Bronchitis, baby

It's the final countdown and while I'm supposed to be finishing up here at the house, I have spent the past almost 10 days fighting the flu which has, as I found out upon visiting the Dr. yesterday, turned into Bronchitis. Fantastic.

I'm feeling slightly better today which is good, as I will be heading to Logan in a few hours to pick up Mark! It's been over 5 weeks we've been apart - too long!

My amazing friends, Heather McClintock and Mark Malloy flew me to NC to visit them before I take off for Europe. I felt like I was fighting a slight cold before I headed down last Saturday but I figured it was nothing... (I suppose the fact that my 4 hour trip turned into an over 13 hour affair and ended with lost luggage did not help) but come the following morning, I was bed-ridden and pretty much not the ultimate house guest.

Thank goodness (and lucky for me) Heather and Mark are the ultimate care takers and other than being in my own bed, I couldn't have asked for a better place to convalesce. We all watched the Super Bowl from the 'sickbed' as Mark made notes on the commercials for his media class and Heather and I acted like 12 y/olds. Sad loss for the Pats, but I was actually happy that NY won as they really outplayed NE and deserved it.

I'll skip all the gory details, but let's just say that I have not been this ill since I can remember. Thank you, thank you, thank you to H & M for taking such great care of me and feeding me medicine, listening to me moan with my aches and pains, watching whatever I wanted and laughing through it all. So if you're ever in Boone, NC and not feeling so well ...

Just before I headed to NC, my new neice, Kaitlyn Samantha Vermilyea was born. Mom Jodi, dad Seth and big brother Ryan are all doing well. I'm really happy that Mark will get to meet her this weekend before we move and know that he is too.

I just found a George hair on my laptop. v. sad. but okay. He is doing very well. Juli checks in with me all the time and asks, "Did he do this with you?" etc... and tells me cute things he's done (like jumping over the fence - again). He is v. popular with the dogs in their posse and reportedly has several girl (and boy) friends.

Mark and I talked about going to see him before we leave for good, but we decided that it would be too difficult. Selfish? Maybe. I don't know. I do know that he is with people who really love him and take fabulous care of him. So that is pretty great. (Thank you, thank you, thank you, J & J!)

This weekend will be filled with packing, organizing, going through check lists and trying to squeeze in a few goodbyes. My mom is getting her hip replaced on Monday so that is on all of our minds as well.

The movers come Monday and Tuesday and together we'll fly out on Wednesday. We will arrive in Zurich on Valentine's Day. How sweet. I think it will be the perfect beginning to our new life together.