Not the Same as a Shot in the Arm

Not the Same as a Shot in the Arm...

I hurt my arm a few months back while I was moving firewood. I kind of thought it would fix itself but it didn't so I decided to go see the doctor. Of course, before I got there I diagnosed myself on the internet and decided that I had “tennis elbow” (I did) so I kind of knew what I was in for. Rest, physical therapy, Motrin, blah, blah, blah. What I was NOT prepared for was the shot of Toradol to help with the inflammation. I get what it is and how it will help and all but I thought we could be civilized about it and put it in my arm. Apparently not. There is something so very embarrassing about getting a shot in the butt. I tried desperately to make conversation with the nurse just to feel better about it but she was all business. She left the room as I was struggling to get my clothes back in order. All I have to remember her by is a band-aid. 

Water Park's Aren't for Sissies

The kids and I spent 10 hours at an indoor water park on Saturday. TEN hours. Looking back it hardly seems possible to have been there that long but we were. Every minute of it.

To clarify...the photo above is NOT me. As a matter of fact, I didn't see ANYONE that looked that happy at the park. Certainly none of the adults anyway unless, of course, they were just leaving the swim up bar. 

The chlorine, the bodies, the tattoos, the piercings and thank the good Lord, the alcohol. I went with my "friend" (whom I refuse to call my boyfriend because it sounds so damn 7th grade), his daughter, my daughter, my son and my son's friend. My son and his friend are now 15 years old so, suffice it to say, I spent most of my time making sure they weren't doing bad things in one of the five hot tubs. I must have seen my son with no less than 4 different girls during the day. Talking to them, walking with them, sitting with his arm around them. Whatever it is, this kid's got it in spades. I think he just brought his friend along to be his "wing man". (Is that even a thing anymore or am I dating myself with that term?)

Fortunately, my daughter and her friend were more interested in the water slides and wave pools than the boys. Unfortunately, my daughter looks much older than she is so I spent a lot of time making sure that boys/men weren't ogling her. Mostly that looked like me walking behind and her pointedly staring at any boy/man that looked her way.

But oh the bodies. Just lots and lots of bodies. In various shapes, sizes, colors. It's a fascinating place to people watch. The amount and variation of tattoos was astonishing. There were some that were well done and others that clearly were not. Prison? Maybe. But wow, so many people just treated their body like a damn coloring book. It's not that I'm against tattoos, I'm not. Fun fact, I was voted "Most Likely to Get a Tattoo" by my sorority. So I'm no stranger. Still, I never took the plunge and I'm glad I didn't. Happier still that I didn't put a bunch of crap on my body that looks ridiculous.

But the kids loved the water park and isn't that what it's about, after all? So hopeful that the kids will remember these things fondly so their future therapy sessions aren't quite so dark.

I Believe In You Baby

Dating is not for the faint of heart. Especially, dating after divorce. I'm really not even sure how people manage to do it at all, let alone as frequently and recklessly as they do. It's all fun and games at the start until the new guy/gal does something that was "exactly what my ex used to do." BAM. Game on. It's like all this stored up crap comes bubbling up to the surface from your past and you become a different person. More accurately, you become the person you used to be. And not one that you liked so much during the last go around. It's such a knee-jerk reaction when it happens that it will completely catch you off guard, I guarantee it. You'll never see it coming. Suddenly, you step outside yourself and see this person (you) acting like a complete lunatic.

It's embarrassing and it's humbling and it's devastating, all at the same time.  And suddenly, you're right back where you were. You're right back to the start of all the hurt, the anger and the pain. It's like not a single day has elapsed since the day it all fell apart. And it crushes your heart.

But then. Then you look into the eyes of this person standing in front of you and you notice something. You notice that his eyes are gentle and kind. And you notice that he is continuing to look at you with love and understanding and he's not running away. He's not going anywhere. In fact, he's pulling you in for a hug that will bring you back from the edge. He's speaking gently to you and reassuring you because he KNOWS where you have gone just now. He knows what has happened to you in that moment and he's there to make sure that you return. To him. And all is well and right with your world once again.