April 2008: First, get sick.

We moved in early April, and somewhere between DeKalb County, Georgia and Travis County, Texas, I contracted a relentless case of streptococcus. My throat practically swelled shut.

April is prime planting season in central Texas, and I was out of commission for a week. I had planned to hit the ground running as soon as we arrived -- I had taken off a week from work to help unpack, but mostly to get the spring garden in full stride. Instead, I spent most of that time resting. I was heartbroken; it was a really big moral defeat.