As for the rest, I'm blaming it on the Polar Vortex. I know it's not a new weather phenomenon, but it practically killed my spirit for nigh on 3 months.
Because there was just. so. darn. much! of this:
When I used to hear older ladies talk about their "nerves" or how so-and-so had "bad nerves," I would think that it was a mostly imagined problem. I am now apologizing to those ladies. They know what's up because "nerves" is a totally legitimate medical condition. And mine just about snapped this winter.
Have you ever had one of those days where you are utterly depleted? Where every nerve ending and sensory receptor in your brain is screaming "Danger!! Overload!!" Where you are touched-out and asked-out and yelled-out and whined-out and cried-out, and if you don't find a dark corner in which to retreat you will ab-so-lutely lose . . . your . . . mind.
This winter was weeks made up of those days.
It's completely dramatic to say I had a nervous breakdown, so I'll just say that even my confessor told me to go on vacation. He said that I should call it a "mother's retreat."
He did not tell me to take a "nerve pill," as the sweet old ladies called them when we lived down south, but I probably could have used one of them, whatever they are.
And listen, I was not the only one considering self-medicating until spring found me. Even the kids started to get strung out.
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| Yes, that is my baby raiding my brother's alcohol cabinet. At least he chose some good Scotch to honor his heritage. |
But thank the good Lord that even the most bitter winters do not last forever and must eventually give way to the gentler touch of spring. Snow turns to rain, and the way I feel today is not the way I will feel forever.
And even during the depths of winter, we managed to find good things:
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| Victory! Too bad they didn't have a flag to plant on top of the mountain of snow on the mailbox. |
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| Not much gets this girl down. Not even snow drifts twice her height. |
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| Driving the aisles |
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| This kid . . . oh, man, am I in so much trouble. |
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| I ran my first 5K in 12 years last weekend. See that behind me? That's called green grass. |
It's Laetare Sunday, a day to rejoice because we are halfway through Lent and the winter's behind us.
I'm ready for that, my friends.
Ugh! All that snow!!!! We had a long cold winter here too with lots of snow and ice (for us, anyway) but nothing like your pictures. I think we have finally turned the corner though based on this week's forecast!! And yes, a mother's retreat would probably do you good! And congrats on the 5k AND the green grass!
ReplyDeleteOh, it's so good to see you and hear from you...and that kid has grown so much! Already drinking? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever answered your lovely email, although I know in my head just what I wanted to say. Maybe I need to call you. Please know it was the nerves. I think it's terribly unfair to raise teens today without nerve pills. Last night I took a Benadryl out of desperation. And still didn't sleep well.
I pray the snow is gone for a good long time (although a blast from the winter's past over the weekend didn't give much promise) and very soon we will have sunny, dry, breezy days! Beautiful laundry therapy days!
Oh the snow! I'm so over this winter. But it's only the beginning of April here in Ohio. I fear we will see more :( Congrats on the 5K. I have not run one, but I'm working on it (at the age of 44... I must be nuts).
ReplyDeleteYou crack me up! We didn't get near the amount of snow you did, but it was COLD here (NE) like living in a deep freeze for seven years ... I mean, months. I thought it was over when it got up to 82 on Saturday, but Mother Nature fooled me! There's snow on the ground today. *sigh* I need a whole lifetime full of nerve pills because I'm there with you!
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