Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

[lifechange]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Hi Ladies! You are all sounding pretty darn good!!
I will check over at Soberistas tomorrow, too-- but as well don't know if I will sign on until I HAVE to. In this situation I will be a follower. But if you all discover that it's a super accompaniment to this site, I'd also consider. I just don't know if I have enough time for another forum. If this site does unexpectedly go down, God forbid, I will head over ASAP!

Pav, I understand exactly what you're saying about wanting to concentrate more on living and less on not drinking. I'm really happy that the pity parties are letting up and that the gratitude is coming more naturally. It's a great feeling isn't it? I don't think you have to have such long wafflings (though we all LOVE them!) but you will continue to check in every day, right? I would say in retrospect, that that was a mistake I made-- letting go of the ritual of my "group" therapy. And somehow before I realised it, it was too late. I'll also have to think more about exactly why. :lilheart:

Ava, I am so excited for your trip-- I always start packing 2 weeks in advance if I'm going somewhere exciting. You will have a wonderful time and I don't think Madison will end up in the freezer. I did have to chuckle at the thought of a dog in the freezer though, as it reminded me of 2 cats (Chloe and Clancy) who each spent a long winter in the freezer until the ground was soft enough to bury them. Clancy died when I was 16 and it became a bit of a family "joke"-- "Hey could you go fetch the .... out of the freezer..I think it's just to the left of Clancy." He made it to 16.

LB, we had so much fun shopping today! She has just begun to care about picking out her own clothes and it's so fun to see what she really likes. She's got such a great, unique style-- no dedicated follower of fashion, which I am so happy about! We also bought the first sports "bra"! It was much less painful (for me!) than getting my first bra. I be you're having a fun day at the parade.. I am spacing on where you live. How's the weather there? EDIT: AHHH Baton Rouge!! Of course you love parades..

The wind is so strong here today that I was almost blown over on my bike! Now I am cosy at home and getting ready to cook dinner and watch a couple of films.

Hope you all have a happy Sat.--:h

[little beagle]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

The wearing of the green. Everyone was having fun, but I felt a little out of it so left early.
I don't know if this is a self pity party or not, but I am feeling very down this week. I know it will pass, extra rest and some extra time here. Sorry ladies.

[scottish lass]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Happy Saturday morning all - well it still is for a couple of us!
Sorry you feel that way LB - I am sure it will pass, but not a happy place to be until it does.
I was coming to post how great I was feeling and felt a little guilty - but then realised if we were all in a blue space at the same time, we may never get out of it - it is good when we are in differnet places so we can help each other...

So Disneyland, Cinder's castle - its a date - are we talking about the one in LA - don't want to be waiting all alone at the wrong one:H:H and i will stress till 2015 about this of course!

J-vo - not done a manicure, and have been thinking of gel nails - do get my toes done when the weather gets better - so took them out of hiding a couple weeks ago.

My grils did not have riding today - first time in forever my alarm was not set on any morning - of course I was wide awake!Made a cup of tea and went back to bed with a novel. Up now and trying to work out if I risk taking the covers off my outside furniture - My ex kept them for a while and they are filthy - but worried I won't get them back on the cushions!

LC - shopping with the girls can be so much fun, and my oldest especially has her own quirky sense - neither are big trend followers!

Giraffe - love a good steak and kidney pie, and a great game of rugby - don't get much of either out here in Ca:upset:

Well I have not been totally AF in 6months, but really close to it - very minimal drinking - I had two compliements this week and putting 2 + 2 together, maybe making 62, but my hairstylist said she has never seen my hair in better condition and how strong it is - I don't think that is due to not drinking, but taking care of myself surely. Then a staff member mentioned that the crew I oversee has been talking about how much I am smiling (I am not known for my outgoing nature being a total introvert and have a bit of a rep) - they put it down to my separation, but I think it is due to not being perpetually hungover...

Well now - that is almost an Ava post - but I feel great, have a smile on my face and a lot of this is due to the LOAMERS!!!

[available]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Hello loamers

NS what are you trying to say, that i am not organised? Where the bloody hell is Cinderalla castle? I'd be walking around for hours and then give up if i cant find it in about 5 minutes or else the anxiety levels wil get sky high. maybe i can put it into maps on my iphone. I'll be at the front gate ok or the pub, id be able to sniff a pub out still i reckon.

Hi Mary thanks for the tip on earplugs but my mother is more the "silent' type, just doesnt talk to you and you certainly know about it. She went 6 months once not talking to me and she lived downstairs from me. Shes a treasure i must say. My feelings are that i wont have al in me to retaliate with as when i was drinking i had not logical thoughts of course and she would have a few wines and even less logical thoughts.

Nar i am totally serious about my dog sigh. They will do their best and i will have a list a mile long on her routine. she has been on epilepsy meds for years and they still forget to give them to her, mind you so do i. thank god for the internet while i am away is all i will say. My daughter is close so not too worried and have told the boys if she gets sick to take her to vets straight away.

pav you must be exhausted lovely. Have a rest and take it easy, i am patient and will wait for you waffle on what you have been up to other than working. Glad you are not having those al thoughts, i love that feeling now even though they pop in occasionally. I did a date/time dooby and it has been 15 weeks sober now, ffs where did that time go, before we know it a year will be gone. I am grateful also that al is not ruling my life anymore and that i am starting to, thanks for that thought.

LC glad the shopping went well, i love shopping with my daughter, she is as impatient as me so we dont really browse, we know what we want and go and get it and both love op shops. I never had that problem of wanting to be alone as i drank anyways. my boys hardly ever leave the damn house so if i had to wait to be alone i would have been sober for years i reckon. Oh god the first bra, that was torture, like getting my first period on xmas day while visiting my father. I wanted to find a hole and jump in with that one. Loved your story on Chloe and Clancy lol, we had a pet budgie for 10 years and he got cancer and died and i put him in a chinese container on the tv stand so we could all say goodbye to him. I had to wait for my daughter (a week) to get home before we could have a family burial, the kids still remember that and say they will pop maddy on top of the tv stand till i get home. they would too if no room in the freezer. You are sounding fantastic girl and that is so good to hear, oh the reason you stayed off here was you wanted to drink and did not want us nagging down your throat.

LB big hugs to you girl and we are here to listen if you need to vent and you know we will always have a response! Family again? It is so nice when everything falls into place and cruises along nicely but we know that doesnt happen often enough. I always know that when one child has problems they seem to play tag and i have to go through the whole 4 of them melting down, then...... back to normal. I hope things work out for you, sending hugs. Make sure you get away and start planning that one for yourself as you deserve it.

SL wow so good to read your post and yep you are right we all have different feelings each day but i wish we could all be happy all the time and live next door to each other or on a big farm. that would be nice. I had a laugh that you would probably be at the wrong place, me i would still be driving trying to find any place really. When i first moved to melbourne it used to take me 25minutes to drive to the airport and once it took me 2 hours to get home. After 4 tries i made it 25mins each way. Woo hoo. Your post has me chuckling this morning, "perpetually hungover", love it, bugger FWAD though i am sure there were happy thoughts there also. Yes 2 + 2 = 62 and congrats on all your days af, i know i could never have a day here and there, i'd be there in a foul swoop i'm afraid, you make us proud SL, very proud that you are a loamer.

Well it is raining on and off today and that is nice as it has been so dry here. i need to go and pull apart the chickens to feed the dogs and have another coffee of course and look at the NN to see what has been going on. I'm feeling pretty damn happy too, i love actually being happy everyday and not living the life i did 15 weeks ago. I'm stronger in every aspect of my life and that feels great. My son celebrates 1 year of not taking crack on the 27th march so that will be a pretty important day in our family. This time last year i was a mess, trying to ring him, knowing he had hit rock bottom, trying to get him to come home, his phone calls crying and desperate. It was totally heartbreaking to know that my baby was going through hell and wondering if he would be alive by the time he got on the plane to get home. He was and is very much alive and happy now and i could not ask for anything more than that. Life is good.

Well this post has taken a cup of tea in a big mug at that. Love you girls and please keep organising me so that i dont lose you all. I am following along in whatever you all decide. xxxx

Jvo i felt like i had a long week also and i had a long weekend, i think it takes me longer to get into work if it is a short week and then the next week i want a short week again. I am so looking forward to not working for 3 weeks though. Bring it on! Let me know what sobersisters is like as i am not signing in there till something happens here, this site used to frustrate me so i dont need anymore frustration. What is the difference between the gel and normal? I know they dry quicker and you dont have to sit there forever and dont smudge like mine all do as i am impatient to get out of there! I normally take my own nail polish so i can redo any stuff ups. I had a nail infection so have had to give my nails a break but will get them done again when i get back as i really like them and i am a nail biter also.

giraffe glad you are sounding great, only worry for 20 years eh, thanks for the chuckle. Steak and kidney pie, my mother used to make that and i dont like kidney so used to get sent to bed as i would not eat it and still wont.

[NoSugar]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Pavati;1638144 wrote:

I feel like I'm going through some transition or transformation right now - from the focus being on not drinking to the focus being on living life. I am still in the first phase, but I can see glimmers of the next phase in the not so distant future. I have found fewer and fewer pity parties in my life, and more being actually grateful (not struggling to find something I am grateful for). I'll think about this and get back to you...
lifechange;1638156 wrote:
Pav, I understand exactly what you're saying about wanting to concentrate more on living and less on not drinking. I'm really happy that the pity parties are letting up and that the gratitude is coming more naturally. It's a great feeling isn't it? I don't think you have to have such long wafflings (though we all LOVE them!) but you will continue to check in every day, right? I would say in retrospect, that that was a mistake I made-- letting go of the ritual of my "group" therapy. And somehow before I realised it, it was too late. I'll also have to think more about exactly why.

Pav, I responded to your post similar to this on the 100 day thread. I think the transition you are going through is part of the normal progression to truly being sober, not just not drinking. I rambled on, trying to figure out what I was thinking but it comes down to this: addiction is a chronic, not acute, condition so by definition, it always needs to be attended to. It can be managed, but apparently not cured.

Most of us have used an online support group as our primary or only tool. It takes less time each day the longer you are AF and when you aren't here "managing your condition", you might not think of AL at all - you'll just be living your normal, sober life. But like LC said, the routine check-in is important. Almost every addiction recovery program emphasizes this - even when there is no financial or other interest in retaining members (unlike some healthcare and drug companies with a vested interest in the medicalization of so many conditions).

:h NS

[NoSugar]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

I missed the AVA GAZETTE when I was online earlier - very good and newsy edition !
It covered the things I had in mind - so glad LC, ML, and SL are feeling good ... Sorry LB is in one of the rough patches. It's all normal, I think. For me anyway, AL was just the easy way to avoid feeling much of the negative stuff - especially good for quelling frustration.

Is that what you're feeling regarding your family situation right now, LB? I think I would be, especially if expressing yourself clearly doesn't even help. How are you handling it? Now I cry instead of drink when I'm frustrated. Neither solve anything but at least the headache from crying doesn't last for hours. I hope you get your time away soon and that you can grab some mini-breaks from stress each day :l.

We finally had 2 days of sun in a row - seems like a miracle! It was great to spend time outdoors.

[scottish lass]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Glorious day - girls even got bikinis on - we all got pedis (wow, that cost a pretty penny) - then sat outside - I read a novel, bliss!
Did have a hankering, but it didn't feel too bad - have an AF beer in fridge and going to fire up the BBQ...

[Pavati]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Evening, Ladies (well, for me):

LC and NS - no worries here about my slowing down on MWO - I have read enough to know that sticking close to a sober community is very important. Every time I dream about having to tell you all I drank it scares me - a good scare if you ask me. I guess chronic condition is the right way to look at it. I was interested in this piece from NPR (US National Public Radio) today - Beware of the Quick Fix. Staying AF is similar to eating well, exercising, etc. There's no short cut - it is a marathon of making the "right" decision over and over again. Anyway - I'll be here (or on Soberista or in front of the castle (I will be right on time or early - I'm the queen of overly prompt and overly good at navigating)). However, if I have to give up cursing at Disneyland or on Soberistas I might get kicked out...

SL - Awesome to hear you feeling so great. I think you're right - we have to mix our moods around to take care of each other. My friend just texted me while she was having pedis with her two daughters "Daughters are expensive - pedis." I texted back "you should try baseball shoes." Kids are just a big commitment no matter how you slice it. Just look at Ava - afraid to find poor Maddie on the mantle piece because of her kids' neglect! (and she has FOUR of them). I DO love this weather - will try to remember it when I'm drinking the dew from the grass this fall because there's no water!

Ava - Pretty amazing about your son. That is a very hard drug to stay off of. It is wonderful that you could go through sobriety together (I'm sure - every mom's dream - hang out with her addicted son sober because she was addicted to wine). (I hope you took that with your Ava sense of humor and that I didn't cross a line - I was thinking of my friend who got into a car wreck and was thrown clear of a crushed car. People kept saying how lucky he was - he was like "how is it farking lucky to total your car and be thrown out on the pavement.") ANYWAY - what I mean to say is that your kids are lucky to have you as their mum. Speaking of mums - have you thought more about how you'll deal on vacay?

