Alive and Kicking

Hello all. Before you panic about me being dead or something, rest assured I am not.

It's just that, well, I've been majorly depressed for the past two weeks. Many things have triggered it:  from the cold, cloudy, gloomy weather, to a friendship gone completely awry, to being stressed about finances and trying to find a job and daycare, to having a baby who just doesn't nap well. It's been overwhelming. Oh, and then I got sick one day (like horribly so: I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say it was straight out of a movie scene where you don't know whether to laugh or cry for the person so stricken).

I went to bed at 7:45 last night, I kid you not. That's how I handle stress and depression - I go to sleep. I wish I could say I slept all night long, but our darling 9-month-old still doesn't sleep through the night. She did okay, for her, by waking up "only" twice (at 12:30a.m. and again at 5:30a.m.). How I long for the day that she actually CONSISTENTLY sleeps 10 hours straight!! (Her two top teeth FINALLY broke through her gums today! Maybe we'll get some relief now? I doubt it, but it's worth hoping for.)

Some good things, because there are some.

1. I have a wonderful marriage. I don't care if you think I'm bragging, because I am, but I am thankful first and foremost for this relationship. So thankful.
2. I have two beautiful healthy children.
3. I am healthy myself and getting even more so as I joined the local fitness center and work out every other day. (Dude, I'm 17 pounds lighter than I was the summer I got pregnant! How is that possible!?)
4. My husband is getting healthy by working out every other day too. (Yay for health, yay for sex appeal!)
5. I listed a stroller on Craigslist this week and the woman who came to buy it today happens to be an HR recruiter for Washington University, where I just so happen to be applying for work. And she asked me to send her my resume. A.W.E.S.O.M.E.
6. I was affirmed by 2 other photographers this week that I have talent. (While I have decided that we need more consistent income to make ends meet, hence me applying for full-time jobs, I will still work on this creative outlet and try to get more clients on the side.)
7. I have been reminded that I have VERY good friends back in Nashville whom I can always count on to be unconditional. That is SO important.
8. I have a good relationship with my mother (who had a birthday on Wednesday - Happy Birthday, Mom!!!).
9. I have a birthday coming up in a few weeks which means a MASSAGE is in my future - woot!

There, that feels better. Now that it's past 7:00p.m. it's time for bed to spend time with my husband.

Cheers and happy weekend, everyone!

xo,
V.W.