i've got to be honest.

the last 9 days have been a bit miserable.

that "sore throat" i mentioned in my last post ended up kind of ruining my birthday weekend a little. dave and i did go up to lake arrowhead on friday, even though i knew it probably wasn't the best idea. since i thought i had just come down with a bad cold, i assumed dayquil would do the trick and i'd be over it in a day or two.

no no.

apart from a stroll at the outdoor shopping center of lake arrowhead, which ultimately exhausted me of any energy for the rest of the weekend, we spent the entire weekend indoors. though we had a good time, it was still not the best birthday weekend for me because i was out for the count.

i showed up to work on monday morning and was promptly sent home. i was in denial of the severity of my sickness.
so i got my tuesday shift covered and drove myself to the doctor who informed me that my little cold is in actuality a severe sinus infection and double ear infection (both ears). he gave me a prescription for a 5 day supply of antibiotics and thankfully tomorrow is my last dose.
even though i feel a lot better since i've been taking them, i am still kind of a wreck. my measly five hour shift at work today kinda beat me up. i'm ready for a nap.
i haven't jogged in 9 days and i know when i finally feel healthy enough to hit the pavement again, it's going to be pretty difficult to reach my 60 mile goal for february.

BUT i can't really say that i had a bad birthday because it was really only just the infections that put a giant damper on my days. dave took me out to a fabulous dinner on my birthday.
we spent the weekend in the mountains next to a fire. we relaxed. we watched movies. we napped. we read. we had fun. sore throat, coughing, sneezing, stuffy nose filled fun.
and he really took care of me. anything i needed, he was on it. he waited on me hand and foot with no prompting and no complaint. we're not usually ones to make fusses over each other because we're both pretty independent like that, but it's really nice when you're sick and you really can't find the energy to peel yourself off of the couch and your partner happily takes care of you.
that's one of the many great things about marriage, i think. that whole "in sickness and in health" thing.

i also graduated from celebrate recovery on tuesday and shared my mini testimony.
it was so satisfying to have the opportunity to stand in front of my step study partners and my sponsor and dave and our close friends who have been so supportive of me and my journey this year.
i was really nervous, though. i even left out my favorite part of my testimony by accident and didn't even realize it until after i sat down, but it was still a great feeling to finally put a close to this year.
it's been tough and it's been a sacrifice, especially for dave. but i'm so thankful for the support he has given, and to my close friends who were always there for me when i was struggling and when i was rejoicing during this year-long journey.
it's definitely an accomplishment that i'll always be proud of and look back on with confidence and assurance that God has blessed me with the strength, endurance and patience to overcome anything. at least i know i can with the tools i've learned over this year and with His help.
and with a little help from my friends, too.

this is pretty much the only visual documentation of our time spent in the mountains this weekend: