Self-care

I know that self-care is important. It's possible I've reminded you that self-care is important. There was an excellent article going around recently about the necessity of self-care for adoptive mothers. I commented about how true that was, true for all mothers, but in particular for adoptive mothers, mothers of special needs children, and those who had a child going through an especially trying time or phase. And I thought I was taking care of myself. But I was wrong.

As yesterday's post revealed, I had a massage. That was great. But what I didn't say was that I had received that gift certificate way back in May. It took me that long to take an excellent Mother's Day gift, intended for forced self-care, and actually use it.

It was about three weeks ago when I realized that I needed to do more to take care of myself. I love my children and I love my adopted children and I love my special needs child, but whether we like to admit it or not, the latter two groups do tend to be more all-encompassing and draining, through no fault of their own.

I realized that part of the problem is that I'm an introvert, a home body. While my friends might take care of themselves with some retail therapy, I hate shopping. Others might call a bunch of friends and plan a monthly Girls' Night Out. Just thinking about it gives me seizures.

But just like I need to drink half of my body weight in water each day, and I need to go to bed at a decent hour so these Morning Person bones can wake up at the break of dawn feeling refreshed, and I need to spend time with the Lord each day, I also need to find a way to recharge. Think of the airline stewardess telling you to put your oxygen mask on first, then on your child. I knew that. I've told people that. But I wasn't doing everything I needed to do to take care of me.  And I didn't realize it until a very special friend asked me the simple question, "So, now that you've told me about everything else going on in your life, what are you doing for you?" I had no simple answer.

Since then I've been on a mission to find the answer to that question. I'm still searching but it is definitely an active search. I will find an answer. And I will take care of myself.

For the Good Doctor. For my kids.