Family Showers-Hoover DAM-I miss him!

I woke up this morning very sad. It was my last night to snuggle with Spencer before he left for a month long tour to bring home some bacon. I cried a little bit (which has been very normal in the past week). And then he reminded me we had the whole day together and I decided I needed to be happy and have fun and not be mopey. So I got in the shower to start my day. While in the shower I had a surprise visitor. (No, it wasn't Spencer...he was already in there...we conserve water like that...)
IT WAS TANK!!!!!!

Now, this is actually kinda normal. Tank often peeks in the shower while I'm showering and when I'm all done and I turn the water off, he almost always comes in and drinks the leftover water on the bottom of the shower, but this time was different. He peeked in and then just came RIGHT IN THE SHOWER!!!!!! It was HILARIOUS!


So we took this opportunity to give him a bath with my Lavendar shower gel...and had a good old fashioned fun family shower!!!!!! Great start to the day for sure if you ask me!

Once we were all ready for our day, we were off to the Hoover Dam! (During this dam portion of the dam blog, I will use the word dam as often as dam possible...just for kicks...because I'm bored.) First of all, it was DAM HOT outside so we tried to find the dam cool spots, but there weren't any, so we walked along the dam, saw the dam sites, and took some dam pictures and then went on our dam merry way back to the dam car where there was some dam air conditioning. Now for some dam pictures:
HERE I AM AT THE DAM!

Woah! It's a DAM long way down!


In two DAM places at one time...TOGETHER!

We love taking DAM pictures of eachother!


This is a DAM sweet place!


DAM we love eacother! And we're DAM cute!

After this, we went to Target to get him some last minute traveling supplies and then we went to dinner. But I was sad...I tried not to be. Then I took him to the airport. And now here I am. He left for a month. I can't stop crying. Pathetic? Maybe...BUT I don't care what you think! He is my hero. He can't sit still and not work and he wants to take care of me and us so he went on tour to make some money while he awaits a job offer back here in Vegas so we can move on with our life together! I'm sad to say the LEAST. Once we decided to move here together, I never expected to be here all alone...even if it is only for a short time. Let me just say that things between us have not exactly moved along slowly, but they have also never been at an uncomfortable or scary place. Everything we do, we do together and we support each other no matter what. And its not difficult or work...its easy...it comes natural, like breathing. I LOVE IT! Its how I know he's different. It's how I know our relationship is real. It's how I don't get scared that another one of my relationships might fail. We are a team. (RAH RAH!) Spencer quickly became my best friend...almost the day we met. He IS my best friend. He is my heart. And I feel like my heart is missing while he's away. (That was for you fans of my melodramatic side...but its true!) Therefore I'm sad. I know that it is "only a month", but that's a long time for me to be away from my heart. I know we will get through this, but knowing that doesn't make the time pass any faster. I know that this will make us stronger, but knowing that doesn't make me miss him any less. With that, the countdown begins...I miss you my Dash!

Oh and one more thing. For those of you wondering how Spencer could leave me in Las Vegas all alone in this crazy town, don't worry...he left with me with protection!

YES! That is a sword and a boot knife! THANKS SPENCE!

Now That I Live In The Mountains...

Today we decided to get off our lazy butts and explore what our new hometown has to offer. We drove all the way west and discovered Red Rock Canyon. Ok, that's kind of a lie...we didn't really discover it...someone told us it was there and we looked it up on the internet and kinda planned ahead, but still...

Anyway, the last time I went hiking, I mean, REAL hiking (not in FLAT Florida) was probably about 4 years ago when I went with Michelle to the Grand Canyon. Today I discovered just how out of shape I am...BUT I didn't do too bad for a "beginner" as Spencer liked referring to me. (Because he's from Oregon where there are mountains, apparently that makes him a skilled hiker by birth or something...) The trail we took was called Calico and it was about 2 miles one way. Here's the path we took:

It was really beautiful and we had a lot of fun...as you can see...




