July 5, 2011

We got the first call from the U on Tuesday to set up our initial appointment. It is going to be on July 5, starting at 7:30am and continuing until about 1:00pm. This is exciting and scary. We will do lab work, talk to the doctors, nurses, and coordinators and ask the one million questions that we will have about what to expect. Based upon this visit, they will decide if it is yet time to do the two day appointment or wait.

We were blessed to be in Oregon visiting some great friends when this call came. We had a great time, Miss E. enjoyed the trip to aquarium immensely, except the touch tank ("Don't you want to touch the starfish, he's a nice starfish" "NO!"--she is a woman who knows her mind!) and the gigantic anaconda they had as part of the Swampland exhibit. The mommy was big, pregnant, and shedding her skin--which also renders such snakes blind until, I suppose, their new skin grows in again on their faces. We also had a lot of fun going to all the shops in Newport, enjoying the touristy side of things.

We also ate a tremendous amount of good food, especially my Friend C. and I, who enjoyed the cuisine of Marco Polo's International Restaurant in Salem, OR, and some great wine at a local wine bar called Crush. If you get the chance to have the ice wine from Eola Hills, I definitely recommend it.

On the way home, Alex fought hard not to demonstrate his road rage tendencies against the Oregon drivers we encountered. We stopped off at Multnoma Falls and then Bonneville Dam where Miss E. got to feed the trout in the hatching ponds and see what a Sturgeon looks like up close and personal.

Of course, this post about our Oregonian adventure would be incomplete without a shout out to Friend N., husband of Friend C., intrepid educator of mathematics who graduated with his Master's in Teaching, the very impetus of the trip. Congratulations, Friend N., and Godspeed in your endeavor in twisting minds and crushing spirits--or something like that.

Love to all, and Blessings of God be with you!