My Awesome Kid

I am frustrated this week.  I am challenged to stay focused on the positive.

There's this Big Meeting happening in another city.  It's a meeting with Important People and it's a week long ultra examination of this business unit that was thrust upon me a year ago.  There are people from my department there.  And I should be there.  But I wasn't included.  I was invited to the meeting by those organizing it.  But the choice for me to not travel was made without me, without discussion with me, and without explanation.  Instead, I went on vacation and came back to discover that while I wasn't on this trip, I was expected to participate.  Which means being on a conference call for 8-9 hours each day.  Which means no lunch break because they take a catered in working lunch and I have assignments to get done before we regroup.  Which means barely finding time to make a trip to the bathroom or fill my water cup.  Which means no lunch hour workouts.  Which means falling even further behind on any work for other parts of my job.

So I'm frustrated.  I'm trying my darndest to not give in to the angry side.  I'm trying to stay focused on the value I am able to add over the phone.

And by the end of the day, after lacking activity and good meals and water and being stressed out, I want to stuff my face.

It's a challenge.

Last night, I got the kids from Jeff (he had a class at church) and we stopped for dinner on the way home.  Deciding on dinner was frustrating.  Zach only wanted McDonald's or Steak N Shake.  Wasn't going to happen.

Teagan was being very understanding.  Teagan was watching out for me and wanting to take care of me.  Teagan was suggesting places that she knew would make me happy (and would make her happy).

We ended up at Qdoba and we all ended up having a nice bite to eat together.

We got home and she was cooperative and loving.

Given all the challenges we have faced with her, it is so nice to feel like we've turned a corner.  It's like being 7 has had some magical impact on her choices and her behavior and her ability to empathize.

Don't get me wrong- both of my kids are awesome.  I'm just finding that I'm enjoying an age for the first time in a few years.  5 and 6 were really difficult.  4 is proving to have a few minor annoyances for Zach.  Teagan hitting 7, finding this independent side, finding this confidence, finding this eagerness... it's a breath of fresh air.