Tis the season..."Who have you been kissing?"

It has been a "cough drop, chicken soup, hot tea, orange juice, and cold medicine" couple of weeks at the Fennel household. And as terrified as I am to write this and jinx ourselves, I'm happy to admit that I think we may be on our way back to healthy. My fingers are crossed.

It started out as a simple sore throat for Matt that turned into congestion three days later. He called in sick one day - I called in sick two days later. His sore throat turned into congestion after two days and mine stuck around for an entire week. I slept for four days straight and still felt awful. So by day six, I was at the doctor's office getting tested for strep and mono -- I was told they both came back negative -- but that I "probably have mono anyways and I just haven't had it long enough for it to show up on the test."

"Typically it shows up after 14 days. You've only had seven days of symptoms, so your white blood cell count wasn't high enough to make the diagnoses positive. You probably have mono. There is no cure for it, though, because its a virus. Plan on feeling this way for 6-8 more weeks. Oh and get lots of rest and relaxation."

Gee, Thanks.

I called Matt after leaving to share the news with him. His response was, of course, WHO HAVE YOU BEEN KISSING, MISSY?

Luckily, I've started to feel better - I've regained an appetite -- and I have a little more energy than before. But today the trusty sore throat came back - yet again -- and I am hoping it was just from the dry air.

In attempt to beat this horrible illness-- or whatever it is -- and to be just overall healthier, Matt and I went on a vitamin frenzy. We were grocery shopping at Woodmans over the weekend and decided we should stop in the vitamin aisle before checking out. OMG! Add on 30+ dollars........

We bought: fish oil, vitamin D, vitamin B, a daily vitamin for men, a daily vitamin for women, and more.

Now vitamins are not cheap, but neither is medicine. I'm happy to report that Matt and I have been doing a great job taking them everyday and I hope within a couple of weeks, we will start to feel the positive effects of taking our vitamins. The ironic thing about this is that -- last year -- right around this time, I also got tested for strep and mono. Both came back negative, thank God. But my lymph nodes in my neck were so big, I looked like Frankenstein.

 I was so worried I had mono -- "the kissing disease" -- because only two weeks later, I'd be kissing my new husband at the alter. It was the day before my bachelorette party and there I was worried about mono and strep. Thank heavens, I started to feel better and my bachelorette party didn't falter one bit.

Yikes

I can't help but feel a little nostalgic around this time of year. I mean, exactly five years ago - as of yesterday - I reluctantly went to a bar -- even though I didn't feel up for it -- and ended up meeting my future husband.

(Matt in the background -- before we met)

Well -- I take that back. I saw him. And Matt saw me. He got my number from Heather. And texted me the next day (five years ago today). We made plans for dinner and went out on our first date the next weekend (the 28th of January). And while most of you won't believe me, I knew within three weeks that he was the one and that I'd end up marrying him one day.

(OMG! We're babies)

Fast forward to last year -- around this time -- and we were only weeks away from getting married. The ironic thing about it all is that I've heard "Pachelbel Cannon in D" (the song I walked down the aisle to) and "The Way You Look Tonight" (our first dance) so many times lately out of sheer chance that tears swell in eyes and my heart is instantly warmed just at the memory of seeing him at the end of the aisle waiting for............me.

I can't believe its almost been one year. At this time - last year - we had already applied for our marriage license and received (almost) all of our responses back in the mail. I remember only watching Four Weddings and Say Yes to the Dress and about how every single thought, second, minute, and day revolved around planning the wedding.

I sat in my spare bedroom closet for a good half hour today looking through my wedding planning binder and remembering how it felt to be a bride: the nerves, the anticipation, the stress, the poorness (LOL), and above all -- the love.  And now I sit here - almost a year later - so thankful and so happy for the amazing life I've been given. They say the first year of marriage -- or the first three months -- are the hardest. And while we've had our trying times and experienced more than we could ever imagine - we're only closer and even more in love than the day we said our vows.

Our one year anniversary vacation is just around the corner. Today I purchased tickets for the Cirque Du Soleil LOVE show and The Rat Pack is Back -- both equally -- exciting. We simply cant wait to go.... Is it February yet?

In other news, I am so over winter. I want it to be Spring now.

My best memory of last Spring is learning how to cook (with Matt as my assistant)

 and attempting to have a green thumb with gardening.

I can't wait to plant buy potted flowers and........... place them in front of my door. HAHA! No more planting or gardening -- just buying pre-potted flowers and placing them on my patio.

 What I'd like to call accessorizing.

Also, its MADISON'S RESTAURANT WEEK!!!!!! Tonight we're going to dinner at Mariners Inn (who has Food Network's award winning clam chowder) to eat the Surf and Turf with friends from work. Its our big, fancy night out which will result in Valentine's Day being a homecooked beef bourguignon meal -- from non other than -- Julia Child's cookbook.

This shall be interesting.....Wish me luck.

Happy Friday Everyone!!

"I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not, to agree to disagree on red velvet cake, and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home."

-The Vow