...The only problem was that since Spencer is such an EXPERIENCED hiker, he kept wanting to go off the trails. I told him repeatedly that it wasn't a good idea and needless to say, he was slightly disappointed in my lack of adventure. He pouted a little bit and I apologized repeatedly and reminded him that it was just for our safety and FINALLY I convinced him to stay on the path:

And that was all fine and good. We carried on our trail to finish our hike...that is, until the trail just DISAPPEARED! This made me VERY nervous, suddenly having visions of us being lost forever if we kept going, so I tried to tell Spencer we had to go back, but in the midst of my worried face while we were both realizing the trail was gone, he was getting giddier and giddier by the minute...because to him this meant we HAD to go off the trails...FINALLY...and there was nothing I could do about it. So after a little arguing, I finally realized that he actually WAS more experienced in hiking than I was, and that I trusted him with my life, so if he thought it was safe, then I guess it was ok. Despite my shaking and whining just about the entire time we were off the trail, I made it down THIS Spencer-created trail:

And I came from up there all the way down this crevice:

But once I was on somewhat stable ground, I got a little more confidence and even bounced up some rocks to take the picture below, at which time, the other picture below shows what Spencer had to say about staying on the trails:


So we both had a great time, and we are definitely going back...because even though the guide map said our trail was easy-moderate...Spencer made it "strenuous" so now we are ready for more trails! Well, maybe I'll be honest...even though I feel very brave after making it down the not-so-much-a-trail trail, I think I will stick to the easy-moderate trails for the next couple of hikes...just until I become a seasoned hiker like my boyfriend from Oregon! :)

ALOT in April...a little monthly recap

Hello everyone!
WOW! April was insane! The whole month was spent either packing or moving or unpacking pretty much. But I managed to have some fun too! :)

At the beginning of the month, a couple of my co-workers (Sara and MarySue...not sure who else was involved...) plotted with Spencer and threw me a surprise going-away party. I had NO IDEA and was totally surprised when I walked in Sara's door thinking I was having dinner with her and a friend and saw everyone! And I had talked to everyone there at some point during the day and nobody let on. It was a big success on their part and I felt very honored to have such incredible friends and such a wonderful send-off so thanks to everyone that was there, the sweet cards and goodbye gifts, etc. Those are memories I will treasure forever! The party was lots of fun and of course there are pictures!
Tracy, Sara, and me:

Me, Ashleigh, and Randy:

Kathleen, me, and MarySue:

Brian and me:

Me and Kim:

Me and Michelle:

Katie and me:

Me and Heather:

Me and Jay:

Anthony and me:

Me and Spencer:

Fred and me:

As you can imagine I spent the month doing my best to spend time with everyone in Florida and get as many goodbyes in as possible and do everything I had wanted to do before I left! I got to go to The Villages and see my grandparents! We had a yummy lunch and a nice afternoon talking. It was great to be able to see them before I moved because I probably won't get to see them again until my brother's wedding in October. It was nice having family so close. I miss that already.

Spencer and I also managed to squeeze in a Devil Rays baseball game with his roommates and a trip to the Big Cat Rescue...both were lots of fun!

His roommates also had a little cookout and sent us off with a yummy cake and Easter baskets filled with goodies and games for our long road trip ahead!

Speaking of Easter, I had to work, but we had a great time celebrating with the Rhinos that day. They got all kinds of treats: hard boiled eggs, pastel ice blocks, cardboard
easter eggs and easter egg cookies! :)

Happy Easter from Sara and me:

Lucy and her Easter eggs:

Tim and me:

And speaking of Rhinos, I had to say goodbye to them too! :( My last day at Busch Gardens was really bittersweet. I had a great time doing everything "one last time" and saying goodbye to all my animals and co-workers, but of course it was sad to know that it was the last time. I am really lucky to have had the chance to work with such an amazing team of people and such incredible animals! My co-workers even got me a FACE CAKE! I miss you all terribly and working there will always be the best job I ever had! :) THANK YOU ALL!

