From Chaos Comes Happiness

We're back from beautiful Arizona, well rested and sun kissed. Every time I visit Arizona, I am reminded of the beauty of the state. Katie fell absolutely in love with it this trip, and spent much of our vacation asking if we could move (permanently) there. I've been thinking a lot about making a permanent move for our family lately . . . we are pretty fortunate in Phil's job that it would be a relatively easy transition for him to relocate to a different place. Arizona might not be such a bad place to call home . . . hmmmm . . . wouldn't that be exciting?!? But, until then . . . we are back in the mid-west. Chicago welcomed us home with gray skies and rain (a lot of it). Those last few "April showers" have stayed true to their words, and it's been so icky the last few days. It's ok, though . . . because there is always art. And that makes it pretty awesome. I just finished up four weeks straight of art classes for the two park districts I am tea...

We are heading out of town for a few days this week . . . to sunny and warm Arizona. We were just there last summer, but decided (with the help of Phil's flyer miles and Hilton points) that it would be the most cost effective place for us to escape to this spring break. And escaping is just what I need to do. The past year has been one of the most emotionally draining in my life. I don't know why . . . but I am not keeping myself in line on the emotion side of life as much as I have in the past. Maybe I never have. Maybe I've always been a big ol'stress magnet. But this past year, it is really hanging on me, and I am feeling it. So, I am heading to sunny Arizona for a few days of R & R. And I can't wait. The last time we were there, I snapped a few moments like these . . . I can't wait for the pool . . . seriously . . . the sunshine . . .  the warmth . . . the sound of children laughing . . . all of it.  I can't wait for the blu...

Lately I found myself losing sight of those moments that make me happy. It's so easy to let myself get caught up in the drama of others . . . becoming lost in the negatives . . . and forgetting the simple things that bring me joy. Ah, focus . . .  It started a few months ago, when Phil told me that I don't just sympathize with others . . . that I really empathize with them. I take on their emotions and begin to truly feel as if what is happening to them, is happening to me too. Of course, it's not. But I couldn't agree with him more. It was a perfect way to describe what I was putting myself through in recent months, as sleepless nights and physical stress started to take over my own life. So, I made a plan. To remove myself (as much as I could) from the emotion. This is a really hard task, and not one that can happen overnight. But I'm trying.  I don't want to lose the caring part of me, I just need to learn how to handle it. How to be a good list...

I can't believe I haven't written in a month. One month. One complete and entire month. Augh. As I've said many times before, I'm multi-creatively-challenged. I swear, I need to write a book just on that concept alone. However in doing that, I fear it would bring yet another absence of some other creative task. I started the year off so strong here in blogland, but somewhere got lost this past month. In between starting a new health regimen, Phil's really crazy busy travel schedule, a craft fair, and a whole desire to get in touch with myself (again . . . ), my blog fell to the wayside. Something always gives. Sniff. Sniff. My sister is always telling me to stop apologizing for things (I am a frequent "I'm sorry" girl). Actually, she yells at me. "STOP SAYING YOU'RE SORRY!!!!" she'll demand, when I truly deep in my heart express apologies to people for what they are expressing. "STOP IT!!" She gets pissed at me. It m...