Friday, November 5, 2010

Cupcakes and Broccoli and Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Subway gift card is Track Coach & Adorable Wife! Congrats drop me an email at shutuprun@gmail.com.

Today is a day I don’t like very much and I’m pretty sure if I could just go for a run it would be all or mostly better.

But, I can’t. So, I will wait three more hours until happy hour and have a margarita.

It all started at 1:45 a.m. last night when Sam came in feeling sick. Fortunately not the kind of “let me vomit all over your bedroom floor while I tell you I feel sick”, but more of a sore throat, icky, headachy thing. After Motrin and consoling, he went back to bed, but I didn’t. I was awake until 3:00 a.m. Why is it so hard to get back to sleep anymore? Is this an age thing?

Morning comes. Sam will stay home. I am off to work on a disturbing case involving child abuse and issues that no kid should ever have to deal with. A child should always be allowed to be a child and should never ever have to be afraid in their own home. A kid should never have to tell a social worker that he has been waiting a long time for someone to rescue him.

I came home to a lethargic Sam. I know kids get sick, but I hate seeing my kids down. I cancel plans we had tonight.

I check on the order for the custom-made water bottles for Emma’s end of year soccer party that are supposed to arrive today. Party is tomorrow. I paid an extra $25 for overnight shipping to get them here in time. They were sent three-day, not overnight. They will be here Tuesday. Kind of defeats the purpose when the girls won’t have them at the party after their last game.

I want to cry. Over water bottles. That’s how I know something’s off.

This is all just life stuff and not really all that important in the grand scheme of things (except, of course, the child abuse thing. That is HUGE in the grand scheme of things). I think, however, this series of low events comes on the heels of me not feeling not myself  for a month now. I can handle life’s hiccups much better when there’s balance. Work and play. Running and recovery. Sleep and awake. Cupcakes and broccoli.

Speaking of broccoli:

But, our reality is that things get out of whack. For all of us. It might be an injury, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the illness of a child. Our challenge is to learn how to live in a new normal. Most things in life that are tough do not have a quick fix. Some have no fix at all. That means we need to work on acceptance.

So much of our suffering comes from resisting what is, instead of surrendering to it.

We don’t, however, have to roll over and play dead. The fine line is knowing what we can change and what we can’t. If it’s out of our control, it’s time to let go trying to fix it and get busy trying to change our outlook.

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit

What’s your Achilles’ heel, that thing you need to stop fighting and need to start accepting?

Written from the heart,

SUAR

31 comments:

  1. Now hold on a minute - why are you "waiting" for happy hour? Grab that maragarita by the stem and start happy hour now!

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  2. Really wishing I hadnt watched that video with my kiddo in my lap :) he thought it was hilarious by the way

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  3. Hmm my achilles heel? Time.. I feel like I never have enough time to get things done and have fun, so the fun always waits.

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  4. It is a noble thing you do. I waited for years with no rescue. On another note, that video is super cute, my son is going to love it!

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  5. Love the video!! Sorry your having such a crummy day, I say grab teh maragarita and get on with happy hour!

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  6. Ugg wish I could really write what I want to but I am a TMI bomb waiting to explode. I will just say I love this post.

    Happy maragarita Friday!!

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  7. What a rough day. :( I hope things get better.

    I hate the new normal. I need to get over the fact that my husband's family will never be like mine. And that is fine. They are who they are.

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  8. My catch-word over the last couple of years has been acceptance. So many changes and hurdles in life if you rail against them you end up exhausted and upset.

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  9. You are a pretty amazing woman, thank god for people like you and the work you do :)
    And I'm with Jamoosh, it's 5 o'clock somewhere!

    My achilles is that I have no rhymre or reason to be feeling as crappy as I am. My legs are dead, my stomach a mess - I went from being on top of my running game last week, to in the dirt this week. And I know, I'm lucky that all I have to worry about is a crappy running week, and it will get better. Hang in there lady - enjoy your weekend!

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  10. Love the post! We all can identify with one thing or another on this post.

