Nothing you can sing that can't be sung

I open the curtains up wide around 7:30 am every morning. I turn on the brightest living room spotlight and all the lights in the kitchen. I turn on the radio that now resides on the kitchen counter because of it's daily use. I sing, no matter how I feel...sick, tired, nauseous, hungry...whatever.

Winter is boring. Winter is blahhh. Winter is borderline to absolutely PAINFUL in Iowa. Winter gets me down....EVERY year. I get depressed. I dream of summertime breezes, open windows, warm mornings, flowers blooming, green grass, endless daily possibilities, rainstorms, the smell of things just being ALIVE.

If you've known me for more than five minutes, you know that I'm easily swayed by my surroundings. Are you happy? ME TOO!!! Are you sad? ME TOO. Is it gray out? ME TOO. Is it sunny and gorgeous out? ME TOO! Are you skinny? ME TOO!!! Are you hungry? ME TOO!!! So, naturally, winter blahness gets a "me too" too. Boo hoo. Rhyme time is always a fun time.

Well, I guess I'm just tired of being sick and tired. I'm no longer nauseous beyond all belief. I no longer hang my head over a bucket all day. I don't cry in the bottom of the shower anymore wishing and praying for the baby to stop killing me. I can move around. I can clean my own house. I make dinner. I can do homework with my kids. So, what's there to be bummed about?

I've been on a mission lately to not be swayed by what's going on around me. Thus the first paragraph. Things don't have to be so dark. The best lesson I've learned is from my kids. Yesterday, I sat reading in the chair. It was getting dark out. The girls had just finished a sponge bob episode. We were all a bit bored. Too early for supper. Too late for snack. Not enough time for a movie. Not enough energy for painting. Olivia jumped up and said, "MOM! Let's do exercise! I need exercise." Mom's initial reaction: UGH. Redirection needed. Doesn't she know it's winter?

But she didn't relent. She went to the movie stand and picked out the Jane Fonda VHS from a bazillion years ago that I used to do with my mom and sister in our living room a bazillion years ago, using cans of soup for weights and trying desperately to get the dance moves. Olivia even put it in. How could I refuse? Before I knew it, we were all up dancing ridiculous dance moves like the turkey dance, I was quoting word for word EVERYTHING anybody said on the video, Olivia was mimicking Jane's obscene hip movements, Sophie was punching the air (her signature move when all else fails), and we were having a blast. When Jane suggested adding a hop for more intensity, Olivia was IN. I showed them how to shake their booty during the sashe. It was perfectly ridiculous.

What I'm saying is, I'm on a mission to FORCE myself out of a sad, depressed, lonely winter mindset. It CAN be done. I just know it can. And before long....green grass will preside once again.

Until then....