{Happy Labor Day. Hope you’re celebrating with one last barbecue (lots of veggie burgers, I hope!) & good times with friends & family.}
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Last week was a doozy. To be fair, it wasn’t that bad. Like, not I got-evicted-from-house, or my dog died, kind of bad.
(& thank you for your comments on Friday. I’m glad we had that discussion.)
It’s just that I felt things build up, that by Saturday I was in a downright cranky mood & couldn’t put my finger on it. Why am I living in this dumpy old town anyway? Why do my kids have to speak at 10 decibels louder than other human beings? And why was I finding cheerios in the oddest places & why was it that one shoe from each pair of my kids shoes seem to be chronically missing?
When Joseph called, late Saturday night, the kids were still up & I was in no mood to be chipper, despite the fact that I had talked with him for a cumulative 20 minutes the entire week. The first few weeks of COT–commissioned officer training–are always intense. Joseph said they have on average 3 minutes to eat each meal–no time for chewing or chit chat, it’s “stuff as much food in your mouth as possible, as fast as you can” protocol. Illustrates how there’s not a minute to lose (or spend time calling home, turns out) during COT.
As I was saying. We finally got a chance to talk & I was a grump. He talked a bit then asked how my week was. He could tell something was wrong.
“I wish there was something I could do for you.”
“There is something you can do for me. Just listen & know that everything I say, you can take down 10 notches & that’ll give you reality. I don’t need you to fix anything. I just want to talk & vent.”
He said okay.
30 minutes later, I took a breath & paused, chuckled, & said,
“Whew, I feel much better, don’t you?”
I hadn’t talked all week, with anyone. Sure I talked with my kids, my family, a few friends. But it wasn’t the talk I’m so accustomed to with Joseph. He’s intelligent (brilliant, I think) & he listens. He has good ideas & he’s not judgemental. Only now I’m I beginning to appreciate what therapy I derive from talking with him on a daily basis.
After I put the kids down I did something I rarely do. I watched a movie. All of it (I only fell asleep for about 10 minutes, somewhere in the middle). I watched As Good As It Gets. This movie is so incredibly endearing to me. I love watching it, which says a lot, because I’m not one for watching movies more than once (unless it is, of course, one of the rare handful of movies, like this one).
Melvin Udall (played by Jack Nicholson) // Image from: The Best Picture Project
One of my favorite moments (there are so many) is when Melvin leaves the psychiatrists office & asks everyone: “What if this is as good as it gets?”
After I finished the movie, life didn’t seem so gray. Having a good talk with Joseph + watching a great movie to put things into perspective, has a way of doing that.
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More things to share (it is Monday, after all).
♥ Super cool DIY plate idea.
♥ Literacy tips for kids (adults too!): rights of a reader
♥ I came across the cutest kid’s birthday party idea ever. Asher’s 6th is coming up next month. I’d really like to be able to pull this thing off.
♥ Listen
Freakonomics radio podcast episodes: You are what you eat, part 1 & part 2.
An interesting take from an economist point of view (& others) & the actual value of the locovore movement as well as other aspects of foodie-ism. Worth the listen.
♥ Inspire
Images from: Pretty Stuff // Middle Child Complex
♥ In case you missed it:
back -to-school lunch ideas & tips for picky eaters
our last days of summer (a video)
why I’m not an attachment parent
Mt. Rainer + 8 years
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How do you help the sun shine through on those days when it seems like nothing but rain clouds?
P.S. Thanks for all the love + support your showing me here, on fb, &/or twitter. I try to respond to each comment. If I do not, know that I read what you have to say & my day has been brightened knowing that you took the time to share your kind/interesting thoughts. You’re the best!
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