where to start or what to say - a lot has happened over the last 20 years.First, it has been pretty cool seeing the website pictures and blogs. This is the first year I have been contacted for the reunion, so it is a big flash back. I left Lakeside in the summer of '88 and headed for Natick, MA, where I had worked the summer before. I was hired as the manager of the largest volume location for BP. For the next 2 years I trained all their mangers. During this time I attended Framingham State University. After working 60+ hrs and going to school part time. I was ready to come back to AZ. Being young and dumb I loaned a family member all what I had saved to go to school full time - funny, I have never seen that money since. Pennyless, I had this great idea, career and tution assistance - the military. I joined the Air Force in 1990, after 9 months of delayed enlistment - which I spent mostly in San Rafael, California working, I was off to basic training in San Antonio, TX then tech school in Denver, CO, then stationed at Andersen AFB, Guam, then in Tucson, AZ.
During my tenure in Guam I met my first husband we have two daughters; Katie -14 & Sara 11 (lost two -don't know if they were boys or girls). We were married for 10 1/2 years. He too was military and yet felt his buddies and his pride was more important than his wife and kids.
I spent nearly 10 years in the Air Force and I would still be there today, if I could. I have served almost around the world. My TDY's (temporary duty stations) have taken me to Japan, Georgia, Utah, Texas, Maryland, Germany, France, Italy, England, Scottland, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. My favorite place is in southern France (the people are nice and the sceenary is just beautiful, at least it was in '95). My least favorite place is Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia - nothing grows there and the spiders will eat you, however it was a very humbleing experience. War will do that to a person, not to mention a few other things. I was a Staff Sergeant when I was medically discharged in 2000, it was very hard to come to terms with - I was "not world wide qualified" or "disabled" - still is, but such is life. I may not have finished my degree, but I got real close. I do have a NATO medal, 5 Achievment Medals, Accomadation Medal, a bunch of ribbons and awards, I was singled out as Best in Air Combat Command and Best in Air Force, featured in a training video, I have a pair of worn out combat boots and a few war stories to tell my grand kids.
After my miltary days, I purchased a cakery, it was doing very well until 9/11/2001. I Had 10 employees and was on the verge of expanding. Sept 11 shut that down in a big hurry. With a bad economy, I ended up shutting the doors. To this day I still run into people that got their cakes there, asking me to start it up again. That was really hard to let go.
In 2002 I remarried, that divorce lasted longer than the marriage. Basically I married my boss. I quickly found out that he was a drunk and abusive piece of work.
In 2005 I married Ben, he is in the Air Force and has served for 24 years. We lost a boy last year when Ben was in Afghanistan. That was hard, he doesn't have any children and plus the fact he was half way around the world. However, life is only temporary - trials only make you stronger. Right now I do volunteer work - I teach hunter saftey for AZ Game & Fish and volunteer to help local businesses with AP/AR tasks a few hours a week. I sew quilts, bears, and backpacks for non-profit organizations that support displaced children. 
This picture of all of us was taken Christmas of 2005. The girls are much taller now (they are about to pass me up). 
And this one of Junior, Ben's dog, was pretty neat - that I had to add that one too.
And this one of Junior, Ben's dog, was pretty neat - that I had to add that one too. Well that's it for in a nutshell.
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