Blogs, bullying, and tears in my coffee.

I was just reading articles and blogs on the internet, pretty much just wasting time while avoiding the massive pile of laundry that needs attention. And then I read something that hit me right in the gut. It's not often that I spontaneously burst into tears when reading something, but it happened today. More on this in a bit.

Bullying. It's still an ongoing problem, and I imagine it will be for a long time. Kids hold SO much power over one another. Sadly, as technology is getting more sophisticated, the bullying is getting more covert, yet more dramatic; especially when they get a little older and have access to internet and social media. When my daughter comes home from school and tells me about her day, sometimes things she says make me sad. She's 7. Second graders shouldn't have to deal with a lot of this mean kid/bullying stuff, but they do nonetheless. I try to instill in her the ability to stick up for herself and others, and to know when to tell a grown up what is happening. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how successful I am, since she occasionally says things like, "[enter name here] tried to make me [enter action here] on the playground today." I try to tell her that another kid can't MAKE her do something, but she insists that they can. The one day she told me a kid tried to make her eat a stick at recess. It's hard to discern what is the truth and what is typical 7 year old storytelling, but I don't think she could make up stuff like that on her own. It doesn't happen often, but more than once is too many times for me.

So, how do we handle this? How do we get our kids to overcome the meanies? I try to talk to her about it when opportunities present themselves...but I still worry. She's such a tender soul, I'm afraid that she lets people roll over her. That's what I did when I was a kid. I didn't stick up for myself, I just let the mean kids tear me down and make me feel tiny and insignificant.

We moved to a new state when I was 10. We found a beautiful little town nestled in the Laurel Highlands where my mom and stepdad bought a restaurant. Now, I was a very angry 10 year old at that point. Nobody told me we were moving until summer, so I didn't get to see any of my school friends again; not to mention that I was being moved away from my father and the only town I'd ever known. Mix that with a new small town where everyone knew everyone else, and kids had been in school together...forever...and well, you have a recipe for disaster. I was quiet and introverted. Painfully shy, even. It took a LONG time to make any friends. I vividly remember sitting by myself in the lunch room because nobody wanted me to sit with them. I was picked on relentlessly, getting off of the school bus every day sobbing because of the things the other kids said and did. Cruel insults were hurled at me all throughout the day. The most popular name was "ape face" -- tell me that's not an evil thing to call a child. The boys would lift my skirt and trip me as I was getting off the bus. It was relentless...and I did nothing to stick up for myself. I just hid further and further inside my own world.

Eventually, I made some (really good) friends, and the insults (mostly) stopped. But that one year, 6th grade, affected me to my very soul. I'd like to say that I got over it, but every once in a while, I see or hear something that brings that hurt right back to the surface. Case in point: at my 20 year reunion a classmate said something totally out of the blue to me, to the effect of, "I remember you were picked on all the time. I never participated. I just didn't say anything, I just sat there." I was dumbfounded. First of all, why bring THAT up, 26 years later? It was pretty random. And secondly, possibly more profoundly, why didn't anyone say anything? Obviously, other kids thought what the bullies were doing was bad, but nobody stuck up for me. I weep for that little girl. The one who feels totally isolated in a new house, new town, new state. The one who desperately wants a friend to play with, to talk to, to know that she is not alone in the world. The one who can't figure out what she did that was so bad, to be treated that way at the hands of her classmates.

That is what got me in the solar plexus today. The blog I read was about teaching our kids to be more like Jesus, to accept others, to stick up for others. When they see a classmate being picked on, to put their arm around that child to let them know they are not alone, and tell the bully to back off and stop. TO STAND WITH AND STAND UP FOR OTHERS. When I read that, I literally couldn't stop the tears from falling. What difference would it have made for me, if one or two classmates would have embraced the new girl, and not let me suffer alone for the better part of a year? I can't say for sure, I just know that it would have meant the world to me. I only hope I can teach my kids to be like that, to reach out to the ones who are different, new, or being picked on. To let them know that they are not alone, and that there are others on their side.

