Purpose

A church near us has a billboard (for lack of a better word) outside and they always have sayings posted there. Some are funny, some are thought provoking. The other day I drove by and it said this: You're on this earth for a purpose. Find it. It really struck me and I know that is what this next chapter of my life is going to be about. My patriarchal blessing says a lot about service to my family and my fellow man and I do love to be busy serving others. I find with all the emotional turmoil I've been having about getting separated that I haven't had much time to really feel anything else. But the past few days I've felt so much better. Steadier. Not so crushed. Things are really starting to look up and I'm sort of excited to see what my future holds. Still taking life one day at a time but a LOT calmer. Thanks to all of you that have kept my little family in your prayers and on the prayer list at the temple. I can feel the help from above.
We leave for Summerland this Saturday for a week of bliss away from reality. I love Summerland. If you've never been there-GO. I call it Hawaii without the plane ride. I'd love to own a cottage out there someday. When we get back it'll be a week til the big move to my new place and thanks to my BEST FRIEND EVER (Alison) I'm 75% packed. Alison came over last Friday for 6 hours and then her and her 2 kids came Saturday for 7 hours and helped pack and entertain my kids. AMAZING. I've never had a friend I could count on like I can count on her.
So here's to new beginnings, old friends, and a heart that is starting to heal.

Therapy

I want to thank you all for your amazing support from my last post. Tomorrow will be one month since I decided to separate from my husband and I have gone through every emotion in the book. Sometimes minute to minute. I heard Josh and Joe laughing when I was upstairs reading on my bed and just started crying. Josh doesn't know that these next few weeks are going to be the last that his family is together under one roof. I'm going to have Joe tell him when we're home from vacation because this isn't MY choice-I'm just reacting to Joe's endless poor unhealthy choices. So the news gets to come from his dad even though I'll be there. It's going to rock his little world and not in a good way. I'm REALLY not looking forward to that. Any advice you have to give would be appreciated. I'm not so sad about Joe and I's relationship because it hasn't been great for a very long time but I'm sad about our family relationship and how that will never be the same. We move out of our current home July 31st as neither of us can afford it by ourselves plus I need to start creating my own life without the constant memories from this house.
A therapist I saw at the beginning of the year told me that I dismiss things. Feelings, situations, bad behaviour-I just ignore it and don't let myself feel things fully because it's been too much over the years. I think I just got desensitized to getting treated poorly or crazy things going on in our house. Let me tell you-I'm feeling it all now. And I'm LETTING myself feel it. Kicked a hole in one of our (flimsy) walls one day when no one was around because I was SO angry and frustrated. Started bawling when a friend hugged me in the hall at church. Letting it all out. Hopefully that will make for a better fresh start in the future. No baggage to hold onto. Wish me luck.

Where do I go from here?

This past week has been one of the hardest of my life. Joe and I have decided to separate. Most of you who know our situation will not be surprised. And even though I know it's the right thing to do I just can't get it together emotionally. I'm a wreck-not sleeping well and no appetite. This isn't something I WANT to do but something I HAVE to do. For my future and the kids. And for Joe himself. I am uncertain of where this path leads but I know where the path I'm on is taking me and I'm tired of it. I just want a life filled with some sense of normal and peace. Is that so wrong? To want what it seems like everyone else takes for granted. I'm tired of living in uncertainty. I know this life has not been what Heavenly Father wanted for me but I know I've grown so much from this situation. And it has always been up to me how long it continued. It's just hard to think that I'll be doing it on my own. All I ever wanted was to be home full time with my kids and now I'm going to have to go back to work full time to support us. I guess we all want what we can't have. Grass is always greener blah blah blah. I feel fragile and get really emotional at odd times. So many things hurt to think about. Everyone I've told says they're sorry. Yeah, well. I'm sorry too.

Time

Hello friends. I'm still here. Just haven't made time to blog. My life overwhelms me to the point that I can't create anything-just try to get by sometimes and that means forming complete (nevermind witty) sentences simply isn't in the cards.
I loved regional conference today. Mostly because I got to go BY MYSELF and sit still in the very same chair for the whole 2 hours. It was bliss. I felt the Spirit stronger than I have in months and I really needed the boost. It reminded me about my purpose in life and that when I'm doing the little daily spiritual things that I don't hit the point where I feel disconnected. I feel like I woke up again. Like things are clearer. Hope it sticks.
It's my mom's birthday today. And Joey's Grandma Quist passed away tonight. (Nevermind what time I blogged this-it's not tomorrow til you've gone to bed no matter what the clock says) Which made me think about how I'll feel when my mom passes away (hopefully way down the road). My mom is one of my best friends. She is larger than life and her life is dedicated to those she loves the most. She spoke at her mother's funeral. I don't know if I could hold it together enough to speak at hers. She is pretty, fun, LOUD, kind, generous, sassy, stylish, and REAL. I am so proud to be her daughter. And tonight I am happy for Grandma because she is back with her sweetheart and not in pain any longer. We should all be so lucky.

