Hey there everyone,

I thought I’d give you a couple days to let you catch up. Plus, I’ve been more tired so I haven’t kept up every day. For a while, those steroids were really helpful!! I was complaining the other day about not having energy, but Ronnie pointed out that it’s better to have my chubby cheeks go away and work on building up my energy than have false energy and my steroid moon face. It’s always good to have someone point out the good aspect of a situation!

My dad left this morning, so it’s just my mom and I from here on out. It’s very quiet and very dark ’cause we took all the Christmas stuff down tonight. That’s the worst part, don’t you think? My mom did most of it, but she agrees—it’s a little bare in here now. Plus we got lots of boxes today to mail most of our stuff home, so those are sitting in the family room….definitely a weird feeling. We have lots of work to do before next Friday! Little by little, we’ll mail our boxes and give stuff away. In fact, I left my two hula hoops down at the “donation cart” in the lobby of the Pete Gross House. Hopefully someone will enjoy those!! When I left them down there, along with a couple other things, a family was getting into the elevator; it was their first day here. They were smiling at the hula hoops and asked, “You’re done with the hula hoops, huh?!” I can’t forget our first days here and how happy we were to meet other neighbors. By the way, I think the hula hoops do their job even when you’re not hooping…just looking at them can make you smile.

So, let’s see…what do I have to share with you? Yesterday, my mom, dad and I went to the Washington Park Arboretum. It had snowed the night before so there was a little bit on the ground. My dad and I walked through the winter garden where there were still lots of blooming trees/flowers. I hope you enjoy the pictures!!

My appointment with my team was postponed to Thursday, so I’ll have more updates then. Today they did a blood draw and a chest x-ray, just part of my normal schedule. I don’t know if it’s quite hit me that I’m leaving next week. I’m really going to miss the people I’ve met here, the experiences I’ve had, and the city that has come to feel like my own.

I’ll be back, Seattle, you can count on that!!! (not for medical stuff though, unless it’s a check-up—I am 100% Laura, and I can feel her cells working hard).

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Lots of love,

Julie