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Sooooooooooooo…
I have been angry, sad, frustrated, stressed and sweaty for the past 5.5 days? What could take me to these measures? What could make feel like a killer and push me past my carefully produced limits?
Evil, monopolizing, maniacal fleas that’s what.
Arrghghghghgh. Dang 6 week life cycles. Dang hard to crush backs. Dang water proof larva in the pupae stage.
My two poor cats have playing host to these teensy-tiny-hard-to-shake miscreants.
Since there are people in Iraq who just lost loved ones to a crazy suicide bomber and since other folks are starving in the world, let’s do a “good” & “bad” list for perspective sake.
You never go wrong with a little perspective. A truth I tried to tell my 4.5 year old yesterday when he proclaimed he didn’t like his house anymore and wanted Uncle Ryan & Auntie Joy to be his new parents. *Sigh* Of course if I were Ransom & had 25 flea bites on my belly I may be feeling the same way, poor kid.
THE GOOD LIST
- We both had the flexibility to take a day off work to deal with all the drama.
- My wonderful in-laws took the kids for two nights/days to help us out.
- Uncle Ryan & Auntie Joy -the Godparents- also took them for a night while we cleaned. The kids slept in until 9am –go figure!
- The whole house is clean, except for a few very unorganized closets.
- The whole house was vacuumed from head to toe, every nook-n-cranny three times!
- The whole house was dusted –something that had happened since, say 2002.
- The exterminator gave us $200 off!
- My IV staff colleague, Cristina let us use her parents GORGEOUS vacation home for 5 days. No money spent on a hotel!
- 10 trash bags to throw away!
- 3 boxes & 3 garbage bags donated to the Goodwill!
- Got rid of a lot of junk.
THE BAD LIST
- Cat’s treatment + shots + kennel care + de-flea products = $300. *Sigh* Wanted to buy the kids an outdoor swing set at end of summer sales.
- 32 whopping bags full of clothes, towels, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, etc. that still need to be cleaned.
- Still about 5 hours worth of work to put our house back to “normal.”
- Exhaustion. We’ve been our feet for 10-12 hours for 5 days straight. Ugh. How was I ever a waitress for 6 years?!?! My feet are killing me.
- No internet, no blogging, no emailing, no facebook! Of course, perhaps I needed the break. So maybe should be on the good list?!
That’s life folks.
A wise person once told me that all good leaders have the ability to be flexible at any given moment and with that feel honestly happy about their flexibility. I am so thankful for whoever told me that because for the last year I have tried to employ that attitude when new circumstances –like spending my entire weekend knee deep in dust, dust mites, fleas & laundry– pop up unexpected.
Also, I think the fleas have been God’s grace on us to get our house in order. Honestly, it was overwhelmingly messy. For the past two weeks I kept praying that God would help me to even approach all the mess because I felt like we were “living in squalor.” I think God answered.
A kick in the butt is what you need sometime to do things that require hard work, flexibility and help from others! 
How do you handle stress?
What’s the best tips you have used?
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Later gators,
p.s. I did take a mini break to see Eat, Pray, Love. My review soon!
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I pray–tell God that he either has to change the situation, change me, or do both because I can’t take the situation any more. Then I remember I’m really not in control, He is and that’s OK.
Do you believe that? It is true BUT . . .I’m a slow learner. Before I do the above I may worry, go to my stock of peanuts, M & M’s, etc., sleep to avoid. I’m getting better about taking the situation to God first & thus avoiding the above. I am finding that God can take a stressful situation, like yours, Grace, and provide blessings if I am willing to look for them.
Other positive things I do are: exercise, call a friend, read an “escape” type of book, & sleep. Sleep not to avoid the problem but to recharge. Things look so much better when I’m not too tired.
I hope those critters are gone forever and you’ll all enjoy your home again.
ugh! so sorry you’ve had to deal with fleas! I like to dance the stress away- put on a little beyonce, gwen & britnney & shake my groove thang til I don’t feel stressed.
Lately I handle stress with a nice run, some yoga or an ice cream sandwich. (Did you know Target has a very yummy mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich?!)
Seriously, one of the best tips I got and still use is to grab some downtime. I can still get things done with a fairly high level of stress in my life, though I haven’t had to deal with fleas, I don’t always know what the trigger is. I need to sit down with some quiet time with Jesus to figure it out and get my stuff straightened out.
Inhale. Exhale.