Jamie

If at first glance, this name doesn't conjure up thoughts of a firey, tall, broad shouldered hunk of Scottish man from the 1700's then......you haven't read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and are completely missing out on the kind of man you should expect YOUR man to be. LOL. I am in book 3 of the 7 book series and that, my friends, is what occupies my free time lately. Frankly, I'm slightly obsessed and will come up for air again in probably another month or two. See you then Blog stalkers!!
Love, E
P.S. Congrats to real life Jamie on her new baby GIRL!!

How long has it been since you shook YOUR thing?

It's funny-I like to blog and get my feelings out but a lot of what I have been going through is too personal for me to feel comfortable sharing with most of you in Bloggerville so I find I just don't post as often as I could. When I have major stress I know it because I don't want to create anything and that includes coming up with something to blog about. Just trying to get through the days does me in most of the time.
That being said....I took my first Zumba class at the gym yesterday. It's a group fitness dance class that's got some really tribal based music with lots of heavy beats mixed up with Latin music that allows for plenty of hip shaking-think Shakira. I wanted to try something different and figured-why not? It was AWESOME! I haven't felt that ALIVE in a long time! As the mommy of 2 small kids and the wife to someone who often acts like a child (love you hon) I have a lot of "should do's" and "need to do's" on my list every day. This was something I did for purely selfish reasons and it felt great. Just moving my body in ways I never do and letting myself go wild. (I know-odd mental picture for most of you reading this) Sort of felt like the old days except without the next morning reprocussions. I am going to do it EVERY week! And hopefully as an added bonus it will get rid of the excess baby leftover around my waist from Miss Cate. Because it's only been 18 months-too soon to have it ALL as it was pre-kid, right?!?!? (Insert sweet comments from Bloggers about my cute figure that they fortunately don't have to see in the buff)
Speaking of the little demon. Her new nickname after the all out screaming TANTRUM she threw in church Sunday. Literally had to go shut myself in a room somewhere after someone had to shut the chapel doors so she couldn't be heard when we were out in the hall. Sigh. She pulled my hair 3 TIMES. She likes to just throw herself in random directions and ends up smacking her head really hard. You'd think that would stop the insanity but it just seems to fuel her fire. And I was SO PATIENT-I just sat on the floor and waited it out while trying to minimize the damage to both of us. She was just tired and cranky. Of course after that 20 minute episode she was an angel in nursery. Whatever-as long as she gets this all out of her system before she turns into someone else at age 15, I don't care. I'll probably have to use the same technique for managing her at that age....
When I got pregnant with Caitlyn I was training to be a group fitness instructor but I never ended up completing my certification and I really regret it. I see the girls I took my courses with teaching classes now and they're completely incredible and I wish I'd finished my course. As this seems to be a recurring theme in my life that I'd like to stop, I'm really trying to get in shape and complete my training but I find I'm hesitant to do it. Not sure what's stopping me really. I sort of suck at completing things. Great starter, poor finisher. I love to set goal's as my Type A personality craves the structure, but am hard on myself when I don't measure up to my own standards. Any insight or encouragement is appreciated, as always.
I must say a big thank you for those of you out there who post on your blogs regularly. They make me laugh, cry and think about things in ways I haven't before. My challenge to you is to do one thing this week that makes you feel ALIVE like jumping out of your skin, laughing little kid ALIVE.
Hugs from here,
E

Better

For now anyways. Minimal drama for 2 weeks. I have felt the the influence of your prayers and thank you for them. It has made all the difference.
So. New Year. 2010. Feels like I should be making some life-changing monumental goals. Except I'm not. Sometimes just getting though life is monumental enough don't you think? Though after watching the seasom premiere of The Biggest Loser last night-I'd really like to get back to the shape I was in when I got pregnant with Caitlyn. Sigh.
And just for the record especially for those who don't have kids yet. I regret anytime in my life that I had the opportunity to nap or sleep in and neglected to take it. Enough said.
As you were.