somewhere dark and cold and full of possibilities.