Las Vegas

                                    (Written on Wednesday - posted Friday)

We are in Las Vegas, the most beautiful city in the world – ha ha! Actually I find the hotels quite fascinating and beautiful, minus the statues in our hotel (Caesers Palace). Why the Romans found such glory in half dressed women is beyond me, then again the poor men had it worse – note the statue of David! I admit, I still snicker every time I see a naked statue... Thankfully, our room overlooks the Belagio fountains and I think the beauty of them never gets old.

I’m sitting here in our room with my little Jake. He is supposed to be sleeping, but instead is sitting on the bed staring at and telling me in his toddler ways, also known as crying that he really shouldn’t be going to bed right now.  Oh well, what can you do when you’re in the same room? 

Here is Jake a minute after I wrote the above... so much for staying in bed!

~This is the view from where I am currently sitting~ 

This morning (Wednesday) was the BIG morning! It started at 8:30 and I actually made it on time, which for me is amazing as some of you can well attest to! Maybe it helped that the conference was in the same building as our room, but let’s just believe I was amazing.  The video of our story began and then immediately after, I was invited to the stage. It is a very emotional and touching video and I think that people were really shocked that I was actually there.  They gave me a standing ovation and that just made me cry more, it was really sweet! I spoke for 5 minutes, praise the Lord it wasn’t longer or I’m sure I would have slipped in something retarded!  It feels like just yesterday I was asked to come to Las Vegas and now it will forever be a memory. I am hoping the Lord used what I said to effect those who were listening, I know he didn’t just send me to Vegas to stare at half dressed women and bums on billboards! God’s ways are always good and I can’t help but wonder if when we get to Heaven God will reveal all the “behind the scenes” of our life… how awesome would that be?

 Preston and I came to Las Vegas a year and a half ago and those memories have definitely risen to the surface and have been haunting. They are beautiful memories, but every time you relive a memory it’s like the intensity of your loss punches you in the face all over again – to be bluntJ  I am comforted by the fact that one day I will see my love again and we will experience far greater moments together then we ever did here on earth.

 Mom and Mal went to see Phantom of the Opera tonight, I chose not to go because Prest and I had gone and I didn’t want to put myself in a situation to make myself upset.  Instead Jake and I ate supper and walked around the stores. Everywhere you look is a constant display of lights and sounds, but the emptiness Preston has left behind was far louder. I just hope that ppl who have a husband truly adore them! Who cares if they don’t help out around the house as often as they should? Those are such minor details, I know they have to be addressed at times, but just be thankful you have someone to cuddle with and to share your life with. I don’t say these things to say, oh poor Tara, I am just being entirely honest in my feelings. I am coming to grips more every day with our new life and being comfortable in it, but tonight was not one of those nights!!!

 My mom and sister are with us and that has been so fun. I’ll share a story with you to amplify how cheap I am! Ok, I’m not SO cheap, but when it comes to food that’s over priced I really am. We went to a buffet for brunch and since I have a toddler that I should probably feed throughout the rest of the day, I loaded up my plate (followed by my purse) with apples, bananas, oranges, dried fruit and cereal and I made my mom and sister do the same. I also brought three water bottles and filled those up, the water in the hotel tasted like dirt, so really, I was forced! You’d have thought I was a hobo though.

 “Tough situations are not excuses to not grow or trust in God, but rather opportunities to grow and learn to trust in God even more!” – a quote Preston held onto