I know, I know, but the name of this blog came from a dream, so indulge me, just a little.
I’m not doing so great right now, and my dreams are like slaps in the face.
I guess if you look at them symbolically, then they have evolved from convoluted-dream-speak to STEPHANIE, QUIT BEING A FUCKING DUMBASS AND LITERALLY SMELL THE ROSES!
We took the two youngest kids on a short trip, an hour or so away to a touristy-town, just for swimming and playing and “getting away.” (Thanks to a certain Nana and Grandma for making this happen.)
Anyway, YES. I had fun. YES. I enjoyed being with my family. YES. I laughed, and ate, and swam, and sat in the hot tub, and had an entire fancy lobby all to myself with coffee already made when I woke up.
YES. I was hurting and needed SILENCE after just a short while. NO, I couldn’t carry any bags or take the stairs; shit, I had to LEAN ON A WALL just to wait for the elevator. (The only reason I didn’t sit in the floor is that my 13-year-old would’ve died from embarrassment and then who would’ve helped me up.)
YES. I freaked out a tiny bit at dinner. YES, I actually thought my server walked away while I was telling her my order. YES, I was surprised to find her still there. YES, unfortunately, I tried to explain my confusion to her and my family.
YES. It was hard, and I am paying for it now, and I’m so depressed today that I don’t even know if it was worth it. I keep thinking back…
How happy my son was in his new clothes, laughing and joking and BEING NICE TO HIS SISTER.
How happy my daughter was, laughing and joking and giddy with excitement.
How SELFLESS my husband was (and is) knowing that he would be the pool-toy, the bag carrier, the kid-chaser, the driver, and did all these things knowing he had to work the next day.
It was worth it.
That doesn’t mean I’m any less miserable today. I won’t detail my aches and pains; I will just say that as someone who basically did nothing harder than stand in an elevator as it went up and down two floors, I don’t feel like I should be in this kind of pain.
We got home late yesterday afternoon. My husband was still at work. I was SO TIRED. The 13-year-old and 7-year-old were somehow NOT tired. The 30-minute car nap that almost killed me revitalized them I guess.
So I told them I HAD to lay down and to wake me up if they needed me and I was so tired that I didn’t even go over my spiel that they usually say with me because they FREAKING KNOW, MOM!
I thought I would drowse a little, maybe just lay in bed and rest but not even sleep, or get a quick nap and be able to think again. WRONG.
The kids tried to talk to me at least 5 times in the 3 hours before their dad got home. Once (apparently) my daughter said she was hungry and I replied with, “WHAT? You want me to brush your car?” I know the kids came in my room, I know they tried to wake me up, and I know that I was NOT awake at any moment that I spoke to them.
It sounds funny when they tell me what I said, but to me it’s also terrifying. Is this some new thing that’s going to happen? Do I need to teach my daughter what to do if I won’t wake up, but spout gibberish instead?
I realize that my son is 13 and very capable of taking care of his sister for a few hours. Shit, SHE is capable of taking care of HIM for three hours.
I don’t know what that was yesterday afternoon, I don’t know why I didn’t wake up, I don’t know why I was saying weird shit, and I don’t know if it will ever happen again. I do know that I feel like a bit more of my Mom Badge was just ripped off, and that motherfucker was in tatters already.
This morning I woke up because of a combination of terrible pain and a dream. Yes, I’m going to tell you about a dream. I’m sorry. I’ll keep it short.
I saw all these HUGE, gorgeous flowers on the side of the road. So many different kinds, so many colors, growing wild even though the ground was snow covered. My arms were full of flowers and I was GLEEFUL. Then I turned to go and my heart sank because there was so much snow that my car was stuck. Back to reality.
(Y’all have NO IDEA how lucky you are that I’m not bustin’ out some Eminem right here.)
Then I had a rilllll shitty morning ending with my husband telling me “You don’t know how much that trip took out of you. Maybe your body was just so exhausted that it shut down. The kids are fine. Please take your medicine and lay down for a while.”
*He didn’t say that last sentence but I could see it on his face, so that’s what I did.*
So THEN…yes, another dream. Shut UP! The last one was super short!
This time I’m looking out my window and I see that the sun has just almost reached the perfect point where it covers the whole pool and the rock in the center where I like to lay. I am JOYFUL. I can’t wait to get down there. Then I get a text from a mom friend about our kids and I can’t reply because the buttons are weird and the letters are moving all around and then I’m frustrated and worried. Back to reality.
