Category: Work-Life-Balance

Experience, Family First, Fun, Hawaii, Love, Work-Life-Balance

Andrea’s Hawaiian Haiku (which isn’t a Haiku…)

plantspoliticsandthelord

Pankini Bar & Pina Coladas & Pineapples

Blonde Hair (Don’t Care) & Bangs

Blue Skies For Miles

Waikiki Winds

Lilliha Love

Coco Puff Dreaming

Salty Pool; Hottest Hot Tub

Husband Hugs & Alone Time

Buckets-O-Beer For Fun & Cheer

Reserved Cabanas, Oh, My

Early To Bed For Early Morning Beach Walks

The Sun Bakes & Boils

Ramen Broth Feelings

Udon Noodles Are The Divine

The Island Coffee Is Organic Love

HydroFlask – One Is Hot, One Is Cold

Humming Steely Dan

Plumeria Picking; Placing Behind Your Ear

Puffy Palms

Sun Bum Yum

Pool Cards Are For Punks

We Pray For Trade Winds & Clouds

Bikini’s Are Itty Bitty; Cover-Ups Are No Longer

Hawaii Love; It’s For Real

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Aging Parent, Faith, Family First, Work-Life-Balance

Exhausted. Life.

plantspoliticsandthelord

This picture – this is what my head feels like. At all times. I’m tired. Exhausted. I cannot turn my mind off. Ever.

Taking care of your elderly parents is hard. You are now the parent. They don’t really like that, but they get it. You are the decision maker. Period. The decisions I have had to make – they couldn’t. It’s overwhelming. My Therapist helps me get through it. To help me better understand it. The hard part – this is the norm. I do remember both of my in-laws going through this many years ago. I didn’t know how hard it was. They made it seem easier – OR, I didn’t pay attention. When somebody else is doing it, it is easy to look the other way. If I look around the Friends I have at my age – we are going through this in some way. It’s a whole other world. I feel like I have lost so much control taking care of myself, MY family. I mean, I still am a Mom and Wife. Two of my favorite titles. Right now I suck at both. Which hurts. Really hurts. They don’t get it and they shouldn’t have to. I never want my kid to have to do any of this. Or make the decisions I have had to – good or bad. It’s so much thought. It is a process. A time consuming, life consuming, process.

If you think you have people around to help out – don’t count on it 100%. Ever. Most of the time that does not work. You have to depend on you. Your the one you can count on. Nobody else. That in itself is exhausting. As my Parents live 100 miles away; it’s a commute. A commute that needs/should be done every 2 to 3 weeks. I try to make that time line – every 2 to 3 weeks… Every 2 to 3 weeks. Like clock work. I can do the drive with my eyes closed. I am down to knowing this drive to the minute. Could be the second. It’s just in my blood now.

This is not a complaint. Writing is what makes me aware. It makes me understand. Its just part of the process…

#faith #familyfirst

Faith, Friendship, Kindness, Seabrook, WA, Work-Life-Balance

Friendship 5 | Seabrook, WA | March 2021

plantspoliticsandthelord

I has been a really fun these past few days. You know when you can get away from home and just sit back and relax? With four really good Friends?? Two of them I have known for 15 or more years and two I have known for probably 5 years. They are Friends that hold me up. All of them. All differently. They are all kind hearted; friendly; honest; but most of all they make me laugh. They are funny! We drink a lot of wine. We eat all damn day and night. We all bring goodies – the kind we just don’t eat at home. Double stuffed Oreo’s, Hershey Bars, cookies, cupcakes and more wine.

We are in Seabrook WA. The town is Cape-Cod-ish. It’s my type of place. They ocean is literally right there. Just across the street. The houses are cool. The people are kind. The wine is cheap and the hiking is muddy, just the way I like it. The tree’s are tall. The waves are big. They have a clam cleaning station. The Bakery is beyond divine. There is a Tequila Bar and a stone pizza joint. The down town area is quaint. Cute stores; great smelling candles; shell jewelry; masks… It is just lovely.

We get up in the morning and coffee up and go straight to the ocean. It has rained. It has been sunny. It is where the Lord hears me. Guides, me. Knows, me. Comforts, me. I feel his strength.

If you don’t not have Friends like this – you need to. It’s an extended weekend of Therapy. You need it. Go out and get it.