Kayin, me, and Forrest:

Kisiri and me:

And after all of the goodbyes, it was time for the big move! We picked up the truck and loaded it up (well, I'll be honest, Spencer and his roommate Derek did all the heavy lifting and I just packed the boxes and made them heavy for them!) Spencer hitched up his car to the trailer on the back of the truck, we packed the animals up in their crates, and off we went. Our caravan was pretty amusing. Spencer drove the big truck with the trailer and his car attached and his companion along the way was Tank! Tank only whined for the first day and then he seemed to get used to the riding and enjoyed Spencer's company! I followed behind them in my bug with Noelle in the back. She didn't do as well as Tank. She meow-ed pretty much the entire trip and went to the bathroom everywhere but her litter box...so my car had to be fumigated by the time we got to Las Vegas! Our sleeping arrangements were perhaps my favorite part of the trip. We never knew where we would end up when we were so tired we couldn't drive anymore, so we never planned ahead looking for hotels that would allow pets. Instead, we just stopped whenever we got tired and decided to be done driving for the day...at a truck stop...and folded the back seat of Spencer's car down and cushioned it with sleeping bags and blankets and slept in the trunk/back seat! Keep in mind his car was on a trailer, so we slept on a slant all night...three nights in a row...the two of us and the cat and dog! It was hilarious!!!!! :) And of course, each night was colder than the one before because we were in the mountains. The last night, we slept on the Arizona/New Mexico border and it got down to 28 DEGREES!!!!!!!! Things were frozen when we woke up! Now, you may be thinking about how gross it is that we didn't shower all that time, but on our second day, while driving through Texas, we did stop at Spencer's second cousin's house and they gave us a nice meal and a warm shower so we did have a nice civil break! :) They were wonderful people and we were so thankful to them. We both decided if we didn't get that little refreshing break, we might not have made it all the way. But we did! We arrived in Las Vegas on April 17th and all the boxes were unpacked by April 19th.

Our caravan:

Our sleeping arrangements...Spencer's trunk:

Tank, me, and Spencer on the side of the road in Texas:

I started my job and things are going well so far. I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go to get to where I want to be there, but that's ok...it comes with the territory of starting fresh! Spencer's great search for a job continues, but he has lots of leads and I know he will get a job in no time!!! In the meantime, he's been a perfect roommate and very helpful getting me all settled and less homesick! And I'm pretty sure Tank will be devastated when Spencer goes to work...he has adopted Spencer as his best friend! Noelle, on the other hand, will be relieved...because that means Tank will be in the crate while we're gone and she'll have the whole apartment to herself.

So we are all settled here in Las Vegas and ready for visitors anytime! Let us know if you plan to be here so we can meet you on the strip for drinks or a meal...its less than 30 minutes from our apartment! And if you would like our address, just email me and I will send it your way! :)

Thanks to all of you for your love and support through this huge step!

RECORD FOR THE LONGEST BLOG EVER, I know!

Until next time...

Moving on...

In 8 days I will have packed up everything I decided to keep from my past, hop in my car, and head for my future. Sounds dramatic I suppose (as some of you know my melodramatic side...), but really it is. If you know me at all, you know that this is a BIG DEAL. I stress if you know me at all. My life has been what seems like one big mess in the past year or so. I have gone from unhappy and clueless to joyful and sure. I have gone from caring about what EVERYONE thinks of my life decisions to being so content knowing that I made a decision for me that I am confident in no matter what anyone else thinks. In the past six months I have gone from an unhappy housewife to a jumbled, confused person with a divorce pending, to a single woman, to a girlfriend of a man who is the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I could go on and on about all of these stages in my life, but the one that matters most is the one that is now. That stage is "happier than I can ever remember being".

This brings me back to those who know me. For the people who believe that what I am doing is for me and for the best and aren't selfish or stuck on themselves, for the people who know that I have made changes in my life that are for the best and don't think I am still the same old weak person they used to know, for the people who have supported me since the moment I made this decision, I say THANK YOU FOR KNOWING ME! You are the ones who matter to me. At first, I was so fed up with peoples' judgements that I was so ready to leave I didn't care who I was leaving behind, but now leaving is bittersweet. Bitter because I have to leave behind some amazing, caring and supportive friends, but sweet because I am leaving knowing that I have those friends and my time here wasn't a complete waste. Knowing this and knowing that I get to start fresh a new chapter in my life and that I get to do that confidently and with someone I care about in a way that I never knew I had the capacity to care for someone. All of these things make me know that I made the right decision, that I am strong and that I have something to be excited about. And most importantly, for the first time in my life, I am really and truly doing something for me and not once since I made this decision, have I ever cared about peoples' negative opinions or second-guessed my decision. Its the most refreshing feeling ever! All that being said (or rambled about really...),all I have left to say is VIVA LAS VEGAS BABY! :)

