Thoughts from my week

Sunday’s Scriptures

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Although I have often seen these words in a wedding setting, our minister brought a new perspective to me. He said to replace the word Love and It with your own name. Then read the verses.

Monday’s Measurement

What’s worse than a Monday? How about a Monday in which you scrutinize and measure your past year’s work? I always feel so good about my work until this time of year comes… the annual evaluation. I spent my Monday writing narratives of my year’s work and how it relates to last year’s objectives and my job description and then list objectives for the next year. It is an essential element in the job growth process, but it can take you from patting yourself on the back with your head in the clouds on one item to wanting to crawl under a rock with the next. I have always been a very tough critic upon myself since I was a child. My dad said punishment was rarely an issue because simply knowing the displeasure of my parents would crush me. I am often the same way with work. I strive to please people, and ultimately please myself, but I am an extemely tough evaluator so that lead to…

Tuesday’s Troubles

I had spent the previous night and the better part of Tuesday morning agonizing over how I could do my job better. How could I see my percentages really increase, not just hold steady, but increase? Where could I improve my return on investment for events? What is my next career move? Do I have one? How do I get there? Oh, the questions… they can eat you alive.

Did I mention that this was also my husband’s birthday? So, here I was, down in the dumps while trying to keep my head up and not take it out on him on his birthday. Growing older is not one of his favorite things. He almost takes it personally that the universe has decided he must age. I’m being a little dramatic, but trust me I have a spouse who very much enjoyed being in his twenties. His mid-thirties with two kids sometimes brings him down.

Wednesday’s Way Forward

By Wednesday, I was ready to move on. I turned my evaluation in to my boss, and I let it go. I had some other very important items to get prepared and I settled in to address them and get them done. By the end of the day, I felt back on track. Just in time for…

Thursday’s Theatrics

My morning was spent with acrobatics of planning and preparing items that needed to be out of my hands for the next two days as I left the office for a Board of Trustees retreat. I was able to get everything together by noon, just in time to begin the juggling act of preparing children to go to grandparents, packing bags, and trying to get in the car to leave in two hours. The four year old was simple to pack, but the ten month old was a little more difficult as I am still nursing. (Which meant I had to make sure I sent enough stored milk and then took everything I needed to pump for two days.) Okay, so TMI, but you might as well understand the full perspective of my juggling act. However, my dad had his car loaded and the kids picked up by 1:30 p.m. and hubby and I were on the road by 2:15 p.m. Not bad.

We were on our way to Mt. Magazine Lodge, which I had intended to write about from a travel perspective. However, the cold, windy, and foggy weather did not lend itself to many views to write about. The lodge while beautiful does have a few issues, at least our room did, and the food was adequate. Well, maybe I will follow this up at a later time with my overall review. Don’t misunderstand it was a great meeting facility. So placed in context, it was well done, but if you are considering vacation, you should just be prepared for a few things.

Friday’s Forum

Not much to write here although the day was probably one of the most interesting days of seminars/speeches/lectures that I have ever experienced. I generally drift in and out after an hour in a "classroom," but not this time. The speakers were interesting and entertaining and the topics and data were fascinating. They kept my attention from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. But

Saturday’s Separation Anxiety

My hubby and I returned home to the kids today. When we walked in the door, our four year old ran to both of us and gave big hugs and excitement to see us – every parents dream reaction from their kids. Now our ten month old not so much, he just stared at me. He looked almost in disbelief. Finally, when he came to me, he placed his small arms completely around my neck and placed his head on my shoulder. As I hugged him and thought how sweet it was to embrace and be embraced by my baby, he broke into tears. I couldn’t fully tell if he was mad at me or that he had been hurt and confused over the days without me and was releasing his pent up pain when he finally had me back. I tried one of our special games that almost always makes him laugh, but instead he cried. So I took him and sat quietly for a few minutes of nursing. I think this reassured him that his mommy was really home and he was all smiles and laughter after that. But wow, what a reaction and how clearly even an infant can relay their displeasure with you in a way that cuts you to the core for hurting them.