I lived in a small, rural mountain community in northeastern Arizona. Mark lives in Tucson. I worked in a rural emergency department where I had work for more than fifteen years! Can you say commitment issues. I work hard and play hard. I work to live. I love to laugh and have a good time. My motto is to laugh enough each day to tinkle a bit; the older I get the easier it is to achieve this goal! Mark is flight paramedic and medical base manager. He is super easy going, funny, and up for any challenge. He also believes in working to live not living to work. Needless to say we are having the time of our lives.

The area that I lived in is beautiful with many mountains, streams, creeks, and lakes. The White Mountains is part of the the Colorado Plateau high country. There are many small towns with quaint inns, bed and breakfast establishments, and restaurants. The area is full of seemingly endless back roads surrounded by tall pines and majestic white aspen groves; an amazing site in the fall.

The second time Mark did the very pretty but grueling four hour to spend time with me, I decided that I would like to take him somewhere special. That place was Greer Arizona. We stayed at the Lazy Trout Inn, based off of recommendations from my good friend Tiffany. The Lazy Trout Inn is comprised of several rugged log cabins and a log sided motel. Our room was a small but cute and quirky place with a cozy quilt covering the queen bed. There was a small table with two chairs and an electric fireplace for warmth and romantic ambiance. The walls were pine paneling with mountain themed adornments. It was perfect for us.

What has now become “Typical Mark and Terry Style” began this weekend. Greer is a very small, quiet town; meaning the sun goes down and everything shuts down. By the time we got around to needing food everything was closed. We were really hungry and I love food so we opted to take the 25 minute drive to Springerville Arizona. Springerville is famous for hmmm…..not much. We did a search for directions and food. There were not a whole lot of options so we decided on a BBQ place. We got lost…very, lost. Who puts a Main St. and a Main Ave. intersecting in the middle of town? Springerville does, thats who. After some time we ended up crashing a birthday party at some Mexican joint. Yep we saw an empty booth and made a beeline for it. Sure we took down a couple of kids and nearly tipped over a cake table, however it was an open booth, in a busy restaurant. It was a reserved room for a birthday party. We finally did eat, made it back to the Lazy Trout and made plans to explore the area in the morning.

Thanks for joining us!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Some twenty four years ago I began my career in healthcare. I remember
modeling my Class A dress wear for my Pops, he was very proud. The next day was my first shift on an  ambulance as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). I was nervous but more excited than anything. I was a divorced, single mother of two young children and being an EMT was the first step to becoming a registered nurse. My first paramedic partner was this awesome guy named Mark, and boy did I have a crush on him. However, he was married and I don’t do married. So for the better part of the next two years I worked and slept next to this amazing guy. Life goes on and soon Mark left me to advance his career. I did cry. I got married and left Tucson for a quieter life.

Fast forward 10 plus years. I had another child, managed to finish my Bachelor’s degree in nursing and became a registered nurse. I also got divorced. I spent the next few years working and continuing my education. I worked in a small emergency department on a reservation. It was a very difficult position but also very rewarding. I however was itching for change. A little over a year ago my friend and coworker Tiffany said hey Terry lets go to a trauma conference in Tucson. At first I balked, who wants to of to Tucson Arizona for anything. In the end I went and I am so thankful for Tiffany talking me into going. The trauma conference was the beginning of Mark and Terry’s most excellent adventures. Yes Mark was there with the flight company he worked for. Mark was divorced and I was single. We began talking and soon Mark was making a weekly four hour one way drive to spend time together. Now the fun part begins, the adventures!