I read this thread yesterday and came back today to see what the others have said. I realize that the selection in Iowa is not the greatest, but I would hate to see you get the wrong equipment just because the store only had a limited selection. It's only a feeling that I get from your posts and I could be 110% wrong.
Ten years ago, I went to a local ski shop with a great reputation. They even said that they had a boot fitter. Now that I know more, I can tell you that he was not a boot fitter, he was a man who sold boots. Now, I know a real boot fitter who I trust and recommend. Also, I have been back to the boot fitter 3 times for little tweaks, like making the toe box bigger or making some space for my ankle bone. I have a custom orthotic, too. Now, they fit like they were made for me. Unfortunately for you, he is in Vermont.
BTW, I ski on a stiffer Lange boot and like the brand a lot, but each foot and skier and ski style is different. Before that, I had Salomon boots. It's all about fitting your foot properly.
Another time, I went with a friend to a different ski shop near my home. The self-proclaimed boot fitter put my friend in a boot that was obviously too big and told her to wear thicker socks. (I told my friend to run, not walk, out of that store.)
We Ski Divas see so many women who get the wrong equipment and return to us for advice. Maybe this time, we can help you to get the right gear the first time.
Tell us about your boot fitting. What size street shoe and what size boot did you get? I wear a 7.5 in most street shoes and wear a 23.5 boot.
MarzNC posted a link to the boot fitting thread. Using that as the guide, did the boot fitter do everything correctly?
Most people start with a boot that is improperly fitted/too big. They are too wide or your heel can lift out of the pocket or your foot slides. It's easier to make a boot bigger to fit, but nearly impossible to make it smaller to fit.
I guess you can tell we are really emphatic about boot fitting here. We just don't want you to make a mistake.
SKIS
I also wonder about the wisdom of putting a woman with one year of ski experience on a man's ski that is recommended for intermediate/advanced. I have no experience with Elan skis, so I cannot speak to that particular ski, it's what I read.
I DO know that I have demo'd many skis. Some were fun, some were too much work, some tossed me around, and, just like the Baby Bear, some were just right.
My recommendation is to wait until you ski at the big resort and demo skis. Most places will let you apply the cost of the demo to the price of the ski. As a bonus, you can bring back a great souvenir of the trip.
The last pair of skis I bought were used/demos. I got a fantastic price. In fact, I haven't bought a pair of "new" skis in 10 years. I find something I like through demos and buy used. It's not all bad. If the skis were drilled for bindings once, the holes can most likely be plugged and the bindings remounted for your boot size. You might want to consider that, as well.
I hope I didn't offend you. There was just something in the tone of your posts that compelled me to keep this going.