One off My Bucket List

So proud of Melissa, who has never run in her life. She finished despite finding out she had a genetic childhood knee deformity which will not allow her run long distances. She finished in 3 hours, but had to walk her last 5 miles. She was in severe pain.

So folks, I finally did it. We completed our first 1/2 Marathon this morning. It was a cold start, but turned out to be a beautiful morning. Our run started in Oro Valley, a picturesque town outside of Tucson. After 12 weeks of training, we were so prepared to do this race. We had to be at the buses by 5 am, which meant waking up at 3:30 am to leave Vail at 4:00 am. It has been a long day, but so worth everything we went through to train. My unofficial time was 2 hours, 9 minutes which was really good for me. Rene finished much sooner than I did. All in all, we were smokin'! We plan to do our next 1/2 in November of 2012 in San Antonio (Rock n Roll Marathon). I hope all my running friends from San Antonio can join us. Overall, this marathon had it's issues. I was not happy about having to wait in the cold for 1 1/2 hours, running on the streets for most of the race and then finishing with a 2 mile incline. The positive aspects were that the weather and scenery were great, and it was very organized. Had a great time, and can't wait to do it again.

I'm Back

Thanksgiving day with Rene's Family

JW Marriot Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, our favorite resort in AZ. On our way to go have drinks.

Mi Corazon

Renie's NHS special night. What an honor in a school of 2000 kids. He has worked hard for this honor.

So lets see, it has been some time since my last blog post. So sorry for being such a bad blogger. It seems all I have time do these days is just keep up with Facebook and email. The days continue to fly by as I continue to train for the 1/2 marathon which is just 8 days away. I can hardly wait. I feel so ready for this run. Unfortunately my running partner Melissa is out with a knee injury. So it looks like it will just be Rene and myself running. Tomorrow I will do my last long run until the race. It is amazing how the body becomes accustomed to running and how now 5-6 miles seems like a breeze. We just celebrated Thanksgiving and had Rene's family over for the long weekend. We all had such a great time. I felt like Martha Stewart as I prepared the bedrooms and house decor for their arrival. Did I mention, I also did all the cooking from scratch, except of course for the sweet potatoes which came from a can. Rene did a great job on the turkey. We capped off our weekend with a trip to Scottsdale. We felt very blessed to surrounded by our friends and family.

As we move into December, I continue to enjoy my wonderful blessed life. My job is going well as I was recently given an extra department to supervise. Oh well, the management experience will do me good. I kinda seem to like being the boss and was humbled by the fact my boss considered me for the task. I can't tell you how rewarding my job makes me feel each and every day. My WIC department is thriving and we are working hard to keep our numbers up. My Spanish is improving every day. It seems like 90% of our patients are Spanish speaking. I still struggle through some of my material while teaching, but I think the patients are happy I can still communicate with them.

We are looking forward to spending Christmas in Texas. Rene gets so homesick this time of the year. We still get that special feeling in our hearts when it is time to go home.

As for the kids, Larissa continues to enjoy Cheerleading. Renie was inducted to the National Honor Society this week. We are very proud of him. He also interviewed for an Air Force ROTC scholarship, so I am praying he gets accepted. College applications are in, and now it is just a waiting game. Well as I finish my blog, I want to wish all my readers a great holiday. Cherish these special times with family and friends.

Good Memories, Fun Times

Old Town Scottsdale, such a nice place to walk and browse through the shops, take a horse carriage ride, and listen to the sounds of mariachis playing. My phone camera had to do.










So blogging has not been one of my favorite things to do lately. I knew going back to work full time would mean less time for myself to do the things that matter most to me. Training has become somewhat of a challenge, but I am committed to do this race even if it means waking up at the crack of dawn to get my miles in. This weekend we will be up to running 8 miles and it just goes up from there. December couldn't come any sooner. Having a running partner like my wonderful husband helps to motivate me even when we lay in bed at 5:00 a.m. and wish we could sleep just a few more minutes. Since Tucson does not have a time change, it can be pretty dark here in the early morning hours. Each day I tell myself, we can do it.



