Today I ran a mile and a half for like the fourth day in a row....yes, i know, slightly underwhelming, not exactly your half marathon...

But for me its been kinda epic cause less than a year ago I couldn't walk more than a block without passing out. I slept 18 hours a day and then was an insomniac at night. I couldn't form sentences or remember basic facts or process conversations while I was having them. I had a constant headache. My heart beat was erratic. I had joint pain and nausea and constant body aches. Sound and light was my enemy. Emotions were non existent. 

Before I got sick I was a runner. It's something that makes me feel strong and accomplished (probably cause my legs are like a foot and a half long, so to run any distance is an achievement). It's the biggest release, the best routine, so to be able to run again, even starting from the ground up at a measly mile and a half, is huge. Its an accomplishment and action in a lifestyle of chronic illness which equates to caution and rest and calculated movements. It's hugely IMPORTANT. It's a BIG DEAL. 

I'm not a generally optimistic person. I don't go through life with a rose colored tint. If anything I'm a cynic, a realist. I read the worst into people and situations. I expect the worst. And I don't easily give into the ideal of hope. Throughout my health journey, Brett (bless his beautiful soul and adorable face) has been the one to never give up the belief that I'll get better, the one who continues to have faith in doctors, the one who sees my progress towards being healthy and rejoices in it. My reaction is usually, "today might be good, BUT we'll see how I feel tomorrow" or "who the heck is that freak doctor that we just let treat me" or "screw it, i give up."  (ask me where I'd be without him....probably rolled up in a ball in my week old clothes reading my kindle, watching netflix, and giving up on life and health...but seriously) 

All this to say, its important for me to consciously acknowledge this milestone in my journey to health. It's important for the cynic in me to step aside for a minute and rejoice in the healing God has been doing and to bask in this small victory, to let myself just be joyful. To appreciate and be thankful. To not look at how far I have to go until I'm totally healthy but to sit and worship the One who's brought this progress. Its all a part of the journey. 

much love.
-morgan    

our time in Wisco is coming to a close. we leave in one week for the beach. its a bittersweet affair. for one we cannot wait to get back to Florida, to family and warmth and work. we feel so alive and energized down there. but i will miss the family in Wisconsin. it never gets old having my sister and her babies only a half hour away. the exciting and weird thing about going down this time, is that the next time we move back up in July, we will be moving to Wisco for good . it seems like we've been traveling constantly the past couple years, so this is exciting and different. (now granted our job will be traveling, but at least we'll have a home base. i'll get to decorate an apartment!) 

not the same white stuff

the thing we have enjoyed most while up north this time is getting to work with our mobilization teammates up at the training center in Waukesha. we've gotten to see the Perspective on World Missions Class in action. we've gotten to help out with a perspective student weekend, where students come and get to experience NTBI (New Tribes Bible Institute) firsthand for a couple of school days. Overall we've just gotten a taste of what parts of our job will look like in July. it's exciting!  

the sad list

finally, for a fun fact that you don't really need to know. dark chocolate is probably my new absolute favorite thing. I know that for humanity this isn't a new discovery, but for me its like getting a new puppy. every time we go to a new coffee shop to work (which is like every other day) they have all of these amazing dark chocolate bars with himalayan sea salt, or burnt caramel, or 85% cacao powder, or almonds, or coffee grounds in them. three dollars seems like nothing compared to that sort of joy. I'm hooked. And they say thats its good for you (go antioxidants) so i'm gonna hold on to that sentiment and eat it as much as possible. i suggest you do the same :). 

i'm eating some right now

much love, 
morgan

I'm sitting in our favorite local coffee shop in wisco, wondering what to blog about and Brett just said, "we moved to the freaking North, blog about that!"...so I guess I will. 

first, before I get into our actual lives, can I just say only a Floridian/southerner would put it that eloquently and with such appreciation and second, that sentence alone gives you so much insight into our love/hate relationship with each others homelands. (who knew we were a bi-cultural couple just cause we're from the north and the south)

his face says it all

so we moved to the freaking north. after four months in Florida we're now doing a stint in my hometown in Wisconsin. its 10 degrees out and I love it cause my wardrobe is finally back to where it supposed to be. made up entirely of patagonia fleeces, hooded sweatshirts, yoga pants, and boots. we've spent some amazing time with family during the holidays. I have a four year old nephew and two year old niece, the perfect ages for christmas and the cuteness was almost too much. overall it was just a sweet relaxing time with those we love most. i've also been reunited with my best friend and sister, Megan Vold, who is not only a kick butt mom of three under four but also an extremely talented decorator, refurbisher/reupholsterer/redoer of anything and everything, and an overall extremely creative person who I one day hope to be as cool as. here's some pics of our holiday shenanigans. 

                      

we've gotten to spend some time with our future coworkers, this beautiful family below. we are so so excited to start working with them in July. getting to spend time with them has made us that much more pumped to be apart of the mobilization team at New Tribes Bible Institute.  

Mike, Kristi, Jesse and Nicole Day

for those of you who have been praying for my health, I want to say a huge thank you. we've seen some good improvement the past month. I joined a local gym, getting back into cycling, yoga, and weight lifting, and we've seen some good results from that, more energy and an overall clearer head. it's been exciting. the doctors I've been to have said that exercise is one of the best treatments you can do for Lyme's because it releases major toxins from the body. and man oh man, its true. we are so thankful for the progress we've seen and even though I feel like I have a long way to go until I'm completely healthy, we are encouraged. 

this pic reminds me on the bad days
 to hold onto hope that my body and
mind will feel good again

finally, i want to share with you one of the most exciting things about our holiday down time. the creation of the most beautiful barn wood table ever to be made. we had some extra Christmas money and we own pretty much no furniture, so we decided to make a table. my dad has been a carpenter most of his life, so we have access to every tool we could ever need and a heated shop to work in. heres the progress. its not quite done, but we're getting there. i think the copper legs are my favorite part. 

             

                     

the past couple of weeks have been a nice downtime, but Brett and I are both excited to get back to work. so if your in the Wisconsin and want to hear more about tribal church planting and how you can be involved, send us a message. we 'd love to meet with you. 

much love.

-morgan