camera...

broken... but here is a cute picture that i found! love my boy. he's a spirited little guy. keeps me on my toes! but he is such a joy && a blessing!!!

our bond of friendship in... vegas!!!

what a trip. special time. fun time. peaceful time. vegas. okay, so the word peaceful doesn't really go along with the word vegas, but when you spend your time lounging beside the pool with three of the coolest girls you know... vegas=peaceful! each year or so we try to get together... these are girls from college. there is six of us total... but two couldn't make it. that was the saddest part of the weekend. we have been in each others weddings, had kids around the same time (steph is preggo now...) & are in the same area of life! our bond is unique, so vegas was filled with catching up, laughing, talking about the frustration things that our kids do that drive us bonkers (there kids do the same thing as mine) && just being with each other. it made me want to grow old, living on the same cul-de-sac as them... okay maybe not grow old.

mandy... steph... i drinking our starbucks. there was one in the hotel we stayed in... the monte carlo! it was relaxing... as relaxing as you can get when you are in the city that never sleeps! while we spend our days by the pool... fighting for 4 lounge chairs next to each other, we spend our evenings/ nights eating at fun restraunts. the kind you rarely take your kids to. we even got pedicures at the spa in the hotel... what a treat!

a night out on the town take 1.

this is what happens when some random person in vegas takes your picture in front of the bellagio. which is one of the places we got to eat a fabulous dinner! i think this was his second attempt at taking the picture. maybe even more! uggghhh!

we had to see the new ashton kutcher/ cameron diaz movie... what happens in vegas. it was hilarious! maybe it was so funny because we were in vegas watching a bunch of people do stupid things!

annie && i!

mandy && i! again!

memories.

update!

as some of you may know, i have been going through a lot of testing in regard to my thyroid! it has been an uphill battle that seemed it would never end. for the past 6 years, i have had regular check ups and proceeded with caution when it came to rushing into surgery (inspite of the family history of thyroid cancer/ tumors). i am the fourth in the catalde (my maiden name) line to have thyroid problems.

well needless to say... i finally have some answers. after having a number of scans, biopsy's that have gone awry, and enough blood work to supply a small country with clean blood... i finally know what is going to happen. on june 25th, i will check into french hospital up here on the central coast where i will undergo a full thyroidectomy! it feels so good to finally know what is going on. i am already on a number of pre-surgery meds to help control the vascularity of the tumors. there is a risk of something called 'thyroid storm' (which movie do you think of when you read that?). 'thyroid storm' is a condition that can take place if you have tumors that are over active! it could send a rush of thyroid hormone into your body during surgery that could cause cardiovascular problems... yup i have the condition!

but above all else, God is good. He & He alone has given me wonderful & skilled doctors. i feel beyond confident in them! i am truly able to see God's direction in this long wait of uncertainty. we have been praying for answers and we have them. such a relief.