Easter and Resurrection

It has been a good Easter this year.

After some trepidation, hesitation, and considerable discussion, we decided to attend the Easter Vigil last night at Queen of Peace.
Two years ago the Easter Vigil at St. Edwards lasted closer to 4 hours and left all of us a little gun shy when considering another Vigil here in this diocese.

But it was a very nice liturgy. Fr. Tim did a great job and it was only 2 hours and 20 minutes. It was also the first time I was able to participate and experience Mass in a way that allowed me to feel like this is becoming home.

There were enough familiar parts that felt comforting, yet it wasn't so different that I longed for the past and St. James.
It was a good blend of the past and the present giving me hope for the future and finding a place to fit into a faith community here in Salem.

On a more personal note...

I have a few resurrections of my own this year.
I have resurrected the job chart for the kids.
I am hoping this will enable me to resurrect some time for myself.
I have also resurrected the use of my treadmill.

I walked 3 miles this afternoon and it felt great.

I feel like I need to resurrect a healthier attitude and life for myself if I am to be the best mom I can be.

This past Lent has helped me to learn a lot about myself.
In giving up alcohol for 40 days (in which I was perhaps 50% successful) I realized that I was using alcohol as my only form of relaxation, unwinding, or forgetting the stresses in my life.

Since moving I have lost any healthy forms of mental recreation or physical recreation that I once had. Exercise, friends, craft projects, prayer, even my old job was in many ways an escape from kids and home.

I learned I was using a drink or two at night as my release after a stressful day at work or a stressful day at home.

And now that I know, I can do something about it.

I am going to work on making healthier choices for myself even if it means making time for myself and telling others no.

I need to do this.

So today I begin anew!