Wisdom

As funny as this sounds after coming off of several days in the hospital... but it feels like we are about to head into the busy season.

I have been feeling a bit like we have been running a marathon since October with little rest breaks here and there, but an overall pretty steady pace.

But things are going to go up a level here for a bit... and I am trying to have wisdom looking at that...

I posted a few weeks back about how I felt like I ended 2018 tired and a bit worn. Over the past week I have had some clarity about some things that has helped to put words around those feelings and helped me to settle some wrestles in my heart where I could feel like a few things were not right but I couldn't put my finger on why... its not like anything changed but sometimes when you understand why you are feeling the way you do, you feel like you have a lot more clarity even if the situation does not change. I know that is super vague, and thats on purpose, but sometimes it feels good to figure out why you are doing the things you are and what the emotions are behind things. In case anyone hasn't noticed around here I like to have control and I often feel like I need to be the responsible professional in the room who has it all together even if that is not my responsibility in a given situation.


But there are several things about our next few adventures that is working on that...

We head to rmh again in a few days. We need to get medical clearance for travel and we need to get a few routine things done before we head out of state so next week will be spent getting all of our ducks in a row.

Then early next month we head to the National Institute of Health. We still have very little information... no idea what day we fly and out of what airport... if we are able to stay at the Children's Inn... what all is happening while we are there. There is so much out of our hands here and I am just having to trust that it will all work out. Also, not to be political here, but please pray that the government shutdown ends asap!!!

Then we are taking Jilli to her first concert in Chicago at a venue I have never been too... accessibility makes me nervous... someplace can say it is accessible however that doesn't actually mean that its really accessible...

And then we are off on Jilli's Make a Wish Trip. We had to break it to her that the Monorail Pool is down for refurbishment but she is excited to go to the Disneyland Hotel and go to Disneyland and Knotts Berry farm... we still don't have a lot of details about all of that but we should get them once we come home from NIH.


So, I can choose to spend my time stressing...

or I can be proactive....

I am trying to choose the second this time...

So what does that look like?

-I spent yesterday going through all of Lydia's toys organizing and cleaning stuff out. I built one of her Christmas gifts and got things put away. That was on my mind as something I really wanted to get done so it feels good to have it completed.

-My mom had Target mail me a foot tub. I have a bunch of planters warts on my one foot so I have been soaking it in stuff that is supposed to help but I am so excited to have a bubbly place to soak my feet and its so relaxing.

-I have spent time blogging and getting stuff out of my head. The post I wrote on Sunday had been brewing in my head of weeks. Posts like that don't just fly out, they kinda bubble for a while until I feel like I have to get them out and then it feels like I have vomited after... you know that feeling where you feel better that it is out but also exhausted getting it out... thats how writing posts like that feel to me. I also finished up a post about bring a child in a wheelchair to Disney.

-I am getting my hair done tomorrow. I got my hair cut around Christmas however it did not turn out how I would have liked so an amazing I am going to see an amazing friend at a hair salon tomorrow to have it fixed. I stink at doing stuff like that for me because I always feel like there are other more important things but I am excited to have hair that will help me feel confident and easy to take care of before our business.

-I have someone coming to do respite on Friday. We started receiving respite hours last spring for Jilli and a month ago for Lydia... I however have barely used any of them between appointments and sickness and needing to have people set up and trained. But I decided to have one of our respite providers come over for a few hours on Friday... I'll still be at home but I am going to work on laundry. I feel super overwhelmed right now with laundry... its all living in piles and baskets that need to be put away... so I am excited to try to get caught up so I can be ahead for at least a few days.

-I sent a text to a friend setting up times for our families to get together. Those dinners are some of the best parts of my world but sometimes when life gets crazy they don't get on the calendar however one of my goals this year is to make choices that show that people are a priority and that means taking the time to set things up so I am not wondering where my time went.

-I have another friend that I am going to work on setting up coffee with once we get home from rmh and before we got to nih because I know that coffee with this friend helps to fill me up.

-I am being wise about what all we are doing between now and March 31... I am saying no to several things because I don't want to wear ourselves out too much... so we are planning and doing some fun things but we are also being wise. Like most of our friends are at rmh today and while we miss them all, Jilli is really tired, Lydi woke up super cranky and they had PT twice this week which takes a lot out of Jillian on top of recovering from last week (Jilli is still having a lot of stomach pain and somehow ended up constipated from a stomach virus). Jilli has been napping for 2 hours!!! Jilli never naps... so instead of going to see everyone today we are at home resting. Its a bummer to not see friends, but we are doing what we need to do.

-We are trying to eat healthy. This isn't like a new years healthy eating goal, but we are just trying to be smart to fuel our bodies well. I am the first person to junk food in stress but I am trying to set my body up for success.

-I have been listening to a lot of podcasts even when I am around the house (normally I just listen in the car). The Relevant episode from 1/15 is really good is general discussion. That Sounds Fun podcast episodes from January are all AMAZING and conversations we all need to be having! And the Uneditied with the former head of World Vision and the head of Catalyst are both really really good.  

-Our old DME is supposed to be coming to pick up all of their oxygen tanks that are still sitting at out house... they are not calling us back but we are trying to get these all out because there are only so many tanks we can handle in the house and I am tired of tanks all over the place!

-We finally got the Christmas tree taken down!

-I am still working on reading the She Reads Truth plan of Luke. I am glad I got the book because with the hospital stay I am a few days behind but I can keep going at my pace. I really want to get the next study that comes out because I find it to be better to do the book instead of the phone because I feel like I connect with the text better and I am less tempted to hop onto social media before or after when I do the print version. Thanks for the great Christmas gift mom!

-I made a focus for homeschooling this month. We are focusing on level B books and helping Jillian move solidly into reading level B. We both work best when there is a goal and a plan and that helps to guide my lesson plans. She is doing great!

I am really hoping our intentionality pays off. I can already feel that it is and I am hoping that carries out.

Our doll fundraiser is still going on until Sunday.... how can you help?

Lydia is starting to like figures

We took the kids to Learning Express to meet Peppa Pig! I worked at a Learning Express in college and loves those stores... support your local toy stores!

Lydia showed Peppa her boots for jumping in muddy puddles

Trying to protect from germs

my yummy dinner last night... chicken, peppers, mushrooms and rice

sleeping after PT (yes both of our kids are still rear facing... its safest!)

If you want to learn more about our fundraiser CLICK HERE

Also I have one very happy girl... the new Playmobil catalog is out online so currently (she woke up while I was loading pics) the ipad is screen sharing with the TV so she can look at the catalog big lol