This weekend I did a lot. What would be a normal Wetzel weekend in the past was a challenge this weekend, not just because of any additional Wetzel to take around but the whole cancer thing.
The thing with me, if you know me, is that I don’t take it easy. I don’t relax. And the slowing it down part of my treatment and this cancer has been one of the hardest things for me who is always on the go.
Another thing about me is that I like a challenge. I want to keep things as normal as possible as long as it’s reasonable and I can handle it. If you wonder just how much I challenge myself and push myself, I’m still working out every day for 45 minutes-1 hour. I don’t take it easy.
So this weekend I decided to challenge myself and was on the go quite a bit. I usually have the most energy on the weekends, right before I have my weekly chemo treatments on Mondays.
Saturday morning started with a egg hunt with Chase and Alice. Chase’s age group was quite a ways down from Alice’s so I had to walk Chase down to his while carrying Alice and back. When the hunt began, Alice would walk to each egg but not pick any up, extra work for Mom, but no problem.
We finished with a quick stop at one of my favorite coffee shops in town where I made sure to get a treat for everyone including the kids at home and Chris and then back home we went where Chase changed and headed to baseball.
After maybe 30 minutes at home I headed to the boys’ first baseball game with Reese, Alice and Bryce. My aunt and uncle and dad were all at the game and thought I was crazy coming to the game and bringing the 3 youngest kids. My aunt told me to take it easy and came right over to help but I’m like I got this.
I was carrying Alice through the parking lot while pushing a stroller with Bryce and Reese was walking next to and holding the stroller. Because I’m kind of crazy and like to push myself a little too far sometimes. May not sound like much for that was enough for Saturday.
Sunday we ventured out as a family of seven for the first time. We got free pics with the Easter bunny in a random shop that was not busy. No kids cried and we got a photo of all seven of us. Mission accomplished.
The shop we went to was around the corner from an ice cream parlor so we stopped there after. (It’s never too cold for ice cream.) As a parent I’ve learned food is a good motivational tool for the kids. Not the best parenting tip but bottom line is food works if you need to get your kids to do something or go somewhere. Stop number two went great. Time to head home.
Shortly after we got home, I took Shane, Chase and Reese out for an egg hunt since Shane and Reese missed the one Saturday. Reese had dance and Shane did not participate because not really sure: too early, bad mood, the typical kid nonsense that was not worth fighting with Saturday morning.
So we stood in the freezing cold and wind and completed the egg hunt and got our candy. Then we stood in line for balloon art, which took way longer than expected and the woman behind me kept trying to cut me and kept pushing against me (ever hear of social distancing!). The things we will do for our kids. But we got our balloons. Another mission complete.
We headed home and I napped until dinner. I was so cold from about the hour we spent at the hunt that I had to take a steaming hot shower to warm up and stop feeling cold after I woke up.
It was a long day. It was a lot. It was tiring. But I did it. I may be crazy and maybe I pushed myself too far, but I’m not normal. A week before I had Alice I took the other three kids to a mall for a Cat in the Hat event by myself at 39 weeks pregnant. I’m used to doing what seems like a lot with most of the kids. As has been the case in the past, the memories made were worth the hassle and the fatigue.
Today was a good day. And so was yesterday. Sometimes pushing myself to the limit is worth it and it was this weekend.