A Mostly Good Day

It's so late! So I'm going to do a pretty short post tonight. 

The Downside:

I was feeling sick today, but it's the kind that's a limbo between mostly healthy and really sick. It just made me even more tired, sometimes I would get dizzy, and my throat is still sore and scratchy.

The Fun:

The kids went to bed without a fuss, so Mitchell and I were able to watch Secondhand Lions, which I had  never seen before. I really enjoyed the movie, and it was a nice boost.

The Work: 

With the help of the kids, I got the living room, dining room, and front hall straightened and vacuumed. They didn't stay completely clean, but they aren't too messy either.

A Silly Story:

I think Annabelle may be getting sick as well because she has been extra moody the past couple days. This story is evidence:

In order to get the kids to help me clean, I turned it into a game. The kids had eaten graham crackers in the room and there were crumbs everywhere, so I told them the crumbs were Kryptonite. And they would turn the whole room into Kryptonite if we didn't clean them up before the timer went off. So we got busy cleaning. When we were nearly to the point of vacuuming, Annabelle walked in with graham crackers in her hand and sat down to eat them. In my mock distressed voice I said, "Oh, no! Annabelle that's Kryptonite!" And then she burst into tears and just started sobbing. I apologized for upsetting her and had her go to the kitchen with her graham crackers, where she continued to making blubbering sounds for about 10-15 minutes. Eventually she joined back in the game as if nothing had ever happened.

                                  

This was Joseph's favorite picture of the day because it was him as Superman when we were cleaning.

Doctor Visit and Medicine Troubles

The Frustrations:

Since we moved to Georgia, I've been getting my Cymbalta from my FIL. He's cleaned out his office's samples for me over the past few months. When I tried to fill my prescription last month, the pharmacy told me that my insurance wouldn't be effective until May. So I finally went to fill it again today. And now there is no record of me in the company's system at all. We are paying $500 a month for nothing! All of this insurance crap is just so frustrating to me. Why does being an adult have to be so complicated? I'll be giving the consultant a call tomorrow to straighten everything out. 

Also, I'm pretty sure I'm getting a cold. Charlie was sick yesterday and today, and I think he gave it to me. My throat has been scratchy and sore, and I'm aching more than usual. I don't want to be sick! 

The Blessings:

Earlier in the month, I received a doTERRA order that I had placed, but one of the items was the wrong thing. I didn't call right away because my MIL was visiting and I didn't want to take time away from her. Then I just kept forgetting to call. So I finally called today. I was worried they wouldn't be able to help me because it's been almost 3 weeks since the order processed, but they were. They are sending me the correct item tomorrow, and I get to keep the other item free of charge! And it's a bottle of an essential oil blend that I use regularly that's worth $15! That was some really good news.

This second one is difficult to think of... I think it's a blessing that I was much more patient with my kids than usual. I only got frustrated with them a couple times, after they were just completely ignoring everything I was saying.

The Accomplishment:

I went to a doctor appointment today, with all three kids in tow. I stayed pretty patient with them, dispute them being pretty wild, but I just worked really hard to reign them in without yelling. At the appointment, they drew blood to test my thyroid levels, kidney & liver functions, and iron levels. They are also starting me on Wellbutrin, once the insurance lets me pick up my prescriptions... Anyway, it feels good to be on the oath to better health.

I made it the whole day without playing any video games. To put this in perspective, I've been playing games every day for at least an hour a day lately. Yesterday, I played almost the whole day and barely even stopped for meals.

New Resolution

I've made a new resolution. I'm going to try to blog every day. I know, I've made this resolution many times before, but I'm going to try really hard to make this time different. I added it as a daily task to my account on a website called HabitRPG. So I'm accountable every day to myself and sometimes to others for blogging. I'm also very determined to feel better.

I've been really struggling pretty much since we moved to Georgia. I can't seem to feel settled. I'm depressed and unmotivated nearly every day. I'm always exhausted and I've been choosing sleep over many activities. But I hate feeling like this. I want to enjoy life! I want to enjoy all the wonderful things that are around me and that have been happening.

I'm going to use a new format on my blog that will hopefully help me realize that there are more good things in my life than bad. I can blog about things that I'm struggling with, or negative things, but for each negative thing I write, I plan on writing a blessing, or good thing, and an accomplishment.

I want the rest of the day to happen before I blog for today, so, hopefully, I'll have two posts for today.

Please, please, please! Help me be accountable! Try to remind me or ask me what's up if I go too long without blogging.

Hardest Part of the Day

I have such a hard time with evenings. By the time I'm finished cooking dinner, I just can't take anymore. Cleaning up from dinner and putting the kids to bed seem like the most difficult jobs in the world. Sometimes, if I had an easy morning or a really long, relaxing afternoon, it's no big deal; however, that almost never happens. Why can't I just make it through one whole day taking care of my responsibilities without crashing or having a meltdown? 

I have a pork roast to put away and lots of dishes to do, some of the hand dishes have been sitting for like a week-and-half. My kids are running around like demons right now, jumping off furniture and wrestling each other. The thought of bathing, dressing, reading, and singing them to sleep, and then cleaning up from dinner is bringing me nearly to tears.

So, what are some ideas? How can I make evenings more tolerable or even, dare I say, pleasant?

What I REALLY Want for Mother's Day

I was thinking about what I really WANT while I was in the shower.

I've been feeling down a lot lately, and just feeling like I need something, but not know what it is. So my thought process went to how Mitchell and I haven't been spending much time together the past week because he's working on a "Top Secret" project right now, and will be until Monday. But then I thought about how we really haven't spent much time together since we moved to Georgia because he works about 50 hours a week. And we're always stressed about money or job stuff or something "adult."

So I realized what I want is a trip, with Mitchell and without the kids. We've NEVER done that before. In the 6 years we've been married, we've never gone somewhere special just the two of us (I'm not talking about a few hours for a date). We never had a honeymoon or a babymoon or an anniversary trip or any of those things that people normally do. Because we're poor, we've always been poor, and we probably always will be poor.

So what do I do then? How do I realize this dream? How have others done it?

Feeling Better

I've been feeling a lot better the past week. And I attribute it to the Gospel. I've been putting an extra effort in to make sure that I have to Spirit in my life. 

I use a website called HabitRPG that helps build good habits by "gamifying" them. One of the daily habits I have is Morning Prayer because it is something I have always had a hard time remembering. I've gone 2 weeks without missing, though! At first I was thinking it wouldn't help much because I would just be doing it, but I wouldn't be in the right spirit. That's no true, though. The reminder helps me to know I need to do it and ai can take the time to get in the right Spirit. It started out that I didn't want to damage my party members, but now I want that extra support in the morning. 

Mitchell and I have also been listening to Conference talks while we drive to and from his work together. And when it's just me, I listen to the scriptures sometimes. I'm doing that Book of Mormon challenge to read it in the same amount of time that Joseph Smith translated it, so sometimes I need to listen in the car to catch-up. 

We were missing a lot of church for a bit back in March and the beginning of April, but we are back to going regularly. I gave a talk two weeks ago, and yesterday was Mitchell's first week if his new calling, which is teaching the 12-13 year old Sunday School class. We can't miss anymore! 

On Saturday, I went to a wonderful Stake Relief Society Conference. It was called Living in the Latter Days, and Loving It! I really enjoyed the time I spent there and I learned some good things.

I'm so grateful for the Gospel and all the blessings that it brings into my life. I'm grateful to see the increase in blessings as I strive to increase my obedience and righteousness; to me that is proof that God is watching over me.