Mother's Day

Soo I've bee doing well with my yoga. Eating less meat, not so much... Especially since we got the BBQ going... I may need some encouragement or inspiration where that's concerned. But the yoga has been going well. I'm getting very good at focusing on my breath and letting some of my bad, stressed or misplaced energy OUT. Which feels great!!

When Luke asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day, I simply asked for my tiny patio to be spruced up and for the chance to enjoy some weekend yoga. Today I awoke all ready for my 9am Hatha class, when I mentioned to Luke that the yoga studio I go was offering a mother and daughter only class for Mother's Day weekend. He encouraged me to consider doing this class and taking Isabel. I hesitated only because yoga is MY thing and is time I set aside for ME. But not wanting to be selfish and after some hum and hawing, I decided I would check out that class and bring Isabel. I mean worse comes to worse, it may involve a lot of combined couples poses (which I don't like). But more likely it would be a great chance to share something I love with my daughter and for us to have some mommy and daughter bonding time.

We get to the studio, both psyched. We get started and after several minutes I can see Isabel's attention drifting. Then the fidgeting starts... Then a bit of whining... And then after several annoying combined/coupled poses,  comes the phrase every parent LOATHES - "I'm bored"...
Really?! Well isn't that nice - but I am trying to find my centre and getting into my pranayama groove.

To be fair, I understand why she would have been a little bored... It was a long and slow class. And she wasn't misbehaving terribly. But... my frustration and  disappointment in the class not going as planned, combined with my current hormonal state pushed me into a bit of a pity party right there in the middle of the class, which was an hour and fifteen minutes long. My eyes started to sting as I tried to stop from breaking into my estrogen-induced tears (I told you I was hormonal!!!) One tiny tear escaped rolled down my cheek as we were in child's pose. Isabel noticed and knew exactly why I was upset. Bless her little soul, I could tell she felt bad.

The class ended and they offered post-yoga chocolate covered strawberries and some tropical rooibos tea* set out specifically for this Mom's Day session. After devouring chocolate covered strawberries and sipping on some calming tea, I eased up a bit. But I was still annoyed... and upset..

I came home and vented to Luke. Who was sweet about the whole thing, despite feeling bad for suggesting the whole thing.

Two lessons were learned today:
Luke and I both spoke at great lengths with Isabel about how sometimes even when it doesn't suit you, you suck it up and do something nice or demonstrate patience or selflessness so that you can bring someone else joy. The other lesson was learned by me: Don't mix my kids with my yoga time. It is indeed MY thing and is time I set aside for ME. One day I hope Isabel (and Jasper) will join me in this wonderful practice and hopefully they too will benefit from it and love it they way I have come to. But in the meantime, it's all about me. Accepting this was my Mother's Day gift to myself.

Tomorrow is actually Mother's Day. I plan on spending the morning in my Hatha class (just ME), and then come home and have a wonderful day with my family celebrating how lucky and grateful I am to be a MOM!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! xoxo


*Rooibos tea is made from the leaves of the Aspalathus Linearis (or "red bush") plant, which grows only in the small Cederberg region of South Africa. Because it does not derive from the Camillia sinensis plant (like black, white, green or oolong teas), rooibos tea is considered more of an herbal drink or tisane than a "true" tea.

Rooibos tea is often called "red tea" or "red bush" tea because of the bright red coloring the leaves take on during the oxidation and fermentation processes. A properly brewed cup of rooibos tea will be a rich red color and have a sweet, nutty flavor.