The new normal begins...

Well, the mother-in-law is getting settled into the nursing home. The staff has already remarked that she is so sweet and when I went by there today, another resident rolled on by and waved and made nice with the new resident, my mother-in-law. She has a nice little corner spot with a sliding glass door which was amazing today to open it up and experience the wonderful breeze. We've got her "big" screen TV installed and should have Food Network and Travel Channel (her favorites) flowing by Monday afternoon. The staff have been very attentive to her needs and they've already ordered physical therapy, speech therapy and eye drops for a weird eye goop thingy and let her borrow a radio to tide her over until the dish service is installed. Tuesday, they have a care plan meeting scheduled and I'm working on getting her room decorated with pictures and knick knacks to make it more her space. She seems content and we haven't had any MIL meltdowns since she's arrived at the facility. I think she likes the attention and stimulation. I'm already looking at the social activities schedule so we can go play some bingo.

I'm so glad we are in this point in our journey and I think the husband is glad too. He was giddy today realizing he didn't have to change any diapers, give any medications or food. Along with that, he's also very tired. Yet he took a 20 minute nap and has been working on his magic stuff all evening. All this makes a wife very happy. He deserves to be happy.

Meanwhile, I have been out for the count with a mega head cold. It's been miserable but knock on wood, I am feeling a tad bit better tonight. I'm not AS congested. I'm like 60% congested versus the 210% congestion I was feeling since Tuesday night. I'm pounding the vitamin C, saline nasal spray and Coricidin like it was going out of style. I'm OVER being sick. OVER IT. Yet understandable since I've been on high stress since September 2008 when we brought my MIL home or since March 2008 when she had the stroke. Or maybe it was getting married in December 2007 and subsequently getting sick with a kidney stone that required surgery and then the MIL having a stroke 3 1/2 months after I got married. Or did it begin when I started grad school in 2005 and decided to do two degrees in 2006. Then getting married during the middle of the last year of grad school and then getting sick on my honeymoon which required surgery in which I didn't fully recover until mid-February 2008 and then the MIL having a stroke in March 2008 and bringing her home to take care of her 5 months later. Wow. The last five years have been HIGH stress!

So, that's us... we are appreciating the little things right now. Mainly, we are just glad that the MIL is taken care of well and seemingly content and we have the freedom to run errands, chill at home without a schedule and just be married...and wherever that may take us.