Stability

Hi family and friends! I know I haven’t posted in a few months (thanks for the nudge, Andrea H).

I have been busy getting back into life, turning 50 and traveling to Jamaica, North Carolina and Taos, NM.

Jamaica was amazing and it was so nice to reconnect with our college friends. I was so happy that I pushed myself to go, to smile, to put on a bathing suit and to even go snorkeling! I was very nervous about snorkeling because of my incision and I was worried about not being able to physically keep up with the group. It ended up being so liberating and wonderful. We even saw some BRAIN CORAL! I still can’t really smile, but I can fake it with my lips closed.

Next up was another trip to NC. It was Ella’s spring break and her 15th birthday, so I went out there for a week. We had a great time together and at the parent’s weekend, we learned about parenting styles. I am discovering that my style was very permissive – it became my survival strategy when things got really hard. We are learning that Authoritative is where it’s at. Much easier to achieve when you have an easy going kid, much harder when you have a challenging kid with mental health issues. It’s all a work in progress and it’s important to not beat ourselves up for the past, but to move on with the knowledge we have now.

Ella continues to make progress. She definitely has backslides, but they are less frequent and they provide valuable insight into what areas she needs to work on. She is learning so much about herself and about how she relates to others. She could definitely be a therapist by the end of this!

My most recent trip was to Taos, NM with my college friend Kim! She flew out from PA and we spent a nice weekend at a spa called Ojo Caliente. I have been wanting to go there for a while and it was so beautiful and relaxing. Just what us two moms of challenging kiddos needed.

Apparently, May is brain tumor awareness month. This visual sums it all up. I am doing well, but am suffering from daily headaches that have gotten worse as my facial nerve heals. My next step will be to see a neurologist who specializes in headaches. Feeling blessed to have such supportive family, friends and neighbors. Love you all!