This weekend we met our friends from Japan in Scottsdale. Mike (pediatric dentist and his friend Chris next to Rene) the second person to the left of me was a good friend and is now stationed in Florida. Heidi the gal to the left of me was one of my docs at Yokota whom we met through Mike. Her husband is active duty and stationed her in Tucson. Unfortunately, he is deployed for six months and she is expecting her first baby in January. Luckily her family is from Phoenix. We had a nice dinner in Scottsdale on Saturday. It was so nice to see them both and walk the wonderful shops in old Scottsdale. We got to talking about the wonderful times we had in Japan. Times you can only reminisce about.......

Freindships

Larissa enjoying her DC cupcake, she loves this show. I am still trying to run off the 3 cupcakes I ate that week. They were so yummy!

Thursday morning after only a few hours of sleep, we woke up early to head to the Today show. It was neat to see how it all worked. Al shook Larissa's hand and Ann Curry looked amazing in person. We saw Star Jones with our own local Samantha Guthrey from the window taping, and we could see Cloe Kardashian up at the window with Hoda. Pretty Cool!

Here we are at the WA mall. Rex is stationed at the Pentagon and Adora was my co-worker in Japan. They are so giving and kind and made us feel right at home.

We met Patty and Eric in Japan. Patty was a contractor (Physical Therapist) on base. We ran many a miles with them. We had so much fun on our runs. We were so blessed to have met so many wonderful friends in Japan.

Central Park, where everyone was out and about taking pictures this day. It was beautiful!

Alejandro playing soccer in the apartment hallway. He was exhausted and too cute!

The Adams Family Show starring Brooke Shield's. The kids and I loved it.

This blog is not about our amazing trip, but about the wonderful friends we have all around the world. It was because of our friends that our trip was truly amazing. Fall breaks give us wonderful opportunities to take advantage of uncrowded tourist destinations. We truly enjoyed our vacation to Washington. At 44 years old, this was my first time in WA and NYC. My kids have seen so much in their short life than I have experienced in my lifetime. I keep reminding them of how lucky they are. I am not sure they truly appreciate the advantages they have. On our trip we were able to visit most of the sights in DC thanks to our friends and their willingness to drive us all around Washington. The weather was great other than some clouds and sprinkles every now and then. Some of the monuments were closed for repairs, but all was good. My personal favorite area was Georgetown with its quaint shops and charming upscale appeal. My friend Adora cooked for us each evening and what a good cook she was. Everyday she cooked for an army. Her home was large enough that we each had our own bedroom.

On Wednesday we took the train to NYC because I really wanted to see our running buddies from Japan Patty and Eric and little Alejandro. Our trip there was great. Patty and Eric were nice enough to invite us over for dinner. It was nice to see Patty's parents again. We had met them in Japan. They are some of the nicest people around. I was amazed at how functional Patty and Eric's apartment was, given the small space they live in. We got to see New York living at it's best. The bell man opening the door for Patty, the fruit, vegetable, and flower stand right outside her apartment. The front desk man, tenants, they all new Patty by first name. As a small town girl, I could never imagine living in such a big city, however, it all had a unique charm to it. My personal favorite was Central Park. How nice to have such a beautiful park just a few step down from where you live. So to Patty, Eric, Adora, and Rex, I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for such a memorable trip. We look forward to visiting again sometime soon with Rene.

A sign

Wow! Can't believe how long it has been since I last blogged. I have been so busy keeping up with FB changes, work, and 1/2 marathon training. Each week life here in Tucson tends to get busier. Weekends are spent with our friends, golf, and chores. It has been tough keeping up with the yard. With all the recent rain, our weeds have been growing out of control.

Well on another note, my last blog focused on how I gave up my dream job. This week that same job with a different company popped right back on the job internet sites. I just happened to be home that day and decided what the heck, I am going to apply. Monday, I applied, went in for an interview that afternoon and all sounded really good. I had a really good feeling about this one. It was a smaller clinic, and my gut instinct immediately told me not to let this one go. On Wednesday I had a second interview with a panel of seven people. It still looked positive. On Friday, I was called with a job offer. I couldn't believe it. These jobs never surfaced our first year here. After touring the clinic, I knew I had to brush up on my Spanish, and quickly. Was this a sign? I contemplated on my last decision asking myself how I could turn down such a good job, and here I was given a second chance at that very same job. I felt ready at that very moment. Working full time again and doing what I love doing suddenly felt right. So starting October 12th, I will officially start my new job as a WIC Director. I will also be the RD consultant for the medical clinic. I will miss my PRN position and all the people I have met and worked with these past few months. At the end of the day, my heart is with public health and helping to make a difference in the lifes of those who truly need my help.

