Laramie: Week 5

I don't know if you're keeping track or not, but finishing week 5 means that I only have 8 more weeks here! I really am enjoying my adventures and loving my job, but I really miss home. I miss familiar faces, familiar places, and friends & family calling randomly to hang out.


The Cancer Center brought me here so that I could help them develop and improve their practices and policies, and we've been doing a lot of that lately. I've been told that my input is very beneficial to them and was much-needed, and it's really nice to have that positive feedback when I feel so uprooted coming here. I'm glad something positive is coming out of it. [well, besides that huge chunk i'm taking out of my school debt...]


Triathlon training is ticking right along. It's been difficult getting into the groove of things. Without Kayla meeting me at the gym at 5am, it's been tough to tear myself out of my cozy warm bed for early morning workouts. My evening workouts have been fine, but by the time work and workouts are done, my evening is shot. So here it is: this week I'm working out before work every day. Now you'll hold me accountable, right??


Lent began on Ash Wednesday, of course. Though I'm not Catholic (yet), I really like the idea of giving something up for Lent. It holds me accountable for something daily, and I have to be more cognizant of my choices -- which I believe would do us all some good. In the past I've given up lattes, cookies, and the like. Those "extras" that make my days a little sweeter. It's been tough, but I wanted to do something a little more challenging this year. This go-round, it's meat that I'm giving up. Yes, meat. Steak, chicken, pork--all the good hearty Midwestern meal staples. It's something I have to think about with every meal, which will hopefully end up in me making healthier food choices all around. And maybe I'll even shed a few pounds and a few cholesterol points! It will be a challenging forty-four days, but Jesus resisted his temptation, so I'm confident that I can too. So I ask you: what is your personal challenge this year for Lent?


This weekend was my friend Kim's birthday, so I went to Denver [for a mere 24 hours]. I tell you what--they call Chicago "The Windy City", but I'm quite certain that any town in northeast Colorado or Southeast Wyoming takes the cake on that one. The drive to and from Denver was crazy windy, with constant 50 mph winds, and gusts even above that.  But I digress. Kim's birthday celebration was a lot of fun. There were four of us girls that went out to dinner to a fancy-schmancy restaurant in downtown Denver and then out for a glass [or two] of wine after dinner. We had fun giggling, gossiping, and hanging out like we haven't done for quite some time. It was loads of fun, and I do believe Kim had a very Happy Birthday.

Here is Kim with the bottle of champagne her brother sent from Milwaukee! 

Thanks Pat!

Anne and I after our four-course dinner. 

I swear, I looked nicer than this earlier in the day.