Sam, You're Healed!

Well, not quite... but that is where we're hoping and praying we'll be soon!  Kory and I have learned to do everything we possibly can out of our bedroom, which has become Sam's refuge.  As soon as we're out of her line of sight, the yelping and crying begins.  In hopes of minimizing her separation anxiety, we take turns escaping from our tiny bedroom. 

Last week we had a little scare.  On Wednesday night, when Kory came home from work, Sam became her usual wild woman when she realized her favorite guy was near.  She jumped up on her hind legs (one being the gimpy leg) and came down with the most horrifying cry.  Kory and I were both very concerned.  Sam will whine endlessly because she wants attention or needs to go outside, but we've only heard her whimper in pain a handful of times and never like this.  She went from using her leg occasionally to acting like it was not there at all.  She kept it tucked up to her belly and hopped around.  We "knew" we were in trouble.   On Thursday, I kept a close eye on her.  She still refused to use the leg at all.  When we informed her surgeon of what had happened, she insisted that we bring her in ASAP.  

When we arrived at the vet's office and Sam realized where we were, she whined like she was being tortured.  After dragging her into the office, they were able to do a physical exam and take an x-ray.  The surgeon's assistant informed us that we'd surely taken several steps back as far as Sam's recovery is concerned.  An x-ray revealed nothing.  Everything internally seemed a-OK.  Thank goodness.  

We thanked our lucky stars that our little untamed beast wouldn't need additional attention from our surgeon... and is still on track to regain full use of her 4th leg!
When we got back home, we locked ourselves in Sam's makeshift bedroom/kennel, and snuggled in for a calm and restful evening.  We're still trying to figure out how to keep her from going crazy when Kory gets home.  The only solution we've arrived at is Kory quitting his job and becoming a stay at home 'Sam Snuggler.'  Unlikely, but I think Sam and Kory would agree that it would be a dream they both hope to attain! :)

Vow to Wow - Family Style

Kory came home from Pennsylvania with all kinds of great news!  Most importantly, his mom's surprise party went off without a hitch!  They had a wonderful time and she was genuinely surprised!  I wish I could have been there to see it but luckily, Kory's sisters took over my job of family photographer and passed on lots of great pictures!
I was impressed and surprised when Kory told me about the deal he made with his big sister, Kelly, and his mom... they would all run a 5k together in June - in hopes of not only supporting one another, but also beating one another!  Pretty awesome, right?  What motivation to get into shape!  I would love to join their challenge... but I think this one is best left to the fiance and in-laws! haha.  I'll stick to my virtual dog walks and wii fit!  But I promise to be standing there at the finish line cheering for each and every one of them! :) 

All this talk about getting into shape did motivate Kory and I to sign up for a gym membership.  I am actually looking forward to working out together!  We may as well watch each other shed the extra pounds, we'll surely appreciate the end product that much more...

Great Friends, Great Advice

I spent my evening with one of my nearest and dearest friends, Aaron.  She and I have been pals since 7th grade.  Unfortunately, she lives far away (in Utah) so we had our little girls' night via our handy dandy cell phones.  All I can say is thank goodness for unlimited nights and weekends.  We talked for 4 hours!  We probably could have watched the sunrise together but my phone battery gave in...

The coolest thing we talked about was marriage.  Aaron and her husband have been together for 8 years and have 3 lovely little girls.  As any couple, they have been through their trials.  The inspiring part is, not only have they lived to talk about it but they both have learned invaluable lessons from the challenges they've faced as a couple.  Aaron, the brilliant woman she is, reminded me that guys think in a completely different way than girls.  They don't need to talk endlessly about their problems and prefer to limit discussions about our problems to concise statements.  She also suggested that the female mind is more consequence oriented while males live in the moment more.  Everything she said made so much sense.  It's nice to know we're not alone.  The best part was when her hubby chimed in and said, "Just remember, as much as you love them, you'll hate them."  I couldn't help but take a second and think about that.  I really love Kory a lot.  It's hard to imagine taking the immense feelings of love and adoration and throwing them to the opposite end of the spectrum... but I'm certain we'll have our moments!  Their candor was not only comical but enlightening.   It's wonderful to have friends that have 'been there' when it comes to marriage  and are happy to share the good, the bad, and the humiliating... And, of course, can give real life warnings and advice when it comes to what we about to get ourselves into! :)  I can already see that these late night chats and 'wife to wife' talks about life will be an incredibly enjoyable support system that I will surely embrace whole heartedly! :)

Aaron has also agreed to be our unofficially official  cruise and wedding photographer!! :)  I really couldn't be happier about this - she's crazy good!  One more detail down, infinite to go...

