Krank

I've been sick this weekend. I guess that whatever the boys have I can know that I'll eventually get it. Being sick is the pits in general. Pain is the pits in general. However there can be some perks to illness. Namely, Friday night I was allowed to spend nearly 8 hours doing nothing but watching Goal (hot, hot, hot) and TV. Saturday I attempted to rest but decided to take in a play and basketball game, both of which were enjoyable (well, all four acts of The Importance of Being Earnest was a bit long) and tiring. Yet the music at the game was so inspiring that I can home and watched the first half of Step Up 2. If only I could dance like that. *Sigh* Well, maybe after the resurrection. So Sunday I also vegged out to the Princess Diaries 2. My room is a mess and I've done nothing of real value. And there is no guilt. That is the ultimate perk -- guilt free gluttony and laziness. 

Abundant Life

I've been able to have some fantastic experiences in the past couple weeks. Sometimes I get into his mode were I mourn that I wasn't more rebellious as a teen (odd, I know) but when I look at photos of my very abundant life, Friday night movies at 15, 16, and 17 don't actually seem that awful. I'm still exciting and interesting.

First was my nephew Isaac's baptism in Idaho. I drove up with my sister and stayed two nights. I really enjoyed chillaxing with my too-much-fun family.

My dear friend Vali and I went out to dinner. I knew her when I lived in Germany (when she was just 15! Five years ago!) but she's living this year in New York as an au pair. The family was in SLC to ski. We stayed out way too long for a Wednesday, but she's one of those people with whom you can just keep talking and talking. And she was nice enough to listen to my disintegrating German the whole night although her English is beyond perfect.

My homegirls and I took a trip to St. George. We stayed with K-dawg, our newest awesome friend. The weather was warmish. We hiked through beautiful red rocks, ate at In-n-Out (Utah's only), sang karaoke at a Hawaiin BBQ spot, and bowled in Mesquite. Homegirls is chill, as in: tons of fun and no drama.

I went camping with my boys at Heber Valley camp. I don't think anyone realized it was an LDS campground -- that the lady showing us around was Sister Lockhart, that we stayed in campground Lucy Mack Smith, and that a sign going out of the campground said "Stand for Truth and Righteousness." We cross-country skied (a first for me) and snowshoed, like, up the side of a mountain. The boys are so much fun when they are being obedient and normal. Rarities, indeed.

I became vegetarian for Lent. I know I'm not Catholic but it's a fun thing to try.

I booked a flight to Germany! I'm going in May with my mom. We'll hit Frankfurt and Berlin in Germany to visit sites and friends, then down to Salzburg. I love Salzburg. We'll hit some Mozart sites, and the Sound of Music Tour (can't miss it!), all in company of the incomparable Hannah, my girl from the mish. Then well head to the city I've been trying to get to for years -- Paris holds the key to my heart! I can't want to visit the d'Orsay.

Abundant indeed.

One step ahead

The longer I'm a therapist the more I realize that I am just one step ahead of my clients. The margin is scarily narrow. It's like God sends me the information I'm gonna need just the day before I need it.  And I find myself working in themes like: positive outlook, mourning, creating an identity. And I stick with them for, like, a whole week. 

And sometimes the angel that is supposed to send the message gets swamped and I'm not ahead of my clients at all. Case in point, I told one of my clients that if he was going to throw a fit he should get down on the ground. He then pointed out that when I got a little upset in group therapy, I did not throw my tantrum on the ground. And he was right. I threw my tantrum standing up. Client 1: Megan 0. 

And with all of my insecurities and the sure knowledge that I am winging most of what I do, I have moments where my clients let me know I haven't completely messed them up. Today a mom whose son is discharged wrote to me about the struggles of having her son home. At the end of her email she just wrote, We miss you. *Wipe the tear.* 

We are all doing the best we can. And we're all still just working at it. We're just people.

We should only judge those stupid enough to end up on TV. ;)