Hello...

So, not quite a year since I've posted here. When I last posted, I was about to begin Hep C treatment. You can read that story here. Long story short, I am healed. I've tested negative for a viral load since last September, my first check after beginning treatment. I have one more blood test, in 2 weeks, after which the doctors will consider me cured.

We're all introverts here, and staying home while I felt bad during treatment got us into a do-nothing rut. It's been nice to reach out lately and meet new people, have new experiences. I went out for coffee with some friends last night. I enjoyed that so much. It's something I just don't do much. Well, really, it's something I've now done exactly twice.

Hubby is still dealing with back pain. He had spinal fusion surgery in October, and is healing slowly. I hate seeing him in pain everyday. It's not bad everyday, but he is always in pain. He amazes me. He still gets up and goes to work while Son & I sleep even though he's in pain. His office operates on a 4 day work week, and most weeks he works 3 days. Thankfully, he can make up some of that time working from home. His job has gotten stressful. The company he works for was in charge of debris removal from drainage areas after hurricane Gustav in '08. Not long after, the bill was rejected by FEMA. It was a case of "we're from the government and we're here to help." Let's just say FEMA is stupid and won't pay. So the bill then goes to our parish (county). The parish "president" cries foul, says he never okayed most of the stuff done, he didn't know what was going on, back pedaling, not my job, etc. Sorry dude, but it WAS your job, and your job only. The fight was played out in the local paper and Hubby's company was really drug through the mud (not to mention the 4 million dollars they are out), and the company is struggling to keep business. Hubby's job is not directly threatened by this, but he takes on the burden anyway. This was a drainage issue, and he is THE drainage engineer in the parish. Work just isn't fun for him anymore. And still he goes, in pain. The people he works for are really good people and they've done so much for us in the last 9 years.

Son is really blossoming. He'll be 14 in a few days, and he's officially taller than I now. He's also taken on daily bike riding and guitar playing. He's gotten very good and comfortable with both. In April, he decided to be baptized. He then decided to get involved with the teen ministry at our church. They have a Wednesday night service, where he learned about the summer internship program - Tuesday & Thursday from 8AM to 5PM, and Sunday mornings 9 - 12:30. Throw in the Friday night recovery program I attend, & my car's making 7 trips to church a week! But it's worth it to see the enjoyment he's getting out of it. He's making new friends and growing in his faith. And I am getting used to letting go a bit.

I've been trying to grow my soap site without any money to do so. I've never wanted it to become a job, taking up everyday, but I need to have more sales to justify the web site and supplies I have to buy. I do have a facebook page, and have several "likes" from people I don't know, so that's good. But I'm still not reaching enough people.

I'm also beginning to get back into photography. I got out of the habit of carrying my camera with me, and need to get back to it. I forget how much I love photography. I love to take candids, of people and of wildlife. I love "wait for it" images - setting up and just waiting for the perfect moment to capture. I used to love to just go driving to find things to photograph. The heat and the cost of gas limit that now, but I still need to get out and do it now and then.

My baby...