Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Words To Live By

Over the weekend I was followed around by a metaphorical, as well as literal dark cloud, that taunted me with a torrential down poor at any possible moment. And therein was the excuse I needed to let the major chip on my shoulder loose on whomever or whatever I pleased. I knew I was being terribly irrational and cold to loved ones as well as perfect strangers, but I felt like I had hit my first wall since we had left home. It had been a little over two weeks since we arrived in Colombia and the romance of a new language had fizzled out for. Instead I found myself angry that I couldn't communicate beyond a "Hello, how are you?" I was tired of it being cold and rainy, and my never ending supply of patience with my kids was running low. Royal decided to come down with a gnarly cold and share it with Margot, and when she is sick...she flips her switch and becomes something similar to a raging little lamb! So we have been hulled up in our tiny apartment for what is turning into a long weekend and everyone is beginning to show symptoms of cabin fever.

During the minutes I was experiencing these hardships I wanted to cry to someone about how horrible life was, because at that moment I was so blinded by what I was feeling that I thought the sun would never reappear.

When I woke up this morning after being up with Margot for 3.5-4 hours last night I was expecting to be irritable and tired. To my most happy surprise though I felt well rested and chipper. I came down with the kids at 7am and made pancakes for everyone while Royal slept upstairs.





While I was flipping pancakes I couldn't help but remember this quote I found a few weeks ago because you see I was acting ridiculous. Even though it wasn't the greatest of weekends of my entire life it forced me to stop and take a step back. I needed to look at the whole picture so that I could realize that I am truly blessed. My family is all healthy and we are traveling this great world. My husband and I had the means for him to quite his job and still be able to take care of all out other responsibilities. I get to spend every day for the next {at least 6 months} with my husband without anyone or anything getting in the way. How flippin' lucky am I??!?!

I'm so grateful for words like these that happily break into my thoughts when I'm in a rut of feeling sorry for myself. A real "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" kinda quote. So this week let's all try to shake off the negative we are thrown up against and focus on things we do have and are blessed with. Who's with me??

Happy Tuesday Friends--

xO- Etheline

3 comments:

  1. i love your attitude. also, can i just say that you've had a HUGE change...multiple changes in your life lately. when i moved to nc, i was so irrational i was driving MYSELF nuts! i so feel your pain right now. so so so feel it. hang in there...sometimes that's annoying advice, but really...it's gonna get better :)

    and about your question on the unit studies...i just (as best as i can) try to have them all do the same thing. your kids are so little, maybe i'd wait til naptime?? i know it's hard because there is so much action going on at your kids' stages. just keep trying different things. give your littles play dough or finger paint while you work with your older child. it gets easier...trust me :)

    xo,
    a

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  2. thank you for the beautiful message girl. and such an amazing quote that we need to remember.
    xo TJ

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  3. I really needed to hear this today. Thanks for the encouragement from your personal experiences and for the beautiful quote.

    Nicole
    http://settleinn.blogspot.com/
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/Coleandco

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