The Grass isn't Always Greener on the Other Side...

  I won't pretend that this week was the best week of my life. I honestly thought I would enjoy and appreciate it more than I did. I couldn't do anything. I was out of it with a cloudy, fuzzy brain. I was tired. In pain. Sore. Irritated. This week was a challenge considering I have done nothing since coming home from the hospital. It was difficult not to be able to do the normal things like work, dishes, vacuum, laundry. It was horrible not to be able to play with my son the way he wanted. It was devastating not to be able to pick up and hold my daughter. I felt like a terrible mom this week. Sophia couldn't understand why Mommy couldn't pick her up when she bumped her head. Gabe was understanding but hated that I couldn't go outside to play in the snow with him. I just wanted to do more. Be more. Give them what they needed. But I couldn't. This week I had to take care of me.

    This week I learned to appreciate so many things in my life. My ability to do all of the things that I normally do. The people around me that came and helped me do everything that I was unable to do. My mom was the biggest help of all. She freaked out every time I moved for the first few days. I can never thank her enough for everything she has done. James was also a life saver. Whenever my mom was at work he was there to fill in the gaps. He was by my side, making sure the kids were taken care of and that I didn't need anything. My brother picked up Gabe from school while I was in the hospital which was extremely helpful. My friend Caroline did a very large amount of dishes the day after I came home. She had to have known they were making me crazy! My work friends sent me the most amazing Edible Arrangement. I have ALWAYS wanted someone to send me one of those but they're so expensive that I never would have asked! It made me feel really special to come home to that! And chocolate covered pineapples and strawberries.... I almost died! My friend Melissa visited me and just talked to me for a while then came again today and took me to a movie and shaved my poor cats tangled fur. My friend Jenn sent texts, facebook messaged me stickers and kept me afloat all week when I was feeling down. I could not be more grateful for all of these amazing people in my life. There are so many more that I couldn't even begin to put it all into writing. So many people checked in with me to make sure I was doing well and there is nothing that makes a person feel better than that.

     I did a lot of catching up on shows that were long forgotten on my DVR. One of them was Once Upon A Time. I forgot how much I loved that show until I watched 8 episodes straight. It is so good and the story line is just so intricate! I really enjoyed that. I also did a Criminal Minds marathon. I watched the entire first season of Girls which I have not made up my mind about whether I like or not.
     I did not do as much reading as I would have liked. I wanted to finish reading Allegiant by Veronica Roth. I do not believe I have ever not finished a book. I love to read. I get absolutely absorbed by the story. When it's a trilogy or a series, I don't stop until I am all the way through. For some reason I am at a standstill with this one. Just stopped and stuck. I liked it so I can't figure out what the problem is. I'm trying though. I started The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I haven't gotten very far but am intrigued by the characters and am pretty sure it is going to be amazing! I also got a book called I Am That Girl by Alexis Jones with a foreword by Sophia Bush. It's an inspirational and motivational book. I haven't gotten very far into it but I am loving all the good that it can teach women and girls!

     Valentine's Day was really wonderful and full of family love! It was Sophia's first which made it a special one for all of us. Both of the kids really loved waking up to their special Valentine's Day presents. A lot of what we got them was free or handmade which was really cool. Gabe made James and I a card at school and my Mom got me a Starbucks gift card... bless her heart of gold!

      I am finally getting back to feeling like myself and being able to move around normally again. Gabe and I played a couple of board games which was really enjoyable for both of us! I am really looking forward to getting back to normal with a lot more appreciation for the way my normal life is. For the rest of the night though I'm going to bask in relaxing and maybe even treat myself to a Girl Scout cookie or two. They've been here all week and they're getting impossible to resist!!!