Thursday, 23 February, 2006, Ivalo, Finland~

Dear Ilsa,

Hai! Miitu kuuluu? Kiitos hyvaas!

Thank you so much for writing! I am sorry for not writing sooner, but I have been fighting a cold, and being pregnant, I can't really take anything to get rid of the worst symptoms for fear it will bring harm to our unborn baby. I am starting to feel a LITTLE better, but I am still miserable: my poor nose is all raw and reddened from blowing it all of the time! I also have been drinking plenty of juice and eating soup until I think I am going to PEE soup! LOL

Again, Ilsa, I am sorry for not writing sooner. I just was scared that you didn't want to be around me because of my health issues. I know that may sound silly, but I am afraid that people are constantly staring at me or talking about me behind their backs, and it upsets me. They don't want to hear of my health troubles; so I just stay quiet and stay to myself.

I am sorry about your friend, Emily. I pray and hope that she recovers from her stroke. Whatever the outcome, it right now sounds very bad. Only in her fifties and she has a stroke--my! But even babies and kids have strokes. My friend in America, Louisiana Sandusky, has a daughter (now 13) who had a stroke when she was eight, but now she is doing great, and from looking at her, you wouldn't even THINK she even had a stroke because she acts and looks--well, NORMAL. It's incredible!

Besides being sick with this awful cold, I have also been depressed. I don't know why, but I keep on having nightmares that something will happen that I end up losing the baby or that if the baby is born, something terrible will be wrong with it. I don't know if I could handle it right now. I haven't told Nikky of my dreams or of my feelings; I am afraid he would only get mad at me or laugh it off. I also have been missing Mother and Father, and I have been missing Helvig in America. I wonder how he is doing. I heard from him, but he wrote a shortened lettre, and I am afraid he is mad at me for some reason.

One bright spot, though (BESIDES the auroras outside)--Finland shut out the men's hockey team, thus, eliminating them from medal contention in the Olympics, and I am very happy about that. I bet all of Finland is celebrating the victory! I know I am! :) We got back from Torino a few days ago; Turino, Italy, was where I came down with this cold, and I have been pretty sick ever since. I am sorry we are missing the ice skating final for the women, and I am sorry that I will be missing the final hockey game to determine the winner for the gold medal.

Working at the Olympics was fun, but I think I gained at least 30 pounds from all the wonderful Italian food! YUM! I ate like a HORSE! LOL Italy was absolutely beautiful, and the athletes we met were very sweet. We met athletes from Russia, the U.S., Finland (of COURSE!), Italy (of COURSE!), Germany, Jamaica, and Greece. We met little figure skater Kimmie Meissner of the U.S. and little Emily Hughes (and her sister Sarah, both from the U.S.; Sarah won the last medal two years ago, and she was so sweet!), and Russia's Irina Slutskaya, who to me seemed something of a b****. She didn't have very much personality, and she didn't really seem all that friendly. I was rather disappointed in her reaction towards me when I introduced myself; she seemed annoyed that I would have to check her in and out of the athlete's village, but I was only doing my job.

I also met speed skater Chad Hedrick of the U.S. and Apolo Anton Ohno, and he is cuter in person! LOL (He's from the U.S., too.) They were gracious to me, and I had my picture taken with him. (I also had my picture taken with the Hughes sisters, Shani Davis of the U.S.--he's a speed skater--, Michelle Kwan of the U.S. before she left due to nagging injuries; how unfortunate for her!!--, and Irina Slutskaya of Russia. Of course, Irina seemed annoyed; in the picture she looks mad. She didn't smile at all!)

Now the Olympics are winding down, and Nikky and I are back home here in Finland. It is so good to be back; but if it were not for this cold, I'd be in a much better frame of mind! So far, Nikky hasn't been sick, but boy, I sure have! My nose is so sore it isn't funny! It feels like it is going to fall right off my face!

Nemo is fine; he is sitting by my feet, purring his little furry heart out! He is so cute! I found out what kind of cat he is. He's Maine Coon, and Maine Coons are normally big cats. In fact, people call the Maine Coon "the gentle giants of the cat world" because of their size, and easygoing, laid-back "purr"sonalities. Maine Coons can easily reach weights of 20 pounds or more (males) or 12 to 15 for females. He is really cute, and he makes my life so much better! Whenever I am sad and Nikky isn't around, I can always bury my wet, tear-stained face into his soft, silken fur, and his purring can always dry the tears right up! It is amazing of the healing powers that cats possess!

Well, Ilsa, I will go for now. I am tired; still suffering from jet-lag, and this cold is really killing me. I feel like I am walking in a parallel universe, like I am not altogether there! It's WEIRD! Until later, Ilsa, take care, and God bless! Again, thanks for writing; do write back soon! I'll be waiting your reply!

Nakemiin for now!

Love, Sari Annike. :) (Trying to smile despite my depressed state)