Goodbye Summer

I hate how my blog posts tend to be seasonal. I truly mean to get on more often than I do, I just never actually get around to it!

August continued to be a hot, hot month for us as temperatures stayed over 100 most days. We were fortunate enough to travel to the north side of Houston the second weekend in August to see Sim's favorite band, 311, perform at the Cynthia Woods Pavilion. It was our first trip to The Woodlands and we were surprised to find that we REALLY enjoyed the area! It is amazing that for only traveling about 30 miles north of the city, it truly felt like a great little getaway to somewhere much farther away. Here are some photos from our weekend in The Woodlands! (I have some pictures from the concert on Sim's phone...I'll have to add later!)


View of the waterway to the right from our room




View of the waterway to the left from our room



Right before we left for the concert



Taking the skywalk from our hotel to the concert venue

 The last weekend in August was spent down in Galveston with celebrating the upcoming wedding of a great friend from work. She had gathered a group of her girl friends and we were able to enjoy an absolutely wonderful weekend down at Pointe West Resort in Galveston together. Sim and I have lived here for over three years but really have stayed away from going to the beaches down in Galveston. Partially because we were completely spoiled by Florida beaches a few years ago but primarily because the majority of people that we have met who are FROM here...do not even swim in the water! This problem was easily solved by the resort's amazing pools! We actually only visited one but it was perfect and I had the best time celebrating a great friend!

View of the Gulf from off the porch



Sunset view of Galveston Bay from the porch


Sim and I wrapped up our summer with a wonderful trip to San Antonio together. It was the first time we'd been to San Antonio together since March of 2009 (our St. Patrick's Day trip) so we wanted to plan what we like to call a "bucket list" trip. Our focus was to make sure we saw or did some of the things we'd always wanted to see or do in San Antonio. I had such a great time despite the intense heat (do you notice a theme here?) and I couldn't have planned for everything to go better. We traveled from the restored Mission San Jose to a beautiful historic hotel downtown on the Riverwalk (it was on my bucket list to stay there!) across the Alamo up through Seaworld and finished at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort. At each of the hotels we stayed at we received an amazing military rate for our rooms and we even got into Seaworld for free thanks to their Heres to the Heroes program. Get ready for a picture overload...here are some pictures from our trip!



Mission San Jose Est. 1720



La Mansion del Rio



at the Alamo



Seaworld Shamu show



The amazing lazy river ride at the resort



Pool overlooking the golf course





Texas....Hotter than Hell's Door Hinges!

I heard this saying today and it cracked me up. I think I can understand first hand exactly how hot that might just feel! It's too hot to go outside here. Too hot to spend any special attention or time towards a particular hairstyle (ponytail anyone?) Almost too hot to think! In fact there are reports all over the news here that for the Houston area has broken their record for daily electricity consumption three times in as many days. Texan's might like their heat but they also enjoy their AC!

Just two weeks ago we were at the beach with my family but it is crazy how after just a few days back in the daily grind of work and life, vacation seems like it was eons ago. Here are two quick pictures from the trip. The beautiful coastline of Emerald, Isle, NC and the entire Bassett clan!

If you need me I'll be inside under the comfort and safety of my air conditioner and a cool glass of tea until....eh, October?

Approaching the Finish Line

It feels like the marathon that has been our life the past few months has left us finally approaching the finish line. What a ride it has been, filled with some unexpected dips and turns but overall completely surrounded by the love and support of our friends and family there to cheer us along the way.

It was about eighteen months ago that Sim first came to me and mentioned that he thought he felt a strange lump. I'll be completely honest here and admit that I brushed it off and told him he had probably pulled a muscle. He is certainly a tough guy but he also (like most men) can overreact a just a little bit to the smallest ache or pain.

Shortly after that we went into full swing preparing for his upcoming deployment and although he mentioned the lump again on occasion, we were not overly concerned. When Sim returned home from his deployment this past December he mentioned to me that the lump was still there and it seemed to be getting bigger. He wanted to talk to his Coast Guard doctor about it and I completely supported him. At this point I started to think to myself, "I hope this isn't a big deal...what if something is wrong and here I brushed it off a whole year ago."

Long story short, Sim's CG doctor was amazingly proactive and sent him for further testing and upon reviewing his scans immediately referred us to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston where we were under the amazing care of Dr. Fieg and his staff. MD Anderson did a lot of testing but the results of the tumor biopsy were inconclusive. Since we knew it needed to come out regardless because it was growing, Dr. Feig arranged surgery for the end of June. There were quite a few risks as a result of the surgery, primarily the risk of the procedure seriously affecting Sim's fertility. We put our trust in God and together with our families support, we moved forward with preparing for the surgery.

Surgery day came and I honestly don't know if I've ever felt more scared. This man: my guardian, my best friend, my love...was going in to have surgery that could potentially change our lives forever. Those hours while he was in the operating room and I walked the halls of the hospital, I rotated between praying fervently that the tumor was benign and could be removed successfully...and trying to avoid thinking about what was actually happening at all.

Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death. ~Author Unknown

 

Thankfully the tumor was benign and we were ever so thankful to receive great news regarding Sim's prognosis and expected recovery. He spent four days under the amazing care of the MD Anderson hospital staff before he was released to come home to recover. Because of the nature of the surgery and how invasive it was, he's been off work and recovering for the past five weeks but he has finally reported back to work today. I think he was beyond ready to get out of the house and back into his routine!

While this whole situation has been a personal struggle for us, we believe that the amazing love and support shown by our family and friends has meant so much. If anything please let our experience, give you confidence to go to a doctor when you notice something about your body that just doesn't seem quite right. It's worth it...you are worth it.

We are forever grateful that we did not have to face cancer this summer but we have also been reminded that our health is incredibly fragile and should be appreciated because you never know what tomorrow may bring. What we do know is that God has carried us through this part of our journey and we are thankful for what we have today, which is each other. We're patiently waiting for his next blessing that he hopefully has in store for us and our family but we know we're in the excellent hands of a loving Father, which has allowed us to grow in a way we might not have if we had not been given this experience.

Happy 4th Anniversary!

Four years ago we celebrated with our closest family and friends. We are so thankful for everyone who has been there for us. I could not think of anyone else I would rather share my life with!


Happy Anniversary and cheers to many, many more!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. ~Mignon McLaughlin

5 Years in the Coast Guard!

We've certainly had a lot going on the past few weeks but we are so thankful for our friends and family being so supportive. Now if only we lived closer and could get some of those hugs in real life! We are trusting in the care of the wonderfully gifted and competent doctors who will be taking care of Sim and we see this time as a reminder that no matter how much we like to think we are the ones in control of our lives that God is all knowing and he is truly the one in charge. We are okay with that though. How lucky we are to have a Father who loves us enough to be so involved in our lives.

Now to focus on some good news...today is the 5th Anniversary of Sim graduating Coast Guard boot camp! It's so crazy to think that only five years ago Sim was just starting this journey but at the same time it's crazy to think that it has already been five whole years! We've been so fortunate in our experiences and even though it has certainly not been easy, neither one of us would change a thing. Well...I guess if we could be closer to family, we would change THAT but even the pain of missing our loved ones and being so far away has enabled us to grow together in a way that we might never have been able to otherwise.

Here are just a few photos from his ceremony that I was able to put online:

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2011

As another Texas March comes to a close, so does our fourth rodeo/mardi gras season!  (Whats really crazy is that I almost typed third and just had to count over and over that..YES, in fact we have been living here for what is going on our fourth year! WOW!) We love the Houston rodeo and as you can see from our posts back in March 2008 and March 2010 it has been a favorite activity for us each year. This year was no different! This year (just like in 2009) we were able to attend the rodeo on St. Patrick's Day! It made for a great way to celebrate two occasions in one! Since I am Irish, it was only fitting to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a drink. This year since we were at the rodeo, I had my first taste of Cowboy Punch. 
I was actually surprised by how good it was! Here's what's in it:

2 cups half-and-half
2 cups milk
1 to 1 1/3 cups brandy
1/2 cup Simple Syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups crushed ice
Ground nutmeg

It sort of tasted like Egg Nog! Not something you would want to drink a lot of because it was rather rich but it was good!

The band that was playing on the 17th was Zac Brown Band! They were excellent! Afterwards we went out to the carnival to ride some rides and wait until traffic died down. We almost lost our lives on the two rides that we rode on (or at least we felt like we might!) There is something about the thrill of carnival rides that makes you feel like a kid again! We had SO much fun.

This year we were not able to attend the San Luis Salute because that was something I was invited to attend through my old job. Sim ended up being out of town that week for work, so in the end it probably would not have worked out anyways! We did make our way down to Galveston for the first weekend of Mardi Gras and were able to watch a parade on Seawall Boulevard. We caught a TON of Mardi Gras beads and walked around to catch the sights before heading back up to the mainland.

It was a foggy February day, very typical for Galveston this time of year!

Another source of excitement for our household has been the purchase of a new couch. We finally have room for plenty of guests to sit when they come over! Our new couch is what I would consider HUGE...okay it actually IS huge...but what sold us on it, is how well it pulls apart into separate beautiful pieces of furniture without looking awkward like some sectionals can. We'll see, hopefully it will adapt to us and our homes through the years but in the meantime I can say that every member of the family has officially claimed "their spot" on the couch including chuckie. In fact he has claimed the entire ottoman but we gladly give it to him. (It actually makes it easier to vacuum up his hair when he sheds. Spoken like a true cat lover, huh?)

Speaking of the kitty....here is chuckie who climbed into my bag while Sim was away for work one week. I like to think his purpose was so that he could get in a bag and make his way to Sim because he missed him. haha.

Pictures from our Cruise and Congratulations to Sim!

Click here to view these pictures larger

Here are some pictures from our cruise! If you click on the "Click here to view these pictures larger" link then you can read the captions that go along with these photos. We had a great time! We ate and drank way too much and loved being able to see so many beautiful and amazing parts of the Caribbean. Our favorite island was Grand Cayman and I think we'd love to plan a trip back there. The island was clean and beautiful with the most amazing blue water you have ever seen. A close second would be our final destination of Tulum, Mexico which was also pretty amazing. We ended up visiting an eco-resort area with beautiful rustic hotels with open-air huts and wide open private beaches.

