Denver, How We Love Thee

So. Denver. We went, and we loved it, and we want to live there.



The End.

























Hahahaha! Like I could ever be that brief! I can't believe you fell for that!

Okay, for real this time...

So Boone and I got to talking a few weeks ago and realized that we really, REALLY wanted to go to Denver to see if it was as wonderful as it sounds and somewhere we could live for 25-30 years. Since we are rolling in cold hard cash after dental school and 5 1/2 years of army pay, we booked flights, a car and a hotel, convinced Boone's sister Cilka to come out here and watch our munchkins along with her 18 month old, and ran out the front door before she could realize what she had agreed to.

We left Monday morning, flew all day, and had our first meeting with a selling dentist that evening. Because of confidentiality agreements I can't really say much about the particulars of the practices we looked at, but we are encouraged and think we will be able to find something that will suit us in the area.

Tuesday we met up with Tyler and Anne -- some of our awesome Ohio friends who are now in Denver. Handy for us to have local guides who brought us maps and water and boatloads of information while escorting us to good restaurants all day, huh? Yes, it was handy. Thank you for noticing!

This one time, when we weren't eating, we went to a running specialty store and had video gait analysis done (they film your feet from behind while you run on a treadmill so they can tell you what kind of shoes you need) and both of us left with new running shoes (remember the rolling in cold hard cash part? Yeah. Still that.) While we were there, my mega awesome super hero role model of athleticness, Sonja Wieck, stopped by to say hi! It was really cool to meet her in person and she is awfully chill for someone who does things like run from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other AND BACK in a day. I meant to take a picture of the two of us together, but I forgot about photos because she brought me PRESENTS!



Nuun and Trakkers are two of her sponsors. Yeah, she has sponsors, because she's that awesome. Isn't the visor screaming to be worn during a breast cancer 3-day event next fall? Maybe in Philly?


Here's how our meeting went in my head:

(Oh wait -- I forgot to say that she walked in while I was flapping around on the treadmill like a major dork. A major SLOW dork. Okay, back to my head...)


Out of shape girl from Georgia (me): "Holy crap! Ummm...hi Sonja...whoa, you are seriously a real person!" (I may have actually said that out loud.)

Tough as nails, nice as can be, not an ounce of body fat girl (Sonja): "Hi Nicole! Wow, you look amazing on that treadmill -- look at your perfect form -- you are so fast when you run!" (Possibly some creative license on that one.)

Me: "You think so? Well, I'd love to run with you someday and give you some pointers -- since I clearly know what I'm doing and all."

Sonja: "Really? That would be so awesome for me! I don't know if I can keep up with you though, since I run 6 minute miles and bike 220 miles in a day and stuff..."

Me: "Well, maybe if you give me presents and let me rub your head (that you just shaved in a show of solidarity with your friend who has cancer) I will think about slowing down to accommodate you."

Sonja: "Lucky for me! Here are your presents -- I hope one day to be as awesome as you. Maybe you could train me one day and I will hang on every word you say?"

Me: "Hahaha, maybe!"



Okay, so somewhere in there I may have mixed up the conversation a little, but you get the idea. Truly, she is amazing and just the nicest person to boot. Big thanks to Tyler for setting up that meet and greet.



That's Denver at night. Ain't it purdy?

Anyway, like you all want or need a whole recap, but we ate lots of good food, drove a bunch, marveled at the sidewalks, parks, and bike paths everywhere, and caught up with some more friends who dropped everything to hang with us. Becca and I have been gal pals since we were 15 and it was so fun to see her and her husband Jeb. Each time we meet up we pretty much fall all over ourselves trying to get words out so we can catch up as much as possible. Doesn't matter how long it's been since we talked, it just falls back into place. Isn't that the best? And I'm so thoughtful that I took exactly zero pictures of said friends or any of the radicalness (totally a word) that is Denver. We were back home by Thursday night, exhausted but excited.


So yeah. Still can't give professional details, which was the whole purpose of the trip, but we love the city. It feels like home and we are pretty stoked to get out there and increase our red blood cell counts so we can breathe.

My brain just shut off, so if anyone has any questions or if I omitted anything super obvious, just let me know and I'll get to it in 5 or 6 weeks.

OH! Like maybe the part where I thank Cilka for taking care of our kids while we were gone? THAT'S sort of obvious, eh? Spanks a million Smilka, we couldn't have gone (legally) without you! Just think of it as free birth control for the next year:)