Baby, it's cold outside!

Ok. First things first. I can't believe it's been a year since I wrote last. Insanity! Life has been so busy and hectic...yadda yadda yadda. Same thing everyone says. School, kids, home, etc. Life happens. Apparently, writing didn't.

BUT: I'm here. Again. And I'm planning on writing more. It's cathartic. And besides, I enjoy it. So, for anybody out there reading...here goes.

So, where are we? Well, it's 2014, and we are currently barricaded in our house. The "Polar Vortex" (or whatever this bizarre weather anomaly is) has made it a balmy -8°F, which is-36°F with the wind chill. For those playing along at home, accounting for wind chill, we had an over 80° temperature swing in 24 hours. Needless to say, we are not leaving the house today. Maybe ever. We have food in the freezer. I even bought an extra gallon of milk and loaf of bread, like everyone else in the tristate area. In my moment of planning-ahead brilliance, decided to put it in the garage, figuring it's a suitable place. It's now frozen. Hey, at least we don't have to worry about it spoiling out there...

Polar Vortex? I don't know. Kinda sounds like something SyFy would come up with. Next movie, maybe?

Other than that, let's see. Older daughter is now 7 (almost 8), in 2nd grade...and pretty much tests the limits of my sanity on a daily basis. She's a typical  sassy elementary student, I know. But it really would be nice if she did ANYTHING that I've asked her to do without fighting me. I need to buckle in, because the preteen/teenage years should be a real blast.

Baby is almost 2...and wow. She's growing so fast! It's really hard to admit that she's now a toddler and starting to want independence. She wants to do everything her big sister does (naturally!). She protests having her food cut into pieces and fed to her - she HAS TO feed herself. Well, now that I think about it, she protests just about everything if it's not her idea. I think they call that being spirited (PC way to say she's a pain in the ass neck)? However, as they say, I wouldn't trade her or her sister for the world. As crazy as they make us, they also complete our lives.

Lastly, school. Ohhhh, school.  I was pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, until my advisor dropped a bomb on me at the end of spring semester. My university was in the process of creating a Masters in Counseling/Art Therapy, which is exactly what I want to do! My options were: continue on and finish the last 2 semesters of the Psych degree, or apply to the grad program, since I had all the requirements filled. I got my art portfolio online, took the GREs (great googly moogly, it really sucked doing that on short notice), got my reference letters, etc. I was accepted into the program, only to find out they were putting it on hold for a year so it could be evaluated and accredited by the Art Therapy people. Talk about a roller coaster of emotions! As it turned out, they agreed to put me in the Counseling program (Community Counseling track), and will switch to the new program once the University gets it's shit together gets it up and running. Finished the first semester of 3 classes with a 3.8 GPA. Not shabby, I'll take it. :)

So, in a nutshell, that's been our past year. Everyone is caught up and up to date... Stay tuned...

Hellooooo 2013!

Wow. 2013.

Twenty-thirteen!

Another new year, another chance to join the ranks of people who tromp out to the gym at o'dark-thirty for a couple months and then stop after a few weeks.

I kid, I kid.

Kind of.

I've decided that this is the year of NO RESOLUTIONS. Nope. None for me. It's so cliche. How many times have we heard or even said the same thing, every New Years?

"I resolve to eat healthier, exercise more, and improve myself."

 

And we all know that it's a bunch of lies. Lying liars. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that people don't set out making this promise to themselves just to fall off the wagon in a month... however I'm convinced that maybe 2% of people who say that are actually successful. The problem is, that everyone has the best intentions. Everyone wants to make their lives better, make themselves look and feel better in the process. But, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So, I'm not going to have good intentions. There's far too much at stake.

I'm going to have good actions.

You heard that right. Actions. Activity. Movement. And it starts now.

Refocusing and Survivng

Well, hello again...

