When my Daughter was younger, we came up with, "ME DAY". "ME Day" was our code word for telling each other we needed some time alone. When we came up with that term, She had her Daddy, 2 brothers, kids that I babysat for, along with all the neighborhood kids. Yup, it was crazy busy in our little teenie tiny home. Looking back now, I wouldn't have traded it for the world.
It seems like yesterday but at the same time a history ago. It was back in a time of my life that I could take on the world. I was always busy doing something or worrying about something/someone. I was a Wife, Mom, Babysitter, Neighborhood Watch Captain, the "Martha Stewart" of the neighborhood, the Gardner, the Cleaner, the one that took care of all the bills/appointments/school functions, etc... It wasn't that I had to be, it just is who I was. Yes, life was crazy, but I made it that way.
Then it was time for a change. The neighborhood had changed and things were starting to happen. My kids were affected and we needed to move. Due to the fact that all 3 of my kids had had medical conditions that had cost us a fortune, we didn't know how to move because we probably weren't going to get approved to buy a house at that time. One of my best friends told us about a property they owned in a town not too far from where we currently lived. It was a Farm home surrounded by woods and farm land. She had said we could rent from them and move there. We put our house up for sale and never thought it would sell in 3 days. Here we go, rushing and hurrying to move in to the Farm house. Funny thing is... For as much of a control freak as I am, we moved there and I had never seen the inside of it....
Boy was I shocked, the house was really run down at the time. The people that had lived there previously destroyed it. I was terrified on how this was going to work. I was kicking myself, overwhelmed and just in awe of where to start. My best friend was now my Landlord, that was weird... However, between her and her Sister hiring people to work on the outside we scurried to get the inside cleaned and fixed. We weren't going for perfect, just livable. The funny thing for me, is I remember a few days into moving in, the kids already had started going to the new schools and I grabbed a cup of coffee and went out side. The Sun was barely up and it was super quiet. Almost too quiet. You know, the kind of quiet that makes you nervous, because it is too quiet. Especially moving from a huge city to very small town farm house. Anyways, the noise shook me. Out of nowhere I heard a bunch of MOO'S. Not just a single moo but a herd of moo's. I couldn't see them but I could hear them. I thought it was the funniest thing ever. That was almost 7 years ago.
Seven years ago my Daughter was just going into 5th grade, 1 son was starting 2nd grade, and my youngest was in preschool 3 days a week for just a few hours. Now... My Daughter is just finishing up her Junior year and going to be a Senior in High School, my son is ending Junior High and going to be a Freshman, and my youngest son is finishing up 4th grade. I can't believe it. We still live in the same house and can't imagine living anywhere else. During the seven years of living here, actually a little over 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with MS. Since then Fibromyalgia and Chron's. My life has changed so much from what I was used to. This blog however, is not going to be about that. It just shows how life changes.
I decided to take a "ME Day". I have had a rough few weeks and really bad few days. Today is the first time in a week and a half that I even stepped outside. I brought my camera, the computer, a basket and my Dog and have been outside for a few hours. I can't walk very far but I have missed the beautiful Lilacs 2 years in a row now and I wanted to take advantage of this time. I cut so many beautiful smelling Lilacs and put them throughout the house. I am sitting outside and there is a breeze and all I can smell is the Lilacs. It is wonderful.
This house we live in is not just a Farm house. It is over 100 years old, it used to be an old Stage Coach Home and is just amazing. Yes, it has plaster walls, not many outlets, 1 bathroom (that just happens to be right next to the kitchen table... LOL) But it is home to us.
As I was cutting the Lilac's it dawned on me that someone over the period of time this house has been here left me a wonderful gift that comes back year after year, and then I started to laugh. Remembering when my kids would bring me every flower they could find including and mostly weeds, and were so proud to give them to me. Of course I would put them in a cup just long enough for them to forget and then toss them away. I wondered to my self, if my Mom remembers moments like that? And then I thought to myself...I wonder if now at this age would my Mom treasure those flowers that I hand picked for her, if I brought them to her now? I know I definitely would treasure those moments too. Life changes so quick.
Anyways, I am sharing a part of my "ME DAY" with you!
I have a lot of blogging to do and it will be a lot of mixed emotions and information... So, I am starting with this one.
