I'm Thankful I've Learned...

This theme this week for the State Department Blog Roundup being hosted by Melissa at Just Us tomorrow is "I'm thankful I've learned..."

 

I'm going to use this opportunity to really bare my soul here. I haven't been too shy about talking about this with my friends here in Costa Rica, and some memebers of my family know this already, but...I'm realy thankful I've learned that I can control my emotions.

 

You see, I'm in therapy. I've had an issue for a long time with anger and extreme (and I mean extreme) impatience. Unfortunately it's usually worst with my kids. My sweet wonderful little kids who are just being kids and don't deserve a mommy who gets angry at them for being just that. I have an amazing husband with super parenting skills and my anger and impatience would often cause problems between the two of us. A few months ago when we were fighting the same fight we'd had many times I finally told him I needed to see someone.

 

The nurse in the health unit at the Embassy recommended someone, and I've been seeing her since. I honestly wondered if it would be like on TV and in movies where the therapist sides with the patient and the problems are everybody else's fault. But that's not the case at all. The first two meetings with her were very emotional and raw, I believe I cleaned out the fridge after the second session. But since the third one I've used very few tissues, even when we discuss the issues (heehee).

 

Because of my therapy, I know that I can control the anger and impatience, and it's made a huge difference in my life. My relationship with my amazing five year old is better, and I love (even more than I used to) spending time with him again. I'm certainly more patient with my sweet nine month old than I was with his brother at this age. And these aren't the only emotions I'm controlling now. My fear of going over bridges is way down, and I don't cry nearly as much as I used to when the situation doesn't call for it. And having this new coaching for my life has greatly increased my joy during this pregnancy. I know that with the other ones I was happy but I let the hormes rule the emotions - not this time! I'm almost a quarter of the way through my pregnancy and I can say with confidence that this one is going to be different.

 

And I'm allowing myself to find joy in things that I haven't before. Like Glee (LOVE Glee), and music that I've never appreciated before, like Journey, Train and even Lady Gaga (although admittedly this may be due to the infatuation with Glee). 

I'm so happy that I took a leap of faith and trusted my mental health to this wonderful person, who has given me the tools and strength to take it back! I know that for some people this would be really hard, but I have to say, if you need to talk to someone please do so. There's no shame in seeing someone who can help you muddle through all the emotions and thoughts that can be so hard to organize and straighten out by yourself. It could even make you a better person. It did for me.

 

This is me...happy. 

Oh...and have a Happy Thanksgiving people! I know I will!!

State Department Blog Roundup

As I've mentioned, I'm hosting the roundup this week. My theme idea is "To Travel, or Not to Travel (for Thanksgiving)...That is The Question." Sorry about the delay - although I think most people understand internet issues.

To answer my own question, our family doesn't travel for Thanksgiving much. John and I have lived away from home for many years already, and I don't think we've gone home for Thanksgiving. Christmas yes, but not Thanksgiving. Some of my friends here at post are going to travel to a beach for the weekend, we're going to a beach the next weekend. We're going to host a couple from the Peace Corps for Thanksgiving dinner and give them a bed for the night. Also my brother-in-law and his family will be in town. It should be a very traditional Thanksgiving.

To Travel:

Sadie at Sadie Abroad has traveled both times she's had Thanksgiving in the Foreign Service. One time she had a ton of fun surprising her family, but she didn't quite know if she could pull it off from her current post.

Not to Travel:

I was surprised to find out there's not very much Thanksgiving travel.

Ogles and Observations is taking her family and meeting the other six families at post in Racife for Thanksgiving packing into an apartment and looking forward to people, food, children, noise, laughter, and hopefully some football sounds will be piped in. 


Becky at Small Bits reminisces about Thanksgiving travel when she was a kid and talks about the craziness that was Thanksgiving before the Foreign Service. And now that they're in the Foreign Service she can relax on Thanksgiving, and they plan to stay in town...they plan to.


Shannon at Cyberbones says the question changes in the Foreign Service. It's not about whether or not to travel anymore. The question is, do I keep the kids in school now. 


Kolbi at A Daring Adventure isn't going to be traveling for Thanksgiving - but not because they can't! 


Thankful:


Kate at Pulling Stakes didn't mention travel in her post, but she did mention the sweetest thing her son is thankful for about her and her everyday traditions.


Linsey at Rambles and Ruminations is thankful for field trips with her favorite four year old. 


