EDITOR’S NOTE: “Then and Now” is a series catching up with individuals that made the Herald’s headlines in the past.

Sidney native Wendy (Dahle) Carey was busy and enthused working in U.S. Sen. Max Baucus’ office in 2003.

Although she looks back at those experiences very fondly, her life has changed a great deal since that time. She married Crispen Carey at the end of 2003. He is a native of Billings, but the two actually met in Washington, D.C. “I had to go to Washington, D.C., to meet a Montana boy,” she jokes.

About a year ago, they moved from the East Coast to Toledo, Ohio where her husband works in commercial real estate dealing with health care related property.

The biggest change in Wendy’s life, however, may be the person she describes as “the toughest boss I’ve ever had.” That’s 2 and a half year old daughter Sadie.

“She’s a really awesome kid,” Carey said of her daughter. “She gives me a run for my money.”

Before the current lifestyle, the 1997 Sidney High School graduate worked with Baucus’ office first as an intern in 2000, then as a staff assistant in Washington, D.C., and then as a press assistant before she decided to leave Capitol Hill in 2005.

“Working on Capitol Hill is an extremely fast-paced lifestyle,” Carey said. She noted she sometimes worked from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. “It’s a grueling lifestyle.”

One life-long memory is the legislative action that took place after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“It was interesting to see the government’s response of how to help the victims,” Carey said. “It was so completely overwhelming, it was amazing.”

Carey then took on the duties as a media relations specialist at George Washington University. “I was looking for a new opportunity and wanted to live in an academic environment.”

It helped that Crispen was earning his master of business administration degree at the university during that time. “It was kind of why that job at G.W. was appealing to me. It was a little less busy,” Wendy said.

Although she doesn’t work any longer in Washington, D.C., her interests in the country’s political scene hasn’t disappeared. She voted for Barack Obama in the primary election in Virginia and in the battleground state of Ohio for the general election. She’s attracted to the belief that Obama will find common ground with Democrats and Republicans.

“I was pretty excited to be here (Ohio),” Carey said. “I don’t think I went to bed on Election Night.”

The day of the election in Ohio, she waited in line for about 45 minutes to cast a vote.

“It was great to see how patient everybody was. They were helping me out with Sadie,” Carey said of voters.

She says her time in Baucus’ office provided her the belief that Americans can make a difference by getting involved no matter where they live.

“I’ve always been a fan of Sen. Baucus,” Carey said. “To get a chance to work with such an outstanding public servant was an opportunity of a lifetime.”

editor@sidneyherald.com