Linda Phinney FAIRBANKS

Still living in Orting same place as last reunion. I work as a transcriptionist for an insurance company so I can stay home with the girls. Jerry's mother fell ill about 7 years ago and they tracked it back to her taking Phen Phen in 1997 for 3 months, she unfortunately was one of the ones who it killed. They gave her 2 years and she lived for 5 but it was a terrible thing to witness and a rough couple years at the end. Almost immediately after Martha died we were asked to adopt a little 4 year old girl, her name was Amya, her mother was a heroin addict who had come to the end of her chances with the state and they were permanently removing her for good, however as it turns out, she recovered. She has totally turned her life around which was a blessing as she was our Niece (Jerry's brothers daughter) and Amya was our great niece she lived with us for about 2 years before she was reunited with her mother. That was a very difficult time for us but it worked out and they are continuing to do very well and we continue to have contact with her so it is nice. After those 7 really rough years we are enjoying a fairly peaceful existence. Jerry is an electrician now and we are just working and living. We travel to Mexico often as we have a time share there and are looking forward to traveling more when the girls move on. So that is probably the last 10 years in a nutshell not so bad when it is reduced to a few lines.

Well, when we last met, 10 years ago, I was working as a secretary, I had bought a small house and was living the life of a single professional. I have since married. My husband, Jerry and I proceeded to start our family and kicked it off with identical twin girls, now age six. I worked myself up to an executive level administrative assistant before I quit to be a full time mom. I have spent the last few years raising my two girls, Sydney and Samantha and juggling the many tasks of a wife and mother. We have settled in Orting, WA and have managed to create a pretty great existence. My husband travels on occasion and a couple of years ago I got to visit him while working on location in Shanghai, China. That was definitely a high point that year. I have kept in touch with my life long friend April (Phipps) Levins and we remain great friends today. I have become a pretty fair artist/decorator and will begin painting professionally when my girsl begin first grade in the fall. I look forward to seeing everyone who is able to attend the reunion and I hope that the last few years have been as kind to all of you.