Wyoming, Montana, Wyoming

Submitted by: Liz

We got up and headed to Devil's Tower. It was simply put, amazing. The pictures don't do it justice and my words can't either. The weather was gorgeous. It is this natural wonder really.. and the first national monument. My favorite part was the fields of prairie dogs. They make these giant holes and pop up and down like the game "whack a mole." Then they stand up like meerkats. I could have watched them for a lot longer then our schedule allowed. The rock itself is immense and dad kept mentioning how he thought it was used in close encounters of the third kind.. maybe?

Then we headed towards Cody, Wyoming. This was pretty adventurous because we first ended up in Montana headed straight for Billings.. at this point Mimi tried to pee a la squatting by the van for her first time.. she got a little bladder shy and it was comical really. We got headed in the right direction, which took us through Big Horn Forest and Mountains. The elevation reached 8,500 feet and there was snow at the top. We saw antelope, deer and to my delight.. Two Moose. I have read enough to know that Moose are large and unpredictable so we didn't stay long to photo shoot the moose when we saw he had contempt in his eyes...

The trek down the mountain was an 18 mile decline. We couldn't venture more than 20 mph so it took a long, long time and our brakes smelled bothered by the bottom.

The drive from there to Cody was beautiful. It is all so beautiful and enough to make me feel so small.

The kids were great and Randy behaved himself today too. =) We have had lots of laughter, and I think even the littlest traveler realizes this opportunity to all be together on this trip is a once in a lifetime adventure.

Tomorrow we will be heading towards yellowstone and the hundred year old cabin in the wilderness. Needless to say we won't be updating for several days.. so never fear! I am sure our pictures and tales in a few days will impress.

catch up with me

I cannot believe how all of the details of my life have unfolded... Here is the outline to get you up-to-date
1997 graduate from college
1997/98 First year at Claymont as a vocal music ed. teacher, although I am really an instrumentalist who had a passion for elementary general music
1998 married college sweetheart
1999 bought first house
2002 Addison was born
2003 bought dream home
2004 July, woke up deaf, unexplained
2004/05 almost lost job--who wants to deal with a deaf music teacher who wants accommodations?
2005 May won teacher of the year, bad administration settled down
2005 fall-on TV show three wishes
2006 July Mimi was born
2006 New year's day...hearing dipped again leaving my world reeling...
The rest about the implants...well you know that because I chronicled it here in the 50 odd posts

2008 fall-marriage started to fall apart
2009 summer-marriage was unsavable
2009 fall started picking up the pieces again
2010 still picking up the pieces but doing OK now

I think when a tragic event occurs you never "get over it." I will never "be over the fact that I lost my hearing suddenly and unexplained in my sleep." Who would be? But I am OK with it, and have been for a long time. The loss, the grief, all of that is what has been woven into the fabric of my life.

Just as the latest sad chapter in my life. No, I am not OK with the fact that I am now a single mother. I am a good Christian girl, and these things aren't supposed to happen to good girls, especially those who have been through so much already. But, you either get with the program and stay afloat until you can paddle your way back to shore, or you drown.

When I was younger, fresh from college... everything seemed possible. I was smart, in love... there were no shattered dreams yet. No tragic events. I think this is what the apostle Paul means when he says... this is what leads to mature faith, faith is putting it all in God's hands (note this isn't an attempt to directly quote him, just the gist of what he means). I have come to realize that only through my faith are all things possible. I change, events happen, people let you down and I can't imagine ever feeling fulfilled if I didn't have that rock on which to stand.

It sounds like I am this over comer with a great attitude. I think for the most part, that may be true... but my close friends will tell you that it hasn't been until recently that I am finding my way back...

So I am OK. Some days not, but those not OK days are becoming fewer and farther between.

As far as my hearing... wow! As weinie-ish as this may sound, I am still learning new things about my hearing. I will hear something and then realize what I am hearing and can't believe it. My implants are a miracle and more so, the way I hear with them, and the life I lead... it should not be possible!! How is it that a woman who once laid in her bed sobbing, having given up on the idea that she could continue to teach music because she was struck deaf... continue to teach because she has two computer chips implants in her skull and is being given sound through a series of electrical impulses to stimulate the auditory nerve. I mean really... I couldn't make this stuff up if I were a Hollywood screenplay writer. Then let's go ahead and twist the story, just when the girl is on her feet again... let's knock both legs out from under her.

So, that is the update... I can't even imagine what is next in the timeline...