Two Thousand and Ten

It is hard to not add an additional zero, it is awkward to say, but it is the year we are in... so we must adjust

As I look back through the past year there were some incredible times that I saw God working clearly. Times that He completely carried our family through and times that were celebrated. I think every year is a year for learning, but as I look back on this past year, it was a significant year of change, growth, and experiences.

I know you are all just dying to see some pics and videos from my trip to Asia... so here are a few.

This video is Suz and I riding on her Moto Bike! We were searching for the Scandinavian Bakery and had some fun on the Moto while we were at it...

The first night on the beach! Gorgeous sunset...


This is Suz and I on the beach... It was Christmas Day. Perfect.


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...

It was such a great trip, learning to navigate new modes of transportation... actually I think I would like to make a list of all the different modes of transportation we rode.

1. Plane
2. Bus
3. High Speed Rail
4. Tuk Tuk
5. Taxi
6. Elevated Rail
7. Water Taxi
8. Night Train
9. Mini Truck Tuk Tuk
10. Motorbike
11. Speed Boat
12. Long Tail Boat
13. Motobike with a side trailer that we put all of our luggage and our selves in
14. Motorbike taxis (needed two for us and all our stuff).

I think that covers just about it... Suz, if I missed any comment away!

Each one presented us with excitement and a cheap transportation.

Some Family Photos...

So, We went out to Garden of the Gods and took some famshots (sort of like glam shots, but for the fam...). I decided to have a little fun with PW's actions and then editing in photoshop... So here is the first one.

Before...

After...

Here is another one...

{Before}

{After}

{And we have black & white}

{oh and of course we have the 70's}

Well that is it.

White Sand and Blue Seas

This is where I will be in 2 1/2 weeks!


And this is who I will be soakin up the rays with!

Can't wait to travel...

Thankful Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving was a special one for our family. There were definitely moments when it was a struggle to keep the tears at bay, for it was two months ago when we were unsure whether my Dad was going to be here.

God had his hand on our family and chose to spare us from that tragedy and for that I am thankful. I am grateful that my Dad is still here with us, I'm grateful that our family from Atlanta came out to celebrate with us. I'm thankful that we can make just about any situation a fun time.

This has been a great week.

Wow...

I can't believe a whole month has gone by... that is NOT possible. Just to give you all a quick update...

Pops is doing GREAT! He is now in cardiac rehab and goes to work out there 3 days a week and loves it. It really gives him a great way to talk to other people that have gone through similar situations. Today he took me around town to look for some furniture and we found this cute little night stand at a flea market, then we went to Lowe's and he helped me pick out the right stain and then we went home and he taught me how to stain it! I think he loved going around town today and it was fun to see him perk up.

In the last 2 1/2 weeks I have been home for 1 whole day. I traveled to Arkansas and got to spend some quality time with the Megs and Bunchster. Spent several days in Loveland and Denver area. Went to Ohio, met with The Limited. Went to Kentucky and saw the U.S. Granprix of Cyclocross... it was awesome. Then came home for my one day and then went back up to Denver, Loveland, and Ft. Collins. It was an awesome two weeks, but I am also very thankful to be home!

Now I am getting ready to move into a house with a couple other girls here and then Jason and Dani will be out here for Thanksgiving! I just don't seem to have enough time!

2+ Weeks in the Hospital part 2

Sorry, it has taken me so long to get back to this...

After the cardiologists came to the ER, they took my Dad up to the Cath Lab. This is where they go into an artery in your groin (OUCH) and inject a dye into your arteries in the heart. This then will show them what arteries are blocked. It was here that they found his Right Coronary Artery was 100% blocked - the cause of the heart attack.

While waiting in the waiting room, my Mom and I were constantly on the phone and 3 hours went by incredibly slow! When the doctor came out to tell us that they had found the blockage and had put 2 stents in, we were able to take a breath of relief! They allowed us to come back and see him right before we moved to ICU. It was so hard to keep the tears at bay. To be thankful, scared, and running on adrenalin all at the same time is an exhausting thing. I remember taking my Dad's hand and tried to make a joke so that way he would break down and would stay calm. I think it worked, but we were all still so frightened. At this point Jason was rushing to the airport trying to come out. My mom and I were both so thankful for this!

The rest of that day was spent just trying to keep Dad comfortable in ICU. Because of grateful support systems, I spent the night at some friends of ours because I didn't think I could stay home by myself, and my mom spent the night in the hospital.

Thursday morning, I picked Jason up at the airport and we drove to the hospital. It was so good to be all together, although we would have liked it to be in different circumstances. Thursday was a quiet day. Dad was moved from ICU to the Cardio Vascular Unit (CVU) and had a good rest of the day and night. It was Friday morning that was going to change all the progress he had made.

2+ Weeks in the Hospital part 1

I have been meaning to blog for quite a while, but it has been hard to put two thoughts together. September started out as a pretty normal month, only to be completely flip over on it's head on September 9th. Here is the first 2 hours. More to come...

September 9th was the day that I received a phone call from the YMCA, where my Dad plays basketball 3 days a week, telling me that my Dad was not feeling well and that they had called 911. So I changed directions from traveling up to Denver for a business meeting and headed down to the YMCA. Just as soon as I pulled up, a team of paramedics came rushing out with my Dad on a stretcher. Amazingly at this point, I had concern for my dad, but I was not panicking. All I could think about was driving and getting to the hospital. The paramedics handed me Dad's stuff and I jumped back into my car. This was the first time that I have ever seen my Dad in a state of weakness. He has always been the strong, steadfast Father and it almost broke my heart to see him laying on that stretcher.

My Mom works at one of the hospitals here in the springs, and was actually waiting for my Dad in the ER. I arrived about 15min later and my Mom came out with a worried look on her face. She explained to me that it was his heart and they were not sure what was going on. So I followed her into the Cardiac Room where I saw my Dad in a position that I will never forget. All I could think of was if he was going to make it.

He was surrounded by about 5 to 6 people at all times with several IV's and a breathing mask, but all this was secondary to the electrodes that were making his whole body jerk, which were keeping his heart pumping. It was almost more than I could stomach watching my Dad go through something that possibly he wouldn't come out of it. I just remember telling him that I loved him and then he turned his head, opened his eyes and made eye contact with both my Mom and I.

After about 2 hours of sitting there hoping that the doctors could get him stabilized, the Cardiologists came down and knew right away that he had had a heart attack. I don't know about you, but I was pretty much in shock. I was in denial, I don't remember too many other things that happened that day. But I remember that I was scared.