    And I like how you contrast the "big" things in life, like child abuse, wtih things that just seem "big" in our world, like water bottles.

    Awesome.

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  11. sooooooooooooooo true. anytime i'm anxious it's because i'm trying to hold onto something so hard and resisting!

    and perfectionism is totally my achilles heel. bool

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  12. I could never do your job, it takes special people with infinite compassion and caring......something you are born with

    So thanx for doing what you do...it makes the world a better place!

    Hang in there, tomorrow is another set of challenges.

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  13. There is a special place in HELL for child abusers. Thank God for people that can help them. Breaks my heart. I love the saying: "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it"

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  14. Yahoo about the giftcard! Sorry about your day!

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  15. I had that kind of day too.... we are in this together! :) *virtual hug*

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  16. I feel you. We can't always control the hand we've been dealt. But we can always control how we play it. =)

    Hang in there, ok? hugs!

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  17. Love. This. Post.
    So true..I hate change but I'm working on accepting it. Hope your weekend is great!

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  18. Girl, you should have went straight for that margarita instead of waiting for happy hour.
    I hope Sam's feeling better.

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  19. I hear you about the balance and needing everything to be in check. I often tell my son, "Get upset about the things you can control, not the things you can't."
    Yes, kids should be kids. We had a tough case at school today too. Life can be hard and it shouldn't have to be.

    Feel better.

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  20. My new normal? Having a daughter with a label. She is Autistic. She still is my baby, my youngest, my angel but she is Autistic.

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  21. Gorgio and Chanel are over-rated anyway.
    As for my achilles heel: it's probably not letting enough roll off my back. I need to get off my high horse once in awhile.
    Here's to better days!

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  22. Excellent post... I know my hurdle and I am attempting to improve on it.

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  23. I'm sorry you had a rough day. I can't even imagine what it must be like to do your job. As a teacher, I've seen children who have been abused and there was only so much I could do...it was horrible. I really hope you were able to help!

    Hang in there..it will get better soon!

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  24. Mine is an ongoing thing and very hard. My son's autism is really hard to accept even though its been years now. He may have to live with us for his adult life. He may never talk. I have to remember that doing my best to help him be happy is the bottom line. I wish he could talk but he may never do so. I am thankful that I can run those tears off and set down my baggage on the side of the road.

    Its been interesting to see the grief and denial,anger, acceptance and then growth in this injury of yours. You may not see it but its clear from a readers perspective. The personal growth might be worth it in hindsight.I can totally see that waiting for that hindsight is a bitch though :)

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  25. I admire you for your help with children. That would be an emotional draining job. You're amazing! My Achilles' heel - always feeling like I haven't got enough done. I'm trying to accept that I am only one person and can only do so much!

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  26. I'm sorry SUAR. Some days just suck. I call them my "punch someone in the face day". What's most disturbing about those days is the emotional sneak attack. Hell, I want you to get better so I can read about your running! Dam it! Hope tomorrow is better.

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  27. Oh man, that situation just plain sucks. :( Nothing like a good dose of reality.

    That is a great quote and a really good question... I am trying to be super honest with myself here but the truth is, I don't know.

    This is just too deep for Saturday morning. :)

    I hope your little guy feels better.

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  28. I hate days like that. :( Hope today is better all around. Oh, and I totally think you should get your $25 back! I won't even comment on the abuse thing, because I can't think of one thing to write that isn't filled with rage, and it's better not to direct that at dozens of innocent people. Maybe that's my Achille's heel - finding appropriate ways to express legitimate anger.

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  29. LOL. So, my wife reads your blog WAY before I do now (turns out cooking babies makes you really tired but not all that horribly busy....as opposed to when they come out and require food/diapers etc) and laughed for about 10 min after watching that video.

    I love that woman

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  30. That's always been one of my favorite quotes :)

    Hope the kiddo is feeling better!

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  31. I hate when things feel "off", and usually just stay calm and not blow up until balance is restored.

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