Sacrifices By A Military Wife

Well, we are all done with senior pictures. So glad Renie's high school does this early. This is my favorite picture of many the photographer took. Can't believe we are fast approaching September. This month has flown by so quickly. Larissa is now playing Volleyball with her school, so I am getting excited to watch her play soon. She tells me her weak little body struggles to get the ball over the net, but she seems to be having so much fun with the sport. Renie is well into his Senior year joining clubs and becoming more active with friends. He seems to be having a fun time. He is also getting his college applications in order. I can only hope this year slows down. I am excited for him, but not ready for the day I have to let go. I am happy to be back into my running routine. My goal this year is to run a 1/2 marathon which is scheduled here in Tucson in December. I only wish I had my running buddies here.

I have been behind on my blog due to working almost every day lately. I have picked up another PRN position so life has been busy. Two weeks ago I turned down a very good job as a WIC Director. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. Working full time again was something I am not sure I was quite ready to do yet. I feel my kids still need me and it is nice to be able to be home for them. Plus we justed learned our tour here will be over summer of 2013.

So as for now I am content and love my work schedule. I can only hope this job opportunity will come again at a later time in my career. At the end of the day, it felt good to have been chosen for my dream job.

Where Time Stands Still

Our Room

Melissa and I about to have lunch. The food was delicious.

Spa Fun

This weekend, we decided we would visit Scottsdale. The boys (Marcos, Renie, and Rene) wanted to see the Diamondbacks play ball, while Melissa and I planned to chill at our beautiful resort. Larissa had a sleep over party with friends, so we knew she would be in good hands. We set out Saturday morning after picking up Rene at the airport. He was delayed after two mechanical problems. After the week I had, I was surely looking forward to a cold margarita and some relaxation at the spa. We stayed at the JW Marriot Camelback Resort Inn. This place is one of a kind, and very unique resort of southwestern flare like no other. This place is layed out in casita's and the service was very impressive. Since Melissa is a Marriot employee, and Marcos is a Plantinum member, we were treated to two free spa passes, nice rooms, and great discounts on food. I have to say, it was the most relaxing day I have had in a long time. We chilled at the spa, enjoyed some shopping in the beautiful art district, and had dinner and drinks at the bar. I had the best Pomegranate Margarita ever. This is a place I could retire. Beautiful homes, shops, and scenery. I can't wait to go back. It was a place where time stood still.

The power of Prayer

Yesterday, I had an endometrial ablation procedure that I hope will be successful in stopping my heavy cycles. When you get to be my age, and premenapausal, some women tend to experience increased flow and miserable periods. That would be me, so my doctor referred me to OB/Gyn for this procedure that burns out the lining of your endometrium. Of all weeks to have this scheduled, Rene would be out of the country. After reading experiences on the Internet, it seemed most women, post-op had good results and an easy overall experience. So I decided to get it done, no didn't want to wait. Renie took me to the appointment and drove me back home. Poor kid, he was so gracious during the whole experience which turned out to be not good at best. What was to be a 2 1/2 minute procedure turned into a 20 minute procedure. My doctor had a tough time dilating my cervix. I was given IV sedation and was out for the whole thing, woke up and was told all went well, time to go home. Well as I am walking out I began to have nausea and vomiting. I was looking forward to treating myself to a Whataburger on the way home, since I had nothing in my tummy for 12 hours. No Whataburger for me, I was vomiting the whole way home. Poor Renie took it like a champ and had to stop multiple times along the side of the road. I could tell he was so worried about me vomiting in his new car. The trip home was so dreadful. I was cramping with extreme pain and vomiting at the same time. This went on at home for the next 6 hours. I was preparing Renie to take me to ER if the vomiting had not stopped. The pain meds were not working. After a call to the Dr., he gave me some medication for vomiting and finally around 8:00 pm the pain stopped and I was able to go to sleep. It turned out I probably had a bad reaction to the anesthesia. This morning it was as if nothing had happened. I feel normal again, no pain or cramping and best of all no vomiting. Wow! what an experience. I am so proud of Renie and Larissa for helping me. Rene was preparing to take a flight back this morning and was worried sick. With the power of prayer, I got through it and hope to never have to go through that again. Feeling great today :)

Uncertainty

So lately I have been struggling with my blog. I have not been at all motivated to write about our everyday routine. We often go day to day trying to appreciate the little things in life or not. Lately, with all the troubles in our world, I have begun to look at life a little differently. I am appreciating the little things in life such as the health of my kids, being employed, having friends nearby, the heat that presses against my skin when the beautiful sun hits it, and the clean scent of a cool breeze as the sun sets.

