Then, Now, Next - 3

10 years ago - I was well in to my search for a full-time job.
5 years ago - I'm pretty sure that's when my love-affair with my crockpot started. This time of year, it is still a weekly interaction.
Today - I am praying to the lord that he will comfort and heal John's grandmother.
Tommorow - I return to the office after not being there since Thursday....not overly thrilled.
1 year from now - I hope to be living in a home we own!

Then, Now, Next - take 2

Here is another shot at my new experiment.

10 years ago - I was prepping for a return to my last semester of undergrad.
5 years ago - JT, the little man and I were adjusting to life without Daddy at school multiple nights per week.
Today - I'm debating my mother's request to keep Andrew for a weeklong visit.
Tomorrow - I will participate in a ceremony known as the burning of the greens.

A new experiment

Some random thought related to my second cup of coffee this morning, motivated me to try something new on my blog.
There is a picture on my wall that reads, "Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow, Live Today". I'm going to use this as a little inspiration for hopefully regular entries with this theme. Here goes the first.

10 years ago - I didn't drink coffee regularly and was just being introduced to cappucinos, lattes, etc.
5 years ago - I was preparing to return to work after maternity leave with Jeremiah.
Today - I am planning to take down my Christmas decorations on lunch.
Tomorrow - We're going to have some adult time celebrating a friends 30th birthday.
Next year - I hope to have completed a year with regular monthly "Me" days.

Deflated

I feel like a deflated balloon that was blown up with enjoyment, relaxation, celebration, family time, and possibly even a bit of denial. Some time this morning I was released only to fly around the room losing air, resulting in my final stop as a wrinkly and stretched sad remainder of my former appearance.

The holidays were a wonderful blend of celebration, family, friends and relaxation. I even took a 2 hour nap on Jan. 2. I seemed to leave other worries, issues, and concerns behind, focusing on the joy of the season, even if there was cooking, packing and more to do. This shift in attitude raised my emotions, and inflated my balloon.

Tuesday morning brought the return to reality.
I feel stretched with numerous demands in my home, from cleaning to planning meals, doing laundry, tending to bills, and trying to keep time to spend with my kids and husband. At one point Tuesday evening, I was trying to talk on the phone, make dinner, sort mail and help my kiddos with the Wii. This led to a short temper and an exhausted feeling before dinner was even on the table. This is not healthy for my mind or body.

The return to work seemed uneventful, until I received a call from a coworker that has me questioning if an issue I took on before the holidays is creating greater rifts than were present before. Cue balloon flying uncontrollably around the room!

And then there's the very bizarre temporary housing situation we are in that adds a little drama on a daily basis. I try to just roll with this, as it would otherwise cause me daily stress. But then there are little events that make the whole situation a bit uneasy again. There goes a tad bit more air out of my beautiful balloon.

And after the balloon lands in the shriveled heap, it has that wet soggy look. Yep, that's me crying in my husband's arms a little confused myself what all has brought me to this point. I'm quite certain, he is perplexed, as it seems like this shift of feelings came so abruptly.

It is my attempt to survive this week of return to "normal" and reinflate over the weekend.