Going to be honest. This picture was taken last night, not today. But I figure, it’s more interesting than the standard “hey look the animals are cute!” pictures, so I’m going to let it go.

This is me with my favorite author, Lauren Willig. She writes some seriously fun and exciting books. I’m sad that the picture is blurry, but it’s better than nothing! Maybe next time, right?

Also, I need a haircut sooooo bad.

Aeris says, “Hey sissy, whatcha doin? Can I play too?”

Mikenna responds, “Umm, no.”

I like this boy. He has kind eyes, doesn’t he?

Aeris staring at a bird in the yard. She’s the goofiest cat when it comes to birds. She “chirps” at them. Not hissing, doesn’t sound like she’s wanting to eat them, but like she’s trying to mimic them.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I wanted this necklace for Valentines day. I thought it was cute, and 100% of the proceeds go to child’s play charity. (They bring toys/games/books/etc to sick children in the hospital to make the experience less scary for them)

Matt and I don’t ever make a big deal out of Valentines day, so I didn’t expect that he would actually get it for me.

Lo and behold, it arrived in the mail today. I am super tickled that:

a. the boy listened!

b. the boy actually got me something. isn’t he sweet?

Trying new medicine, because hey, why not?

The actual size of this medicine, by the way, is a stinkin horse pill. So every liquid in my body had better be drained after that!

This has been Mikenna’s “thing” as of late. Lay down between us, and then flop her head onto Matt’s laptop. I think she does it for the heat.

In November 2010, my favorite author, Lauren Willig, came to town to do a book signing.

I came down with a ‘mild cold’ that quickly warmed up to feeling like death warmed over. I wouldn’t have gone if I’d known how terrible I was going to feel – but I felt fine when we left. It wasn’t until we got there that I was aware of how sick I was.

So when I heard a few months ago that Willig was coming back to town, I thought PERFECT! I can meet Lauren Willig again, and not be sick, and actually enjoy the experience.

I just needed to not get sick.

If I heard that people were sick, I canceled plans. I washed my hands, kept my fingers away from my ears, nose, eyes, and mouth. I propped myself up with vitamins and immunity boosting supplements.

And then the boy brought the plague home.

Now, it’s extremely rare that the boy and I share illnesses. So I was cautiously optimistic that I might be okay. I took care of him, from a distance, while continuing my regimen of vitamins, exercise, and good food.

When we made it a good five days out from his plague, I thought maybe, just maybe I might make it.

No, of course not. I wouldn’t write this if I’d escaped.

One week – one week! – out from Lauren Willig, I started coughing and spiked a fever.

Even though I’m past the point of contagion, and I know that by Tuesday, I won’t be feeling like death warmed over, I know I’ll still be coughing. Which means that if I decide to go, I’ll be “the girl who is always sick for Lauren Willig” …

I won’t lie, I’m a little bitter. I tried so hard, did all the right things, and I still ended up sick.

I’m sad.

I fetched the tea bag out of the cup to show you the inspirational message.

I’m feeling much better today. Had a wicked fever last night. All things considered, I don’t think I’m coughing much more than Matt, who got sick a week ago today. So I’m cautiously optimistic that I won’t have it as severe as he has. I’d really like to think that the vitamins and immunity supplements and exercise that I’ve been loading up on will help this.

Because, dog gone it, I’ve got too much to do to be down and out for long.

For Valentines day, my husMatt gave me the plague.

I really would have been happier with something less personal. Like chocolates.