Some of the things for which I am grateful this week:

1. A good presentation of the new onboarding process on Monday.
2. A great visit with the Vet with Libby the Wonder Poodle where we learned she did NOT have a UTI.
3. A staff meeting on Tuesday where no one went “sand bat” crazy.
4. good friends (G and CS) to have dinner with me on DS1′s birthday evening while he was with his dad.
5. A smooth and productive system conversion kickoff meeting.
6. CS spending Wednesday alone at my house and cleaning it and doing several loads of laundry while I worked a 14 hour day.
7. A fabulous last choir rehearsal and choir party on Wednesday.
8. Being able to work remotely on Thursday…from the laundromat where I could finally wash the bedding that Libby the Wonder Poodle had had accidents on.
9. A good CRLC meeting Thursday afternoon and a successful finale to the film study at church. The next 100 days are very important for passing Health Care reform in this country and people are interested in being active on the issue.
10. Taking Friday OFF and traveling with G up to Fargo-Moorehead to be at his son J’s graduation.
11. I got paid on Friday.
12. The entire weekend. Spending time with G, his boys J1 and J2, J2′s wife and her family and their friends.
13. Two 4-hour car trips conversations with G.
14. Deciding not to work Sunday night…even though I had many, many work emails that arrived on Friday and through the weekend (next time I won’t even look! baby-steps, baby! baby-steps.)
15. Beautiful weather, blooming lilacs and growing gardens.
16. Realizing that DJ has been laid off, but I would trust him to run a mini-bobcat in my backyard to do my project while I’m not home… and he needs the money now! (checked with him and he’s excited to do it.)
17. DS1 has finalized his orientation dates at Iowa State — June 28-29. Yay! another day off!
18. Finalizing arrangements for our fishing trip to Door County.

Hope your Norwegian Independence Day has been marvelous!

My goal/prayer/hope this week is that now that the program year has come to an end, I’ll have an easier time of spending time in reflection and self-care. In other words, I really need to cut back on my overall hours. It has been a great weekend, but I know I’m not filled up yet and will be depleted by mid-week again. I need a more balanced approach to this whole thing real soon or I’ll be no good to anyone.