LB - I DO hope you get a vacation for yourself (at some resort that will take the doggies, of course). St. Patrick's Day parade sounds a little deadly to me - I'm not good in crushing crowds...

Nar - Hope you're thawing out up there. I think about living in Canada sometimes (when I'm frustrated by some of the BS down here), but I would have a REALLY hard time adjusting to the weather. Actually, I'd have trouble adjusting to any weather other than Northern California - I think we have a 10 degree average temp. variation.

ML - Hope you're doing well!

I had a great day - my son's basketball team won the semi finals and will be in the championship tomorrow, I played some ping pong with the kids, read my book (The Brothers K - a family saga that involves baseball and the Vietnam war - recommend!), ate a burger (no healthy cooking after all), and watched some bad TV. I am on my way to a hot bath and bed. Up early for a long hike with good friends tomorrow. I am so zonked - I feel like I still need some sleep catch up after last week.

Hope you lovelies continue to have a great weekend (or get out of your funks if that's where you are).

xo
Pav

[lifechange]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

GOOD SUNDAY Morning!! or evening for you, Ava!

So nice to wake up and have the Ava Gazette to read! I don't even have to out and fetch it. What could be better?? You are sounding great, dear. How will you celebrate your son's 1 year sobriety day? It fills me with panic, thinking about having a child in that situation, under the influence of such a scary substance. I am so happy that you are all back together and that he is happy and healthy in his life. Does he participate actively in some sort of program? What are his interests now? --Had to laugh at the whole finding the castle dialogue.. I am also counting on NS and Pav to give very clear directions!! They have your email address, right?

LB, I hope things are looking up today. I'm concentrating on sending a lot of strength and positive energy your way. Hope it arrives by the time you wake up..:sun:

Pav!! Thanks for posting the link-- am going for a lookie as soon as I'm finished here. It sounds like your mind is exactly in the right place! So good to hear. Exciting about the Basketball finals! Good luck today..

SL, sounds like a lovely day out with the girls. Bikini weather! I am so jealous. We won't have anything like that for another 3 months or so.. That's why I can keep putting off my diet!:H Not really, I'm on it full force now..
Hi Nar!! Hi NS!!
hi J-vo!! Hi Giraffe!! Hi Mary!!

I love Sober Sundays. I love having the whole day in front of me. I love not having my mind full of plans to drink. Yesterday it didn't cross my mind once! Bliss...

[little beagle]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Ava I too am glad that al is no longer ruling my life. That feels so good. And having your son stay asay from the crack for a year. I have to say I wish that my hubby could get a grip on this thing. I too have that anxiety that he is going to be dead when he goes off on a bender.
SL ooking better and being happy are wonderful side effects of an af life.
Pav getting the thoughts of al to lessen is like having a burden lifted off your back. Life feels lighter and brighter.
No I am going to be honest here. The family thing really does get to me. Addicts are by nature very selfish people. You have to be. Your addiction takes up all your time, attention, money. There is never anything left over to look around you and see when someone else is struggling.
We had a meeting and daughter was in charge, she did a wonderful job. One of the questions she brought up was Are you in a safe place. Do you feel threatened in your recovery physically? Well I got to thinking on that one because they both still actively use and it's stressful. So no. The answer is that I am not in a safe place here. I do not physically have people to care if I make it each day that I live with. It feels that they actually put up obstacles instead.
Well thanks to you ladies I do have people who care, but I have been struggling a bit lately. Being so tired mentally, physically and emotionally is hard.
I did have a huge talk with hubby last night. The anger and resentments I feel were properly expressed quietly and calmly on my side. No not on his but he did calm down and finally talk to me. I listened. Really listened. He made some good points.
I have decided to follow Lifechanges daily intention thing. Mainly trying to not overthink things is going to be number 1 on the list. Because I really do that. I tear a situation apart and look at it from all angles.
This has got to stop. For my mental sake. That's why I am so mentally tired.
Any suggestions?
I do yoga and I read frivolous books to relax. Hot baths, gardening, walking the dogs. Well living in the present really is important. As you say LC when I feel myself drifting I will just gently bring myself back to now. That's really good advise. Thanks.
Enough waffling.
Have a great day all.