Last week Rene mentioned we should sale our stocks. He had a stick en feeling things were going downhill. In the last two years, Rene has made us a good chunk of change with his good intuition about certain stocks. So we sold, and we will buy again soon when the time is right. I can only hope in this uncertain economy that things begin to look up again. The number of foreclosures continues to rise here in Tucson with no end in sight. The job market still looks bleak. More soldiers are being killed. All we can do is pray that our kids have a brighter future.

Hidden Treasures

The story goes like this: One day back in South Texas an old man walked into a dental office seeking treatment for a toothache. The dentist at that dental office happen to be my hubby. This old man said he didn't have money, but he had some old gold coins. He offered Rene the coins in return for treatment. Years went by and Rene held on to those coins. As with every move we always find things we want and things we don't want. We came upon the coins and decided we would research their value. Knowing the price for gold, we decided to take them to a shop before the value of gold dropped. Low and behold, Rene walked out with a check of $2500.00. We have more gold coins from this man, the only problem is they are lost. So yes, you guessed it, I am going to turn our garage up side down to find those coins. Just think, you may have a hidden treasure somewhere around your house.....................

The Start of Another School Year

Our Sedona visit with friends.

Back to the Grand Canyon. Our next trip will definitely include a hike.

Beautiful Sedona

BBQ with friends

A spa day to remember

Larissa's first day of 7th grade, Wow!

Well we are back from a great two week vacation with friends and family. Our week in Texas was wonderful as always. It is always nice to go back and just relax. We ate all our favorite Tex-Mex and Seafood meals and came back to Tucson well fed. We were able to visit five college campuses. I can't say which one Renie liked that best, but my guess it that he really liked UT and Incarnate Word. Of course I am partial to The University of Texas. Once a longhorn, always a longhorn. It was nice to go back and walk around a campus I have so many wonderful and fun memories of. I really don't care where Renie goes as long as he is safe and happy. Larissa has started school, and Renie will start his Senior year on Friday. I pray that we have a successful school year.

Haiti

Rene is back from Haiti, really trying to catch up with himself. He lost 12 pounds and physically is feeling good. His experience was humbling. He describes Haiti as a very sad situation, full of poverty and filth. He stayed very busy most days. The fact that Haiti is only less than 1,000 miles from the shores of Florida and people live with no running water or houses is very disturbing. Overall, he did a great service, and like all his humanitarian missions, he came home feeling very blessed and happy to see his family.

Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend

Rene and I have been looking at rings for some time knowing someday we would be upgrading to a nicer quality ring. I love my engagement ring. I remember the day Rene and I went out looking. We were so young, in college and lived on a pretty tight budget at the time. 10 years ago we bought an inexpensive anniversary band. My original idea was to purchase another anniversary band to add to the set. Unfortunately the jewelry store no longer had that same band, so we moved on over to browse at the bigger more expensive rings. My eye caught this unique ring and so I tried it on. This ring must have been waiting for me. What a beautiful ring. I knew when I tried it on, this was the one. No regrets, the ring is now mine. It will symbolize our continuing love for each other for years to come just as our first ring did. I will wear it till death do us part.

Aqui Con El Nene

So today I tagged along with my co-workers to Aqui Con El Nene Sonoran Taco Hot Dog stand. These stands are a common fixture here in Tucson. After bugging me all day at work, I decided I would join them for this Anthony Bourdain and The Travel Channel's famous featured hot dog everyone talks about. My coworkers are a group of wonderful and fun physical therapist and occupational therapist. These are the folks I spend my day with since we spend most of our time documenting in the same room.

This is an artery clogging hot dog like no other. The fixings include bacon, pinto beans, cheese, mayo, green hot sauce, a roasted chili on the side, and I am really not sure what else on a semi sweet bun called a Mexican Bolillo roll. Needless to say I was very impressed. I stood in line hiding my RD name tag. The line for these dogs was long. We had a fun time. The cost of this dog is only $2.00. Getting out of the hospital can be very therapeutic. Now I can say I had a Sonoran hot dog. Not bad! Now I am off to run 5 miles......