Other interesting topics:


Brandon at Sherwood Family Nonsense had the duty phone recently and got a call from a Diplomatic Family stuck at the airport. They weren't allowed in the country because they had diplomatic passports instead of tourist passports. Read their post for the whole cautionary tale.  


Many of you know about our good friend Jen at The Dinoia Family and what she's going through. This week she got some amazing news that she shared with us! Check out her entry from Wednesday the 17th titled 100% - you won't be disappointed.  


Alex at Travel Orders wanted us to know about their awesome hotel stays in Nice and wonder what everyone thinks about hotel loyalty programs. Also Abbey announced something else on the blog this week - you should definitely check it out!


Unfortunately I didn't get any submissions from Flag Day :( Congratulations to y'all though! Have fun reading all about your future home this weekend! 


Thanks for the submissions everyone! Next week Melissa at Just Us is going to be hosting with a theme of "I'm Thankful I've Learned..." Please sign up for the State Department Blog Roundup at the Roundup Calendar and also check out the amazing State Department Blogger Map, I promise this isn't a paid advertisement scheme from Kolbi, but she does so many great things!!

Roundup

Look for the roundup later today. I have a CLO event today and will work on it later. Thank God (and Kolbi) for the new easier format!

Catching Up

I've been away from the blogosphere for a long time and just caught up on a friends blog.

My friend is Jen, and she's going through some horrible things right now. However, it seems that things are going better than expected and her outlook is pretty happy considering her circumstances. Please take a look at her story and keep her and her family in your prayers.

To Travel or Not to Travel (for Thanksgiving)...That is the Question

This week I'm hosting the State Department Blog Roundup. My theme for submissions (of course non themed submissions will be accepted as well) is about the upcoming holiday.

Do you go to the US? Do you stay at post? If you stay at post - do you take a local trip for the holiday? And even a little off topic...what kind of Thanksgiving traditions have you tried to keep while living abroad?

I can't believe that Thanksgiving (and therefore my son's birthday - because he was born the day before) are right around the corner - literally! It's next week people! You know what that means about Christmas...hm...maybe I should do some shopping.

You can leave your submissions here, or send them to sara(at)teamroy(dot)com

What the What?!

Ok, so John and I wanted to get pregnant and have a baby while we were in Costa Rica. We thought since it usually takes us a bit over a year to get pregnant we'd finish the pill after my August supply. So we did. And three weeks later he impregnated me!

When I told John I was pregnant he was in a state of disbelief. There was about five "what?!"'s and a bunch of "you're kidding me"'s thrown in between. He then asked to see the test for proof.

Yep honey...it's true. We're going to have another baby. A whole year before we thought we would. Of course I was ecstatic immediately, I think John was in shock for about a week.

I had a six week sonogram to see the baby, confirm the due date, and we got to see the heart beat which was only about a day or two old. So cool! I'm really excited about this one. It's going to be great to have a baby overseas.

Happy Anniversary Love!!

This has been an amazing nine years! I can't imagine my life with anyone else, and I don't want to. You are wonderful.

Birthdays in the Foreign Service

This weeks assignment for the Roundup is...well...I bet you can guess.

We've all had one birthday in the Foreign Service so far. Malachi is about to celebrate his second. Last year his birthday party was great. We had been in Virginia for long enough to have good friends and they came over to celebrate his life. It was a typical American birthday party (except for the piñata, which he just had to have) and Malachi loved it. He was given many awesome gifts, and much love by his friends.

John had a special birthday party because his birthday happened to coincide with the season premiere of LOST. So at about 9:30 everyone who wasn't staying for LOST left. About 12 people stayed for the premiere and really had a good time.

Just a few days later Simon's birth day happened in the midst of some of the worst winter storms VA had seen in many years. It's very, very memorable.

My birthday was in the middle of the move from VA to Costa Rica so we didn't celebrate. I'm planning a blow out party for my 30th birthday next year.

And here we are...14 days before Malachi's next birthday. Because we've been so busy we've barely  had time to plan anything. But we're going to try to have the typical American birthday party again. I'm sure it'll be great and he'll love it. He's going to be 5...that's crazy.

Hair Cut

Malachi got a hair cut. Oh the difference three years makes. He used to cry and fight and hate getting his hair cut. Today he laughed, it tickled him. It's so much easier this way.

I saw a picture of my future today at the pelaqueria (hair cutting place) when a two year old had to be held down by his mom and another stylist while his stylist attempted cutting his hair. It looked horrible. And I knew deep down inside that I wasn't done with the crying and fighting and hair cut hating...oh well.