[j-vo]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

MAE Loamers,
Hope everyone is well. Today is a busy one. Going to decorate for basketball banquet early, then the banquet begins at 4:00. Next year, we will have a much bigger job-running the consession stand which means shopping, managing the money from all the games, scheduling people to work at all of the games. I think I may be ready to take on that huge task, but thankfully DH is good at all of that and I can be his assistant.

Pav, you are moving along beautifully. Next phase, working on living. That's the natural progression and now it's about getting happiness out of each day, dealing effectively with daily challenges, loving your family and friends, and taking care of yourself. Even though I've had slips, I really feel I'm getting there too. I am focusing less on the not drinking and doing things, living life. Good luck to your son and his team at championship game!

LC, shopping with your daughter sounds so fun. You're on the right path, Lady! How long have you lived in Berlin? Do you like it? Will you be there forever? When do you get to see your family in the states? So many questions!

LB, I can see what they mean about being selfish now. I used to get defensive when someone from AA said we are selfish people. I thought, how can I be selfish when I work my ass off daily, give all I can, but I was being selfish. Addiction makes us care about one thing. Drink. or whatever it is one is addicted to. It's our main focus and everything else takes a back seat. I see my sister going through this now, and pray that she finds her way out of this mess. We can blame others for not doing enough for an addict, but it's not them that can do anything for them. They have to be the one's to get themselves out of this mess, and we can support along the way. Like LC says, try to focus on the moment. I overthink things as well, overanalyze everything. I think that's part of my nature and why I have such great lesson plans!!!! I've been trained to overthink things...now I have to undo that which is quite a challenge. You keep taking care of yourself. You have so many great activities for yourself. And I love that you and family are continuing the meetings and communication.

SL, wow, great compliments! People do see changes in others - mostly women, because men, well...but you're smiling is something you're doing that you probably weren't even aware of. You're feeling good about yourself and your life, these changes you are making are coming out and reaching people in such a positive way. And I can imagine how it's making a difference in your girls lives. To have a happier and healthier mom is having such an impact on their daily lives. And...bikinis, pedis, novels...way to go SL!

Ava, two weeks to go! Will you be able to post the daily gazette from Thailand? This will be your first big vacation with no al, and you're going to get lots of rest, sunshine, and relaxtion. You deserve it sweetie. I'm so happy to hear about DS's almost one year. Wow. You must be so proud of him. I can't imagine the hell it was for you to know he was in such a scary place. Will you have a little party for him? And the boys will be fine. They'll take care of Maddie, but good you have your DD as a back up! Just saing...boys will be boys.

NS, so true that addiction is chronic and not acute. Great point as to why we should always check in daily no matter how we are feeling. I know that importance, and I think we all do here.

Ok, ladies, off to get my day started, with a clear head on a Sunday morning! Love you all.

[scottish lass]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Hi friends - looks to be another lovely day here today - sorry for boasting Got a few thngs to do then more sun I think.
Girls are expensive, and agreed - so are boys. The pedis were a treat - my girls are pretty special.
I have been strugging with my oldest, her grades and lying to me - but she is pretty amazing. I find it hard to be cross with her, or to with hold priveldges - one half of her is great and the other half is just struggling to find her way. When I posted a while ago she had three F's two D's and two A's - she now has no F's and hence the treat. A couple years ago she got soem blue hightlights for getting grades up - so I am saying gel nails for no D's and coloured hair for no C's - she seems to be responding to us just now, so lets hope? She is off to her weekly volunteering at the pet shelter - this is the great side of her - her choice to get up at 8am every Sunday to volunteer at the smelliest, hairiest place becuase she loves the poor unloved critters!
LB - I checked in before I drove her, and have been thinking of your post - I am so not in a similar situation to you, we all have such different struggles don't we, so I can't speak to what you are facing. You made me smile with your frivolous novels - that is me, I am ready like crazy but it is all "frivolous" - it is helping me to stay in the moment. I am being very selfish just now - I am only on two threads, and I really can't reach out to help others here - I am living for the present and cannot look to the future. I cannot think of never again - in honesty I can't even think of next week. I am enjoying how I feel this minute - I know that later the thoughts come back...if I start reading where others are debating, or reasoning with themselves, I catch on the "I'm not that bad, I really don't have a problem" and "my situation is bad, so I should not push myself too hard just now" or "I deserve a reward" or "I need a pick me up" - I can rationalise why to drink with the best of them - but rationalizing why not to never drink again is not so easy - so I stay away. I look around, start to think and run back here...I am trying to be happy with what I have and not cry over what I don't - not easy...not sure if this is any help? Long way of saying that I am trying not to overthink and avoiding everything that leads me to do it - I did read a thread yesterday that got me over thinking again and it was not helpful to me....got to stay in the here and now:l

[lifechange]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Hi again Ladies!
I've been in and out today. My eldest came over for a break from the little one-- they are fighting like cats and dogs lately-- so we've had a cosy day at home, reading, cleaning up the room, cooking. Very nice.

