To Bryndee, Porter, and Torie:

I am very sorry I swore in an earlier post. It highly offended you and for that I apologize. I will try to be better in the future.

Thank you for keeping me on the straight and narrow...

Mesa High Jackrabbits, Class of 1988

Yesterday I went to a picnic that was part of the Mesa High School Class of 1988 reunion weekend. It consisted of many of my classmates and their families. THANK YOU to Wende and Mindy and any and everyone else who helped to make this happen.

It was a blast to see so many good, old friends: Mistie, Heidi, Kim, Darce, Sean, Nick, JoNeal, Doug, Kenny, Kristie, Nikki, Mindy, and Wende, just to name a few. I missed seeing Cindy, Alice, Cory, Brian, Liselle, Candace, Brad, Brooks, Dennis, Damon, Bill, Stacy, Rowan and many others who couldn't make it this go round. I hope to catch you at the next one, maybe even before!

What a wonderful day yesterday was. I'm so grateful to have gone to Mesa High, to be able to make such fantastic friends, and to be able to still stay in touch with so many of them today.

Obviously this has nothing to do with getting out of debt, but it does have to do with blessings and I feel this is a good place as any to list my blessings publicly. Mesa High Class of 1988 was definitely a blessing in my life!

Happy One-year Anniversary!

My roommate reminded me the other day that it was exactly a year ago that I started this getting-out-of-debt mission. As I looked at my first post she was right - I wrote it on October 29, 2007. She suggested I do a year update and I always try to do what Jennifer says (wink and smile goes here).

Anyway, it's a good idea so here goes:

I started out at over $50,000 in debt (to type that number still sends pangs in my stomach) last year. Here is where I am today:

Bank of America LOC (still really HATE them): $33,031.51
Mastercard: $1,988.07
Car loan: $6,343.67
Dental loan: $1,777.50

GRAND TOTAL: $43,140.75

It hasn't gone down much, but as several of you have said it took a really long time to amass this amount of debt and OF COURSE it's going to take a long time to get out of it and I just need to be patient.

So my constant thoughts are, "Be patient Tara. Be patient. Be patient. BE PATIENT (dammit)!" If you know me at all, this is NOT a strong virtue of mine and swear words usually are associated with it.

Anyway, thanks to all of you for your constant kind words and thoughts and even prayers. This has been quite the year for me and my family and the support my family and I have felt from all of you has been completely amazing and beyond words.

Thank you. Off to year #2!

Tender Mercies

Dad's surgery went really well today. They got 85% of the tumor (more than they thought they were going to get) and had to use only two units of blood (a lot less than what they thought they were going to have to use - I guess tumors use up a LOT of blood and with this tumor being over 11 centimeters long, well, you do the math). They plan on doing radiation in two weeks, chemotherapy in four weeks, and they get him using his hip tomorrow when they take him for a walk.

My sister Stacey said the doctor was rather pleased with the surgery and was very positive with the prognosis.

I'm so giddily relieved I don't know what to do with myself...

I am so grateful for tender mercies.

Another update:

Here is a quick update on what is going on with my dad and his cancer. Last week he had what is called a PET Scan and a Scope. The Scan is really the last test they can do on him to try and figure out what type of Cancer he has.

Yesterday (Monday) the doctors were able to show them the scan over the computer. It goes through his entire body, major organs and glands. The result of that was nothing that we don't already know. It is in his hip, lung and a few glands, but his Heart, Liver, Pancreas, Stomach and Kidneys all are clean and apparently they look great!

They still cannot figure out where the source of the cancer is. So right now his condition is labeled "Cancer of the Unknown Primary" which is only about 5% of all cancers - very rare.

They admit him today at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital to start his prep for his surgery on Wednesday. Today they are doing an Embolism which is where the doctors cut off all blood supply to his tumor in his hip (about a 2 1/2 hour procedure). Then on Wednesday he will be getting a full hip replacement and a removal of that yucky tumor. That procedure will be about 6 hours. Then he will have a recovery in the hospital anywhere from 5-10 days. His healing at home will be about 4 weeks.

After the 4 weeks then the doctors will discuss what type of Chemo he will be on. They only have two to choose from. They will try one type for about 2-3 months and then x-ray to see if the cancer is shrinking. If that doesn't work than they have one more to try.

We still have a long road of waiting. If you feel so inclined, please keep him in your prayers, especially on Wednesday.

Thanks everyone. My entire family and I have felt your prayers and are amazed at the love and kindness we've been shown. Love to you all...

I really can do it, right?

I am REALLY struggling. Seriously so. I am not seeing any progress and even though I recently got a raise, I feel like I'm as strapped as I've ever been.

Then I see this video and my will gets renewed:

She's really debt free!

15 months to get $30k out of debt. Hmm, methinks it might take a bit longer than than, but I really can do it, right?