I feel like my subconscious has literally “dumbed-down” my OWN DREAMS.
SORRY, SUBCONSCIOUS, I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.
I can’t remember ever feeling as happy as in those two dream-moments.
Maybe we never feel that way in real life.
Or maybe that’s what joy feels like to “normal” people.
Broken today, still here tomorrow.
We Don't Chew Glass 
March 26th, 2016 at 7:43 pm
I adore you so much. You’ve written so beautifully here. I would hug you if I could. xoxoxox
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March 27th, 2016 at 5:16 am
I adore you too, and a hug would be nice. I don’t know about that other shit; unless by “beautifully” you mean “spewed forth a bunch of shit that doesn’t even make sense.” Sorry. Should’ve just said “thank you.” ❤
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March 27th, 2016 at 12:49 am
Dang, Steph … I’m so sorry you’re going through such a miserable time. I wish I had words of wisdom … or a magic wand … or pie. I’d let you have the whole dang thing. Cyrus O’Leary turtle cheesecake pie – that’s what I wish for you right now.
In the absence of pie, here’s a cyberhug. Hang in there, okay?
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March 27th, 2016 at 5:17 am
Thanks. I wish you had all those things too. Especially the pie! ❤
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March 27th, 2016 at 5:23 am
*hugs*
Can you brush my car too, please?
(P.S. Your dreams seem a lot less convoluted than mine, we could swap if you want? Last night, a miniature segment of mine involved someone drilling a 6″ hole up through the floor boards and my bed and into the ceiling.. then the chocolate cake was hidden on a shelf you could only reach by letting the table down on a pulley…..)
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April 12th, 2016 at 7:29 am
Lol. That chocolate cake thing sounds more like a nightmare! 🙂
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April 12th, 2016 at 7:42 am
Yeah, pretty much… I had to make a real one to make up for it.. 🙂
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March 27th, 2016 at 8:41 am
My wife has the same tattoo on her wrist, so I understand its significance and importance to you.
Hopefully soon you will be able to find some emotional and physical balance and maintain that for a decent amount of time. Until the time comes, you can weather the storm and there is light behind those clouds!
Take care!
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April 12th, 2016 at 7:30 am
Yeah. I’m hanging on, that’s for sure. Thank you. I don’t know if you realize how much your constant kindness means to me.
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March 27th, 2016 at 11:57 am
That’s a tough one when reality goes weird. But it sounds like your husband and kids know how to manage – which means you must be doing all the right things at other times 🙂
My dreams have taken a weird turn lately – like really freaky Dr Who episodes. They used to have a link to reality, or at least I could see a thread that started it. These – nothing. So does that mean I’m actually doing worse than I think? Real life is still making sense, so maybe that’s okay
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April 12th, 2016 at 7:31 am
They do. My family is great. Dreams can be so nuts, right? Have you ever read one of those dream dictionaries or whatever they are? I think those just make it worse, lol!
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April 14th, 2016 at 6:39 am
I think those dictionaries are particularly useless – all that stuff about losing your teeth means you’re coming into money etc! Nope, I do think there is always a thread to your own reality, however tenuous it might be. I suspect my Dr Who escapades are just that – a need to escape the mundane realities 🙂
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March 27th, 2016 at 3:00 pm
I’m angry on your behalf that you have to deal with this shit. I don’t think I’d be handling things as well as you do (even when you may think you are not handling it well). Keep on swimming (I’m not sure why I think a Finding Nemo quote is appropriate here — but it makes about as much sense as anything else in my life).
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April 12th, 2016 at 7:33 am
I never feel like I’m handling ANYTHING right. So thank you. And you have no idea how often I think, “Just keep swimming.” Great minds think alike!
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March 29th, 2016 at 11:20 am
Goodness, Stephanie. I sorry you’re going through such a rough time.
But don’t worry about your Mom Badge. Rambling incoherent things to your children in a delirious half-sleep is the DEFINITION of being a parent.
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April 12th, 2016 at 7:33 am
Haha! As usual Mike, you know just what to say. Thanks, friend.
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March 29th, 2016 at 1:44 pm
We WILL get through this, just keep the faith sweetie.
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April 12th, 2016 at 7:34 am
Yes, we damn sure will. *hugs*
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