Trying to Catch a Break

On the whole most people know, I try to stay positive.  I really do.  I can not see the point in too much moping and expending precious energy on griping over what can't be changed.

But lately things have been tough and I have to ask the question:

When are we going to catch a break?

 

And it isn't just us.  A myriad of my friends are all struggling the same.  Bills are stock piling, jobs are scarce.  Positive attitude waning.

 

People say every generation goes through this stressful economic period at sometime or other in their life.  How do they get through it?

 

I like to think that we can say, there are more important things than money.  There are.  But money, more to the point, lack of it is the biggest cause of stress.  

 

Good health, people say, we should be grateful for.  But with a son with severe Cerebral Palsy and husband with various on going ailments, I can do without stress causing me to feel ill.

 

I know this is a bad day.  I have a bug and am feeling low.  I can hear the wind howling past the windows and I am inclined to think this long, cold winter may never end.

 

But I do have to ask :

 

Are things going to pick up?  For anyone?

 

 

 

 

Low Patch

I appear to be having one.  A low patch that is.  I have been perfectly fine, enjoying the brisk Autumn weather and getting lots done and then BANG.  It has like the Motivation Monster has been in the middle of the night and sucked it all out of me.

People say that is often the case after you have had a good couple of weeks.  Or a great event.  This is most annoying.  I hate that I do not seem to have any control over it.  I can't do anymore than I already am to keep myself upbeat.  All the other factors in life at the moment are not in my control.  Most of the time I can separate stressful things and by taking them individually deal with it.  But sometimes things raise their heads all at once, screaming 'Me first!  Me first!' and it feels like I am drowning.

Now going on past experience these phases, thankfully, only seem to last a couple of days, but they feel like an eternal stretch to me.  When, to keep up with life as it is at the moment - with a young family - I need to be tip top all the time just to keep our head above the water.  As my blog title was created to represent - to keep sailing along smoothly on our lake of life, my feet are paddling like crazy underneath.

A lack of sleep never helps, and I have to remind myself that I haven't had a long period of solid nights sleeps for almost nine years.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that our plate is slighter fuller than a lot of peoples and life is not as straight forward for me and my family.  Sometimes I have to remember to give myself a break if the house isn't as straight as I would like, if I am not keeping up with everything I would like to keep up with. 

Sometimes it's o.k not to keep up.  As long as you don't give up.

A is for ... Attitude, Applause and Ahhhh Coffee (Wordy Wednesday Blog)

This is my first attempt at keeping to my mission of having an 'organised schedule' for blogging as mentioned in my post on the Page 'About My Blog'.  Today being Wednesday, means that it is 'Wordy Wednesday' which means things that have happened in the week are plucked from the obscurity of my mind and linked together by the relevant letter of the alphabet, and as the title of this blog indicates, today it is A.

The first point raised in the title is 'Attitude' or 'Tude as it is referred to within our household.  This has been mentioned because I have been faced with the first bout of 'Tude from J1.  And this fact thrilled me so much that I had to mention it so that we can always remember it (although I always will).  In living life with J1 and all his disabilities and difficulties that life has dealt him, anytime anything occurs with him that resembles that of an 'ordinary' 7 year old I want to jump as high as the sky. 

The incident in question, was on the walk home from our first day 'back to school' yesterday.  I suddenly realised (as I frequently do) that J1 was not wearing the same clothes (usually tops) as what I sent him in.  On closer inspection I saw that he was in fact wearing his polo shirt and jumper I had sent him in, with another jumper over the top.  I decided to attempt to question him as to why he was wearing two jumpers?  Firstly, he tutted, then rolled his eyes and replied 'Because I am' sigh.

It was lucky that I was standing behind him pushing him along so that he did not see the inane grin that spread across my face, and it was all I could do to stop myself from snorting out a laugh.  Instead I composed myself and said, as seriously as was physically possible 'OK, don't give me the 'tude, I was only asking a question'.  And no we never did establish why he was wearing two jumpers!

The second A related word that warrants a mention is 'Applause'.  Both of my boys have suddenly developed the need to be applauded for everything they do.  This has been the case with J1 for a little while (if he finishes dinner on his own he announces 'Clap!', a drink 'Clap', plays with a toy 'Clap' you get the gist).  But all of a sudden J2 has started doing it too.  As he can't speak properly yet, he just starts clapping himself and shouts 'More' indicating we all have to join in.  I think it is sweet that J2 is copying his big brother but J1 seems to indicate that he is less than impressed and instead of clapping his little bro, sits with the biggest puss face that he can muster.  Again for me this is an achievement for J1, a bit of brotherly rivalry, hurrah!

Finally we have 'Ahhhh Coffee'.  This has been my chant for most of the day (well most of my days for the last 7 years actually) but in particular today (had to crack out the Italian Roast strength number 5 today - yep the big guns have seen daylight) as J1 decided that he was going to wake up at 3am, and not go back to sleep.  Now J1 stirs multiple times in the night to be repositioned but unless he is in real discomfort generally drifts back off.  It is not uncommon place for J1 to wake up around 5am (this is the general rule of thumb) and you can kind of lay and half sleep and half 'Mmmmm' to his chatting until it is time to get up at 7am, but not today, no. 

I could tell when I walked over to reposition him, with one eye half open (haven't managed to do it with both closed yet) that he had that glint in his eye that he was A.W.A.K.E.  A big smile and 'Is it time to get ready for school yet?  School today!' gave me the confirmation that I dreaded and believe me, no amount of gentle 'It's sleepy time' or change of tactic, stern 'J1 go back to sleep this minute!' worked.  No, it wasn't until 7am came around that he suddenly announced 'Mummy I'm tired'.  Tough love little dude, as you so clearly told me at 3am SCHOOL TODAY!

Thus the need for my 'Ahhhh Coffee'.  In a drip would have been good but had to take it cup for cup, which always makes you need to pee 500 times a day but I suppose that is little price for the ability to stay awake and tackle the daily duties that mummy-hood brings.  All in a day's work.  And after that early start, surely that has got to make for a better night tonight?  Always have to hope and end on a positive!