Big Plans

Spoiler Alert... Just kidding. I am typing this Thursday night but I would not dare post it until at least Saturday night. I'd hate to be cast out of the Blose family before I even officially join.

This morning Kory got up before sunrise to hop on a plane to Pennsylvania. The original plan was for us to go together but Sam's injury put a kink in our plans. Thank goodness for Southwest's flexible flight change options... though, what's another couple hundred bucks! ha! So I'm going to hang back in Denver to cuddle and care for our dog and her beat up leg.  Think of the Yiddish proverb, "We plan, God laughs."
Meanwhile, Kory is in route to PA for his mama's big surprise 50th birthday party! I actually think they've managed to keep it a secret based on conversations Kory has had with his mom. Though, we all know how a mother's intuition gets in the way of these kinds of events. :) His sisters planned an awesome day of pampering followed by a surprise dinner with all of their mom's closest friends. I cannot wait to find out what kind of reaction she has and if they pulled it off! I'm hoping someone gets camera happy so I can pretend I was there along side my future in-laws for the big reveal!

Conveniently, Kory was able to schedule a meeting and tour at the University of Pittsburgh for tomorrow (Friday). One of Kory's best friend's big brothers is a surgeon at Pitt. He was nice enough to set Kory up with some folks that would be of particular interest to Kory in his plans to earn a PhD!  How awesome is that?!  I haven't been this excited about something in a long time!  :) Those who know Kory know that he is capable of doing ANYTHING! Really... he's brilliant! I'm so glad he is going to pursue higher educational opportunities and aim for his full potential. I'm telling you folks, he's an Einstein! I am not biased or anything! haha. So in addition to hearing about how the surprise party goes, I'm dying to hear what Kory thinks about Pitt! If all goes as we're hoping and praying it will, we'll be moving back to Pennsylvania in August so Kory can reignite his love for academia and pursue a doctorate!!!

In an attempt to put my useless enthusiasm aside,  I'm going to spend the weekend refocussing my energy on the less exciting things I need to get caught up on...  and of course, icing, medicating, and caring for our little dogchild!

Wedding Logistics and Booking Details

Since the Save the Dates have been delivered, I have begun receiving all kinds of questions about the details around the cruise.  Our travel planner is going to send out information packages in the near future but I figured I may as well inform the eager! :)

Click Here to be directed to the Carnival website for specific cruise details. 

Our travel agent, Kristi Zelesky at Denver Travel, is ready and willing to start booking cruises and flights for those that are ready. 

Email: Kristi@denvertravel.net 

Phone: 888.321.0103 (toll free) or 303.504.0400 (Office)

Denver Travel tells us that they will meet or beat any online offer and if you go through Kristi, it will assure that you are on the right cruise! :) 

Click on the image below for more information.

Note: Price includes taxes

Happy Birthday, Marilyn!

"Today is Michael Jordan's birthday!"  Kory chuckled, first thing this morning, aware that I understood his silliness.  Today is not only Michael Jordan's birthday, but also Kory's mom's - Marilyn, my future mother in law! :)

(Some of  the biggest challenges of living in Denver when most of both of our families are 2000 miles away in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania are days like today.  We don't get to celebrate birthdays like we'd love to!  I suppose we're lucky that florists deliver! : / )

HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY,  MARILYN!!! 

WE LOVE YOU!!

Sam's Surgery Success

Yesterday, after Kory and Sam left to head off to the vet, I turned my phone volume all the way up and just started waiting... and waiting... and waiting for the call that would inform us that our sweet "little" Sammie's surgery was a great success and we were welcome to come get her anytime.   This waiting and waiting began at 6:45 am.  It wasn't until 3 pm that the orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Fick, called to tell us the surgery went wonderfully!  As soon as I answered the phone, she says, "Boy, you sound like you've been waiting for this call all day!"  haha.  I guess I let the cat out of the bag! :)  Luckily, Sam hadn't caused further damage to the cartilage.  The bummer, we wouldn't be able to get her  until the following day!  I know it's a bit pathetic, but I just wanted to get her home!

Today is the day she gets to come home!  We've made lots of yummy treats and prepared the guest room for her long recovery!  Thanks for all the warm thoughts and prayers!!

Prayers for Sammie Sunshine

Kory whisked Sam away early this morning for her much anticipated surgery.  She was pitifully excited to get to go with Kory... little could she understand or know where she was being taken.  We'll be anxiously waiting for the phone call that will tell us the surgery was a success and she is comfortably waiting for the anesthesia to wear off.  Prayers and kind thoughts are much appreciated.   We're confident in her surgeon, Dr. Fick... but there is always a concern about complications.  Pray Pray Pray!

I snapped a few photos of Sammie Sunshine during her last check up.  Can you see the angst on her face? 

A Simple Valentines

I will be the first one to admit that Valentine's Day is completely unnecessary. If you love someone, it shouldn't take a "holiday" to remind you to say it or act on it. On the other hand, I secretly look forward to February 14th for all the same reasons. It's a great excuse to spend the entire day focused on your love for that special someone and do all those sappy things that you may not get to any other day of the year.


This year was simple and wonderful. As expected, Kory waited to the very last possible second to run out and buy a little something. I woke up Sunday morning to find an empty house. It was just me and my gimpy dog. Initially, I thought I must have confused the days and it was really Monday - so logically Kory would be at work. After shoveling the few inches of snow off the sidewalks and porch I began to feel like something was off – the streets were empty. When I went in to find the usual weekday morning talk shows no where to be found, I looked at the calendar. Sure enough, it was Sunday. A few minutes later Kory rolled in with a bundle of red roses and a sweetly hilarious card in tow. I ran back to the closet to collect his little gift and card. We were like little kids on our first date... bashful yet excited for the other's response to our selected token of love.
The rest of our Valentines Day was equally as simple and sweet. A relaxing day complete with lots of laughter, warmth, and of course, pizza and ColdStone icecream!

My inbox was full of emails from friends and family saying, “Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s your last one as a single woman, enjoy it!” Kory and I both got a kick out of this. Neither one of us considers ourselves single… but technically, of course, we are… for now.

If the Invitation is Any Indication...

When I ran out to get the mail today, there was a huge oversized envelope wedged behind our mailbox.  I was so delighted to find the most beautiful wedding invitation I have ever seen, ever. 

Almost 3 years ago I started my current job. I began the journey with 3 other girls in my same situation.  We traveled to India together for extensive training.  During our time in India I became close friends with one of the girls in particular - Anu, and remain so today.  She is of Indian descent and has added so much pizazz and worldliness to my life.  She and her long time Indian boyfriend will be wed on March 4 in the beautiful Goa, India.  The elaborate presentation of their invitation only made me wish more than ever that I could be there for their big day and take part in all of their joy and see Anu as the gorgeous bride I know she will be!  I cannot wait to see the pictures... thank goodness for  digital photography!  

Save Our Date!!! 11.24.2010

Kory and I have been working our tails off trying to make our invitee list and find all of their respective addresses.  With the help of our sisters and of course the internet, I believe we are nearing the end of this daunting task.   Our Save the Date postcards just arrived and I am in an unnecessary rush to get them out!  (I'm still trying to convince Kory that my enthusiasm about our wedding day is a good thing! hehe)  I would like to give folks as much time as possible to decide if they're up for our cruise  - at this point we're down to about 8 months until the wedding, and 4 months until we're going to ask our guests to RSVP!  

