To be missed

My coworker, Sharon, retired this week after 40 years of service here at Wishard/Eskenazi.  We celebrated her after work at Basies and even had some of our past coworker friends join/skype-in!  Sharon will certainly be missed.  She has been my chemistry mentor, go-to, fix-it, and find-it and I'm not sure what we will do without her.

Kissing Dolphins & Walruses

My sister, Shelby spent her summer working at the Indianapolis Zoo as an attendant at the Dolphin Theater. I have to throw in that I think this is her childhood coming full circle and that maybe the six-year-old version of myself did not destroy all balance in the universe by informing her she could not grow up to be a tiger.  After that apparently traumatizing and truth revealing day, my sister decided the next best thing was working in a zoo.  Nearly 20 years and two college degrees later, she found herself in a zoo for the summer.  While the job was not at all as glamorous as a four year old imagines, it did come with its perks which she was kind enough to share with even the crusher of children's dreams.

Yesterday, Shelby took Ronnie and I, along with my parents, and our friends the McCullough's on a behind the scenes adventure.  We started out in the dolphin arena petting, feeding, and even kissing four dolphins.  They were so full of energy and personality and seemed to love the attention we gave them as they chirped, squeaked, and whistled the whole time.

Next, we ventured to the walrus exhibit where a hungry Aurora and [800lb] little baby Puk were waiting.  We fed and petted them and let Aurora give us big whiskery suction cup kisses.  I think I may have a new favorite animal.

We had so much fun at our behind the scenes encounter and learned so much about our water-loving friends.  I can't wait to visit them again on our next trip to the zoo!

Devour Downtown @ Fogo de Chao!

Devour Downtown happens twice a year.  And it is a big deal to me and my food loving friends.  I've always  wanted to try Fogo de Chao, but every time I try to make reservations, they are all booked up.  This year I made reservations 2 MONTHS IN ADVANCE!  The meal was better than I imagined it could be and we all had a great time.... well except for the unfair parking ticket afterwards, but that's another story....

Goods from the salad bar

Carnivores!  

Fair Food

Everyone has their reason for going to the state fair.  Our reason is the food.  Nothing wrong with a little deep fried goodness from time to time, right?  This year, Ronnie was the adventurous one.  He tried a donut burger and also had his first [can you believe that?!?] elephant ear!  

Fur babies missed us

I sure did miss these furry faces while we were gone.  I think they missed us too.  :)

Baby shower

Our surprise baby shower for Luz at work!  

Virginia Vacation

Ronnie and I took a trip out to Harrisonburg, Virginia for my cousin, Gerta's wedding.  It was basically a big family reunion as my Grandma came up from Panama, my uncle from Minnesota, and my cousin from New York plus my whole family.  We had a great time celebrating Gerta and Chris and celebrating family in general.  That side of the family is a little spread out around the... um, continent... so getting everyone or even most everyone together in the same place at the same time is a big deal.  We had fun hanging out in our condos at Massanutten together, shopping, and just being general tourists.  We visited the presidential monuments in DC, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Luray Caverns, and Monticello.  We also got a kick out of the wildlife around Massanutten.  The deer and woodchucks had NO fear of us so we had fun feeding them anything we could find.  Don't judge.  ;)

Not-so-wild wildlife

A Woodchuck... or a groundhog

A scenic drive

My sweet grandma

Luray Caverns

hardcore.

Before our tubing trip

A day in DC

The Stars of the show; Gerta and Chris!

A place where I belong.

It may seem like such a simple thing, but I feel incredibly blessed to have a place where I belong.  I've moved around a lot over the last ten years or so.  I've seen a lot of places, met some amazing people, and have had adventures and memories you wouldn't believe.  But since settling in Indy again two years ago, I finally feel like I have a place where I belong.  For the first time in a long time, I have a close knit group of friends who I can call and lean on in good times and bad.  We found a home church where we can grow and connect in ways I never imagined.  I have a job that, despite it's leadership, I love and feel like I am good at.  My family lives right up the road and I see them often.  And I am married to my best friend and we have our little fur babies that are just so much fun and bring so much life to our home.  I am cherishing these times because I know that life moves in seasons and that this one is particularly sweet.