What Freedom Looks Like

I am a little past half way through what is the longest stretch of time off from work that I can remember which has not involved major surgery or child birth.

As a family, we don't take vacations. We generally take a day here or there for a long weekend. Or, a few more days around holidays to travel to see family. 

Family vacations never exceed 5 days - and are not what I'd consider restful or a true vacation. They usually include exhausting 8 hour drives per day and awkward accommodations for our family of 5.

However, my week of freedom this week and last have been bliss. So this is that vacation thing I've heard all about!

On my first day of "freedom" I celebrated by having a breakfast, BY MY SELF, at my favorite restaurant: Birchwood Cafe. 

Then later I read a book and went to yoga. 

OH, and for one of my favorite treats - I washed and hung the bedding out on the laundry line. I LOVE the smell of sheets dried in the sun. It's one of my favorite things.

Sure, there were other mom things in-between like cooking meals and doing laundry...but much of this time was MINE. 

Tuesday's dinner was a picnic at the park. 

Wednesday I read books and went to Yoga. Again.

Thursday I took Lucy and her best friend to "Night on the Towns" - a pre-showing event for the Paper Towns movie. (It was awesome - but like always, the book is better.) *I am old and therefore suck at selfies. This was my best attempt below. Oh well.

Friday we went to the wave pool - again with Lucy's best friend and met up with Michael's friend, too.

Oh, and then I went on an awesome bike ride, just for fun.

I've gone on runs in the middle of the day with zero guilt. 
I've gone to all my yoga classes. I've even caught up on a few Netflix shows. 

I could really get used to this kind of thing and I'm so grateful to the recruiter who had the foresight to suggest this time off..it's amazing.

That said, I can't get too used to "living the life of Riley".   
It all comes to an end next Monday. It's "Back to School" for me on August 3rd and I'm starting to feel that "Back to School" feeling of excited/nervous/eager to learn. 

But until then.. washing the sheets and drying them on the line, running, Netflix, finally seeing a movie I've been wanting to see and finishing a book are top on my to-do list. 

What I've Learned at 43

I recently celebrated my 43rd Birthday. 

This is an unremarkable birthday. It's not 30, 40 or 50 - it's one of those bland "early 40s" birthdays. However, for those who know me well, this birthday is very remarkable. I've survived a lot in the past year ..41 and 42 were honestly suck years.

43 finds me more resilient, understanding, self-confident, healthy and even more physically fit than I've been in perhaps my entire life.

I've become more empathetic, more comfortable in my own skin and most importantly I have begun to understand deeply that you can never be too kind because everyone you meet is struggling with something that you may know nothing about. (Or they bear the scars, shame or memories of that struggle.)

In celebration of of my struggles and in hopes of erasing the stigma that many others face when they struggle, I got a tattoo. (I know - shocking! I never expected to get one. EVER.) 

Here it is: 

And here is why: http://www.projectsemicolon.com/ 

Their vision statement says it all for me: 

PROJECT SEMICOLON IS A FAITH-BASED MOVEMENT DEDICATED TO PRESENTING HOPE AND LOVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH DEPRESSION, SUICIDE, ADDICTION AND SELF-INJURY. PROJECT SEMICOLON EXISTS TO ENCOURAGE, LOVE AND INSPIRE. 

STAY STRONG; LOVE ENDLESSLY; CHANGE LIVES