For the first time in weeks, I had a day where I could just relax at home (without being sick). Downright luxurious! This morning, I watched "James and the Giant Peach" with Will and nursed the baby, who is on a growth spurt, teething and trying to figure out how to roll over all at the same time. Poor sweetie! This afternoon I waded through about 2,000 emails (no joke!) and worked on getting my appointments book updated. It looks like I have a busy couple of weeks coming up with homeschool stuff, midwifery stuff, social occasions and going out of town. Fun times!
I looked down at my hands today and realized that they are once again showing the business of my life. You can really tell when I don't have a minute to stop. See? There's chipped polish, the nails are long (which doesn't work with playing the violin) and there are all kinds of rough spots:
I didn't have long enough to myself today to paint my nails. I was constantly holding or nursing Lily, who is very sweet but a bit needy with everything going on with her. Instead, I removed the old polish, clipped the nails and took care of the rough spots. Then, I slathered on a nice helping of some new goats milk lotion that my Dad's wife gave to me during the weekend we were in Minnesota for Mom's memorial service. I couldn't find a website for her, but the phone number is listed on the container. If you're inclined to try it, I'm guessing that is the best way to find it.
Seriously, that lotion is better than anything I can find in the store and it makes my hands feel so soft. Incidentally, it also feels good on my face after I wash it. Moisturizing without being greasy.
Even though I don't have polish on my nails yet, my hands look a lot more pampered now and it feels good to do something to physically take care of myself. Love it!
Hopefully sometime in the next few days, Lily's stuff will calm down a bit so I can paint my nails. This coming weekend, Allen and I are going to a marriage retreat and it would feel so good to have sparkly nails.
As an added bonus, Lily lost her two Hanna Andersson outfits from Mom when Delta lost track of her suitcase. I ordered her new ones to replace them and the jammies showed up.
I had a marvelous day today. This morning, I got the pleasure of bringing lunch to a friend who had surgery not too long ago. It was so wonderful to see her, her kiddos and to meet her mama. This afternoon, we met with another friend who had surgery not too long ago. She came to our house for lunch. Will was ecstatic to see her!
The day was a blast and filled with activity and nursing a baby who is teething and on a growth spurt, but it left me feeling joyful. There was also a lot of activity and a pretty good noise level. Anyone who has ever met Will knows that he is a ball of energy. That intensity of energy all day long can sometimes make me downright desperate for quiet time, just so I can hear myself think. LOL!
By the time the kids went to bed, I was so noised and activitied out that I couldn't even figure out what I wanted for dinner. LOL! So, when Allen went to the store to get a couple of things, I used the 15 minutes to pamper myself with a scarce commodity for moms: SILENCE. Yep, I sat down on the couch, put my feet up, closed my eyes and did nothing. Talk about luxury! It renewed my spirit and I was able to get on with the evening and enjoy watching "Glee" and "Raising Hope" with Allen. Fun times!
The past few days, I have focused on pampering missions that renew my spirit. After all the emotional turmoil I have been through, that has made the most sense and was exactly what I needed. Now, I feel like those emotional/social needs are pretty much met and I feel some physical pampering coming on in the next few days. Not exactly sure where I'll go with that. But, I know I'm craving something like a luxurious bubble bath, manicure, pedicure or massage. I also wasn't able to exercise with the vertigo, so I'm craving some good runs -- something long enough to feel the burn that hurts so good (3 miles? 5 miles?). Tomorrow it's going to be rainy, so the run likely isn't an option but tune in to see what I decide to do. Looking forward to a change of pace!
Every week, some of my friends and I meet with our kids at my place for cooking class. We all cook, the kids play and the mamas get some much needed grown-up time. Last week, we didn't have class because we were flying home from Minnesota, so I missed my mama time and felt it all week. Add to that the lost luggage with irreplaceable items, vertigo and the missed rally in Raleigh and I was just desperate for social hour. So many times I feel like the Lord refreshes my spirit through time with friends.
My pampering today was to renew my spirit during cooking class. It seems all my pampering the past few days has focused on that. I suppose that makes sense after everything that has been going on the past couple of weeks.
Well, we had a blast today, making granola bars, listening to the kids bang on the drums and talking about mama stuff like birth, kids and schedules. LOVE!
I love spending time with my hubby, and date nights at home are great pampering for the spirit, especially after the kind of week I've had. Tonight, I made some french bread pizza with sun-dried tomato basil pesto, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers. About 15 minutes at 450 makes those thimgs perfection. Add nonalcoholic sparkling juice, crystal stemware and good television to enter into date night perfection. Bliss!
