First day... Prayer needed...

Well I had to share something about my first day, especially because I need prayers-- at the very end of the day, I VERY slightly twisted my ankle due to being tired from dancing more than I am used to. It is a little puffy, not really that painful, but my physical therapist recommended taking it easy the next couple days which I am NOT happy about but will do. If it means getting better I will do it... My point being... PLEASE send up some prayer for me and my ankle (technically the left outer side of my foot), that it would heal quickly and I would be able to do everything I am asked to do. Thank you :).
Other than that, it was a full and fascinating day! Our director's choreography is amazing and DEMANDING. We worked on Carmina Burana (requirement: legs kicked up to our ears at least 70 percent of the time we are onstage) which is fast and furious, and tiring. But also really striking and beautiful, and to top it all off I am working with some extremely talented dancers, which is humbling me greatly.
I am hoping my dancing will measure up to what it should in this company and am praying to have a full, quick recovery of this blip so I can see what God is going to do in and through me here!

If you can't stand the heat...

Casey and I have been cooking lately!! For a girl from a half-italian family, you'd think this wouldn't be novel for me. Unfortunately, up until now I (or Casey) haven't learned as much about cooking as we'd like. So, we recently subscribed to a little recipe magazine and so far have made tater tot casserole, bbq'd artichokes, homemade chocolate chip cookies, pork tenderloin, and our latest accomplishment, shepherds pie! (see stolen photo above... not our creation but it kinda looked like that...). I have learned a few things along the way:

• Cooking isn't that hard, just time consuming (I was kinda scared of the more complicated recipes for a long time).
• It's a good way to spend time together (when we aren't bumping into each other in the smallish kitchen).
  
• We are usually quite pleased with the results!

Another bit of news... Casey just had an interview with a placement agency specializing in finding people jobs in the construction field, and his interviewer seems very hopeful that she can find him a job! God is taking care of us for sure! And, I am feeling MUCH better from my virus/infection (whatever it was, I am glad it is mostly gone).
On the dance front: I (Gina) start rehearsals this week with the company. I am excited to see what it all will be like and if I will even have the energy to drag myself home after each full day of rehearsing. I assume I will eventually get used to the physical toll on my body but these next couple of weeks should be...ummm... interesting? Photo below of the company last year (no that's NOT me) in "Carmina Burana." I am pretty stoked for the opportunity to dance to this amazing piece of music in particular, by Carl Orff.

Pictures!

As promised... more pictures! The handsome gentleman with me above is my dad, Dave, sitting in our new living room with me. He was a great help and great company to ease our way into our new home. If he hadn't come out with us, I am sure most of our boxes would still be piled up in our living room, bathrooms, hall, ... ok, everywhere. Shortly after he flew home back to Oregon, Casey and I had our one year wedding anniversary! Casey surprised me with a dozen red roses (awwww...) and a surprise trip to Boulder for the evening, where he had made reservations at a romantic french restaurant.



The food was amazing! And the candlelit table for two was so nice!


After dinner we strolled through the downtown streets lit up with twinkly lights, and came upon a fierce tiger that tried to maim Casey. Although it was scary, luckily both of us got away without a scratch.



Here's some before/after pics:
The above picture shows us (ok, Casey) packing our stuff in Oregon...

And this picture above depicts what our stuff looked like in our new living room a month ago.


Stella "helping" unpack the packing paper...


What our living room now looks like. Cozy but comfortable (ignore the two boxes in view... I swear we are moving those soon...).

Last weekend we got to visit my hometown and meet our new nephew and godson Alexander Klaus (Casey holding him above), just one week old! What a sweetie. I also had the privilege of being a bridesmaid in my cousin Alanna's wedding (see below-- back row, third in from the left). She was certainly one of the "beamiest" brides I've ever seen! Congrats Alanna and Shane!



Now back to life in Colorado... I am still feeling quite "virus-y," so prayers for health are MUCH appreciated, especially because my dance contract starts in exactly one week!

"Rocky Mountain High... Colorado."

Seeing as I am currently, and irritatingly, housebound by my stuffy nose and sore throat, I finally have time to give an update on our life in Colorado. The last month has been full of ups and downs but happily, we feel as if we are right where we are supposed to be. Casey and I both feel a sense of peace from God as we settle in although there are so many things that are new to us.
As I previously mentioned, my dad came out with us to help move us into our new home and stayed with us several days afterward. The three of us had a lot of fun together. We did our own informal tour of the town in between emptying and shuffling boxes around the apartment. The above photo is Casey and I before our tour of the historic Arapahoe County Courthouse.
We like our apartment! Definitely smaller, but I think it will feel bigger when the last of the boxes go away. Unfortunately I still can't find the box containing my camera/laptop USB cord so I can't show you any photos of the inside of the apartment just yet. But here is the view of some of the complex from our smallish "porch" (we are on the second floor):
On Saturday mornings and most afternoons between 3:30 and 6, we are serenaded by the excited voices of children playing outside on the play structure. It is actually kind of nice to have some cute kids around... We have been grilling out on the "porch" a lot lately too, since the sun makes its appearance almost every day here!
Quick update on other life stuff:

• I (Gina) started taking class with my dance company this Monday. I am very pleased so far-- I can already tell I will be challenged as a dancer and artist here and most everyone seems really friendly. I am excited to start rehearsals in a week or so and see what is in store! The first production will have a "scary" Halloween theme and then on to Nutcracker.
  
• Casey is currently hot on the job trail. He's zeroed in on which part of the construction industry he would like to work in, and is making lots of calls to companies he'd like to work for. I am so impressed by his work ethic and blessed by how seriously he takes his role as our provider in this stage of our life.
• Some sad news: Oscar the betta fish, who survived the drive out and also the recent cat attack, passed on to fishy heaven a couple weeks ago. He was pretty weak after the attack, not really himself. We are both really sad to see him go.

So here we are... More news and pictures to come when I find that box :).