1. Our Alaskan Story: From Boarding School to Babies
Welcome!
If you’ve already taken the time to navigate here—thank you! I mean it. I had no idea how much time and effort it takes to even start a blog from the ground up. I’ve developed a whole new respect for bloggers and the work they put into their sites. I figured I’d better start with an introduction, so here we go.
My name is Kayla, and I was born and raised on an island in Alaska. I attended K–8 in my hometown before deciding to go to boarding school in Southeast Alaska. I initially applied because a close friend—who was a grade ahead of me—was already attending. I figured, why not try it out? I could always transfer back home if I didn’t like it.
Well, I took the leap and never looked back. I made lots of new friends and took advantage of the educational opportunities that weren’t available at my hometown school at the time. I completed my credits early and started college, which was conveniently on the same campus as the high school. I actually graduated from college a few days before high school with an occupational endorsement from the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) course I completed. The day I landed back in my hometown, I went straight to a local clinic and landed a job as a CNA.
As for my “husband” (in quotes because we’re not technically married—but we’ve been together for over ten years now), he also attended the same high school. That’s how we reconnected after only briefly meeting at kids camp way back when. Paul was a grade ahead of me, and it wasn’t until the summer after he graduated that we began dating. That meant my last year of high school and our first year together was long-distance. He went on to attend a technical school for welding, while I returned to boarding school. Somehow, we made it work—with visits whenever we could.
Fast forward to after I graduated high school and started working at the clinic—Paul was back in his hometown (a village about 30 miles away) and working in commercial fishing. We both had a strong drive to work and start earning an income, which unfortunately left us long-distance for another year—until he finally got a welding job in the same town as me. From then on, he was working full-time, while I worked two jobs and attended college, working toward becoming a nurse.
Fall 2019 — I found out I was pregnant with our first child (oops—totally unplanned!) but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. At the time, we were renting a room at my brother’s house, and we both knew there was no way we’d be welcoming a baby into that setup. We bought our house and closed on it the day before Thanksgiving that year. If we had waited any longer, things could’ve turned out much differently due to COVID and the market increase. That’s why I say—blessing in disguise.
In May 2020, our first daughter, Lorelai, was born. (I’ll save the birth and postpartum story for another time.) When fall rolled around, returning to school just wasn’t in the cards for me. My workplace wasn’t compatible with Paul’s work schedule or our childcare needs. I ended up quitting my job after being back for only two months.
So, what did I do? I created a career.
I dove in and started my own childcare business. I got licensed with the state and everything. I already had tons of experience with kids from babysitting and nannying during and after high school. Lucky for me, a few of my former coworkers had babies shortly after me—and they ended up being my first little cohort. I thoroughly enjoyed helping raise those kiddos for the next four years. They still run up and give me hugs whenever they see me—and it warms my heart every single time.
During those years, in 2022, we welcomed our second daughter, Avalyn (Ah-vuh-lin). (Another story I’ll save for its own post.)
Winter 2024 — I got the opportunity to return to the world of healthcare and decided to take the leap. I initially started in long-term care but quickly realized the hours and the setting weren’t the right fit. I transferred to the Acute Care department at the hospital, working night shifts (just like I did from 2016 to 2018). I genuinely enjoy being back in this department, working alongside some of the same people from my previous time there. I love the work, the people, and even the shift—but night shift does come with sacrifices. Three nights a week, I’m away from my husband and kids, missing out on bedtime routines and those sweet “goodnights.”
On the flip side, I usually get four nights off to spend entirely with my kids—and whatever weekend time Paul gets off.
We’re a hardworking family who tries to make the most of our time together—usually by fishing, berry picking, trail riding in our side-by-side, or visiting extended family. We’re blessed to live on an island that provides for us: salmonberries, blueberries, raspberries, salmon, halibut, cod, crab, elk, and deer—just to name some of the things that fill our freezer.
If you made it to the end of this intro—thank you! I hope you stick around to follow along on my parenting journey, life in Alaska, and whatever else this wild ride throws our way.
