Monday, April 4, 2011

The Best Therapy

I did want to report that my weight stayed the same at my Weight watchers weigh in.  I don't know what is wrong with me.  I just don't have the motivation I did last time I started Weight Watchers.  I don't know where my motivation went or where/how to find it again.  

But anyway, one of the things I figured out pretty quick early in the infertility journey is that most of my friends and family in the same season of life as I am were having children.  Having children comes with certain responsibilities.  Most of my friends/family are not stay at home moms, so spending time with their children when they get off work is very important.  That meant no time for phone conversations, going out to last minute dinners, dropping by just to hang out, etc.  And I am not complaining.  I totally understand!  It just meant that I needed to find something to occupy my time.

I have always loved to be creative.  My mom has tons of my "art work" from when I was a child.  I use the word art work lightly!  Ha!  My dad was an artist/art teacher.  I LOVED spending time in his art room with him.  I got to do a little of everything:  paint, color, pottery, chalk, pastels, pencils, etc.  I can still remember the way that room smelled.  Anyway, being creative has always been a favorite of mine.

One of my VBF (very best friends) was pregnant. (Okay, I am about to share something with you that really sounds crazy.  It sounds even crazier as I type it, but it is the truth.  It is how I felt.)  I had/have a million and one ideas of my future child's nursery, clothes, etc.  I was saving all of my ideas for my future child.  Why, I don't know.  Well, maybe I do know.  I want my future kids to have the best.  I want to do my very best at what I am good at (decorating and clothing), because I know I am going to fail in many other areas of parenting.  I finally told myself that was crazy.  If God gave me a talent, I should use it.  So, I had the best time creating things for my BFFs children.  I got more and more requests for people to pay me to make some of my creations for them.  

During this time, my dad passes away and my mom moves to the town where I live.  She is retired and decides to take up sewing.  So, one night we were talking and decided to go into business together creating custom kids stuff.  She has her specialties and I have mine.  At the time, I really thought I mainly wanted to do it for her.  She really needed something to fill up her time.  We really get along wonderfully and are best friends.  We have had the best time creating things for people.  Some of the people we know, some we don't.  We travel to craft fairs together and have the best time!  We are both major people people, so talking to people and selling stuff is right up both of our allies.  

And really, it has been the best therapy.  When I am sitting at home at night by myself (my husband's job  pulls him away at night a lot) I make hair bows and tutus and paint letters for nurseries, and rhinestone and glitter everything I can get my hands on!  Ha!  It really makes me happy to make little girls happy by making cute stuff for them to wear!  My mom and I also get to spend more time together which is great.  And I look at it like I am getting more practice so surely I'll be even better at this by the time I have my own kiddos and they will be dressed the best and have the cutest stuff.  
I do have to admit that every once in a while it makes me a little sad that it isn't my kiddos that my mom and I are making this stuff for, but mostly I am just thankful that people want to buy what my mom and I make!  (And it helps pay for all of these fertility treatments!)  And, I also have to admit that sometimes when my mom makes something I have her make 2 so I can keep one for just in case.  Most of the time I sit in my living room with no TV on listening to K Love online while I create.  The.  Best.  Therapy.  Ever.
 
My mom and I have already decided that we are not going to make things anymore when I am a mom because we are going to spend every bit of our time creating for my kids.  I can't wait!

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