I love October!

 I feel like October is just a fun busy month. We celebrate the annual things such as the St. George marathon, State XC and the weather cooling off which usually means lots of hikes and being outside for activities other than just being in the pool. October in years past have also usually brought on some traveling and duh lots and lots of haunted houses and halloween party and activities. So yes, I love October. The only thing I don't like is knowing it's the start of colder weather for the next 6 months. This week started out with a day of work on Monday. My coworker wanted Monday off so she switched me her Monday for my Friday. It was an easy day being stuck in the dermatology clinic. The one thing I loved was making sterile trays again, just like I did at dads office. Other than that - it was pretty boring. Tuesday was a girls day!

A wonderful lady offered to take our picture. I cringed when she turned my phone side ways and started using her fingers to zoom in! NOOO y'all already know that's a sin in my book. We'll take what we can get I guess. 

Anyways - spent the afternoon in Sundance and rode the lifts to the top of the mountains. It's always good to spend time with my sisters from other misters. 

Honestly the nicest day!

We ordered some nachos from the shack up at the top and we didn't look at the price before hand so we were greeted with a 30$ bill. Never again haha. Wednesday and Thursday were spent back at work - easy boring days as far as I remember. In other updates - running hasn't been going as well as it was. I think school has added much stress to my life which has been impacting my health and back quite a bit. I usually tell my doctor that my pain stays around a 2/10, but recently I would say without running it is constantly around 3-4 now and running bumps it up even more. SO running has taken a little bit of a back burner and Ive just been brainstorming ways to manage stress. As of right now Ive just been doubling up on my meds. This last week seems like it was chill, but since failing my midterm a week ago - this week has just seemed more stressful with my grades being this dark cloud above me. Another additive to my stress could be the text I received from my best friend on Thursday morning at work. Right around noon, Erin sent me a text stating her scans showed her main tumor to be stable, but her lymph nodes to be enlarged. Her doctor had a difficult conversation with her saying this could be swelling and inflammation due to treatment, but more than likely its disease progression. The plan is to do one more cycle of treatment (3 weeks) and to recheck scans after that. If continual growth then that will indicate disease progression and the trial will be discontinued and symptom management/ comfort care will begin. Her doctor told her she most likely has a few weeks to 5 months left if disease progression. I read this information while at work and all day long I just tried to distract myself so I didn't have to cry. Don't worry those cooped up emotions hit me on my way home and it wasnt pretty. It's been a pretty emotional few days already. Yes, I figured this time would come at some point, but that doesn't mean anyone is ever really prepared to say goodbye to their best friend. I talked with Erin more that night when I got home and she told me there's no reason in overthinking it now. She's planning on getting through these three weeks and worrying about the future after that. She's hoping her doctor is wrong about the progression, but she's one tough cookie and can handle everything that comes her way so that's what we'll continue to do. Ive already told Erin that out of all my friends and family she's the one that ruins my day the most often. More updates to come and still memories to have with Erin. But, yeah life is kinda a lot right now, good and bad. 

Before I forget these pictures - all day long Jesse was raving about her super cheap 40$ platform ugg knock off boots. As we stepped off the shuttle heading back to our car, her shoe just completely came undone. It was freaking hilarious. 

Lesson learned - sometimes it's worth buying the 160$ uggs that don't break in half the first time you wear them haha. 

Friday morning I drove down to stg for marathon weekend! I was technically supposed to work Saturday morning, but I called out in need of a mental health day. Drewby represented the Swells family, Mason was the only one of the M Wells' and the K wells' had a great group with Kyle, George and Evan! Nicholas, Troy and some old teammates were a few others running down the course. I drove drew up to grandmas Friday night and got to hangout with Grandma and randy for a little bit. I love any excuse to visit beauty pine valley. 

Drew's crew! Walking up the course to meet drew at the top of diagonal - little did we know he already had the Klomp brother with him. Spencer and Collin had been running with him since mile 19 which is pretty dang impressive. 

Drews whole hype crew. It was fun to get a couple quick miles in. My back held up for the 2 miles we ran at 7:30 pace. It was a good time. Drew is developing a little stress fracture so he wasnt sure how this marathon would go if he would even finish. He did well running a 3:10! Evan ran a 3:27, George at 3:40, Kyle with a PR of 3:57 and mason somewhere a little after 4 hours. Always a good time. Yes, I miss it and want to be able to be out there racing again one day, but we'll see. For now Im grateful I can run a couple miles here and there when I have the time. 

Saturday afternoon session of conference was spent like this

And like this. 

Saturday night we had a sibs date to go see "Am I Racist?"

We live in a very weird world now days and Im not sorry for the color of my skin or for anyones color of their skin. Let's all work hard, be nice and live life. no need for any hatred towards any type of people except maybe like legit bad people. Anyways Matt Walsh is a savage.