LB, you have such a difficult situation. You're doing so well at continuing to care for yourself while in the midst of other peoples addictions. I don't know what to say. Do you get support from other people/groups in your home town? I didn't understand if the meeting was a family meeting or another group meeting. It's good that you keep trying to communicate and that they seem to have periods of sobriety. This fucking addiction. I know when I was drinking there was nothing my BF could do or say--I pray that your husband and daughter will find their ways out. I hope that trying to stay in the present gives you some relief.

J-vo, you busy lady. I hope you have a great time this afternoon--I think I would also prefer to assist in running the concessions! I am control freak by nature and feel like things go better if I'm in charge-- but I'm learning that I am actually a really good assistant. And it's so nice to have someone else to take the responsibility sometimes, isn't it! To answer your questions, I have been in Berlin for 15 years now. I moved over to marry the father of my kids who is German. We aren't together anymore but live near eachother and share custody 50-50. I do like living here-- it's a safe (more than relatively), green city and our area of town is known to have the highest birth rate in all of Europe so there are tons of kids. The girls can travel around by foot, bike, public transport on their own-- We go everywhere by bike. There are a lot of lakes and "forests"--(but nothing like in the States)--nearby. The nature fails me. I miss the desert! and the wide open skies. I miss my family and talk to my Mom several times a week. We only fly over every 2 years (we were just there for 5 weeks over Xmas) and my Dad and his wife usually visit every couple years as well. My sister has never visited which makes me sad-- but she has a deathly fear of flying. I'm sorry to hear about your sister and her problems..:l Are you close? Does she live near you?
I don't know if I will ever move back. I never want to live so far away from my kids.

Time to make dinner. Already 7pm here! Didn't once think of you know what...That makes me very happy and grateful to all of you wonderful people who have helped me through the last (eternity!) 11 days.
love to you all..

[lifechange]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

xpost SL:l Your daughter sounds like a really wonderful person. My heart is joined with anyone who gets up early to take care of furry little friends who haven't had the best cards dealt them. It sounds like the grades are really improving, too. What subjects does she enjoy/do well in?
I am like you-- I ventured out a bit today. Had a lot of fun with the Army thread people-- many of them are living in my time zone and they are checking in often. But otherwise I stay very close to all of you. If I read something that makes me feel unsettled I come here or go to another trusted abs thread. The NN is in general too much for me to handle now and I don't feel like I can offer much.
I am continuing on as well with living as much as I can in the moment. I think the practice is making it slowly easier to pull my mind back when it wanders. Unfortunately I have been waking up in the middle of the night (FFS!) with anxiety attacks-- mostly about parenting, and have had to use breathing to calm myself down. Thankfully it does work though.

Have a great sunny day. I am envious again!!

[NoSugar]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

LC and SL, I can't think of a better time to break and stay free of this addiction than while your daughters are home with you, quickly becoming the women they will be. You'll never regret being completely present during this important time - full of amazing highs and lows - that you don't want to miss and they need you not to miss. Seems like the moms of boys here (j-vo, Pav) also have really strong relationships with their sons. I have one of each and like Ava, value different attributes typical of each sex. (I fully understand about Maddie, Ava - when I traveled when everyone was home, our daughter (the youngest) was briefed to make sure everything her dad and brother were supposed to do actually got done!). You have both, Nar, right?

Pav, I love the 7-minute workout mentioned in your link. It is especially useful on days when you feel like/convince yourself that you have no time to exercise. The purchased app allows you to adjust the intervals, which I really like.

Little Beagle, when you say you're trying to see things from all angles, do you mean from your husband's and daughter's perspectives? Normally that seems like the right approach but as you said, addicts are selfish. Do they consider yours? And make any adjustments to accommodate you? Right now it seems like you are "the adult in the room" who is seeing reality most clearly. Maybe your perspective should count double as decisions are made .

Hope the weekend was a good one for all! :h NS