Hey! Look Out for That Curve Ball! Or...I'm Still Thankful

Sometimes, life throws curve balls.  Knocks ya down.  Just when you thought you'd been through the worst of it, and made it out the other side.  I've been preoccupied lately, so much so that I didn't even have the inclination to write a Thanksgiving blog.

Then I realized, that curve balls and all, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger.  I should be quite strong enough by now, God, thanks very much.

All of us have stress in our lives - career, kids, significant others, family members, friends, health, bills.  Even our futures don't seem as certain as they once did.  When I was a kid, they greatest responsibilities I had were school, homework, getting home by the time the street lamps cast their light on the blacktop.  I had chores, sure, but I never worried about my future.  I had a lifetime to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I didn't question whether or not I'd finish school, start a career, get married and start a family.  It was a given.

Now that I'm "here" in grown up land...well, it's a heck of a lot more stressful than I ever anticipated.  In fact, some days, it's down right miserable.  How I long for those days of skipping rocks across the creek, throwing rocks at my neighbor's window, playing Kickball and Ghost in the Graveyard in the cul-de-sac.

But I digress, hope everyone's Thanksgiving was happy.  And (full)filling.  It's a little belated, but hey, being thankful isn't just for turkey day, right?

I am thankful for my childhood.  For those innocent memories.  I am thankful that, while my kids' childhoods are different, they are still innocent.  They are busy making memories, spending time with friends, figuring out what they'd like to be when they grow up.

I'm thankful for all that I've learned in the past 39 years, too, because it makes me a better mom, a more compassionate person.  And, hey, if nothing else, at least I've got some good writing material.

I'm thankful for Connor.  For his awesome, dry sense of humor.  His strength getting through surgeries, his patience with his little sister, his understanding of his brother.  For being child #1, because somebody had to come first, so I could practice.

I'm thankful for Jack.  For his smile that lights up a room, for his ability to know just what to say when I'm feeling down, and for his yummy pancakes. For being the middle child, because that is no easy position to be in, and it takes a strong personality to stand out in the crowd.  He certainly does.

I'm thankful for Ella-Bella.  For her great, big hugs.  For showing me that I can parent a girl, and really love it.  For being #3, because after her two brothers, she's not gonna get away with a damn thing (Although, I do believe that she loves being the baby).

I'm thankful that I can, occasionally put together a string of words to create a coherent, and sometimes, if I'm lucky, entertaining sentence or two.  I'm thankful for a supportive family and wonderful friends, which includes a writing group of really fantastic women who push me, make me think, and never fail to make me laugh so hard I pee a little.

1 + 3 + 4 = Glutony, or "Gimme a G!"

 The Luscious 4-Berry Martini @ Charlie Gitto's

 Scrumptious Banana Cream Pie

Death...By Chocolate ; )

I've been famished lately.  I don't know what to attribute this to...I have teenage and pre-teen boys in the house who routinely make their way through the fridge and pantry, but lately I've been right there with 'em.  Could be the sheer amount of hours I've been working lately.  In the office, at home, early mornings, late nights, and still trying to pursue the NaNoWriMo project (oh please, I'm rolling my eyes as I write this.)  Although, my oldest is having surgery next week, so I'm hoping I'll have ample "hurry up and wait" time to write a few thousand words.

But I digress, I was speaking of Glutony.  It all started last Saturday night.  One bar + three girls + (who knows how many) four-berry martinis = a LOT of laughs, a few turned heads and funny looks, a few conversations with other bar flies, and some fantastic food.  And lots of it.  I think this is what I needed to de-stress my mind and re-energize my soul after a week's worth of work, work, work.

Thanks, girls, for the friendship, the laughs, and the fun (not to mention the s&p shakers and that mini-gourd)!  See, girls' night really is good for your health!  And it helped to make up for the fact that I missed my Wednesday night WWWP group.

Speaking of girls' night out...an old high school classmate of mine recently posted on facebook about desperately needing one of these nights.  Jo - I hope you lose the mom-guilt (or catholic guilt...the combo is fierce, I know!) and plan that trip back to the Lou just for You (hey, I'm a poet...).

So tell me, what helps you de-stress your mind and re-energize your soul?