Time to Chage the Profile

A Lot has happened since my last post and my other half has been "chompin at the bit" to see what I have to say about it all.

The unofficial end of summer came and went and though it was a little later than usual for me, I started to get the sweater/jeans itch that comes along with September Days. However, it has been pretty warm still around here- the weather can be pretty unpredictable after all so more on that later.

I also found a promising training program to get my entry level certification to teach yoga which is something I have been working on for almost a year with a couple of bumps in the road along the way. If all goes as I hope, I will be starting training the first of January and finish up the first of June with the ability to start teaching immediately following if I choose. The connection with people on the level to initiate change is something I miss from my social worker days and teaching yoga will allow me to do that again, but from a more meaningful and authentic place. I am excited to get started.

Mid month I assisted in coordinating an event for Dar a Luz Network with the focus being bringing women together to honor our births. A BOLD Red Tent is a gathering of mothers in a spaced created for the sacred purpose of sharing our stories of birth. This evening proved to be more powerful and cathartic than I think any of us anticipated and I was overwhelmed to be a part of the circle we created. I believe women are a force to be reckoned with, one that is exponentially greater when we become mothers.

Speaking of forces to be reckoned with, we had our own little hurricane right here in south central Ohio on the 14th. "Ike" sent us a freak windstorm that lasted for over four hours, produced F1 force winds and snapped tree limbs like toothpicks all around our communities. We lost power for four long days and I spent most of that time telling myself we were blessed to be in our home with our health in tact, unlike other families affected by Ike. I spent the rest of the time frustrated to be living out of a cooler and without my "Elmo" back up for kidzilla stress relief. Spending evenings reading by candlelight was romanitc and relaxing (even hubby picked up a book!) but we were all relieved to have the power back on Thursday. Some of my friends and family had to wait even longer, or are still waiting and we are sending them positive, energy producing thoughts over the universe's waves.

And just so you are completely up to speed, yesterday was my 35th birthday which means I am in the 35-44 check off box on the surveys. Somehow 35 seems older than 34, like I should have more of an scripted life in place or something. Truth is, my life has changed so much since I turned 30 that my twentysomething self wouldn't recognize it. Trust me, that is all for the better. My path from this point on feels like a shared journey, whereas before it all really seemed so much about me. If our twenties are about gaining knowledge, then our thrities are definately about putting that knowledge to pratice which I have learned is a moment to moment process. Here is to the next moment, and the next 35 years.

Going to Grandma's

When you have a child, your life suddenly become much more defined by the list of "firsts" that occur- first smile, first steps, first haircut, first family vacation. This weekend we experienced yet another- Liam's first overnight at his grandparents. This night away from home was planned as a trial run for later this month when hubby and I will be away for a few days at a wedding and the boy's grandparents have offered to keep him. We thought it might go better if we started slow and worked our way up to several days away from home without mom and dad so off he went Sunday evening, bags packed. Holding back tears as I waved him down the street I instantly felt like something was missing, lighter somehow, exposed. I wasn't shielded in the cloak of motherhood and our plans for dinner with the soon to be marrieds that were in town opened up to the land of "before we had a kid". Thing is, I felt like a stranger in a strange land, like I'd been here before but everything looks different. Then to spend the night talking about wedding plans and seating charts felt even more foreign as it has been 10 years since I've visited those milestones. Nonetheless, I had a few drinks without worrying about the headache in the morning, and only silently wished I was home putting my boy to bed.

As for the boy, he had a fabulous time with grandma and poppa and went to bed like it was any other evening- same routine, different sleeping quarters. My mother in law says she didn't hear a peep out of him until she checked on him at 7:30 in the morning when he popped his head up and said "hi Grandma!" I did not ask if he called for me. I didn't want to know the answer. I do know that the smile that shined as I walked in the door to pick him up was as bright as the sun and it felt so good to wrap myself back up again.