Mountains and Valleys

First, I would like to make a correction from my previous blog. I said I was sure I was emotionally prepared for surgery and I want to take it back and revise it. I was NOT COMPLETELY emotionally prepared for this change. It is evident in my everyday life. I'm not saying I am an emotional wreck. No...that isn't it. I've just had to let go of ideas, ideals, assumptions, beliefs, plans, etc...in order to become who I need to be. Do I know the gravity of what it means to let these things go? No. I don't. But this whole new route is teaching me some overdo lessons.

Ok, that was a bit deep for the beginning of this entry. But i had to say it while I was feeling it. My Christmas.....let's see...how do I sum up my Christmas? I have to say the very best part was hanging out with my parents. For those of you that don't know, they are on an LDS mission in Baltimore, Maryland. They make my existance in this world worth it. I love them dearly and hope they live to be 235 years old. I was abl e to go to the Washington DC Temple and look at the lights and watch the program at the visitors center. We were also able to go into the city via the light rail and see the Moscow National Ballet perform The Nutcracker. They did an amazing job. After that, we went to the biggest mall I think I have ever seen. It was HUGE! Being that it was the Saturday before Christmas made it even extra special. (I hope the sarcasm was detected there.)
Church is always a fun experience when I go to the Inner Harbor Ward where my parents go. I always get a ton of hugs and I am told that my parents are SOOO loved. One particular lady came up after the last meeting and gave my mom a hug and then turned to me and said, "I just had to meet you. I was sitting a couple of rows behind you and felt your beautiful spirit and felt a connection between you and me." Then she hugged me as if we were old friends meeting again after years of separation. It was comforting and welcomed.
Christmas Eve for my parents was a full work day and I thought I was going to luck out and relax most of the day in my pj's but the work is never far away. I had to clean the house, shop for some presents, wrap them and then make some food for a gathering at the mission presidents house that night. A bunch of the couple missionaries got together at the mission presidents house and we talked about our family traditions and our favorite Christmas's then sang Christmas Hymns. Not a Christmas Eve I am used to but it ended up being a Christmas Eve that I hope most people could have.
Christmas Day....incredibly uneventful for most of the day....as it should be. Sorry...no bug pin. (For those of you that don't know the bug pin story....sorry...maybe some other blog.) We ate dinner at my parents neighbors who are also missionaries along with a slew of young, wild, loud...semi obnoxious, missionaries. It was quite good. We came over to my parents place and sang some Christmas songs and everyone went home. I was flying out the next day so I packed up my stuff and check my flights online to make sure everything was good to go. This is where the adventure really began.
I will give you the Reader's Digest version. I check my itinerary and my flight from Baltimore to Denver was cancelled. I was to leave at 4:45 pm and luckily ended up getting onto a flight at 10 a.m.. I warned my dad early in the morning and we got to the airport in good time. The flight was fine. I got into Denver at noon and immediately check to see what flights I could get on to Salt Lake because my flight didn't leave until 9:45 pm. Ten hours in Denver wasn't my first choice of ways to spend my day. The 3:00 flight was cancelled, the 5:00 flight was delayed by almost 2 hours and they said the chance of me getting on the oversold 5:00 and 7:00 flights were not possible. I had to wait until 9:45pm. So, I rented one of those portable DVD players and a couple of movies to pass some time. It worked fairly well. Yes...10 hours was spent in the Denver airport. I finally got on my flight. I had a pillow in hand as well as a blanket. I was ready for that next hour and a half. I knew my bed was waiting for me and it was only a hop, skip and a jump away. Everyone got on the flight...and waited..and waited...and waited. Finally the voice over the intercom said they were having trouble with the baggage...they don't have enough baggage handlers and it will take about 25 minutes to get the plane loaded. It took an hour. We finally left at 11:00 pm and got in to Salt Lake about 12:30am. Baggage claim was a joke of course. I finally found my luggage on a completely different carousel. My roommates flight came in about the time that I found my luggage. I had to wait for her to get her luggage. My head finally hit my pillow at 2:00am. WHEW! Yes....that was the Reader's Digest version.

As for how I am doing regarding my surgery. All seems to be well. I don't really weigh myself because I have yet to get on a scale that says the same thing as the one prior to it. I can only go by the scale at the doctors office and I am going to try and go sometime this week. BUT....my guess is that I have lost anywhere between 25-30 lbs. I am finally seeing....somewhat...what everyone else is seeing. I have also noticed that I have lost some muscle. My legs are much more tired when I go up stairs and after a wild session of Guitar Hero, my arm aches. I know that when I start incorporating exercise (which I should have done a little under a month ago) it is going to make a difference. I promise I will post some pictures soon.

I hope this finds everyone happy and well. If you are a praying person, please send some my way. I can use all the help that I can get. I'm SO very thankful for the support and love that I have received. I hope Christmas was great and that the New Year brings good things.
Take care and much love.