Mike's Big 2-7 and Claire's Big News!

Mike celebrated his 27th birthday on Sunday! We had a great weekend; Saturday 10 engineers and I met out at Redhook brewery, took a tour, and enjoyed a refreshing IPA. Sunday we went hiking down at Crystal Mtn. It's just east of Mount Rainier (I think that's the direction), but it was so cloudy we couldn't even see it! That means we'll have to go back again. It was still gorgeous, nonetheless, but I was unable to post those pictures. I will keep working on it! We went to dinner that night at Benihana's, a Japanese steak house. I love those places. We sat next to this family who was hosting a Brazilian exchange student (very cool!). They brought 83 year old grandma who was a bit hard of hearing and thoroughly enjoyed her 'beefeater on the rocks with an onion.' Yikes..I've never even heard of that! What a great time. I think he had a good weekend. Luckily I was able to post this one! We took this Sunday night right before dinner... isn't he so cute?

Second exciting story is that Claire and Adam are engaged!!! I am so pumped and can not wait to watch this planning unfold. They are an absolutely wonderful couple. CONGRATS! I love you!

St. Louis to Seattle

Hello again! It's been a while since I've posted, and now I am having difficulties getting pictures up on this website. I hope this finds you well!! Jill Cooper and I travelled across this great US of A August 7-10. We had wonderful hosts along the way, and we arrived safely here in Seattle after many great talks and laughs, and after completing 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' on CD. My mom had the opportunity to play with Mike and me in Seattle for the weekend, and then it was back to work for all of us on Monday the 13th. The job is going well (it's just part time for now).. most of you know that I won't be content in that for more than a couple of weeks! I actually won't be able to take classes with a tuition exempt status until I've been an employee 6 months. On to plan B. I'll let you know when I figure out what that is! The living situation is great! I moved in with Tana, a nurse practitioner from work. She's hilarious, and we live in a great neighborhood on the north-ish side of Seattle called Freemont. We are about 2.5 miles from the UW (pronounced U Dub)... the hospital/campus. The challenge of the day is getting my box springs up the stairs. The mattress delivery guys just gave up and left =) That's customer service. It is just wonderful to be back in Seattle with Mike; it's worth any logistical headache for sure. He's just awesome, and I have so much confidence in needing to be here for us. He turns the big 2-7 on Sunday, so we have a weekend full of events planned! I'll try to post pictures as soon as I can. Stay tuned..

What Happens in Nashvegas Stays in Nashvegas

Oh Nashville... what an interesting city! Every time I go there I remember how much I miss my friends from there, and how glad I am that I no longer live there! This past weekend I went down to celebrate my friend Julie's graduation from Vanderbilt's Nurse Practitioner school. She completed it in a year (!) while she worked full time as well. She flew through it, and kicked it's butt... and now she is enjoying a MUCH needed vacation! Congrats Julie!

Pictured here is my favorite part of Nashville; their life sized replica of the Parthenon! Nashville is regarded as the "Athens of the south"... I think it has something to do with Tennessee being the first state in the south to have a university. (Don't quote me on that) They sure do go with that 'Greek' theme, though, because they sandwich their 'Honky Tonks' between the Colosseum (Titans field) and the Parthenon. Personally, I think it's hilarious.

So here is our beautiful friend Julie posing next to the 'Acute Care' sign. She is officially an ACNP.. Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. Her dream job would be to get back in to trauma or CT surgery (cardiothoracic), and it seems like jobs are going to work out. She's a catch! We'll pray for you for sure, Jules!

Here's Julie with her parents.. Mike and Sharon. The came up from Jupiter, FL where they live! They literally live in the same neighborhood as the Cards spring training field!!!!!!! They may be the luckiest people in the world. We went to visit her folks in March 06, and they took me to a game! Thanks again guys! I can still picture those baseball pants.

Julie's support network! L-R: Kelly (Julie's friend from church who works in the music industry) Brandon and Sarah (husband and wife; friends from college. They are expecting Grace Elizabeth in Sept!) Donna (our 11N mentor; she is just awesome!) Julie, Laura Nye (the sweetest nursing companion you could ever ask for), some random girl.

We all went to Ted's Montana grill after the ceremony and had delicious Bison burgers. They really are great!

On Sunday night, I went over to Naomi's house. She was committed to 11N for Sunday, so she wasn't able to join in the festivities. We had a great time visiting, though, and ate delicious cheesecake and had great laughs. Naomi is from Montreal, and she had one of her friends in town from Canada. Occasionally they would slip in to French. I thought that was awesome.. should have brought one of them in my pocket to Paris! Here we are at the Loveless Cafe where Naomi couldn't be more excited to have 2 huge bowls full of cream and butter. She is the tiniest person who eats the most of anyone that I know!

The Loveless Cafe. The wait staff wear t-shirts that say 'got biscuits?'. No calories here.

I took this picture of the batman building as I was leaving town. You can see the heat in the sky; it's so hazy!

I love my Nashville friends! This may be the last time I am there for a while....!

My 2nd (favorite) City

Do you get it? The 2nd City... CHICAGO! (Britt waits tables there, AND it's my 2nd favorite city ever.) It's another reason that I love the Midwest. I also love Amtrak! I took the train to Chicago last week for $23 each way. You can't beat the price, and the ride offered me 11 total hours of uninterrupted Harry Potter time. (Ok, on the ride home there were 16 cheerleaders, but other than that..) This was my last opportunity to see Britt before she started her new RN job at Northwestern University Hospital. Of all the hospitals I've visited in America (which is considerable, really), Northwestern was the nicest! I am so excited for Britt Sanborn, RN to get in to this world of nursing! She'll be working post-partum, so she'll be a fundus expert. (Feel free to look that one up!) She's official! She's got the name badge and everything! Good luck!

John Hancock Tower. This picture goes out to Mike who loves structure and pictures of things taken straight up! We went to the top (The 'Signature' Lounge) and had delicious martinis.

Ferris Bueler or Britt Sanborn? You tell me!

Godiva Chocolate Martini; yes please.

Crossing the river is ALWAYS my favorite part of the city- especially at night!

The BEAN!

It was the week of the Cards/Cubs series.. I had to represent.

After I came home from Chicago, I was fortunate enough to attend the wedding of my dear friend Colby. We are friends from Mizzou... and we date all the way back to his freshman year. That's pretty good history! He married a girl from STL, Erin, and she looked stunning. It was a great time to see old friends and drink good wine at the top of the 'Met'ropolitan building, downtown St. Louis. (GREAT view!). Pictured L-R: Laura Neff, myself, Adam Stevens. Laura is recently engaged to Wes, and I will be a bridesmaid at their wedding May 24, 2008! Congrats! Laura and Adam are both in medical school at Mizzou. Wish they had something going for them..

This is Wes (the fiancee), Laura, Colby (the GROOM!), and me. Poor Adam got cut out of this picture =( Congrats Colby and Erin Heckendorn.