Sheila Day 19
I have a confession . . . I started out today a bit of a GRINCH! First, I hit what I thought was the snooze again, shut off my alarm, and then had to scurry around to get ready in time to trot off to Mahnomen. Just as I was heading out the door, I got a text that said that the campus was going to be closed for an extra 2 hours. Now on most days I would do the dance of joy, but my papers that needed to be corrected were in my office. Grades are "supposed" to be submitted today and I gave my college key to another instructor so I had no choice but to wait and then trek south. I HAD to get there today so I can finish up what needs to be done for the end of the semester.
Grinch item number two on my list of crankiness, 3 unexpected bills that came on Friday when there was nothing I could about any of them. All three were unexpected things that places had just decided to send out in December of all months. The first was for a visit I had in May and was told there was going to be no charge, guess what, there was! This little gift came in December. The second, a bill from 2012 for another visit . . . nope, never saw that one either . . . insurance . . . grrrrrr! The final, more charges on the atrocity of a lawyer bill I had already paid. All said and done, nearly $1000 of charges! I am not whining, because I do have the money to pay them if the need arises, but I found myself thinking of how many folks simply do not! This could be catastrophic for moms and dads trying to make ends meet during the holiday season.
I called all three places, and I would love to tell you that I was personable, warm, and fuzzy, but the edge in my voice was probably fairly evident in the very first call. More than likely more evident in the next, and by the third, I just wanted to bang my head against the wall. BAAAAA HUMBUG! The day at work was much the same. Filled with "stuff" that was challenging and difficult. PLUS my day was far from done. I do the "Blessing of the Hands" for the LPN graduates at NCTC in TRF and tonight was their night to shine. Honestly, I look forward to doing it as I have a family filled with nurses, so I changed into my pastor-like clothes and headed to the college.
I like a little bit of time to get in the zone so I headed down to my usual place in the second row which is where the instructors and speakers sit. PHEW! A few minutes just to get into the space, but here they come . . . KIDDOS! Two lovely little girls plopped in the front row, then turned around, and I smiled. BOOYA open invitation for kiddo conversation. Elizabeth told me she was the boss, even of her mom and certainly of her sister Samantha. People in her family call her Sparkles. She was gonna watch her mom graduate, she gets to stay home alone sometimes, she is six, she asked if I was her teacher and I told her no, but I would show her who was. Talk, talk, talk, giggle and soon there was one on each side of me! A couple of the speakers frowned at the little munchkins now by my side and I just smiled back. I often feel kinda like Tim Allen in The Santa Clause when he is just sitting there minding his own business and soon there are little people surrounding him! How AWESOME is that!
Eventually the girls were beckoned by their grandma and things began. I remember being so proud as my mama walked across the stage for her pinning, then my sister Dawn, and finally, my daughter-in-law Sam. Nursing school is brutal and the families that support them probably know it better than others. I blessed each and every one of their hands knowing that through their hands God will work to tenderly touch those they will touch. Sigh . . . :)
The holiday train was in TRF tonight and I love seeing all of the lights, hearing the music, and just feeling the joy that everyone seems to be emoting. However, what caught my eye tonight were piles of snow in the parking lot and there were kiddos EVERYWHERE on them. They were throwing snow, sliding, kinda watching for the train, but just having tons and tons of FUN! FUN, FUN, FUN, FUN. There were moms and dads, brothers and sisters, friends and family all watching a train, decorated in lights, filled with music, out in the brisk winter, with the full moon shining, and FUN and LAUGHTER filled the ears, and as I write, tears fill mine . . . AGAIN!
Tonight was FUN! I saw so many amazing things that I am kind of in sensory overload as it was as though I was seeing some things for the very first time through new lenses. I saw families having fun, I saw joy and love and laughter, I saw my Bunky and his new bride Sam with Parker, I saw friends, and when I got home, I saw that Joe the propane man was here, and for the first time in weeks, the frost cleared from my windows and I can see clearly outside where the full moon reminds me of the FUN I had as I saw life all wild and crazy, with shiny sparkles and lights, and heard the laughter ringing through the brisk Minnesota winter air . . . mmmmmmmmm . . . happy, happy, happy.
Sarah Day 19
Look good feel good, right? Isn't that what they say? Well . . . that's probably true. I'm one of those people who has a hard time working out every single day unless I have something to look forward to. Like a trip, or a friends wedding. I have decided that it is FAR too easy to break the habit of working out. I could go to the gym every single day for 5 months, but if I were to stop going for three days, I would lose the momentum and never want to go again.
A few weeks before Jordan and Sam's wedding in June, I had a small shaving of a mole removed on my arm, just to see if it was anything to worry about. A couple days later, the mole came back atypical, so the doc said they needed to remove a pretty large chunk to make sure they cut out all of the cells. Doc didn't have to tell me twice . . . I have a major fear of the "c" word. "Take all of them off if you want!" I told him. Anything to avoid skin "c" word.
The doctor threw me off a little when he said that I had to stay out of the gym for 10 days. I was FINALLY feeling good about myself and the love I had formed with the gym. Unfortunately, the mole was on my bicep so every time I bent my arm, it would stretch the stitches. From the second he said no lifting, no running and no volleyball . . . I knew that it would be extremely difficult to form that bond again. I must say that I have never been so right.A few months ago, Jesse and I signed up for a membership at Courts Plus. I started going to spin class at 5:30am which I loved, and then I lifted weights after that. A few weeks later, I started working at LoHo, so my 5:30am workouts didn't last long. I was constantly torn between sleeping or working out. Sleep won every time, shocking!
This morning, I was finally able to force myself to wake up at 5:00am to workout again. Have you ever noticed that almost everyone is friendly at the gym? Every single person that I walked by in the facility smiled and said hello or good morning. I loved that! It put me in a great mood. I know, I know. Right now you're thinking, "Sarah? In a great mood at 5:00am on a MONDAY, it can't be true!" I could hardly believe it myself, but it was true. Those Monday blues didn't bring me down today!
I opted not to go to spin class this time, but I did bike for about 20 minutes to warm up, which gave me a chance to evaluate my surroundings. I couldn't believe how much I admired every person around me. There was an older couple walking laps, which always warms my heart. There was a dad with two teenage girls running before school. There were two different men that were lifting weights and I realized that I've seen them at Courts Plus every single time I have been there. Talk about habit! Those guys have a serious habit. There were middle aged women on treadmills, ellipticals and bikes. There were two different people working with trainers who were sweating bullets. Plus, there were several people around my age who were probably going through the same thing as me . . . trying to love the gym again.
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