Birthday Present

Ok so first I have to say that I have the most wonderful, thoughful, caring hubby in the world!! For my birthday he got us tickets to go and see Phantom of the Opera at the Buell theatre in Denver. I have always wanted to see it in the theatre and when it came to Denver around my bday I totally wanted to go. So Jeremy planned this whole fun date. My family gave me money to go shopping for a cute outfit for the show. Shanna and Mom and I shopped all day looking for the perfect outfit. I found the cutest dress at Anthropologie.

Jeremy and I got all fancied up and drove up to the show in Denver. I felt all glamorous in my new dress and adorable shoes :) It was an amazing show. Our seats were like five rows from the front dead center. The phantom was incredible. It was such a powerful show with amazing effects and music. We had so much fun.

After the show we walked to the Cheesecake Factory downtown and totally pigged out!! It was sooooooo good!! I am so thankful that I can tolerate gluten in moderation again. YEAH YEAH YEAH!!! We had the best time!! I love my sweet hubby!!

CT Results

I can not even begin to explain the journey that this has been. I had a CT scan on Tuesday to check for any regrowth or spread of the nasty cancer. Going into the scan I felt like my whole life was riding on it. I didn't realize how much I want to do and have going for me right now until I am faced with the possibility of getting it all taken away. I was SO anxious in the days leading up to the scan. I got it all done...which is a miserable process. You have to fast, drink this NASTY goop that they call a smoothy...its filled with dye. Then you have to have an IV put in (I somehow always end up with the crappy IV person who misses before getting it). Then you lay on the CT bed and the zoom you in and take a few pics. Then they inject this iodine dye and oh my goodness it is bizarre! It makes you feel like you are having a hot flash, sucking on a bucket of pennies, and peeing your pants all at the same time. They take the pictures then you are done. And you get to wait. No one describes waiting better than Dr. Seuss in "Oh, the places you will go."
"Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to coem, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for Yes or No or waiting for thier hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting."
In my anxiety Jeremy went down to the hospital and got the report for the CT. We didn't understand all of it and again had to wait for the doctor to call. She did and said "Its clear."
I was SOOOOOO relieved! Two words changed my life for the better in one instant.

Fort Fun!!

We went to Fort Collins this last weekend to see Chris, Jeremy's little brother. We sold him our XTerra while we were there. We went to New Belgium with him and my brother Matt. Then we went to Coopersmiths. It was a really fun night!

The next day Jeremy found a Jeep he really liked...so we bought it!! We saved a bunch of money on it too!! How cool is that! Here's the new Jeep!! Isn't it pretty!!

Durango!

My parents took me and Jer, Shanna, Dave, Eva, Matt, and Sarah to Durango for a four day weekend. We stayed at an awesome condo and had so many fun plans!! Unfortunatly the day before I was at work and got this NASTY stomach virus. I got so sick!! I was hiding behind my teacher desk while my kids were listening to a book on tape puking my guts out. YUCK. I threw up over and over that day and was sick until Sunday. It was a bummer because we had to miss out on a lot. I did make it down to Durango though and we still managed to have fun. We went out to a fancy dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day and my 26th.

The guys went snowmobiling, the girls got massages, and it was a blast.

On our way back from Durango we went to Pagosa Springs. Those are the sweetest hot springs ever!

Afterwards we went to lunch. Eva was sticking her finger in Matt's nose and ears and then laughing so much...she is the adorable. Eva does this thing where she gives you a nose rub and a cheek rub, its hillarious!

Thoughts...

I am about to turn twenty six next week. I am contmplating how entirely old I feel. Being around kids who were born the year I graduated from high school makes me feel really old! I can't believe how much I have experienced in life up to this point. Its amazing really...how much there still is to do...hmmmm
Jeremy and I are doing pretty well. After the bomb shell news of Jeremy's parents getting divorced settled in (it still is) we started to really feel like Woodland Park is no longer the best place for us. We love our jobs we love how beautiful it is but this past year put such a black mark on this place. We are so ready for a change. We looked into moving to Alaska, and ruled it out because of no sunlight...yikes. Then we looked into a program that would take us to Antarctica (whats with the poles? and ice? ask Jer) but they wouldn't take me because of the cancer stuff. So then we started to think about what we want most...we want to be closer to our friends, family, and a church that we love. We want to move back to Denver.
Too bad its pretty crappy timing for that. The economy is terrible. We are looking and hoping that something will open up but yet again God has us in this limbo place where we don't know where we are going. We feel like we are waiting for the next answer. Hoping that God will shed some light, show us where to step, but so far nothing.
Maybe its because we are looking in all the wrong places? Who knows?

Oh and I went back to masters classes mostly because I wanted it to look good on my resume but I took on way too much and have been drowning in the work load. I am thankful each time I look at my classes though...I am thankful that I can even do it again. Amazing how God gives things back to us...

In the meantime...I got a call from my oncologists office reminding me that I need to get my next CT scan ASAP. I am dreading it. I know I should be one of those wonderful people who feels no fear, has no anxiety, and is totaly confident that God wouldn't do that to me again....but I am not one of those people. I am sure the day I go in for the scan I will be so nervous I will be sweating bullets. I know I have no control over what they do or don't find but I can't help but wonder. But it doesn't do any good to worry so until that day comes... I am going to try to ignore that reality in my life, turn 26, and pretend like I can eat whatever I want to for now...blissful ignorance. Maybe I'll get that tatoo I've been wanting...
This weekend we are going to Durango with my family for 4 days. My parents got us all a condo for the weekend. I am sure we will have lots of stories and pictures when we get back! Until then...