Sickly

The past couple days I haven't been feeling the greatest, but I was hoping it was just a fluke and would go away. Unfortunately it didn't and yesterday I woke up feeling way worse, gasping for air and wheezing {which of course is a bit scary!}.

I get sick every year around this time {but normally after Christmas, such a bummer to have it beforehand!} with bronchitis, a sinus infection, upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, flu, or a really bad cold. It's been like this every year since sometime in college. It's frustrating, and no matter what I do to try to boost my immune system, I still manage to get sick at some point. 

We had our annual company Christmas luncheon yesterday. It's always amazing and I look forward to it every year, especially in recent years when I'm no longer the one planning all of it. This year, my close friendship with the two people planning it did mean I ended up doing a few things, and I really, really wanted to be there no matter how I felt. Unfortunately, within the last half hour before leaving, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to go. I'll spare you the details of how I was feeling, but I did almost back out and head home.

I'm really glad I didn't. I had a fabulous time, and shortly I'll share the pictures with you. It was terrific. But afterward I was feeling really awful and worn out. I headed straight to convenient care {my doctor's office closes early on Fridays :(}, spent some time with some lovely people there who were super kind and helpful, and was released with the diagnosis of a viral upper respiratory infection.

Yuck.

That means for now I'm just waiting it out. Feeling absolutely miserable, but thankfully a skosh better than yesterday {which is a good sign}. Coughing like crazy though. No fever thankfully. The addition of a humidifier in the living room and bedroom, as well as a good night's sleep have also helped. Relying on my wonderful hubster a ton, and he's taking great care of me--including this wonderful breakfast he made me this morning which felt super great on my sore throat, along with some delightful hot chocolate...

...and doing a lot of Christmas shopping for me since we're leaving soon to spend time with my family before Christmas! Relaxing and watching oodles of movies. Getting incredibly antsy because I have so much to do but have to restrain myself from doing any of it {which is driving me bonkers}. Enjoying the new iPhone hubster picked up for me for FREE last night at Best Buy. Apparently they were giving away their 3Gs models {yesterday only}. Long story short, that's been super fun and helpful while sitting around the house today!

On another note, last weekend's living room rearrangement fiasco resulting in the tree ending up in the same place it always does {just with the 2 couches in opposite places and 2 sidetables switched around}... also means my lack of energy and busy/sick week means we have a very bare, very depressing tree just sitting in our living room. {We have to use a fake tree which is sad, but I'm extremely allergic. I can visit people's houses with them in it, but can't sit super close or I start sneezing after a while. So sad, except that it's really a lot less work.}

I mean really...isn't it so pathetic looking? :( Makes me so sad. I just can't pour energy into it right now {and while Tim doesn't mind setting it up, decorating it is not something he enjoys doing so I'm not about to make him have to do that or any of the other decorating, he's doing enough!}. God is gently reminding me it's okay. I'm taking time this year to focus more and more on Him, and less and less on the other stuff. I'm thankful for all that He is teaching me, despite the agony of not being able to participate in as many things or decorate our house as much as usual. I'm hoping that when my mom stays with us for two nights the week of Christmas that at least by then I'll feel better and she can help me decorate. Better late than never, right? Plus it's a good excuse to decorate with my mom, which is always really special.

Tim is currently wrapping gifts on the living room floor, we're watching a Christmas movie marathon on TV, I'm coughing a lot but not as bad as I've had before, and I'm struggling with something maybe I'll share soon. In the meantime, I'm praying really hard that I feel better soon so that Christmas with my family is enjoyable and relaxing. I always cherish this time more than any other with my family {I love my family like crazy and am really close with them, but Christmas is super special!}. We have such great traditions together and I'm really thankful more and more each Christmas for the times we share celebrating the birth of Christ together. I'm so excited! Please pray with me that I'll feel better and be able to kick this crazy thing outta me!!