In addition to planning for this 'most wonderful day of our lives,' we're also trying to get our acts together and start thinking about and planning our "Hometown Reception" that will follow the wedding at some point.  In true "great minds think alike" fashion, all three of Kory's sisters have suggested we have it on New Year's Day - 01.01.2011.  I LOVE this idea, especially since I would have loved to have had the actual wedding ceremony on this date!  As they noted, most places will probably be available - and they are!  I think we will take this brilliant idea and run with it.  We're hoping that our local guests like the idea as much as we do!

From today, we have 285 days until we leave on our wedding cruise...  according to http://www.theknot.com/, I am behind on everything!  Fortunately, my sisters are more on top of things than I am.  My big sister/Matron of Honor is coming to Denver this month to give me a little push in the right direction - thank heavens for sisters!

Update: Sam's Injury

After spending hours on the phone trying to find a reputable, board certified orthopedic surgeon to do Sam's surgery, we found our hero - Dr. Fick. Not only does she charge $1000 less than the next guy for her services, she's done hundreds of these specific types of surgeries, and put us all at ease when Sam warmed up to her before our first visit ended (for those of you who don't know Sam, it usually takes our little 'Scaredy Cat' several days to trust a stranger). 

Unfortunately we had to postpone our initial surgery appointment because some pre surgery blood work showed an elevated level of white blood cells and kidney function. I believe my initial response to this news was to laugh. Seriously? What else could go wrong!? Kory and I joked about having to take out loans to pay for Sam's dialysis, both fully aware that if necessary, we would. Luckily, this would not be necessary -yet. A follow up visit revealed that our poor gimpy dog has a bladder infection, unfortunate, but a far better outcome than renal failure. So on top of her anti inflammatory and pain meds, Dr. Fick prescribed a strong antibiotic and asked us to reschedule the surgery for the following Tuesday - February 16th.

This, initially, seemed like it would be no big deal. But reflecting on our first meeting with Sam's surgeon, we recalled her desire to do the surgery as soon as possible to avoid worsening the injury. Walking around with her bones disjointed has the potential to destroy the cartilage... which there is no simple fix for. So the sooner she gets the surgery, the less likely it is that further damage will result. All we can do is hope and pray that the infection goes quickly and we can keep Sam from jumping around like the maniac that she is! So far, I think we have done a moderately good job. Instead of walks, we take her on drives. Instead of playing with her peers at the dog park, we work on her obedience commands and tricks in our living room and do everything possible to stimulate her mind and not her body. We even took the mattress and box springs off of the bed frame and headboard to lower the bed's height - I don't know how we would sleep without our big black fur ball wedged between us! :)

Here's to  minimal ongoing complications and a speedy recovery for our little doll. Cheers!

Sam's First Big 'Boo Boo'

This past weekend was mostly full of laughter and happiness.... except for our one and only trip to the dog park with our beloved pup, Samantha (A.K.A Sam, Sammie Sunshine, Twig, etc).  Playful as ever, Sam took off to play with a dog half her size.  Kory and I looked on to make sure she didn't get too rough.  Next thing I know she is standing at Kory's side and he is examining her right, rear leg.  "Her hip must be dislocated."  He thought.  Kory struggled to carry our giant puppy out of the dog park.  He succumbed to her massive size right outside the park gate.  This is where Sam and I would remain until Kory returned with his truck to take us to the vet.

30 minutes later we arrived at our Vet's office.  The nurse took one look at the way Sam limped and could tell she had 'ruptured her CCL'. (http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/ccl/index.shtml) I looked at Kory and said, "You know, if there is any chance that she will need some crazy expensive surgery, Sam will surely need it."  How right I was.  The vet came in and afer a 3 minute exam she confirmed the nurses diagnosis.  She tore the ligament that keeps her bones in place around her knee.  The vet compared it to a human with an ACL injury.  Immediately this hit home with Kory.  It would take me hours of research to figure out exactly what this meant.   The only way to repair the tear would be a costly surgery.

Sam was clearly in pain.  When she walked, she hobbled like a three-legged dog, not our unstoppably crazy athlete of a pup.  This alone was heart breaking.  When I asked the vet how much the surgery would cost, her response was to apologize again and again.  This was a great indicator of the news to come. The nurse said, "For a dog this size, you're looking at at least $2400."  Kory and I just looked at eachother.  I could feel his anxiety and I am certain he could feel mine.  The vet continued to apologize as she wrote out prescriptions for pain medicine and a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. 

