My "Mental Health" Weekend

This past month or so has been very difficult for me on many different levels.  It was frustrating not being able to keep up with my training program because of my hurt ankle, also not being able to play soccer due to the same reason; work has been VERY busy and often-times stressful, with MORE stress piling on knowing that I have to gear up for my only co-worker to be out of the office for 3 months when she has her baby in January (I am SO happy for her!!  ... just hate what it means for me); my feelings were hurt a couple of times by different people; I felt such pressure to train so I could hold up my side of the deal to those who have generously donated to my fundraiser, but was physically unable to perform how I wished or how I felt was expected; I felt very lonely at times and discouraged............................   These are just a few things that had been piling on over the weeks when I finally had a break-down.  And how cathartic that was when it was finally all over with!  I decided that I needed to take a day off of work.  It had been since May, so I felt like I was due.  I thought a "mental health day" would hopefully re-charge the positive side of my battery.  If only I could schedule a convenient time each week to emotionally let all my stress out.....  Then maybe things wouldn't seem like such a big deal from week to week.  But I guess that's just not how I work.  I just let it all build up until the smallest thing cracks my cement wall and everything comes POURING out.

So...  What better way to relieve my troubled feelings about everything than to make a trip up to visit my niece and nephews in WV?  There is nothing better.  So that's exactly what I did....

Friday after work I went to my personal training session at the gym.  I got my butt kicked!  My muscles have definitely become weaker since my Panama trip.  But I'm working on that now.  I came home afterward exhausted, but I had to move my couch to the other side of the room because I had a new couch coming Saturday morning!  Yoo hoo!  I also needed to move my big wardrobe as close to the window as possible to allow my new couch and recliner to fit along the wall next to it.  Here are before and after pics:

It took me an hour to move the wardrobe 5 inches.  That thing is SO heavy!  And my muscles were weak after my training session & moving my couch to the other side of the room.  Look closely and you can see the carpet mark of where the wardrobe used to be.  That was the most frustrating thing to try to move.  1 hour.  5 inches.  Ridiculous.

After that was all done, I was able to shower and go to sleep...  But not for long!  I was up early and out the door to meet up with my CCFA Team at 7:30AM for our group run.  The weather was LESS than desirable!  You can read about the run here.  An experience to remember, to say the least.  :)  After my run, I had just enough time to drive home, shower and throw on some clothes before the knock on my door came from the couch delivery guys!  After they left, I spent about 10 minutes arranging my new furniture where I wanted it, then another 10 minutes sitting in each available spot and then it was off to WV!!!

I always love going to my sister's house.  I knew that a trip there was EXACTLY what I needed to boost my spirits.  I was able to be myself and get the unconditional love that I was craving this past month.  The kids were all so excited to see me, ready with smiles and hugs and cheers and snuggles.  I was just as excited to see them!  I LIVE for this!  And I must admit; I probably need the hugs more than they do.  All weekend I heard things like, "You're the best Emma EVER!" "I LIIIIIKE you!" "I love you the bestest" "I'm so glad you came! You haven't come to our house in a long time" "Do you get to stay forever?"  The hugs and love weren't only reserved for when I first arrived.  It was constant all weekend.  From ALL of them!  I was in heaven.

First item of business: witness Seth riding his bike!  He is only 4, but learned how to ride his bike without training wheels just last week.  He was SO excited to show me.  So even though it was cold and rainy, he got on his bike and took a few rides up and down the sidewalk.  He LOVES riding his bike!  It was so fun to watch him.  BABY rides a bike!  (I'm the only one that Seth allows to still call him 'baby'.  We had a serious talk about this -- how I know he's a big boy now, but I like to call him baby because I still want to snuggle him.  To my delight, he agreed.  Now whenever I walk in their front door, I say, "I need a BABY!  Where's BABY?!"  And Seth will come running in to my arms.  I LOVE this!)

I brought some fun things with me to do with the kids.  First, we made ghost cupcakes.  Hannah is such a great helper in the kitchen.  She loves to bake!  And I love that she loves to help me.  :)  We frosted the cupcakes, then let everybody decorate with sprinkles!

Cupcakes in order: Joseph, Me, Hannah, Todd (ha!) Seth.

I also brought sugar cookie mix with a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter.  Again, Hannah helped me make the cookies, frost them, then let each person decorate their own with sprinkles.  So much fun!

In addition to the ghost cupcakes and pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies, we had 3 kinds of "Monster Soda"; Candy Cane, Lemondrop Dead, and SpooKiwi.  Each person liked a different flavor the best.  I then convinced Julie and Steve to make the homemade ice cream flavor that I brought with me; Strawberry with marshmallow fluff mixed in.  Turned out yummy!

Monday was a great day.  The sun came out and it wasn't as cold out.  I got up around 9:15 or so, put on my shorts and tanktop and went out for my 5 mile run.  It was great!  THIS is the way to train -- when you have nothing else to focus on but getting your run in for the day.  You can pick the best time of day for you to go, run outside in the daylight, pound out those miles and feel happy and accomplished.

In the early evening, Julie and I took the kids to pick out pumpkins!  It was so fun to be excited with them and explore all the spooky surroundings.  I did this with them several years ago as well.

Spooky Bus!

Blast from the past:

All in all, a GREAT weekend.  The kids were sad to see me leave and frankly, so was I.  Thanks, Julie, for letting me stay!  I love my family.