Summer time! And it's rainy?

Hello everyone!

 I am back from being sick and finally almost 100% better. I was brought down by a sinus infection (thanks Kelly! :) ) and with the help of anti biopics, steroids, tissue, my doctor and Cassidy, I have been able to get back on my feet and resume working. I had to take a couple days off from work but this past week went well for me and I'm almost done with all my congestion! Just a lingering but persistent cough that won't go away... This sickness definitely lasted longer than my first bout I went through a couple of months ago and I am going to be more careful. It is easy to get caught up with being healthy and I forgot that my immune system is still weak and can take longer to get better if I do get sick. Luckily I am fine and happy to be back to my normal routine.

 All week Cassidy has been going to work at 9:30 and since I don't work until 1:30 I have been taking Zoe to Kapiolani Park which is just down the road from where I drop cass off every morning. It is so beautiful there! With diamond head in the background and a huge field with beautiful banyon trees, it has been the perfect spot for zoe to run around and chase her ball. We usually hang outside for an hour before going back home for lunch :) I'm happy to be playing outside with her and running around! It is such a great way to start the day and it makes me feel accomplished knowing that while I'm at work Zoe is conked out for the afternoon :) love my baby girl!

As summer begins I have now finalized my appointments for my 2 year check up at MD Anderson this August. I am hoping to be there for a week (8/14-8/22) and be with Kelly, the Boyd Family and other various friends! I hope jan and Janet will be in town but they might be in Canada :( :( :( either way it will be great seeing everyone again! My dad told me while I was on Kauai that he and my nana were going to try and make it to Houston but my dad just told me he won't be able to go with me. Maybe nana can escort me to my appointments again like she did last year! Hopefully we won't make as much noise as we did last time...bringing Zoe into the Rotary House AND MD Anderson (yes, we had security chasing us down and trying to kick us out...but we had no where to put Zoe!!) this year Zoe is staying home with cass and staying OUT of the hospitals hehe. Oops! My flight has been made for the 14th of August and I am staying until the 22nd! So if you want to meet up while I'm there give me a call!

 It has been hard being away from my Houston family but I knew coming back to hawaii for a short time would be worth doing in the long run. Finishing up my degree with in-state tuition and not having to stretch it out for who knows how long because of the amount of classes Uni of Houston wouldn't transfer over could have potentially put me tens of thousands of dollars more in debt. Did i mention that the Houston heat was unbearably uncomfortable since my body wasnt able to handle the heat anymore? well that is no longer an issue now that I don't break out in hives everytime it gets a little warm out. I have to say that I will miss Hawaii's trade winds and I am grateful for them to help cool me off when my own body couldn't. Plus being back on Oahu and working at FSPT is giving me direct access to my first step into the BASI Pilates program. Working has helped me with my recovery and strengthening my posture/body. I feel like I have more control of myself again and I feel like my body is finally regulating itself normally again. Yes, my hot flashes are finally cooling off!

I can't believe it has been two years since my diagnosis because I feel like so much more time has passed from June 8th, 2011 to today! I have grown so much and discovered more about myself than I ever thought I would know. I feel more confident about my actions and being back on Oahu, being financially responsible for myself (with the help of Cassidy) and finishing up school has made me more of an adult. It has been tough but I am proud of where me and Cassidy are today and our plans for our future. I can't wait to be done with school, get started with Pilates and move back to Houston! It feels good to have plans for the future again; it was hard to let myself think too far ahead because I kept remembering that I used to have plans and they were changed due to my cancer. I was afraid to make future plans even for the next month because I knew nothing is ever set in stone. But I feel good looking into the next year and a half and looking forward to my next step in life. Moving (permanently) away from Oahu to Texas and setting down roots there in Houston and Austin. I know this detour through Oahu was not in the plans when we first moved away for my treatment but I have benefited from it in more ways than I can explain. And I couldn't have done it without Cassidy and Zoe by my side 100% of the time! I love what our little family has become and I'm so excited for our next step to make it bigger! Baby fever has set in...haha! I am guessing that is a good sign for my body! I am still waiting on the wedding plans (though still working on the bridesmaids dresses) until me and Cassidy can start saving some money. I think once we actually start saving then we will have a better idea of when the wedding will be. Since we are still stressing a lot on finances (even though Cassidy told me not to worry about them and leave it for him to stress about) I don't think we should be stressing about how to pay for a wedding until we can actually have plans to afford it. I know we will find a way to have the perfect evening for us all!
Thank you all for being patient!

We are going to see World War Z tonight (Brad Pitt and Zombies?? What could be better?!?) and I plan on furthering my relaxing weekend by healing and doing nothing! I hope everyone else has a relaxing weekend and I will write again soon!

Let's all pray this cough goes away ASAP! I'm using up all of the tissue at home and at work. :/ haha