When we got in the car, Kory immediately went into problem solving mode.  The problem: How on earth would be come up with 2400 dollars?  The first thing that came to my mind was the last that came to Kory's.  The wedding.  We already had thousands of dollars tied up in this one day.  All I could think about was how much more important this furball was to me than any day at the beach - even my wedding day.  I was immediately fine with eloping.  I didn't even need to buy a stitch of clothing!  I would wear a dress that I'd worn as a bridesmaid in one of my friends' weddings a few summers ago.  This seemed like our only option.  As tears streamed down my face, Kory reminded me that it is tax season and he'd be receiving a refund that he would happily contribute!

It's funny that we never considered any alternative.  In the days to come, most dog owners that I spoke to confessed that if they were in our situation they would have to either give the dog up for adoption or put it down.  I appreciated their frankness but knew that neither of those options were for us.  Sam is our  baby.  Kory and I have bonded as her caretakers and I am certain that either one of us would do anything humanly possible to keep her safe and healthy. 

In calling the vets and surgeons in the area, we've come to the realization that this surgery is going to cost at least 50%  more than we were originally quoted.  The receptionists at the offices always seemed to have the same remorse when they had to tell us the jaw dropping figures.  But after talking to Kory for hours about what we would do, my jaw stopped dropping and I just knew it was something we had to do.  We would sell our things, we would get weekend jobs.  It doesn't matter how much it costs, we'll figure it out and have our healthy Sammie Sunshine by our sides when it is all said and done. 

In keeping with the theme of this blog, I have to say, I am SOOOO very thankful for Kory.  Through all of this, he has been an absolute rock, the unwavering  rock that I have needed more than ever!  Knowing how he responds in times of craziness and when I am on the brink of a complete meltdown gives me such a peace of mind about our future.  Marc and Angela were innocent bystanders through this traumatic experience and all they could say, with a smile on their faces is, "You guys are so ready to have children!" haha. 

Forever Friends

When I was a little girl, my two best friends and I used to tell everyone we were sisters every opportunity we got, then under our breath we would add, "In God's way," so technically we weren't lying.  To us, we were sisters, even better than biological sisters. 

We were lucky enough to have two very special visitors this week - Marc and Angela Lantz.  Marc is Kory's best friend from PA and Angela is his amazing wife that he met while doing an internship in Denver.  I can say, without a doubt, that Marc and Angela are two of our very closest and dearest friends and will remain so forever.  We had the most wonderful time together.  I've never felt more like family with people who are not at all related to me.  It was a comfortable and inspiring atmosphere. 

 I was reminded constantly of the incredibly close friendship I shared with my childhood friends by Kory and his best friend.  Their love and respect for one another was undeniable.  I've never seen two grown men show their appreciation for one another like Marc and Kory.  These two guys almost brought me to tears so many times.  Angela and I agreed that we'd never seen our men so candid and comfortable with anyone else.  This was a constant top of conversation.  We were both so moved by comments like, "You will never be replaced," and "No one will ever compare to Kory/Marc." 

While Kory is a lucky man to have three older sisters, I have to say, Marc is as closed to a brother to him as anyone will ever be and I am so thankful for their friendship.  Time and time again, I am reminded of how lucky I am to have Kory in my life and now that I am getting to know his long time friends and their gals on a whole new level, I feel even more overwhelmingly blessed to get to be a part of his life. 

Angela and I completely hit it off.   It was like we had been friends forever!  In the week they visited, I bet we talked for over 10 hours a day.  We reminisced with the boys when they were around and had "girl-talk" without them.  We dreamed about the vacations we would take together with our husbands and future kids and our promise to keep in touch forever.  I suppose you could say we are "instant great friends." 

On the way to the airport, I was reminded that we may not get to see Marc and Angela again until our wedding in November.  On one hand I was so sad to think that we may not get to connect again for 9 months, but on the other hand, I couldn't help but feel so at excited, yet at ease about our next meeting!  Marc will be performing our marriage which is going to add a dimension of meaning to the day that I would never have imagined a week ago.