The other day I read a great article about hormones (Whole Living Mag.). It talked about our cycle, moods, and what causes all the fluctuations. It showed a neat chart which clarified what happens when during the month. I now have this chart hanging on my fridge for easy reference....for me, and for Greg!
I'm telling you, this article confirmed so many things I've been experiencing, and more. The best thing it has done is allow me the grace during those off weeks. Now that I know that there is true chemistry behind the different things I've been feeling....well, it makes it more tolerable. In fact, I now can prepare and give those hormone fluctuations a good fight. I've been trying to scan the article to share with you, but can't get my scanner to work. I'll be hand writing it in hopes to share soon....I think it's that good.
In fact, y'know how good I think the info is? Good enough to share with a room full of strangers. That's just what I did the other day. Each Monday afternoon we have a set speech therapy appointment for one of our twins. We've been going for a few weeks now so the faces in the waiting room have become very familiar. There's the nanny and Grandma team.....super friendly, I just love chatting with them. Then there is the retired school teacher/ Italian Grandma. She's outspoken, and tells it like it is...in her opinion. The more I get to know her, the more I like her. There is the somewhat quiet, but very sweet mom.....along with 3 other moms. Last week Greg went to the appointment instead of me. It seems he made quite the impression, and gabbed it up with these gals.
As I walked in today, a couple of the women shared that they met my husband and what a good guy he was. He is a good guy. They asked how long we have been married, and then the beautiful 60 something grandma from the Grandma/nanny team shared the sweetest story. For her recent b-day her husband of 39 years gave her a series of sweet surprises. We all commented on how lovely it was to hear such sweet things.....and to hear of a solid 39 year long marriage. She shared about gratitude and how we all need to be aware of being thankful. So true. And then I jumped in......I shared how I realized how easy it is to take things for granted. How we have 2 hands and 2 feet.....things we take for granted, but such blessings {I realized by the looks from a couple of the quiet moms that I probably sounded off my rocker}. Though, the Grandma seemed to understand what I was saying. And then someone said something that somehow led to my hormone cycle speech (thank you Whole Living). I told them about the article and then the next thing I knew we were talking about periods, and menopause, and we were all the same.
Hormones have a way of being the great equalizer, y'know?
Then the room emptied out. It was now just me and the retired teacher. It seems that Greg had shared that we homeschool the boys. For some reason I had not shared that info before. She shared that Greg told her we homeschooled and then she told me about her long teaching career. This lady was beyond encouraging. As she was leaving the office she gave me the thumbs up and said...."keep doing what you're doing. It's a good thing." It was nice to hear that. We all need encouragement in our lives.....even from strangers.
It was just one of those nice Mondays. On the way home Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond was playing on the radio. Click that link, it might make you smile. It makes me smile. The boys had to ask me to "please stop singing". Clearly, my hormones are in a good place this week. Clearly it was a sweet Monday. And I'm thankful for that!
*just remembered.....in my high school yearbook printed under my picture are the words "good times never felt so good" from that song. I had forgotten about that.
2 comments:
I think one of the things this entry hints at, but that you may not even fully have appreciated, is how much of a witness we all are in our everyday activities. The fact that ears were tuned into this conversation - well, I bet they are tuned into a lot more. And with your sweet countenance and your husband's great presence last week, I bet you shine for Jesus.
What a sweet interaction you had with those around you! Love that the teacher gave you thumbs up and encouragement. Some days encouragement is all we need to turn things around and get our minds to the right place. Periods, menopause and hormones....lord have mercy!!
Last week, I was deathly sick (at least that's how I felt) and I even posted a status update on FB that "If this is what menopause is like, I want no part of it!" Ughh I was sweating buckets most of the time with small intervals of freezing! Still not sure what I had.
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