R.I.P. Juma

Today we lost one of our Rhinos suddenly. I always knew that dealing with something like this on the job was a possibility and wondered how I would take it. It wasn't easy but I managed not to break down until I was in the privacy of my own home. We don't know what caused Juma's death yet, but we're sure she died peacefully in her sleep because when we found her she just looked like she was snoozing away. It was so hard to see her not get up for treats when we called her name and even harder to move her out of the place she called home for 12 years. She drove us crazy with her "shifting issues" and cracked us up when she would put her big fat lip on the gate and beg for food or attention or lean up against the water trough to rest her booty. I will miss her so much.

My birthday

Today is my birthday. I'm 27. I know that's not old, but to me that's old. I didn't want a birthday party. I kinda just wanted to pretend like it wasn't my birthday at all. Some somebody's changed my mind and I had a "little gathering" in honor of this momentous day last night. I realized that I have the best friends in the world. That's not to say that if you didn't spend the evening with me last night, then you are not my friend, but to those of you that did, thank you. Thank you for taking time out of your lives to hang out with me. The past few months have been a roller coaster and you all have been there for me. Thank you for loving me. So, birthdays are good days for reflecting, but the mushy stuff is over! On with the fun...

*Spencer*Derek*Traci*Michael*Sara*Kristin*Chris*
*Michelle*Michelle*Derek*Tracy*Kari*Jay*Katie*
*Jay*Ashleigh*Randy*Shiloh*Ray*Amber*Kristal*
*Heather*Brent*

You are awesome! Thanks for sharing my birthday with me! You guys mean the world to me!!!!!

Now for the pictures!
The host with the most:


Most of my rhino crew and two of my elephant cousins (Kristal, Derek, Tracy, Sara, me, and Kari):


Traci, me, and Derek:


Katie and me:


Jay's grocery list for me...if only you could actually see what he wrote:


Ashleigh, me, and Randy:


Spencer, me, and Michael, I love these boys!


Me and Michelle my belle:


Brent and Heather...awww:


Shiloh, me and Amber:

The end!

Thank you again to everyone who celebrated with me. I am so lucky to have the greatest friends in the world!!!!!

Starting over...

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

I always hated this song ("Closing Time" by Semisonic). But when I tried to be inspired by quotes about starting over, this is the only one that ran through my head and the ones I googled were stupid. I suppose its very true though...blatantly obviously very true. Of course every new beginning comes from something that has ended. So here I sit, waiting for my new beginning from something that has ended. I suppose if it has already ended then something else has already begun. But first I have to find myself everyone tells me. I need to know who I am. I need to know that I am an independent person. I need to know that I am a strong woman. I need to know that I can survive. I need to know what I want in this life and to figure out how to get it. I need to find happiness. This is what everyone tells me anyway. I can't imagine they are completely wrong. These are definitely things I want to know about myself. So how do I "find myself"? How do I learn these things about myself? Is it by being all alone and just sitting inside my head and thinking? I would go insane. Is it by spending time in conversation with people who love and care about me and my well being? They would drive me insane. So? What to do? I find myself pondering myself and my life at the most random moments: watching a sunrise over a shit filled rhino paddock, walking down Canal Street in New York City where all kinds of people are trying to sell me "italian handbags", "very nice sunglasses", and knock off jewelry, searching for random people on myspace, and driving home from work and missing my turn because I temporarily forgot where I lived. I don't mean to ponder these things during these times, but they pop into my head and I can't shake it. So I guess that means I am supposed to be thinking about them. Maybe this is it...this is how I find myself...by letting my mind wander wherever my thoughts may take me. So I started a blog...so that I can write all of these thoughts down. I suppose if someone else is reading it, that means I decided to share these thoughts with others. And if not, then this is just a sort of therapy for me, myself, and I.

I am scared to death to start over.
and
I am totally excited to start over.

So I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. I have my whole life ahead and that is encouraging. I am surrounded by wonderful amazing and supportive family and friends and that is priceless to me. What is meant to be will be and I can't wait to find out what it is.