So much has been happening in our lives, but I wanted to give a short rundown:

- I was thoroughly sick for two weeks, and missed at least seven days of life. Well, I was alive, but it didn't feel like that while coughing so hard that I was vomiting.

- I'm happy to say that I feel great right now.

- Just as I started feeling better, Matt woke with a 102 degree temperature and he missed a few days of his life too, but he's headed back to work tomorrow - YAY! Snohomish Community Health program!

-My mom bought a great house recently for a screaming deal. Screaming. It only needed minor repairs to move into. My sis Kim and I helped her find it, which was one of my favorite things I've done this year!

-With all the great news, Mom has been having health concerns - likely more mini-strokes mixed with a bad drug cocktail that was served to her through stupid, irresponsible doctors- pray for her as this can be scary, and is tiring and her body is not working like she's used to. And pray for us as we love her and want her to feel better.

- I've recently realized that along with loving nerdy stuff like spreadsheets and an over organized linen closet, I love physical labor. I love being in the yard, I love delivering cards to the 311 units at the apartments, I love kneading dough, I love walking, I love dance, I love scrubbing and oh so many other things. Meanwhile, my body doesn't love it as much. In fact, I'm concerned with my feet because they ache and ache and ache deeply when I work hard - pray for that if you think about it as there is a high chance I have RA. Health insurance will show up in May (thank God) and we'll check into it then.


- Our family and friends have been consistently loving and faithful as Matt and I work hard here in Everett, and are so busy that everything has to be scheduled.  Unless you live within a mile of us spontaneity doesn't exist. We are incredibly blessed to have such a great group of people at church and in our families who love and support us.

- We love our family immensely and have had some really sweet moments. Mimmermabib (Matt's mom) has been so kind, helping us during our sickness, and Kim and Charles (my sis and bil) and I worked really hard for mom  yesterday and it was so nice to serve with everyone. We come from good stock!

- I had a great Easter day at Mums, and we saw Will and Meg who are so delightful and lovely!

- My lovely twin Jenn and her husband Gav are coming into town in ten days - I cannot say how excited I am as it won't justify my excitement.

- My other sis, Karin is moving in with Mom, which I think will be great on many levels! yay!

- I have really been missing my family in Spokane and Wyoming and my sweet friend and her family on Vancouver Island, BC and my friends in Fairbanks, AK. I wish I could see you all right now!

- Finally, Matt and I feeling really thankful and blessed that our hard work is paying off and we're sticking to our goals, financially, planning for our future and relationally.  This is awesome and difficult and all kinds of tricky but it's been good and it has made me feel like I can consciously dream again - something I really haven't done  in a while.

- I wish I could edit this more, but I need to sleep more than worry about my typing or saying exactly what I mean or feel- now it's time to let my subconscious do the dreaming.

Guh.

I'm sitting in the dark, on a bed on the floor and every time I stop coughing I hear the refrigerator. My throat is throbbing form the incessant coughing that resulted from a severe cold over the last few days. The postnasal drip seems to have almost disappeared, but my raw throat screams out in a duck-like cough ever time something tickles it, which is about ever other minute. I have had many colds, but these are the worst. I've been living the life of a mute and forwarding all my calls to Matt and forcing friends to text or email me because talking with me is more like talking in a nightmare.

On top of that the codeine syrup prescribed by the Doc appears to have no effect on my nocturnal need to cough at all odds! I'm likely heading toward addiction, since I keep taking more because NOTHING IS HAPPENING! The same stupid, frustrating, sleep depriving cough, I'm so tired of being tired and I've said that before, yet this time I really mean it more than ever. Tired of feeling like the lining of my throat, made of sandpaper, moves with ever single intake of air or change in my sleeping position. Upright is the easiest for me, but who sleeps sitting up unless they (like myself) always ride coach?  

Here I am...awake, loathing my only desire, to throw my head against the pillow, wishing I had a huge jar of liquid NyQuil, my preferred cough medicine. It tastes like licorice and it knocks me out cold....stupid Codeine prescription!

One final note, by sleeping on the floor in the living room at least Matt gets a good night sleep in our bed- no matter where I am sleeping isn't happening.