Where does time go?

A month. It seems like only yesterday that I stared my leave of absence from work to focus on my mental and physical health and to sort out my plans for my future. But a month has already gone by, way too fast. Things did not necessarily work out the way I had envisioned them, but they worked out all right. When planning for my leave, I had envisioned waking up in the mornings, running in the park in the mornings, spend time at home cleaning, reorganizing things around the house, having dinner ready for my family when they got home, and spending time at the park reading the many books that called for my attention. It was idyllic; I should have known better.
The three of us on our respective grammar school graduations.
I was conscious of my daughters' upcoming graduations (Amanda graduated from 12th grade and Ileana from 8th grade), but I was not conscious that it was going to take such a big amount of time and energy. So while I did get to do some of the things I had envisioned, I also spent a good amount of time running around finding the perfect accessories, jewelry and shoes for prom, graduation and luncheons, scheduling appointment for hair coloring, cutting and styling, scheduling time with Edwin for makeup for these events, and arranging for family participation at these events. In retrospect, I am glad that my leave of absence coincided with all these activities. I think I would have gone absolutely nuts if I had had to work in addition to doing these things. Luckily, with Andrew's, Omar's, Edwin's and the girls' help, everything came together and we were able to enjoy all the events.
 
  Amanda - 1st Graduating Class
Westinghouse College Prep
Ileana - Class of 2013
Salazar Bilingual Center












My best friend, Carla, and her daughter Sharlene, came to visit us during this time too. Carla and I have been friends since we were in grammar school, more than 35 years of friendship. We spent a good amount of time looking at pictures from when we lived in Puerto Rico and reminiscing of the good old times. I am so grateful for all those experiences and I am glad that there are pictures to remind me of them, as well as other things such as my journal from my teen years. While I am a different person today, it is because of those experiences, good and bad, that I am the woman I am today. There were some hard times and bad choices, but who doesn't have them? They are part of life and I see each one of them sort of like a condiment to the wonderful mix that my life is today. Yes, let the memories live!

Best friends, despite the distance and the years!
Last but not least, our dear Amanda Bjorheim, the exchange student from Norway that joined our family for 6 months, returned to her family in mid-June. Amanda came to visit us one more time before she left, and I prepared her favorite puertorrican meal: arroz con salchichas y tostones. It was so good having her back; she did exactly the same things she used to do when she was with us: she ate grapes, she ate a vanilla-chocolate pudding, and she sat on the counter talking to me while I cooked. After dinner, we watched some TV, and later I took her to the Taste Freeze to get her favorite shake before dropping her off with her new family. It was sad seeing her leave, but we are grateful for having had this opportunity with her and we hope to keep in contact and have her visit us in the future.

Saying goodbye to Amanda B. We love and miss you!
This last week was much more relaxed. I was able to sleep in late (at least whenever I was able to sleep because insomnia reappeared in my life), spent some time alone with my girls, and was able to read at the park, at least for one day. I also started my first online course through Coursera, which was recommended to me by my friend Maralis Mercado (thank you!). I am doing the Nutrition for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention course and I am learning quite a bit from it, which I am sure will help me on my quest to get fit and healthy. I have to say that the last three days have been by far the more relaxed I have been in a long time. So if this is an indication that the break from work was effective, then, despite it not being what I had imagined, it was certainly worth it and it came at the right time.

Tomorrow I return to work after being out for a month. There is some anxiety involved with my return, but more than anything, I am excited about my future plans and setting things in motion to make sure that they happen. 

Oh, and I have to get back on track with my exercise routines because we are planning our summer vacation. Destination: Hawaii! So today I am recommitting to my health and fitness, which, along the other upcoming changes will continue to make life even better. And I thank God for this and for His blessings upon me and my family.

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