It seems that we’ve been bogged down for WEEKS with the flu/colds/general unwell and I’m officially over it and DONE with winter! We were thriving through fall and the beginning of winter then BAM. What changes every winter around February????? I have yet to figure it out. I have noticed that since being sick all of our attitudes are terrible. I’m having a hard time catching up after two weeks of disrupt. Two of the kids are grumpy because they go from “all the energy in the world” to “grumpy and angry because I’m tired now”. The other one is running laps around the house looking for an outlet for all her energy. I think fatherman wishes he could hide in a blanket fort till this all passes.
Unfortunately, with emotions/moods fluctuating so much I’ve run into A LOT of strong wills and horrible outburst this week. It’s wearing on me and my patience is t.h.i.n THIN. That being said there is a phrase that keeps popping up all over my social media pages:
“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” ~ Alexander Den Heijer
I’ve also run across this TWICE this week:
“Healing does not mean going back to the way things were before, but rather allowing what is now to move us closer to God.”- Ram Dass
I have been trying to go with the flow, help them manage their anger with calm and understanding but you know what they are doing? They are FIGHTING ME MORE and getting even angrier for me staying calm and offering tips to help the situation. I keep reminding myself that there is something wonky going on, they must feel unheard, unloved, or misunderstood. There is always a reason. Always. However, I’ve never had them get SO angry when trying to reiterate that kindness is the rule of our household.
I offer, “I hear you’re upset or angry and we can manage it without being mean” and CUE EXPLODING CHILD. Then I think of something I heard on the radio the other day:
“Give out peace and love like it’s all that you own.”
So here I sit, on a Friday evening, trying to let all these emotions and what not flow and find their home so we can find some sort of balance. After all, this too must be here to teach one of us something? Right? At least that’s what I’ll keep telling myself. I keep telling myself that the kids are getting older but their feelings are just as big/reactive sometimes and *ah hem* one of them is probably close to being hormonal…le sigh.
Writing and baking are my stress relief/therapy but I’m working in the morning AND will be baking kids Totoro cake/soot sprite cake pops tomorrow which means no baking tonight, hence I write. I hope that if you’re having a similar week that this offers you a sliver of hope, reminds you that you’re not alone, and most importantly YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS.
“God is bigger than you anxieties and fears. Pray, trust, and keep moving God’s got you.” (Found on: https://www.instagram.com/elevenelevenwellnesssolutions/?hl=en)