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The most bittersweet day of all arrived.
After 121 days, I said goodbye to my Bella and my home away from home.
Thankfully I get to see my parents again before I head south.
But I don't think I have fully processed that I don't know when I will see my baby boxer bella again...
so that's a post for another day.

Matt and I left Knoxville and headed to Chicago for a wedding. I planned a small dinner gathering to again belatedly celebrate Matt's three-oh with some near and dear friends...



We are in for a fabulous weekend...

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like my glasses?
they are strictly for attempting to hide pink eye and have no visionary value...
I decided this was my best option after Matt and I stopped into a Verizon store today, I kept my aviators on the whole time, and our sales man made a comment about being unable to look at my contacts due to my status in the witness protection program.
Thankfully I've seen the doc, I'm not contagious, and he promised me my eye would look better by the weekend.

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yesterday looked like a lot of fun, right?
well it was... but Monday didn't feel quite the same.
remember when I said that my husband and I picked right up where we left off...
I woke up Monday morning and he told me I looked like Schrek
{what I think he meant to say was Fiona... but you get the point}


Why would he say something so romantic to me?
I woke up with a swollen face and pink eye.
That's right, Sarah got conjunctivitis
and I felt really pretty.

Luckily I had someone who was okay with spending the day with little ole infected me...

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...and the reunion, celebration, and birthdays {belated & early} continue...

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the day has come and gone
it's reunion day

we all waited around patiently for Matthew's arrival


mom and i decorated...




while dad smoked ribs for his impending arrival

I picked up Matt promptly at 5:00 pm when he touched down in Knoxville.  Poor guy had quite a long day as he left Cartagena for Bogota at 8:30 pm on Friday, arrived in Houston at 6:30 am and got to hang out all afternoon. Needless to say we made a pit stop at Starbucks so he could acclimate to America a bit and get a caffeine fix to prepare him for the evenings festivities. We had a lovely evening with family, friends, good food, American cervesas, and each other.

It felt like we picked up right where we left off, too long ago.
Lessons learned...
yeah, it's always better when we're together

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{sorry for my brief hiatus.... but I'm baaccckkk}

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it's baaacccckk!

no.
this is not an old picture
nor is this my idea of a joke.
bella is back with her favorite accessory, the e-collar or cone, if you will
and it has nothing to do with her leg
earlier this week I noticed B's nose didn't look quite right.. a little dry which then lead to a little red and a little swollen
mostly it looked hurty.
well, the vet had no idea where our problem originated from
{her regular doc in on vacay in Europe. we decided not to bother him, although sending him a picture of the nose was discussed. I'm serious.}
so she put her on some antibiotics and the e-collar to 'prevent further trauma to her nose'...
apparently I'm the only one concerned about the emotional trauma she faces from wearing a cone on two separate occasions in the last 3 months

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• today I began putting some things in suitcases to clear some room for Matthew. i've acquired more than I realized and my anxiety began to rise as I envisioned suitcases overflowing. but don't tell my husband that.
• this little girl felt some anxiety when she spotted that suitcase. that made my heart break a little bit.

• this week is my final week of Barre3, where ballet barre meets yoga and pilates. obsessed. it is the most fabulous workout I've ever found. It is challenging, refreshing, relaxing, and constantly changing. I leave feeling fabulous everyday...and like I wurked it. Unfortunately I don't think the DVD I'm taking to Cartagena will be near as much fun as the real thing. Look at the crazy amazing gorg studio I've been working out in for the last 3 months.

{source}

• I've never watched an entire season of American Idol. Until 2012.... and guess what? I loved it. It may have something to do with the company I kept while I watched each week or maybe that my absolute favorite since day one was crowned king last night. He is my American Idol boyfriend. It's okay to have a TV show boyfriend when you haven't seen your husband for 112 days. As the winner, his song 'Home' {penned by Phillip Phillips himself} will be the first single from his album... how did he know I have a thing for songs with home in the title?

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am I excited to see my husband in 4 days?
yes, of course.

am I going to miss my nightly dinner conversations & laughter,
playing iPad Monopoly & Words with Friends,
and watching weekly lines ups of idol, modern family, mad men, & the killing
with these two?

yes, of course

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you is kind

you is smart

you is important

chicago

we've been down this road before

I always seem to struggle with putting best friend filled weekends into words

I also seem to struggle with walking away from the deep conversations and laughter to take any pictures

there are a few pictures and words that sum up the weekend...

love. laughter. grilling. candle lit backyard. perfect weather. heart to hearts.

food. competition. music. more than one trip to the bar/liquor store/local lotto spot.

lack of sleep. sushi. second city. inability to walk in {new} heels. comfort. happiness. 

lumpy.

my cup runneth over with the love & happiness I feel every time we get together

my cup runneth over some more when I think about seeing them again in two weeks

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i had an incredible weekend
but
i  missed this loud licking water loving boxer...

hello reality check.

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{lumpy schroeder}

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{chicago}

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jowls 

{plural of jowl} noun

1. the lower part of a person's or animal's cheek, esp. when it is fleshy or drooping

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each i time i check the date on the calendar a slight anxiety overwhelms me
a bittersweet one
bitter because I've become pretty comfortable here in America
and I don't love goodbyes
sweet because I'm one day closer to being reunited with McQuinn
when this anxiety comes on
it makes me want to eat Panera everyday

but that would be crazy, right?
cray
cray

would you like to hear something that is equally as crazy?
my husband, that guy I haven't seen in quite a while,
he is in the United States
Houston to be exact
but our reunion is still scheduled for May 26th
Matt is in Houston through Friday for some meetings
Sarah leaves Thursday for Chicago
after a bit of back and forth and attempting to make sense of this puzzle
we realized that our time in Houston wouldn't be the reunion we wanted
meetings, alarm clocks, and business dinners means little quality time together
thanks, but no thanks.
plus we're only a week away from the full reunion
what a crazy adventure....

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{reality check: stairs}

happy mothers day

all that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother

- Abraham Lincoln

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a rainy day at the lake

the perfect way to spend it

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celebrating Bella's successful recovery*

*despite Bella's inability to celebrate with us as she was exhausted from all the activity she was able to participate in

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{bella}

{lover of pillows}

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we made it

8 weeks later Bella had an x-ray and received a clean bill of health to resume running, jumping, & stairs
people, I wasn't sure if we would make it
i had nightmares about the doctor lecturing me on my inability to appropriately manage my dogs aftercare and having to start all over again
these fears may have had something to do with Bella's three sneaky summits up the stairs at various times in 'our' recovery
but after a lot of love, several busy bones, daily trips up and down the stairs, and a little bit of discipline
the time has come
she's on the move

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nope.
B didn't return from a safari,
just the groomer...
to prepare for the big day tomorrow.
It's been 8 long weeks.
Tomorrow morning at 9 am
Miss Bella has an appointment with Dr. Mitch,
an x-ray,
and hopefully the go ahead to resume a dogs life...
including running, jumping, and stairs.

Although if I'm being totally honest,
I think she may be milking the stairs thing for some time to come...
Can you blame her...
Wouldn't you enjoy being carried up to bed each night?

129/366

today i went to the doctor

thankfully it wasn't nearly as traumatic as this time...