Thursday, April 11

I arrived in Austin a day early so I could spend time with my friends Amy & Colin and their adorable son Cooper. Every time I see them, I realize how much I miss them, especially Amy. She is one of my oldest friends and she helped me so much while I was sick. Not only did she just stay on the phone and listen when I would break down, overwhelmed by everything, but she steadfastly sent me a postcard each week so I'd have some mail. One of the best ones she sent was a picture of a pug and she wrote, "Pugs make me smile so I'm sending my smile to you." It brings tears to my eyes each time I see it or think of it. Thanks Aim, for all the smiles over the years.

Friday, April 12

Today is Jeff's birthday! Before picking him up at 2:30, I spent the morning doing some homework and last minute birthday shopping. Finally it was time to go to the airport and I was so excited to see my boy. We went to the Green Mesquite for some real Texas BBQ, recommended by Colin.

After lunch, we headed straight for the Expo to pick up our Ride registration packets and to sign both of our moms up for the Run for the Roses and Thea for the Ride as well. Then we checked in at the hotel and waited for Betty to arrive and off we went to the Rock for the Roses concert, where we saw Cake play and drank some weird varieties of lemonade. People were parading around with gigantic turkey legs which made me want to be a vegetarian again, and made Jeff want to eat a turkey leg. :)

On our way out of the concert, we stopped by the Wall of Hope so I could sign a note to my message board family. Since diagnosis, all during treatment, and still to this day, I visit this web-based message board just for people dealing with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. It's a small community of people and we share the ups & downs of NHL together. It felt great to have a physical embodiment of them all with me, even though I knew they were all there in spirit.

Then it was time for me to pick up Thea at the airport (I definitely knew my way there by now). More bike box fun! We got back to the hotel to find out they overbooked and had to move Thea to a different hotel. But it all worked out in the end because she got two nights of her stay comp'd. We didn't stay up visiting too late (it was already almost 11 p.m.) so we could be rested for the Run early the next day.