I am sick today. Not really blog-worthy in and of itself, right?
This morning has shown me how much I have to be grateful for in my wonderful network of friends here, illustrates why I didn't want to move before the arrival of baby, and has helped me turn my "I feel like I want to die" into an "I am grateful for this opportunity" moment.
My dear visiting teacher called me earlier in the week and ask if she could drive me to the temple to help me get one more thing checked off my list (which, by the way, I am doing very well at accomplishing). After a crazy morning of running around, including a few frantic phone calls to find a temple dress to borrow that would fit around my expanding belly, it was a great way to spend the afternoon and evening. Unfortunately, even with my front seat privileges I started feeling quite ill on the way home. I figured it was a weird combo of morning sickness or car sickness. And thus started a night and day of the above mentioned "I feel like I want to die" illness.
I woke up, somehow managed to get the big kids dressed and to school on time, and came home and started whining about how cruddy I felt on facebook.
Within minutes I had friends practically tripping over each other to help me. B has been whisked away to play and nap with a friend, there is dinner waiting in the fridge, and all the baby laundry in storage I needed to get done has been taken away, washed, and returned smelling fresh and clean to the nursery (another project tackled by a friend that would otherwise not exist!).
The kids are looking forward to a sleepover this weekend aranged to give Mike and I a chance to get away one more time before baby comes. Two amazing ladies are throwing a baby shower next week aimed to fill my freezer with food and calendar with helpers instead of the dresser with baby clothes. The woman I called to borrow a dress from yesterday didn't even blink before agreeing to lend me her temple dress and asking to keep B while I went. Even L's dance teacher called to make sure I had things covered and offered to drive her to classes for a few weeks so I wouldn't have to venture out with baby.
I am so very grateful. And super-scared to move away from my support network into the unknown.
So, to my southern family of friends and sisters, thank you for taking care of me.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Joyful
I am happy to report that I have been anti-depressant free for over a month now.
The first week or two was hard, but now things have settled and I feel just as "normal" as before, with a little bit more variance in my emotions (which actually is a good thing). I love being able to get all emotional over things, feel the Spirit again at church meetings, or laugh out loud when I read something funny. All things that I couldn't do before. However, even that was better than just sitting there feeling apathetic and numb and sad and angry all the time. Of course, I have an appointment with my doctor for approximately two weeks post- partum, just in case. A relapse would stink.
Anyway, this is my "be happy without meds even when life is hard and sucks sometimes" plan. I thought I would share it with you. Just a few little tips I have gathered from various sources such as my doctor, magazine articles, priesthood blessings, and personal experience.
Things to do daily:
PRAY- lots. No explanation needed really.
GO OUTSIDE- fresh air and sunshine make all the difference!
EXERCISE- 30 minutes of walking, aerobics, yoga, etc.
TAKE A VITAMIN- because I still don't like lettuce
TALK TO A GROWN UP- everyone needs a break from Elmo and diapers and crying
WRITE- journal, blog, email, whatever
SCRIPTURES- every day for at least 15 minutes of quiet time
SERVE- my calling, visiting teaching, my kids, whatever.
FINISH- something that has a lasting, tangible result, that I can check off a list or show to someone else because I need to feel like I am doing a little something that won't be undone in a few hours or days.
So there's my plan. What do you think?
The first week or two was hard, but now things have settled and I feel just as "normal" as before, with a little bit more variance in my emotions (which actually is a good thing). I love being able to get all emotional over things, feel the Spirit again at church meetings, or laugh out loud when I read something funny. All things that I couldn't do before. However, even that was better than just sitting there feeling apathetic and numb and sad and angry all the time. Of course, I have an appointment with my doctor for approximately two weeks post- partum, just in case. A relapse would stink.
Anyway, this is my "be happy without meds even when life is hard and sucks sometimes" plan. I thought I would share it with you. Just a few little tips I have gathered from various sources such as my doctor, magazine articles, priesthood blessings, and personal experience.
Things to do daily:
PRAY- lots. No explanation needed really.
GO OUTSIDE- fresh air and sunshine make all the difference!
EXERCISE- 30 minutes of walking, aerobics, yoga, etc.
TAKE A VITAMIN- because I still don't like lettuce
TALK TO A GROWN UP- everyone needs a break from Elmo and diapers and crying
WRITE- journal, blog, email, whatever
SCRIPTURES- every day for at least 15 minutes of quiet time
SERVE- my calling, visiting teaching, my kids, whatever.
FINISH- something that has a lasting, tangible result, that I can check off a list or show to someone else because I need to feel like I am doing a little something that won't be undone in a few hours or days.
So there's my plan. What do you think?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Clean Sweep in Baby Steps
Today I made a list of everything I want to do before the baby comes to get the house ready for company and real estate people and such. It was long and overwhelming. However, I know I will feel so much better to no longer be surrounded by all this stuff and have this giant list hanging over my head.
I have decided to break it up into little manageable baby steps and try to conquer one little job at a time. I rotate through the rooms of the house each day doing deep cleaning, hitting each one about once a week, and add in my de-clutter job, and my daily upkeep things and when I am done, I stop. No worrying about the next thing on the list. Going to keep track of my progress here under the label "clean sweep."
Today's job: the medicine cabinet. Out with everything that was expired or nearly empty. Sadly, there wasn't much left! I couldn't believe how much junk had accumulated up there. It felt good to toss it all out. And thanks to an awesome Christmas present from my friend, I had a box of new everything ready to take its place. One bag of old medicine out, one box of new medicine in, one less box taking up space on my counter, one less thing on my list. And it only took about 30 minutes!
Wonder what I can knock out tomorrow?
I have decided to break it up into little manageable baby steps and try to conquer one little job at a time. I rotate through the rooms of the house each day doing deep cleaning, hitting each one about once a week, and add in my de-clutter job, and my daily upkeep things and when I am done, I stop. No worrying about the next thing on the list. Going to keep track of my progress here under the label "clean sweep."
Today's job: the medicine cabinet. Out with everything that was expired or nearly empty. Sadly, there wasn't much left! I couldn't believe how much junk had accumulated up there. It felt good to toss it all out. And thanks to an awesome Christmas present from my friend, I had a box of new everything ready to take its place. One bag of old medicine out, one box of new medicine in, one less box taking up space on my counter, one less thing on my list. And it only took about 30 minutes!
Wonder what I can knock out tomorrow?
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