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to Dad, a great father who always has put his kids first. We love you and miss you dearly, so hurry home to we can get started on our vacation.

Happy 20th Anniversary My Sweet Love

20 years ago I married the most wonderful guy. Through our years together we have grown so much, we understand each other, and through up and downs ( because lets face it folks, no marriage is perfect) have been able to push forward. I feel so blessed every day to have the life I have. The wonderful husband and kids, it all part of the package, a package that was layed out for me the day I married Rene. As young friends, we blossomed into what we have become today. All the dreams we set out to accomplish were reached. Together we did it, and together we will always be. I dedicate this poem to you Rene, the love of my life.

Happy Anniversary my Sweet Love!
For you, I thank the Lord above
You’ve given me hope, inspiration and truth
Because of you I feel never-ending youth
When heavy storms have come our way
Your love has always made me stay
Each morning I wake and see your face
I know in you, I’ve found my place
Our bond is extraordinary, beautiful, and real
It’s remarkable how wonderful you make me feel
We belong together, you and I
That, the world cannot deny
Never in my life will I find another man
Who could ever fulfill me the way you can
The life we’ve shared this past year
Has proved forever it shall persevere
I will love you forever in every way
That will remain constant until my dying day.

By Amanda Higgins

Double Trouble

Well things are back to normal with Pepper. We are finally allowed to take off his cone. He hated that thing so much. Rene is now in Suriname after a short visit in Port of Spain Trinidad. He and his co-workers were given a tour of the city by Embassy Personnel. He is now in Suriname tucked away in his hotel room getting ready to start working tomorrow. They have about 700 people to treat then it is back home on June 26th. We are finally able to skype, so seeing his face has made things easier for me. Larissa and I spent the weekend shopping. This seems to take the edge off and help pass the time. We saw Super 8 which by the way was a great movie and spent some time with our friends Marcos and Melissa.

Suriname

Rene will be staying in an Eco-lodge such as this one. He will be able to room with an old buddy friend from his resident days in San Antonio. As always I can't wait to see his pictures. I only wish I could enjoy this adventure with him.

Suriname

I hope this is not the tribe he will be working on, this would be pretty awkward.

Wow! I cannot believe it is June. I am enjoying our picturesque sunset evenings here in Vail. We are now approaching the 100 degree mark, however my morning runs have been great with 60 degree marks. The weather so far has been gorgeous as always. It makes putting up with July and August totally worth it. The kids and I are doing well. The dog and work have been keeping me busy. Tomorrow he will get neutered. His surgery will be pretty involved since his little testicles are know where in site. Poor little puppy.

Rene has been able to call me almost everyday. He has been so busy doing root canals which by the way is what he loves doing. I have been encouraging him to go back to school and specialize in Endo. He says Haiti is pretty sad. Living conditions are still very poor and depressing. On June 9th he heads to Suriname which by looking at the map above is close to French Guiana. I don't know, but it looks pretty tropical to me. His living conditions will be much nicer. Maybe he can get some much needed rest and relaxation there.

Such is Life

Well school is out in Vail. As you can tell, Renie is taking it easy. He has been busy playing X-box while Larissa has been busy playing Wii. I can't believe Renie is now a senior. He and Larissa finished off the year with very good grades. Larissa is looking forward to 7th grade as I am sure Renie is looking forward to his Senior year. I can still remember what a struggle it was at the beginning of school for Renie. He was quite overwhelmed with the whole process of a big school. The technical part was pretty frustrated for him partly because the DODS school system was somewhat behind in that area. Nevertheless, the days got easier for him, he met new friends and life went on as usual.

Rene made it to Haiti safely this morning. He will be roughing it again sleeping in a tent and eating MRE's. Good thing it is only for two weeks. His main job will be doing root canals on the Haitians. A group of dental residents from Lackland AFB will be going him to help. He returns June 26th. Unfortunately for us he will be away during our 20th Anniversary date. We will be married 20 years June 15th. Looking back it seems Rene has been gone during all my important milestones. The birth of our first child, my Masters graduation , etc.....Oh well, I realized it just worked out that way. Life is so unpredictable at times. The most important thing is that no matter what he does his best to make sure we are taken care of each and every day.........