It has been a lot of work packing, moving, unpacking. A lot has happened in the whirlwind as well.
Mike's brother passed away while we were hurriedly packing. He had been ill for some time. We knew he would pass away sometime soon, but soon is never long enough. He was in his early forties–so young to die. Mike was unable to fly back for the memorial on such short notice. It has been a very sad time for us.
Mike also had 2 trips to the emergency room for mysterious pain that was near where his appendix was. While it isn't directly related, it seems to be something that has made life miserable for him over the last few weeks. I can't really get into details since it's a private issue, but he's been doubled over in pain a lot. The doctors keep telling him to take Vicodin, but he refuses. He's been scanned up and down and the cause hasn't been pinpointed. They do know that it isn't serious… yet. That's reassuring and worth a couple thousand dollars.
We turned in the keys from our old place. I had tears in my eyes. A lot of life changing events happened there. It was the first time we ever stayed in one place for more than 2 years. We lived there for 5 years. Thankfully we kept the same phone number.
We started Cobra Creative in the back room. It's an addition with a horrible slope and required a space heater blasting us 24/7. We sat side-by-side in a space about 8' x 6'. That's probably smaller than most people's cubicles and there was two of us. It wasn't even big enough to fit 2 full size desks. We got by, and it was tolerable until there was an earthquake. Then we decided it would be better to turn the living room into our office. That lasted 4 months until we finally got our first office to work out of. Hello work/life separation.
We had many health issues pop-up. I was diagnosed with Rhuematoid Arthritis which I will deal with for the rest of my life. Mike had a heart condition diagnosed and ultimately had it fixed with a special surgery. The latest was Mike's appendectomy. Many colds, sniffles, flus, and allergies were dealt with in those 5 years. I lost 30 lbs, gained 50 lbs with pregnancy and lost another 43 lbs afterwards (20lbs were lost after giving birth). Mike gained, lost, gained and recently lost 35 lbs or so himself. We are both the thinnest we've been for many, many years.
Dexter was conceived in that apartment. I spent many hours with morning sickness. I learned that the kitchen sink was the best place to get sick in. I spent hours on my laptop, propped up in bed reading about babies and shopping for what I thought I might need. We had his baby shower there. He grew in my belly and my last picture of me being pregnant with him was taken in front of my favorite wall by my favorite window. The very same wall and window we took the first pictures of Dexter coming home in his carseat.
It also saw the greatest loss – Mike's mother who passed away just days before Mike and I were married and just weeks before hearing the big news that we were about to have our first child. Mike's brother passed away just days before we left.
That apartment was our home through life, death, sickness and in health and even when we said those very same vows to each other. I cried a bit when I left for the last time. It's like saying goodbye to a friend you will never see again. We have made a new friend, however, and I can only hope we have as many memories to make in our new home.
