I can't remember the last time I was up, dressed, and ready for the day by 9:00 on a Saturday morning. But a schedule is a schedule!

It's absolutely beautiful outside this morning. It's sunny and we've gotten some fresh snow in the last 24 hours or so. Sunshine on fresh snow is always pretty. Harry loves the sunshine.

I guess I should mention who Harry is...when Joe's grandfather died last January we brought home a small plant that someone had sent for the funeral. Joe watered it and took care of it all winter and in the spring I set it out on our porch. Shortly thereafter, a strong gust of wind took the plant off the porch and onto the ground a story below. I think we both figured that the plant was a lost cause, so we left it. This summer, however, we found that the neighbors below us had set the plant upright and had been watering it. So it was still healthy and we brought it inside. Despite HayZeus's multiple attempts to destroy it and/or eat the leaves off of it, it was still kicking when we moved in with Dee. But just barely.

Dee and Matt immediately took the plant in and slowly nursed it back to health. When Matt was home during the day he would move the plant around to make sure it was in the sun at all times and Dee checked to see if it needed water every day when she got home. One day I came home and Joe, Dee, and Matt had decided to name the plant Harry (in honor of Joe's Grandpa). Since then Harry has had to be repotted and probably needs a bigger pot yet again. So Harry is healthy as can be and is basking in the sun this morning, as Matt has already moved him into the light of the window. That's Harry's story.

I spent the last tow days organizing, uploading, and printing out photos. When I went to pick some out to send to Crystal I found that our pictures from our wedding and honeymoon were very hard to navigate, so I reorganized them. I've also been promising to upload them onto a photo sharing site for months and months, so I did that as well. That took a day and a half, but they're all up there now. And I did manage to print off 10 or 15 photos to put in the package we're sending to Crystal. I'm a little peeved that it took me so long, but I'm glad it's done.

Last night Joe and I went to Marquette (the first time I've left the house for a reason other than to see a doctor) to grocery shop. There's a grocery store here in Gwinn, but unless you're only getting a handful of items it's totally worth the drive to Marquette. We ate and Big Boy and then went to Walmart and SuperOne. By the end of the excursion I was very unsettled and anxious, but I was able to use my medication to prevent myself from totally freaking out. That's how it's supposed to work.

I was very tired by the time we were done putting things away and such, in part I'm sure because the xanax knocks me out a bit. Although the doctor says it's fine so long as I don't take within the same half hour or so, I'm a little hesitant to put sleep medication on top of a benzodiazapine. Also, the last two days I've actually had to be woken by my alarm and was still sleepy, so I thought perhaps I could get away with taking less of the sleep meds. I was wrong. I was up at 4:30 this morning staring at the ceiling for a long time. I think I finally fell back to sleep around 7 or so, only to hear my alarm at 8. Oh well, at least I tried.

Joe's parents are coming up today. I'm excited to see them, but I'll admit I'm a pretty nervous about it. I don't like being around my own parents when I'm like this, let alone Joe's. Still, we haven't seem them since Christmas and it will be nice to spend some time with them. Hopefully my nerves will subside and I won't have to be medicated all day...but even if I am it will be good to see them. I have no idea what we're going to do all day though. We're going to dinner at the Up North Lodge, which has phenomenal food (I used to work there) and I'm hoping I'll be able to handle the busy atmosphere of the restaurant. We've also invited my Dad and Teri to join us. This adds to my nervousness, but I'm sure it'll work out.

I've found that when I've been home these last couple days I'm much more relaxed than I was even earlier this week. I get crabby and pissy from time to time, but I'm not nearly as on edge. I have absolutely no appetite and frequently realize it's 4pm and all I've had is a bowl of soup when Joe was home for lunch. I'm fairly certain I've lost 5 pounds in the last few days and I know that's not water weight because I drink about 80+ ounces of water a day. The two major side effects I get from my meds are excessive sweating and dry mouth, but I think the dry mouth is mostly because I'm dehydrated from sweating so much (Yes, I really sweat that much). I've got a prescription antiperspirant that's helped a bit, but I still sweat through my shirt a couple times a day.

On Saturdays we have coffee hour (or two) - Dee, Laura (sister in law), and my sister congregate for coffee. This weekend it's at our house, which is exciting because I get to participate. I don't like going to Missy's because they smoke in the house and it bothers me and my lungs a lot. So I should go, because the coffee's on and Missy and the kids will be here soon.

PS - Ben and Jerry's was stillll on sale at Walmart last night, so we got more. Maybe I can gain those 5 pounds back in ice cream.