Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Easter Re-Do
Another special event that Spencer and I missed celebrating together when I was home with my Dad was Easter so today we had an Easter re-do. The Easter Bunny came and brought us some goodies and we had a nice Easter dinner that included Roast Beef, potatoes and green bean casserole. It was delicious! We had a nice day.
Tank and Noelle thought they Easter Bunny came for them but they were wrong! 
Our delicious dinner 
Happy Easter! 
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Spencer's Birthday Re-Do
On Spencer's actual birthday, March 28, I had just gone home to see my Dad in the hospital and then stayed there to help my family when he got out. I was devastated that I missed his birthday and even though we celebrated as best we could from far away on that day, the only thing that made me semi-OK with missing it was the fact that I knew we would have a re-do when I got home. That re-do was today! We started off the morning with me sneaking off to run some high profile birthday errands so that Spencer could wake up to beer (to drink later of course, not for breakfast), balloons, and breakfast...his favorite, Einstein Bagels.
Then we headed out for a hike and lunch at Red Rock Canyon. We started by checking out the new visitor's center.
Gopher tortoise munching on cactus 
I think I have become a jack rabbit? 
Tortoise seat 
"Mmmm, tastes like burro." 
Then we headed out to do the Keystone Thrust hike. It was about 2 hours long roundtrip and only slightly rocky. It was a subtle incline uphill to a fault line and then the actual Keystone Thrust...which, from how I understood it, at the fault line, tremors make the rock move and push the old rock (?) upward which is the thrust. You can tell where the thrust is because it is lighter in color (basically where the red stops and the grey starts.) We found a little rocky "shelf" to sit and have lunch, enjoyed the quiet (when the wind wasn't gusting through the canyon), and then made our way back. It was pretty much perfect weather and the perfect amount of time to spend there.
Speaking of burro... 
Upward 
Cacti = Break #1 
"Oooh pretty scenery" = Break #2 
Pretty red flowers = Break #3 
At the fault line that caused the Thrust 
The Keystone Thurst 
Checking for spiders and snakes... 
Lunch spot 
The thrust is behind me. 
Us
Looking down
More pretty flowers
On our way out we found a little living room complete with chairs and a coffee table that someone had made out of the rocks (I really did not take THIS many breaks!)
Some weird clouds blowing by...
These gross worms in the web-like sack appeared to be killing the bushes...they were EVERYWHERE! After our trip to Red Rock, we headed home and relaxed a bit before going to Kabuki for dinner and then back home to eat cake and sing Happy Birthday. 
Happy Birthday Re-Do Spence!
Then we headed out for a hike and lunch at Red Rock Canyon. We started by checking out the new visitor's center.
Then we headed out to do the Keystone Thrust hike. It was about 2 hours long roundtrip and only slightly rocky. It was a subtle incline uphill to a fault line and then the actual Keystone Thrust...which, from how I understood it, at the fault line, tremors make the rock move and push the old rock (?) upward which is the thrust. You can tell where the thrust is because it is lighter in color (basically where the red stops and the grey starts.) We found a little rocky "shelf" to sit and have lunch, enjoyed the quiet (when the wind wasn't gusting through the canyon), and then made our way back. It was pretty much perfect weather and the perfect amount of time to spend there.
Monday, April 19, 2010
A Wife to be Proud of
Sometimes I just make a hash of it.
My wife is a truly amazing person. Its easy to say it, but hard to show it. Most everyone knows her as the perfect friend, always happy to listen or talk, offer advice, help a cause, take time from her life for other people. Heather is probably the most selfless person i've ever met. It overwhelms me and sometimes makes me even a little jealous, i've never been good at maintaining communication with people who live far away, or even those who live close, yet she manages to make it seem easy and enjoyable and I am so impressed with her dedication to the greater good of EVERYONE around her.
She has been extremely dedicated to helping her father recently, even spending a little over 2 weeks back in her home town to help make everyones life a bit easier. It certainly wasn't an easy time for either of us, and many people were very supportive and helpful during this time and it helped make it much easier. I however was fairly short sighted in the affair, I forget sometimes that support, love and compassion should be expressed often whether seperate or not. Distance never matters, and it should be recognized that there is never a wrong moment to tell someone how much they mean to you.
