It’s been a while.
Life has mostly been pretty wonderful, but it hasn’t been without its stress. But I will say, in conjunction with my last post (which was forever ago), I have not sacrificed my own personal stability through the ups and downs. Not even a little bit. So at least I’m sticking to that.
But I can’t use this as an excuse not to write. Not to post.
I feel like I’ve had a lot to say, but haven’t had the will to say it. Instead, I need to dig deep and pull it all out. To bring it here, for both me and whoever decides to read it. To give it air and let it breathe.
There have been health crises, both physical and mental. There have been lifestyle shifts of dramatic proportions. There has been a new pet. There have been moments of heartbreak, but also of the kind of pride that swells in your soul.
Some of these stories can be told, while others are not mine to share, despite the fact that they have impacted me greatly. I’m currently trying to figure out which ones are which. And HOW to tell them. Some of them are incredibly sensitive and I’m going to have to take great care in writing them out.
Since I have been neglecting the blog so much, I figured I would just highlight some of the basic stuff. How we’ve been, what we’ve been up to.
This year, Daniel is doing better than ever, both mentally and physically. He’s been through a lot over the past year or two and has finally started prioritizing himself and his needs. And DAMN, does it show. We have grown together in ways that I never thought possible and I am so, so proud of him. And of us. We just celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary and this year was truly one worth celebrating.
Delanie got her state and national real estate licenses in the spring and she is basically kicking ass at life. She still works as a server at Texas Roadhouse while she establishes herself, but the progress that she has made in such a short time is incredible. She had a job waiting for her at an all-women owned brokerage after she passed her exams and is the youngest member of the team. She’s only 19, for crying out loud! She has also been with her boyfriend, Wyatt, for nearly three years and seeing them so happy makes ME so happy.
Elysa has had a bit of a challenging year, but we made a major change to help her thrive better. After being diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety, we made the decision to pull her from public school and start homeschooling. It’s certainly a new adventure for us, but one that we’re all pretty content with. This was a necessary change for her and we truly believe that it’s what is best to help her excel both academically and emotionally. She’s turned 16 this year. She got her learner’s permit and her first job, as a hostess at Texas Roadhouse. She also has a boyfriend, Justin, who she’s been with for a little over a year and she is pretty smitten.
Calvin is, well, Calvin. He’s an old soul in the body of an 11 year old. He is in 6th grade, his last year at intermediate school and his first being able to play the trumpet in the school band. We considered homeschooling him as well, after some issues this past year with bullying, but he is insistent that he wants to stay where he’s at. At least for a while. So we’re just going to keep on keeping on for the time being. He plays baseball, but we’re currently in the off season and this mama is appreciating the break from practices and games. He is still obsessed with Legos and Hot Wheels and video games and superheroes and most recently, Magic the Gathering. Some days, I swear that if I hear another word about those things, I will lose my mind. But I also know that I will miss it when he’s grown.
As far as the pets go, we grew from two to three. We added another Golden Retriever to the family! We got Flynn last December and he has been the perfect addition to our family. He gets along so well with Walter and he is a big snuggle bug. He does, however, desperately want to play with Ivy (the cat) and she is NOT having it. Walter turned 5 in October and I’m still not sure how that happened. I feel like it was just yesterday that he was the bitey and rotten fluffy puppy. Now he’s mostly lazy, unless he’s wrestling with Flynn or playing ball in the yard. He has some anxiety, but there are drugs for that, lol. Ivy is attached to my hip and quite demanding. She turned 7 in April and I can’t really wrap my head around that either. She has gotten chubby and is as snuggly as ever.
And then there’s me. Life over the last year or so has been… a lot. Overwhelming, exhausting, challenging in a myriad of ways. But also wonderful in other ways? It’s like I can’t keep my head on straight sometimes. I have been working really hard in therapy. Tackling some pretty difficult stuff. Some sessions make me feel like I can take on the world, others make me feel like I was hit by a truck. I never really know, so I have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I turned 40 and if that wasn’t enough of a sign that I’m getting older and entering a new phase of my life, I also had a hysterectomy! I still go to a lot of concerts. I still work heavily on self care, moreso now than ever. I still strongly value my time with my friends and family. I’m still writing, it’s just not always things for the world to see.
I hope this post is the start of something good. Something meaningful for me. I need to remember that I have this space to share the good and the bad.
I’m here. And that’s what matters.
Mind Over Mainstream 