293 Days Later

293 days ago, my life changed. I didn't know what to expect and was afraid to think about what was to come. I know I’ve had my ups and downs, but the past 293 days has made up for downs that I’ve had in the past 6 years. Health wise, I can't say I’m better than ever, but it sure beats where I was on February 24th, 2011. Now, aside from the occasional headache and muscle spasms in my neck (due to the incision), I’m feeling pretty good. Below is the picture from when the bandages were removed and a picture from today of how the wound is healing.

Now I have the next 289 days to look forward to. In 289 days, I will marry my best friend. (guy friend obviously girls! J) It’s funny how things come around. I’ve lived in the same area most of my life and so has he. We went to middle school together where we rarely spoke but I always noticed him. Well ok, I may have stalked him with Lena a few times. He and I had totally different lives, friends, etc. so that didn’t make for a friendship to blossom. After middle school, there was the occasional wave when he would be in the neighborhood, but other than that, nothing. At some point (enter suppressed memories) I introduced him to my BFF Shannon. They became friends during a time that Shannon and I briefly grew apart.

At some point I moved to Oklahoma, got my heart broken, move home, had a baby, got engaged, had a baby (I know bad trend already), got my heart broken and had to learn all over how to stand on my own two feet while holding 2 beautiful baby boys. During the move, Shannon made a comment to me, “let’s call Jackie! He lives right down the street!” and Angela agreed. I, naturally, protested calling the boy that I remembered as the odd man out. As usual, Angie didn’t listen and called him anyway. He came by and helped move some furniture (THANK ALL OF YOU AGAIN WHO HELPED!!) and went on his way.

In January, when this blog came about, Jackie and I started to IM, facebook and text one another. Aside from our casual chit chat, I was so involved with heartache and my new found head problems; there wasn’t time for much else. Two days before surgery, I got a lunch invite from Jackie and who can pass up Italian pie?

After surgery, I was very focused on getting well and back on my feet. 4 ½ weeks after surgery, I was back at work and able to play with the kids. While I got tired pretty easily, it was better than sitting around doing nothing. While life returned to “normal”, I enjoyed an increasing number of movie and date nights with Jackie.

We left for a week long cruise and we came back as the future Mr. and Mrs. Jackie Johnson Jr. and life has never been better.

I didn’t know that you can have a relationship with someone that didn’t include the word misery.

I didn’t know that you could have fun staying at home and making fajitas while the kids run in circles and that the cherry on top of the night could be watching Little Shop of Horrors.

I didn’t know that there was someone that could and would love me for who I am, but there he is.

Here’s to what turned out to be an amazing year! CHEERS!