Heather has always gone out of her way for everyone in her life, and put herself out in situations she is not always comfortable with simply because she wants to make people happy. She deserves to know how much that is recognized and appreciated, how much it makes people love her, and how much she means to everyone, me especially. Sometimes expressing ones feelings happens to late to make a difference, and sometimes they aren't expressed enough. I usually fall into the second category, rarely expressing myself well, if at all. I'm not entirely sure why, as most people know i'm always dreaming of a future, or big plans or some wish I have. The reality is that when I do that I tend to forget what I have with me at the moment, and I can be careless, thoughtless and even arrogant in that sense. I tend to make casual statements that come out sounding all wrong. I find it hard sometimes to express myself verbally or physically, in a way that doesn't sound selfish, arrogant or rude. I wish I could be more like my wife in that way, she is so good at sharing her thoughts, feelings and puts other peoples feelings and sensitivities before her own. It is these traits which are going to make her an incredible mother, I cannot wait to have a child with her as i know no other way to show just how much I love her and our life together.
I am incredibly lucky to have this woman in my life, August 15th 2009 was the best day of my life, and the resulting relationship will always be the number one thing in my life. I am so committed to being with this woman, sharing my life, my dreams and my happiness with her. The reality is she is my happiness, she does everything for me, and I hope that even though I've recently fell short, one day I can live up to the standards she exemplifies.
The truth is that Heather O'Neill has given me everything I could ever ask for in life, and I've come to understand what is important in our relationship is the trust between us and that I do what I can to make her happy, and recognize that everything else is actually better then I thought, that I need to just lighten up and go with it.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves".
Some people will recognize that quote, it sums up perfectly the way Heather is, always open and always loving. I am the luckiest guy in the world to be matched to her, and I hope forever that I can keep her happy and trusting in me.
-Me
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Looking Back
While I sit here and watch the Cubs game with my Dad, waiting for it to be time to go pick up my rental car and start driving to the airport and head home to Las Vegas, I'm overwhelmed with all that has happened during my time here with him and my family. When I arrived, he was nearly on his death bed surrounded by his siblings and his children and several other family members who feared it might be their last chance to see him alive. Now he is sitting beside me, cracking jokes about baseball and other random things after eating a huge lunch. In between, I watched him suffer in pain while his stomach filled up with fluid, took care of him when he was helpless as if he were a child, like he took care of me when I was sick as a child, and spent time with him, getting to know him in the past two and a half weeks possibly better than I have had a chance to get to know him all the 30 years of my life.
These past few weeks, I have realized just how fragile life is. Why do we care about things that don't matter? Why do petty things get us upset? Why do we waste time being angry? I hope that I can remember this when I return home to the daily grind of my life (of which, for the most part, pisses me off daily because Spencer and I feel so trapped in a place we don't want to be).
I had so many mixed emotions about coming back here and staying as long as I did...some of fear, sadness, guilt, frustration, excitement, anticipation, etc. I can't put in to words how right this trip was for me. How much peace it has given me with my relationship with my father. And I feel better about the fact that I am leaving him at a time where he is more ok health wise than he has been in quite awhile. I only wish I had confidence that this good health would last. I praying that my next visit is far into the future because that would mean he is still doing well. Unless of course his insurance company finally comes to their senses and covers his proton radiation treatments, in which case, I'll be back to keep him company while he is in Indiana. (But that is a battle we are just beginning to fight.)
I am thankful for all of those who have been praying for my Dad and for me and for my family. I am thankful for my sacrificial and giving husband. I am thankful for all of the people who have offered their support through a listening ear, food, and company. We are lucky to have such a support system when times are difficult. Thank you!
Now off I go to the airport.......
These past few weeks, I have realized just how fragile life is. Why do we care about things that don't matter? Why do petty things get us upset? Why do we waste time being angry? I hope that I can remember this when I return home to the daily grind of my life (of which, for the most part, pisses me off daily because Spencer and I feel so trapped in a place we don't want to be).
I had so many mixed emotions about coming back here and staying as long as I did...some of fear, sadness, guilt, frustration, excitement, anticipation, etc. I can't put in to words how right this trip was for me. How much peace it has given me with my relationship with my father. And I feel better about the fact that I am leaving him at a time where he is more ok health wise than he has been in quite awhile. I only wish I had confidence that this good health would last. I praying that my next visit is far into the future because that would mean he is still doing well. Unless of course his insurance company finally comes to their senses and covers his proton radiation treatments, in which case, I'll be back to keep him company while he is in Indiana. (But that is a battle we are just beginning to fight.)
I am thankful for all of those who have been praying for my Dad and for me and for my family. I am thankful for my sacrificial and giving husband. I am thankful for all of the people who have offered their support through a listening ear, food, and company. We are lucky to have such a support system when times are difficult. Thank you!
Now off I go to the airport.......
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Girls' Night Out!
After a lot of days running errands for Dad or taking him to doctors' appointments, etc. I had a MUCH needed night out with my three best girls. We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner and drinks and then to Cold Stone for ice cream and then back to Tiffany's house to hang out. It was NICE! I love these girls!
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