Emo The Emotional Elf

#family #caring #emotions #EmoTheEmotionalElf #Valentines #birthday #exams #Mentalhealthtalk

Good Morning everyone , hope your all keeping well.

Been a little while since last blog and quite a bit has gone on here, family getting over covid, our Jake’s 17th birthday returning to work after isolation and of course Valentines.

We had a very bad internet connection lately so been having the engineers out multiple times to work out the issue, we should get a new router soon see if that helps improve things as they have check everything else. Not really what you want during exam times despite that Niki has completed her 20 hour exam time table and it’s a now wait and see for the results she is feeling postive about it.

Jakes had a few difficulties at school on his course but seems to be asking for help now so that’s a great thing. Jake’s school have also been having mental health assembly’s suicide awareness talking about looking out for your friends and being supportive to each other.

It is probably not a new thing but definatley Covid and lockdown and isolation has brought this topic up a lot lately, I hope they keep this up in schools regularly and not just once a year topic Mental health is just such an important topic something I feel very passionately about because of how it has an impact on my families life. It’s a huge part of why I blog and share our family. It has definatley been something I talk about with people i have connected with over the years. Sharing stories and family journey’s with others how it impacts, how it changes us as carers of people living with it and the people themselves, how easy or hard it is to get support depending where you live. what changes you can put in place sharing tips and ideas that we may not of tried before. I still take a one day at a time approach accept the good days and the more difficult ones, we simply can’t change what is but we can talk ourselves through it with the help of others.

Jake is all recovered from covid now, my hubby still has the tiredness but this is dimishing everyday now. the negative tests came back the day before Jakes birthday thank goodness for that.

We didn’t have big plans just a quite family dinner with My dad and Hayley coming over. I litrally had one day to get presents and cake and all that stuff sorted and it was a beautiful day we had.I had the night shift so prepared the house the night before Jake’s Birthday so when i got home we could start the celebrations.

They were all asleep when i returned home from work the morning of Jakes birthday so it all worked out well.

We spent a lovely quite day together and gave it one more day before Dad and Hayley Came for dinner the next day.

Sunday I cooked a roast lamb dinner , Jake had steak as he still isn’t ready to eat a roast.

It’s all in the preparations and pre cooked state where you start getting real hungry.

we didn’t take to many photo’s on the day just because everyone else was keeping distance from each other. We all took tests before we got together. We had a lovely day Music talking together it was very laid back.

Returning to work and back to school for Jake and Niki’s exam time after the 10 day’s off it was full speed ahead lots to do. Health reviews , dentists, sorting meds and covid tests, you know one pack of 7 tests last a family of four one and a bit days getting more was a bit of a challenge but we tested every day till the isolation period was over and me and Niki remained negative maybe because we are both double vaxed and topped up with booster or maybe because we all spent the 10 days in separate rooms, and I was the only one doing food and taking them drinks and things we masked up when leaving our own little space.

It worked for us though.

Little Tom has been in a lot of pain lately has been having a lot of sleep issues because of it bless his heart he may need and operation on his back, he already has had hip surgeries and Botox for his legs and his tendons done he now has a slight scoliosis which has recently been diagnosed and may require an op in near future this kid is just the most amazing kid ever still manages to smile despite it but yes his pain is a lot wish he didn’t have to be in so much pain . I am back working with him on Friday I am starting shift early because his dad is Taking his mum for a spa night as they haven’t had mush sleep since tom’s pain got bad.

This is what i do best though this is why i have the Job i have to help others i am so passionate about families getting breaks so they can rest and be at there best for there caring roles it isn’t easy for them but a good night sleep and a break can be a great mental health booster.

Valentines I just love this time of year and if we take the commercial aspect out of it and the fact that you should be doing things for each other through out the year to work on your couple goals , Supporting and showing how much you care doesn’t just come down to that one day valentines. but i do love going the extra mile i love the romance of candles and flowers and the tables laid all nice and that time you deliberately spend talking to each other, because yes life is a busy thing, just shutting out all the outside noise, i kind of made it last three whole days the whole weekend. extra special this time because of what happened when my hubby first caught covid that definitely had an impact on me still think i am a little shocked over that day.

We prepped first, even Hayley got into the valentines vibe this year.

The decorating the room to create a loving atmosphere

You get to dress up in all your red outfits that have been sitting in your closet for special occations Make lovely dinners, we do that most of the time but it is just nice thinking about it and focusing on the positives definatley gave me lots to smile about. The music you choose good old love songs

That was just the weekend, The kids Joined us for the meals each evening we loved sharing it with them although they blew my candles out and changed my music it was just super sweet.

The actual Valentines Morning we had gifts for the kids before school, we don’t get each other gifts we just take time for each other and both share the cooking and things.

I took the kids to school and spent the day prepping the food, my hubby actually cooked as I had to pick the kids up and drop Hayley home. Funny story about that journey, the kids were banned from the kitchen and we set them up in the other room and our Niki brought pizza for her and Jake to eat and yes my Son actually ate Pizza not one bite, or one slice but a few, best gift ever seeing him try new foods.

Valentines isn’t valentines with out a bad soppy valentines ditty.

Yes i am pretty sad sometimes

Our Niki got flower delivery and a sweet card from her Tom , made her smile they couldn’t be together in person but spent time online later that evening. It was so sweet seeing that. I couldn’t ask for a better person for my daughter we Love Tom he is an amazing young Man.

Hayley also had her valentine with her Freddie on the Sunday they had a candle lit dinner too and he got her this beautiful heart shaped necklace.

Bless them look how sweet they are together .

Got to wear my long elegant gown but timing meant I had to put it on before Hayley got dropped off at our house and I jumped in the car all dressed up had to get petrol so thier i was filling up at the station in my long dress, paid for it and as i was walking back to the car in my high heels which i don’t wear often as i am super clumsy, got caught in the metal drain on the forecourt wedged tight in there aside from me then stepping forward with out one shoe and the guy filling up his car next to me laughing so hard i turned back to try and un wedge it the drain lifted with it to, i think that’s the first time i proper blushed in like forever, bright red and in fits of giggles i sorted it out put drain safely back down and replace my shoe like Cinderella going to a ball. and made a hasty retreat dropped Hayley off and returned home for my dinner with hubby. the kids were enjoying thier little meal together happily chatting away. and hubby had the food cooked ready to serve. Joint effort makes it so much better.

All full and fed we snuggled on the sofa and watched Notting hill, he choose it this time decided no macho gory things and I loved it, hubby how ever missed the first half as he fell asleep 5 minutes into movie.

All in all the pretty perfect weekend.

That is Valentines over for another year.

Back to work on Monday and the big clean up, sad to put away all the decorations, it was a real mood lifter. I have a couple of Double shifts coming up from today.