I'm Baaaaaaaaack....and, I Missed Christmas

A bit of medical advice to start your year off:  Don't get the flu. 

If there is anything more depressing than sitting home alone on Christmas, it would be sitting home alone on Christmas, WITH THE FLU.  #worstthingever

Hello and Happy New Year!

Let me back up a bit here....I was feeling pretty sick the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas but figured I just picked up another cold from one of my kids.  In fact, I worked both of those days and was wondering why I was being such a baby about this "cold", when in fact I worked an 11 hour and 9 hour day WITH THE FLU!!!!!!! 

I was supposed to leave for home Wednesday (Christmas Eve) but was feeling pretty terrible so I decided to stay in Baltimore and go to urgent care.  After a long wait and 2 giant wooden swabs up my nose (super uncomfortable), I was diagnosed with Influenza and sent home with some cough syrup with codeine.  Score!  It was too late for Tamiflu because I had already passed the 48 hr mark.  So I spent the holidays paralyzed on my couch with nary a festive sight or other human being around.  Side note:  If you've never had codeine you are missing out because it is a real trip.  After not being able to sleep for nights, I took this stuff and not only slept like a baby but had the most lucid dreams ever.  I kind of want more.  Kidding!!

So I finally made it home the Saturday after Christmas.  I missed all the good Christmas stuff.  Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.  Christmas Day with all my relatives.  All the FOOD.  I didn't have an appetite for over a week and subsisted solely on Campbell's chicken noodle soup and Gatorade.  My appetite and strength really didn't return until the middle of last week. 

Alright, enough about the flu.  Just don't get it.  Although I hear the flu shot isn't really effective this year, so your best bet is to either become a hermit for the next 3 months or don a bubble anytime you are out in public.

I'm late to the party and by this time, you've read about a million Christmas and New Year's recaps so instead of overloading you with yet another, I'm going to give you a rundown with mostly photos of what I did with my week of vacation post-flu, post-Christmas :)

Spent some time visiting with friends and family:

My sister and her family from ATL were not in town this year, so my parents house felt pretty empty without the addition of 5 more people!

The food I wait all year to eat:  (Struffoli/Pinulata - Italian fried dough balls covered in honey and sprinkles)

Once I finally felt semi-well, I couldn't wait to go for a run.  It was what made me feel human again.  I got a few good ones in last week:

Last run of 2014!

Snow run!

(Editor's note:  I kept trying to get that horse to come over to me so I could pet him but he was super hesitant. I thought it was just because I didn't have any treats to offer him, however, I accidently put my arm down on the ELECTRIC FENCE and found out why he was keeping his distance.  I totally got shocked and that horse surely thought I was an idiot.)

 

Drifting in and out of consciousness during my run with influenza, I wasn't really thinking about gifts (I didn't even know what day it was half the time), but when I finally got home and got to exchange gifts with my friends and family, it was such a nice surprise.  I got lots of wonderful new running accessories.  My sister got me a bunch of stuff for running safely in the dark including two flashers you can attach to your clothes/shoes plus a reflective vest! I also got several new long-sleeved running shirts.  And look what my sister in ATL sent to me:

 

I am going to buy every single vegan treat in sight

 



In other news, I was supposed to go on a blind date while I was home (set up by sister) but I had to cancel due to the aforementioned viral infection.  We finally rescheduled for a week later, and he then texted me that afternoon that he got the flu!! HAHAHA  Sounds made up, but I assure you this is my real life. 

 

This week was the first time all year that I had time off and had no plans whatsoever and it was really needed.  I did a lot of thinking about the previous year and what I want 2015 to bring.  I decided I'm not going to set any real goals because I did that last year and probably didn't even meet half of them!  I mean, I didn't even make spaghetti squash.  So instead of setting myself up for failure, I've decided on a couple of mantras that I want to guide me in 2015.

 

First, and most importantly, I want to be open to change and NEW possibilities.  I want to be more receptive to things I may not have considered in the past, because I am anxious for even bigger changes this year.  I want to be more open-minded about the future, and where it may lead.

 

And secondly, I want to continue to be TRUE to myself.  This is something that has led my actions over the past 2 years and I want to ensure I am continuing to be authentic and listening to my intuition as I choose new paths this year.

 

That's it.  Be OPEN and AUTHENTIC.  Boom!  Those are some solid guiding mantras for the year right there.

 

There are many other things I'd love to do this year, but I just don't know if life will provide the means for those things so that's why I'm just going to stay open and be more accepting of what does come my way.  Life is like a box of chocolates you know? 

 

I have good good feelings about this year anyway.  Plus, I just love how 2015 sounds compared to 2014.  I feel like the Universe is on my side.

 

You know how I know this?  Because look at the sky on my drive back down to Baltimore last night.  This crappy iPhone photo doesn't even begin to do it justice.  I couldn't stop staring (while of course keeping my eyes super focused on the road ahead).

 

 

Layers upon layers of pink and gold that went on for miles.  Sounds super corny, but I felt like I was driving straight into Heaven.  Now I wouldn't exactly classify Baltimore as "Heaven", but I felt it was a prelude to the year to come.  Everything feels full of promise and I hope it does for all of you as well!  Here's to the new year; a 2015 full of possibilities.

 

 

Please catch me up on your lives!

 

What are you looking forward to in 2015?