I seriously had to knock the dust off the ol' blogger dashboard. It had been so long since I'd posted that I actually forgot my login. But, here I am. Refocusing. Remembering what I am, and what makes me happy. And what is that? Writing. Telling funny stories. Just getting things off my chest and out into the bloggersphere. Just being ME.

So, what's new since last post? Still going to school, less work, more family. A sweet, chubby baybee. She's now 7 months old and truthfully might be the cutest thing in the universe.

Really.

She's THAT cute. And funny too. Well, as funny as a 7 month old can be. It's not like she's out on the stand up circuit, but she really has a funny personality. I think we might be in trouble with this one.

Her older sister is loving the first grade, and rapidly losing teeth. Listening to her sing "All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth" cracked me up. Pure awesomeness.

So, in a nutshell, we survived Christmas. If we make it through the next week and a half until school is back in session, it will be a banner start to the new year. Stay tuned as I get reacclimated to blogging and the such. Refocusing to my real self. Surviving the twists and turns that life loves to throw at me.

I'm still here. Really.

I KNOW. It's been a while. It's been tough lately for me to really get access to the computer to do the things that I usually do. For starters, it's summer and I'd really rather be outside playing with my kid, or swimming in the pool than to have my nose buried in the laptop...oh, and my husband and his brother (who is currently staying with us for a while) both play World of Warcraft, and if by some miracle I have time to use the computer...well, I can't because someone is always on it. lol.

HOWEVER, my dad fixed that problem for me. :)
I'm going back to school in the fall, and since I'm doing that, he bought me a laptop. And it's MINE. And WoW is NOOOOOOT going to be installed on it. He'd have to pry the thing out of my cold, dead hands to do so. Hehehe.

So, in other news...yes. I'm going back to school. Starting out with 2 classes, and we'll see how it goes from there. My plan is to get a second bachelor's degree in Psychology. Eventually to pair with my art degree...art therapy, anyone? That's in a perfect world, which we all know it is not. But we'll see. :)

So, that's it. I'm still here. Honest.

Whoa, hello there!

*brushes dust off blogspot*

Wow. Okay, so it's been a while. In my defense, I've been making MAJOR changes in my life recently...so I've been a bit preoccupied.

*I finally got help for my depression. That was a big step for me.
*I joined a website geared toward healthy living and healthy choices, and as a result have lost a decent amount of weight. I still have a lot to go, but it's a great first step.
*I am FEELING BETTER. That's the important thing.

My lovely daughter just had her 4th birthday. Wow. 4!! When did that happen?! She's turning into such a little girl, it's insane. Very opinionated. Wonder where that comes from??

We also had a very nice Mother's Day. I got a card, and a great day with my hubby and my kid. I loved it.

Breakthrough!

I've been in such a funk over the past year...I've felt emotionally shut down, physically bogged down. I'd fallen into a deep depression and didn't see any way out. Finally something in me snapped and I had to get help. I knew I was hurting my family. I wasn't taking care of myself, I was miserable at work, nothing was "right" in my world.

I finally went to the doctor and even he told me that he could see the sadness in my eyes. That was the biggest wake up call for me. He gave me a plan to help me. I also decided at that moment to actually DO something about my weight. it's been a thorn in my side for years now. I've been willing enough to complain about it, but I just couldn't get out of my own mind long enough to fix it. I finally made that breakthrough and realized that I was not only hurting myself, I was hurting my husband and my daughter. All the "reasons" I was giving for not having enough time to work out were just flimsy excuses for not doing it at all.

So, along with the meds, I've started taking care of myself. I'm eating food that's good, healthy fuel for my body. I've started exercising at 5 every morning. Even on my days off. No more excuses. No more self loathing and self pity.

So, this is it. My big breakthrough. I don't feel like working out is a chore, I actually look forward to it. My new meal plan isn't a "diet" but rather a whole new way of looking at food. I feel better. Mentally and physically. I am so excited to get to where I need to be. Where I should have been long ago.