Picking Up the Slack

My husband travels from time to time.  Sometimes it is for an entire week and other times only a short weekend or a couple of week nights.  No matter how long he is gone, it always means that I'm the only parent on duty.  Just me and our three rowdy kids.  Ready for a good ol' time.  Long days. Marathon bedtime routines that usually end up in some sort of argument over who wanted to pee first, what headband belongs to whom, or why each of my daughters thinks the other one is the meanest sister in the world.  All this while chasing down my naked-from-the-waste-down two year old son who is singing the word penis in every octave he is capable of hitting.  After all, penis is one of his favorite words. It is right there in the favorite word bucket along with Bad and Stupid.  You know, words his sisters have taught him.  The ones that get a reaction out of their reactor of a mom that knows perfectly well that when you react to something, it usually makes it worse and gives negative behavior MORE power and reinforcement.  But it is what it is. After I finally wrestle my little guy down, put him on the toilet to pee, slide on his princess pull-ups (leftovers from sisters) just in case their is an accident even though he has been dry for weeks, say prayers and give last minute kisses, I AM SPENT!  Done!  I don't care about the blue trail of toothpaste lining my sink or the dribble of pee on the toilet seat.  I overlook my nice decorative towels in heaps on the bathroom floor even after I've folded them numerous times throughout the day. And the sink full of dishes and food all over my floor aren't even noticeable anymore. I just want to rest.  

Picking up the slack!

Anytime you take one working part away from a unified system, someone or something ends up picking up the slack in order to keep the system working efficiently.  Eventually, things end up breaking, mothers have break downs, or things end up changing.  


This is what is happening to my body this week.  As many of you know, the left side of my body has been having a few issues.  I have been working through a hamstring strain and an abdominal strain.  Nothing too serious but it has still been frustrating and my body hasn't been able to perform like I'd hope it to.  Because of this, my right leg has been "Picking Up The SLACK!"  Apparently, it is fed up and is ready for its significant other to be home from vacation and start pulling its weight again.  


Good News:  My hamstring and abdominal strains are healing up nicely.  


Bummer for Today News:  My right leg, the one picking up the slack, is refusing to do anything today.  It has declared today a non-performance day.  It officially decided it was done for a bit after my hill workout yesterday.  I was almost done with my last repeat and my right leg said "HELL NO, I WON'T GO!"  No kidding.  It just ran out of fizzle and I knew that if I pushed it one step further that I'd be injured.  


So I listened.  I'm still listening.  I dished out some cash for a sports massage and let my awesome sports chiropractor torture me with his graston tools. Today, there wasn't much running.  At least not at a decent pace or without that quiet little voice of pain yelling at me. Warning me to stop...or else.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm listening body.  Yes, you've been picking up the slack.  I get it.  I'll take it easy.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better.  Because I'm ready to run fast.  

In the meantime, I'm still Joyful about living.  Life is good.  Especially when you open a package from Lucy and get to sample some new Lucy running shorts.  I didn't even wait to change out of my other clothes before trying them on.  And apparently, I thought it was necessary to lift up my shirt so you could get a full view of the shorts.  I'll let you know more about the shorts soon.  AND those rad Keen boots!  Oh, you bet I'll be talking about those babies!  LOVE them!  

Peace Out,
Amanda