Beathing Deeply

In my guilt free month, here's what I've done so far and what I've learned:

Lunch with a friend: Check, check and check. Last week I actually had two different lunch dates. It is lovely to reconnect with people and feel like you are a part of things again. It is something to work at as it isn't easy to schedule when my time is limited, but is very worth it. Kat and I have picked a day to get together too, though we haven't decided exactly what, yet.

Engage in activities that give me joy:
I've done yoga several times this week at home. A class continues to be problematic, so I'm on the hunt for one to just try out. I've sung a bit, but my March cold hit me hard and I still have a dry cough and vocal cords that show the results. This weekend I've got a lesson scheduled and from there will decide whether or not to go to the Laryngologist to be looked at. I've also been doing some of the Artist's Way, and have found it helpful - mostly morning pages at this point and the first chapter of the book. My resolution to perform this year is coming along a bit as I've identified some music I want to sing and have some other stuff to look through with the pianist once I get my voice up and running again.

Schedule time for girly upkeep.
Done. Went to get my eyebrows done and scheduled a follow up for this month. I know I need to get my haircut too since I can't remember the last time I did that, but I'm going to wait until I'm done teaching and have time during the week to go.

Try something new:
I've tried several new recipes, but I realize what I really meant by the try something new thing was to do something by myself that is new. So that still has yet to happen. Maybe it will be a yoga class and I'll kill two birds with one stone?

Have a date night at least once:
We did that this past weekend with a night out for Sushi (first one since Barf Fest Nov '10 the night before which Sushi was consumed by the Hubs and he hasn't been able to touch it since). It was so nice to sit with a glass of wine, out in public and dine with no child around. We then went to hear a symphony play and ended the night by walking through the Pru and stopped in the BodyShop where I got some Shea butter lotion to try and calm my ridiculously dry, awful skin.

Technically we have another date night this coming week because it is parent's night at the Shorty's daycare and I tacked an hour on to the request to the sitter so we can go get a drink after. And we already have one for May because my inlaws offered us their Symphony tickets to hear Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet.

All in all it has been a pretty good month. There's a lot of change looming on the horizon, but I hope it will come to fruition soon as we feel ready to move on. I'm done teaching in about 2 weeks and will take the remainder of May to unwind and then teach summer students through to August (unless we are moving). In the fall I've been offered a job at Wellesley teaching for one semester and I'm excited to do that. It will add one day on to my two days of teaching at Harvard and could lead to good things, my instincts tell me. The issue of the second child is also up for debate, but we need to solidify some other things first.

In terms of last month's things, I've kept up and the kiddo has been sleeping better so that has helped (save for this last week's bad cold/teeth). I've been reading (just finished The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, exercising as I can - Jillian Michael's 30 day shred, run a mile, go to the gym, we've been out of the house a lot and it is all good! I also got a pill organizer (hello, I'm an 80 year old woman) and put in my multivitamin, calcium, Vit D, and Flax so I have a better shot at remembering to take them. So far so good for 3 out of 4 days. I've also been meditating and find it makes an amazing difference. If done at lunch on a work day, the afternoon goes so much better. If done in the morning before being home with the Shorty, the day is far more enjoyable.