Nick Finally Visits Nampa

Nick and I have been friends for nearly 4 years and he has never visited Nampa, that is until I got cancer...Him and his grandma who I dearly love came for a short visit last Friday.  My first real excursion out since my surgery!  They flew in at noon, we picked them up from the airport and took them first to my favorite place in Boise, The Train Depot.  It is so beautiful and peaceful.  I use to go there often when I was in college.

I of course had to also take them on a drive through the Boise State campus and to show Nick the blue turf, even though I don't think he could see it very well through the gaits and chains.  We passed by St. Lukes where I have my chemo treatment and then met up with Alisha and Tristen for lunch.  My fear of going out was that my ileostomy would leak.  I haven't really had much of a problem with it, but we had to change it 3 times earlier that day.  Well, when I got out of the car to have lunch, my breakfast began to leak out of me.  It wasn't funny.  Nick didn't seem bothered by it, but I sure was.  Mom, Tenielle and Tristen with her baby wipes helped me change it and thankfully this time it stuck for 4 days.  At least I had a slip on and it didn't leak through to my skirt.  At that point I wasn't very hungry, but we did enjoy lunch as much as we could.  Next stop was to the medical supply store to get some ileostomy supplies, talk about romantic.  I admit I got a little tearful at this point.  I was tired and frustrated, but still happy to have Nick and grandma here.  And Nick is a trooper by taking charge and doing what needs done even at the medical supply store.  Of course by then I was ready for a nap and so was everyone else.  Tristen brought the girls over and stayed the night because Mitch had gone to Utah.  I don't know if I mentioned earlier, but Tristen is moving to SLC the end of August, but they sent their stuff down there this past weekend.  That night we watched half of a movie, before we were all ready for an early bedtime.  

Saturday morning we went to the Farmers Market and had lunch at Arctic Circle, which is one of my favorite hamburger joints, even though I can't eat hamburger, I can have ice cream!

That afternoon my friends came to meet Nick, paint my toenails and swim.  

In the evening all the kids came over.  I also had my first piece of pizza since surgery.  It was so yummy.  It is always pretty loud when we are all together, but we sure do have a great time.  

I went to church for the first time on Sunday in 4 weeks.  I have never missed that many Sundays in a row.  It was so nice to be back to church among so many wonderful people.  It was fast and testimony meeting and I had the opportunity to share my testimony.  It was just what I needed and gave me the opportunity to thank my Heavenly Father publicly for the many tender mercies I have had over the past month and to share my testimony of the gospel with Nick, grandma, my family and church members.  It is through my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ that I am getting through each day and knowing my answers to prayers and faith come from a loving Heavenly Father.  We only stayed for 2 of the 3 meetings, because I needed to come home for a nap.  We had a delicious dinner before the kids came over to celebrate all the July kids birthdays, Bridget turns 2, the Twins and Karston turn 3. Alisha also came for a visit and brought her adorable little Calvin who has the cutest laugh. 

Monday we had breakfast and spent the morning lounging around.  Nick couldn't leave here without having some Cafe Rio!  They drove back to SLC with Tenielle so that they could visit Temple Square for a few days before going back to the East Coast.  

We didn't have much alone time, a few walks and chats when I would wake up from my naps, but it was so good to have him here.  He was so attentive to my needs, made sure I had my pills, let me cry and be frustrated that I have cancer, let me rest when I needed to and not let me over do myself.  I think we are already planning another trip for him out here during the middle of my chemo treatments.  I need things and people to look forward to, to get me through this difficult time.