Things I know

We need to share our stories with people we trust.  

When I tell people that care about me the things that I'm struggling with (or that my children are struggling with), it divides the suffering.  Everyone takes their own little manageable piece away from me--I don't know, they put it in their pocket?--and I feel lighter.

Reminders are good.

I bought this bracelet for myself.

I like it on my wrist.  I like keeping in my mind--in any circumstance--what my purpose is.  It changes how I view things.  It helps me get rid of things that don't matter and focus on things that do.

Mark and IKEA are a dangerous combination.

When he was a toddler he got kicked out of Småland so many times they told me I couldn't bring him back.

I don't take him to Småland anymore (I'm pretty sure they really don't want him now) but I still maybe shouldn't bring him to IKEA at all.

Adam had to be involved with basketball again last night so we went to IKEA.  Mark wanted a bigger bedspread for his bed.  He wanted it to cover his feet (Mark + long legs + big feet).  We went in time for dinner but Ammon called me right before we got in line.  Mark was hungry (heaven help us) and started circling me like he was a shark and I was the hapless prey.  Complete with menacing eyes.

He ordered two dinners for himself and ate everything in sight.

We found what we were after and then I had to cajole Emma and Mark to keep going and not to get sidetracked.  I had book club!  They meandered and told each other jokes and pointed out products to each other.

Emma gave Mark a tutorial on quartz and granite counter tops.  (HGTV!)

"C'mon," I kept saying.  "We have to go."

Then, at the end, where the picture frames are, something caught me eye.  "No," Mark said, grabbing my arms.  "Look at me," he said.  "Stay with me, Mom.  Don't get distracted."

"I want to look at that," I said.

Apparently all the food went straight to muscle and Mark was effectively holding me in one place.  Mark bigger than me puts me at a definite disadvantage.   I wriggled away from him and I still have a tone of voice that gets his attention so I was able to get a cute little picture frame that I wanted. 

Mark and IKEA.  Not my best idea.  (He did load the van though--and carry everything inside once we got home.)