Graciebug Loves Her Cousins

We are off island! It was planned to be a restful fun vacation with Graciebug's cousins in Miami, but I brought the plague with me...And by plague I mean all the illness I had been carrying around in me for the past 4 months exploded into a full blown case of walking p. and a dash of acute bronchitis. What joy! So, after the weekend's celebration I hit the bed and have been enjoying Miami from the windows of the guestroom. Meanwhile, although all have been down with something or other the last few days, Graciebug is out of this world happy to be with her cousins. She loves them so much and I love seeing how excited she gets about whatever they are doing. From dress up to shopping excursions to being Auntie's shadow to homework at the table with J Will she is a happy happy girl. I am looking forward to getting her back to the states and getting involved in activities and friends and family. Our adventures have been amazing and no doubt I feel each one was a part of the ultimate plan for us, but it is time to just dig in to the soil and take up root for a while.

Here are some fun pics of Gracie and her cousins. I am missing from all pics as I look terribly unpleasant right now... :)

Shameful!

It has been an insane two weeks of sickness, elections, traveling to the US, holidays, and family. I am exhausted and still sick, but here...again...finally. I get quite wrapped up in the business of "nature" and perhaps that makes no sense. I will explain. If there is something I feel I should be worrying about or helping do or control I will busy myself with its concerns even while I have nothing really to do. This, I have found, includes the things that are far from my control. I busy my mind or my energy on them even when there is nothing to be done. It is like the weather. There is nothing I can do to control the rainy season downpours in Grenada or the beautiful 60 degree weather we are currently enjoying in Grenada, but I would busy my mind with it and distract from what is waiting patiently for me to just sit and be.

Last night, my daughter put me square in my place. I have so preoccupied with our big decision for clinicals and the next destination for our med school adventure that I have been getting nowhere fast staring at internet sites and housing and such to a fault. Graciebug was waiting patiently in bed last night while I pitter pattered here and there and everywhere, getting tea for her cousin, doing a little nothing of this and a little nothing of that....all because of my nervous energy. I had promised a good long foot rub and cuddle with my #1. When I finally arrived in the room once more and did not immediately curl up but found something else to mess with, she made her judgement. Sitting straight up with her hands properly and evenly placed on her hips she declared, "Mommy! It is ALL about me! It is me in schedule. Me time, Mommy! Me!" Okay. I was jolted as she continued to present her case citing my promises I had made to her about a good cuddle and that she needed me and on and on....I put down whatever it was I thought so important (I can't even recall) and got my little self right where I should have been in the first place and quieted my mind and cuddling my little bug.