Stressed and Sick or Sick of Stress!

Oh what a week (and a bit) it has been!

Firstly, I got a migraine?/vomit bug? at 4am in the morning on a Wednesday.  I couldn't take any of the boys to school I was so sick (every time I moved I vomited).  That really knocked the stuffing out of me but I was ok the next day, but extremely weak.

By Friday I was feeling quite good and I went on a fun dinner with the girls from work - Chinese and Karaoke.  Miss J came along and even had a good time, sung some tunes.  We got home quite late (for me) and I was still not 100% but was ok.

On Saturday night, I went to be early as I wasn't 100% still and had work on Sunday.  I got a phone call at 11.45pm saying that Miss J was in a bit of a state and without going into massive details I basically sat in the Emergency Ward from 12am to 9am in the morning on a really bloody uncomfortable plastic chair.  At 9am she was allocated a bed and I had to go home, get clothes and take them back for her.

To top it all off, one of the boys decided he didn't like pooing in the toilet anymore and kept doing just a little bit in his undies.  So, he stunk of shit all the time and I had to wash about 100 pairs of undies   AGGGRRRHHHHH.

Then my other daughter called and was having a few little dramas which she needed to vent to me about.................

I couldn't go into work on Sunday (or Monday) so had to frantically let people know as I was shift supervisor.  

Stress level and exhaustion was about 1000++++.  I hadn't slept in about 32 hours straight or more and had some very stressful things going on.  I did start my mantra at this point (I use it when needed) - "Everything will be ok".

Teen daughter crap was all over on Monday.....all day sitting at the hospital again.... sigh, I had a pre arranged seminar on Tuesday all day relating to disability stuff and had to see the Chiro after that as my neck and back were KILLING me.  On Wednesday, my neck felt better but my throat felt yuck and I felt quite yuk too.  FML

By Thursday I had lost my voice and by Friday I felt like shit and couldn't stop coughing.  Had meetings and stuff to do though.

So here I am sitting here on Saturday night, feeling like shit.

I am completely out of routine and can't focus on anything.  Homework hasn't been done, meals not planned, stuff not done.  It's driving me crazy but I can't do much about it.

Work tomorrow and I don't really feel like it but we much keep moving forward - fingers crossed I will feel a bit better.

And, yes, everything was ok - well, as much as it can be with a teen daughter..............

Being thankful

Recently I have been thinking about being thankful in life.

I am thankful for everything in my life - thankful in general, thankful to the Universe I suppose.

Because, you know, my life is actually quite excellent.  We are all healthy and happy.  We have a nice home and good jobs.  We always have good food on the table and can buy nice things if we need them (or want them).  We live in a really nice place, only 10 minutes to the river and/or bushland.  I have a beautiful family who love each other and support each other and we have lovely friends.

How lucky I/we are.

This doesn't mean that we don't have our days where we have challenges - I have plenty of these and this week has been a bit challenging.  These are the times when I am really thankful for all of the things I listed above.  It gets me through the occasional tough times.

Things I was REALLY thankful for this week:

• Finding out that my job is safe because we are not merging with another organisation.  I wasn't particularly worried anyway, but it is still good to know that things will be fairly stable for a while longer, rather than wondering what may be if the merger had gone ahead.
• I got VERY ill this week with a virus bug and couldn't take the kids to school because I couldn't stop vomiting.  They played together all day really nicely, looking out for each other, while I was dying in bed.  No fighting, no whinging, no naughty behaviour.  I was SO very proud of my boys.
• I went out with some friends from work and I took Jemma along (she was a bit hesitant).  We had a great night out and she seemed to really enjoy the mother/daughter night.  The friends from work were so welcoming, which helped immensely to help Jem relax and have a great time.  Such fun!

You know, it is really interesting to see how some people are not thankful for much in their lives and it really puts someone into a space/place - both inwardly and outwardly - where I hope I never get to.  Sometimes I just shake my head in wonder at how ungrateful and dissatisfied people can really be. 

Lucky for me, I also know some people who have warm loving personalities, lovely children and/or furbabies, have good jobs, are working their way to paying off their homes or becoming financially secure, lead quite simple lives, have some challenges BUT are VERY HAPPY people and are very satisfied in all parts of their lives - even those that are challenging from time to time.

The energy surrounding these wonderful positive people is truly amazing and I am really "thankful" that I know them.  

I have been super duper busy of these past few weeks.  Working extra shifts, getting sick, kids appointments, catching up with paperwork - it has been crazy.  I have been quite organised through it all though (other than when I was sick because I couldn't function in any capacity).  I have decided that my health has to be a priority, because if I fall down then everything else does too!

Have a great week!

A lovely quiet school holidays

We had a lovely quiet school holidays which was really nice.

Of course we were still busy!  Such is life with little boys.

We visited our Aunty Courtney and Enzo and Max (who stayed asleep the WHOLE time we were there!!!)

The boys loved racing the cars down the slope on the farm.  Such a gorgeous day out.

I got some rosemary and lavendar plants and we planted them in the garden.

We went to the park

Mr Michael got a haircut

 It was a lovely break.  It is our first full week back tomorrow. 

Take care all

xx