Once we were back the very next day was my first day at my new position. It was a little exhausting to get back to work after such a great vacation but I have really been enjoying my new role. I still have a LOT to learn but I can tell it is a great place to work and I know I'll gain a lot from the position and the people I will be working with.

Sim received a wonderful recognition upon his return to work! He received an achievement medal for all of his hard work during his deployment. This is a really great honor that will give him points towards advancement. Here is a picture of his award and his medal. There was also a letter detailing all of his efforts going above and beyond what is required of him. I am so proud of him! 

Happy 2011-lots of updates!

Well it certainly has been a little while since I have updated on here! It has been a very eventful past few months with a few ups and downs. We are so blessed to have every one of you in our life and even though we do not see many of those we love enough, we are always thinking of you and praying for you. Texas is great and we really are enjoying it but no place is truly home without family. We trust that this is where we need to be at this time in our life though and we are both working hard to make the best lives that we can for now.

In the meantime there has been a lot going on! Let's see if I can recap our last two months with the most important events that occured!

* November 14th- Sim and his unit returned home! It was so amazing to stand at the Houston Air Station and watch the plane land with our loved ones on it! As you would expect it has been absolutely wonderful having him home! It only took about a week or so for us to settle back into a routine and now it honestly feels like he never left, which is the way I like it.



* December 18th- I graduated with my MBA! There were around 600 people in our graduation ceremony (The College of Business and the College of Education). Not too shabby for a December graduation! There was a big crowd of family and friends in attendance and while we really missed having friends and family there to celebrate with us, Sim made up for being the only one there and when they called my name he yelled so loud, I could hear him all the way up on the platform! I have to thank everyone for being so supportive to me on this long journey over the past 2.5 years. I really could not have done it without you as my cheerleaders and especially Sim who always supported me and helped me to remain motivated.



* Christmas 2010- We broke tradition this year and instead of heading up to VA we drove (yes DROVE) to Nashville Tenessee, to spend the holiday with Joel, Allie and the kids. It was so nice to enjoy a week together of seeing Hendersonville & Nashville, meeting their friends, playing games, cooking, and enjoying my first Zumba experience with Allie! We can't wait to get back up there. Maybe next time in the summer when it's a little warmer though! ;)




* January 2011- This month I am leaving my current position at The University of Texas Medical Branch and moving into a great new opportunity at the same institution. I have been in my current role for over three years and while I am SO excited at the opportunity to advance and use those wonderful degrees I worked so hard for.....I will miss my office, my coworkers and the clients where I have been for the past few years. It has certainly been a learning and growing experience for me to apply for jobs, to finally secure one, and to have to leave my position for a new one. I have been looking for a new opportunity for about a year but it so wonderfully coincided with my graduation that I am just so grateful to be able to officially close one chapter of my life and open another one all at once. It is a wonderful feeling that I truly appreciate.

*Lastly another January event is that we FINALLY leave on our cruise!! We have been counting down to this vacation since we booked it in June and unofficially looking forward to a cruise for years! Next week this time we'll be sailing in the Caribbean and we just can not wait! When our alarm off this morning at 5:45am I reminded Sim that in one week...we won't have an alarm to wake us up!

Missing him

Just missing him a little extra today :( I am SO ready to have him home. There is nothing like having your best friend around and no matter how much you try to keep busy to trick yourself from thinking about it....the quiet moments sneak up on you when you just feel empty inside.

On a positive note, he is now supposed to be coming home one week earlier than we originally anticipated! How is that for a glass half full?

Race for the Cure

This past Saturday I participated in my first Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Houston. Three friends and I were part of UTMB's team. Last year UTMB's team was ranked #12 out of over 1200 teams in the amount of money that was raised at the event. This year's goal was to raise $25,000 and as of race day we had raised over $16,000. UTMB Race for the Cure Fundraising Page

The event was amazing! There were over 32,000 people there and it was truly inspirational to see that many people gathering together to support such an important cause. Breast Cancer surivors were wearing bright pink shirts that said "Survivor" on them and there were hundreds of them walking around. It's empowering to see woman and men who have fought cancer and won. There are too many people affected by this disease and we can only hope that with more funding, support, and increased knowledge and access to treatment we can one day live in a world without breast cancer!



When I got home from the race on Saturday I decided I had not inflicted enought pain on my body yet so I proceeded to get to work on our yard! 11 bags of mulch later, a LOT of bush pruning, a little planting, and tying back of plants I was done! It's much more fun to do yardwork with an extra set of hands but I'm proud I got this done all on my own! I had to tackle both a hornet and a yellow jacket nest but I won! The orange flowers are looking a little rough because I had just tied them up to a stake to help them grow better. They were getting really top heavy and were touching the ground. Hopefully within a week or two they'll be a little more receptive to their new placement and start filling out a little bit.

 My new mums. They will hopefully bloom a purple pink color!

The whole yard

Lastly here is Charles playing with his favorite toy. I'm not sure what I would do without this little guy around to keep me company!