Most of the time, I have to get up early in order to get Will dressed and fed for the day. During the week, Allen isn't home so it's my responsibility to take care of all of that on my own, even though Lily and I would probably sleep much later than 7:00 in the morning. The past few weeks, we've had so much going on during the weekend that I didn't get to sleep in even when Allen was home from work.
Today was the first time I didn't have to worry about getting up to either take care of Will or tend to some other responsibilities. I got up in the night to nurse Lily a few times, but she went right back to sleep after eating. My pampering today was the fact that I did not have to get out of bed until 10:30!! That is a miracle around here and I felt so much better all day after all that rest.
My word to all you mamas out there: Sleep when you can! The housework can wait. Your to-do list can wait. Ask your spouse, a friend, or family member to watch the kids and get a few extra hours while you can. It is amazing how two or three extra hours can make all the difference in the world, even if you don't get them all in a row. I feel like a new woman!
Oh, and for your added pleasure, a cute picture of Lily in a tutu. This tutu came from my cousin Janet. She gave it to us at Mom's memorial service and it was one of the few items that was in my suitcase instead of hers, so it wasn't lost in the bag that Delta can't find. I'm so grateful to have this!
I wanted to post to let you know that I am still here and I'm going to be posting daily again. I honestly did not mean to take a break. But, we flew to MN for Mom's memorial and then on Monday we flew home, only to have the baby's suitcase gone missing on the other end. The airline thinks someone stole it at baggage claim. Anyway, I had that coupled with some mean vertigo that kept me from going to the Birth Freedom March in Raleigh that I so desperately wanted to attend. I felt like I let folk down but sometimes our bodies make calls for us when we won't do it on our own. I must have needed the rest.
Here is a video from the event that is so near and dear to my heart even though I didn't get to be there. It is awesome to see so many friends on camera. Way to go y'all!!
Anyway, some days were better than others when it came to pamper missions. Mom's memorial service was amazing and it was so incredible to see so many friends and family members that I hadn't seen in years. What a blessing!
Thursday March 24th: We flew to MN and when we got to the hotel, I took a nice long hot shower and treated myself to my favorite lotions, quite the luxury after traveling. As an added bonus, the body cream was a gift from Mom before she died.
Friday February 25th:I think this is the only day I missed! It was a good day, but I just didn't take time for myself.
Saturday February 26th: This was the day of Mom's memorial service and it would have been easy to forget to take time out with all the action, but Tammi's mom, Carol, made me some super delicious cupcakes, so I spent my pampering time savoring every bite. Yummmmmmm (I need to get that recipe).
Sunday February 27th: My Mom was friends with Jill for years and years. She and her husband had us over for a delicious home cooked Caribbean meal. Two of their kids, who I grew up with, were there as well and it was so much fun to connect again as adults. This was exactly the relaxation we needed. Their hospitality was absolutely amazing. I only wish we lived closer.
Monday February 28th: Lily fell asleep on the plane on our way home and I decided to take a nap, too. That was pure bliss! Afterward, I browsed the Sky Mall magazine and lusted after all kinds of useless gadgets that I figured were sure to make my life easier. LOL! Tuesday March 1st: I felt awful with vertigo this day and I was so emotional about having lost Lily's suitcase and was really focusing on the things she'd bought for Lily and Will that I would never have back again. Not sure if there's anything I could call a pamper mission, but I did try to lean on friends for support and I tried to rest a little, which helped.
Wednesday March 2nd: My vertigo wasn't too good and I was quite depressed about not being able to go to Raleigh and about the things lost in the suitcase that were in one way or another touched by my Mom. But, Steph took Will for the majority of the day and that gave me time to get some rest, put my feet up, pray and get put back together again. That was exactly what I needed!
Thursday March 3rd: I took Will and Lily to the mall to replace several items that were in the suitcase that the airline lost. While there, we stopped for frozen yogurt. That was my pampering. I discovered my new favorite flavor at Yogurt Mountain: pistachio. Truly delicious, especially with fresh fruit. Friday March 4th: The house was looking drab and not smelling too fresh, so I took some time to straighten up some things that were bugging me this week while I wasn't feeling well with my vertigo and then I sprayed some delicious smelling cherry blossom spritzer all over the house to make it smell nice before putting my feet up on the couch. Normally, I would count that as work, but sometimes after being sick it feels like pampering because I get to wanting a nice environment again, you know?
