Day 1379: Twenty-five weeks and counting
Check-in:
Spirituality - was not great this week, but is in a general trend of improvement, so I am okay with that. I know I can do better. Sometimes I am just too tired and depressed to do better, but that is silly, because spirituality is the one thing that is guaranteed to make me feel better. Randomly, now that I am going to have a child, I am much more interested in family history, in having my parents' stories so I my little girl can learn about them. My parents are about twenty years older than my husband's, so they won't be around as long for our little girl or any kids we have after, and I want my kids to know them, because for all their faults, my parents are pretty incredible people. I keep thinking that I should add meditation to my life. I have discovered that brush pen calligraphy exercises are super meditative. Kind of like coloring. Soothing and repetitive.
Fitness - not super great this week, partially because there was a lot of snow and cold, and that made me fairly disinclined to go out and walk, though I have discovered a new way to make sure I hit Pokestops, which involves my shiny Pokeball. I am still going dancing, but it makes for a very long couple of days in the middle of the week, and I am just endlessly sore after. We spent a lot of time on releve in class this week, and as a result I had a hideous couple of charley horses in my calf in the middle of the night, and despite getting a massage on Friday morning I'm still sore and limping a bit.
Tidiness - has also not been great. Since most of the mess that needs picking up is inevitably a result of the dogs chewing things and then leaving them on the ground and bending over is more and more of a chore for me, I haven't been great at it. I have been keeping up on maintenance chores as best as I can (dishes, cooking) but I am also reliant on my husband for help with laundry (carrying the baskets full of clothes) and so...that hasn't gone like I'd like. But I am doing my best to catch up!
The good:
Hands down the best part of this week, because I got to spend time with friends and family. My mom, my mother-in-law, my three best friends from college, a friend from law school (her husband went to law school with me), and my best friend from work (who is now a stay-at-home mom and often a source of modern pregnancy and parenting advice for me). There was amazing food, fun activities, and of course a host of adorable gifts for the baby, most of which were super cute clothes, but also some practical gifts like a bathing chair and baby bath supplies, and also some beautiful homemade blankets and towels and bibs and burp clothes. I got a lovely baby journal, and also some super cute science-themed baby books (that my scientist husband is very excited about). I got to have lunch with my parents and see my friends in person and generally have a good time.
Cody and I also got to watch the fights, which were pretty satisfying even if the main event was canceled as one of the fighters had to have emergency surgery.
This week I got some good writing done, and I am generally pleased with life. Also my Valentine's Day present arrived early, a Kindle paperwhite, so I've been reading like mad. It's been a while since I've cared to read published fiction (not that I can't get fanfic on my Kindle, haha) but I am enjoying it while it lasts.
Also Ivy and Dingo continue to be cute and warm and cuddly, and I'm enjoying that a lot.
The Bad:
I continue to be SO DONE with my job.
On Wednesday there was a massive snow storm so a lot of government offices closed down and apparently someone on the radio said the courts were closed so all morning no one showed up for court. It was a disaster. Also the judge has started scheduling stuff over the lunch hour, which is no bueno even for those of us who aren't pregnant.
One of my old cases came back after being closed last year. Super bad DV. Last year we avoided removing the kids. This time all of them were taken into custody, four kids under five.
One of my younger teenage boys was busted with heroin and a firearm. Gotta get to the bottom of that pronto.
Also, the list of things I need to get done before we move seems to just grow and grow, and I cannot help but feel like whenever I talk about it with my husband, the majority of the tasks fall to me. Even though I work full-time as much as he does and in a lot of ways my schedule is far less flexible than his. Why is it easier for me to call and schedule an appraisal during the day instead of him? It really isn't.
I expected to have a couple of days light last week, and they weren't. Thursday was supposed to be light and instead was an endless run of fires to put out. Friday was light and I was so exhausted that I dozed on the couch between answering phone calls and emails.
Having two days in a row where I'm on deck for at least twelve hours at a run is...exhausting. Now I get why my one old coworker's favorite day of the week was Monday. By Friday I'm just shot.
I have been telling my one coworker to NOT take over my caseload after I go. It's so crazy. Also my caseload is creeping up toward the dreaded 150 mark, which is when things just kind of all go pear-shaped.
This week is my birthday. I have a trial all day and the parenting class for two hours in the evening.
On Wednesday I am going to a concert with some friends, though, and that'll be fun. Don't mind skipping dance class for it.
Thursday should be a chill day, but I thought that last week, too. My husband keeps asking what we're doing for Valentine's Day and my birthday. I honestly don't care that much. I am just...so tired. And kinda stressed out. I need to stop internalizing my stress.
Also I need to remember that if I ask my husband to do things, for the most part, he does them. Granted, he rarely does them when I ask (which I should get used to from my child, I hear), but he's not unwilling to help. He's just used to me organizing everything. (Although when he wants help with a chore, he wants it right away. I just have to let it go. Or put my foot down and say no. Or be more firm and clear about how the double standard makes me crazy.)
Still, I had a generally good week. We had supper with our nice old neighbor. Sounds like people bring him food pretty often but usually he eats alone. Right as we left his house, it was snowing like crazy, and I think it's still snowing, so I'll have to get up early to dust off my car before I go to work.
Here goes! We can do it! Got a long weekend coming up, and I am excited.