This is the post that almost wasn’t…
THE STORY
…I seriously considered emailing my Ageless Style posse to let them know that I was going to need to sit this month’s link up out; hence the reason I am so late in posting. I was considering it clear up until I fell asleep last night. But there was a tiny voice niggling at the back of my brain that was telling me I had to, no, needed to, get my life closer to some semblance of “normal” if for no other reason, my own sanity. That voice is why I decided to go ahead with the post. Allow me to preface all of this by saying that I am in no way looking for sympathy. The story that follows is nothing more than the tale of my life recently.
There were already a plethora of things happening that were stressing me out…there’s a rather major issue at work that will ultimately be no bueno for my kids and I was fighting what may be a losing battle. Then I received a letter from our attorney stating that in order to resolve the balance of debt from my father’s estate I will either have to provide them with a considerable chunk of money or sell my dad’s bike which we are currently having restored. Selling it, quite simply, cannot be an option. It is the sole item of his that I need to keep. He put his heart and soul into building it, and it is the source of the few good memories that I have of him. There is just no way that a stranger can ever be in possession of it. All of that, while immensely stressful, pales in comparison to the call I got last Wednesday.
My husband was badly injured at work and taken to the emergency room via ambulance. He is home and okay, so yes I realize it could have been much much worse. However, I am not using the word “badly” for effect. Things are broken and damaged that will never be right again. He is in an insane amount of pain and there really isn’t a damn thing I can do about it. The last week has been a whirlwind of emergency rooms, doctors, surgeon consults, pharmacies, workers comp people (and I use the word “people” loosely) and rearranging the house trying to find a way to make him more comfortable. In an instant, our entire world changed.
I cannot leave him home alone for very long. I missed the entire last week of school and the year has ended without me even realizing it; I honestly wasn’t 100% sure that I didn’t have to go to work yesterday. We really don’t have much by way of family, but fortunately we raised amazing kids. My daughter stayed home and helped with him Friday instead of going through with plans that she had. My son came home Wednesday to be with me at the hospital and then again over the weekend he and his fiance came home to help me with all of the outside work my husband and I hadn’t gotten to yet.
What I’m working on now, and this post is the first of my baby steps, is getting my head on right. The plans that we were excited about that we now cannot do, the permanent physical damage, the battles that will need to be fought and the potential epic financial mess have thrown me into a downward spiral of crazy.
I catch myself just sitting and staring at nothing. I cry at random and often inopportune times. I’ve completely stopped writing in my journal. I’m not eating right. I’m not taking outfit shots (which explains the mishmash of pictures today). I think thoughts like “What if we don’t…”, “What if we can’t…”, “What if I have to…”. It has become an overwhelming cycle of negativity in my head; it swirls around and around constantly threatening to suck me into the vacuum of sadness. And it’s getting me absolutely nowhere.
BUT, I am not going to simply lie down and be a victim. I am not going to allow circumstances to steamroll me. I. Am. Not. There has never been a time in my life that I played the victim card and I’m sure as hell not going to start now. As I’ve said in the past, it’s okay to be sad and overwhelmed…it’s okay to go to a dark place in your head…however, it is not okay to take up permanent residence there. This post is my first step towards packing my bags and going back to where I belong…
THE OUTFIT
If my sweet friend Paula had chosen the theme “Jumpsuits & Rompers” for the Ageless Style Link Up just a year ago, I would have been like, “Ew, no.” I simply wasn’t a fan and looking back I’m not sure why. It could have possibly been flashbacks to the 80’s when the mix of weekend partying and jumpsuits made for plenty of awkward amusing situations. In any case, at some point last summer I happened upon the red bandana print and the black/pink/yellow mixed print jumpsuits at Walmart and I was smitten.
Flash forward to now…I have the jumpsuits that you see here (obviously) as well as two more on the way that I ordered a few weeks ago from Zulily. I’ve grown to love them because not only are they as comfortable as jammies, they are also provide that kind of no thought dressing that I love. In addition they are so easy to dress up or down by simply changing the shoe choice, adding a belt or layering over or under with pieces like tee shirts or blazers. My current favorite is the black jumpsuit from Amazon. It’s from their in-house Daily ritual line and I cannot emphasize enough how comfortable it is. I do wish I had been able to get shots the day I dressed it up with heels and a kimono…it is truly the perfect blank canvas to build on. It also comes in a super cute jogger-style leg that I would love to have as well.
THE TIP
A jumpsuit is a quick easy option for looking pulled together, and also offers a variety of styling options. They can be layered both over and under with tee shirts, tank tops, bralettes, sweaters, jackets, button downs or blazers. Add flats, Birks, or sneakers for a casual vibe or pumps, heeled sandals or ankle boots for a dressier look.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas… BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN AND LINK UP WITH MYSELF AND MY LOVELY CO-HOSTS FOR THIS MONTHS AGELESS STYLE LINK UP!!
Black Jumpsuit: Amazon; Adidas: Nordstrom (Similar); Orange Jumpsuit: JCPenney (On clearance)
Daenel ~ Living Outside The Stacks blog, instagram, pinterest, twitter
Debbie ~ Fashion Fairy Dust bloglovin, blog, instagram, pinterest, facebook, twitter
Jennie ~ A Pocketful of Polka Dots blog, instagram, facebook, pinterest, twitter, bloglovin
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style blog, facebook, instagram, pinterest, bloglovin, twitter
Jonet ~ Fabulously Chic Over 50 blog, facebook, , instagram, pinterest, twitter
Kellyann ~ This Blonde’s Shopping Bag blog, instagram, bloglovin, twitter
Lisa ~ Coast to Coast blog, facebook, instagram, twitter, pinterest
Paula ~ Dimples on my What blog, facebook, pinterest, instagram, twitter
Shelly ~ The Queen in Between blog, instagram, bloglovin, pinterest, facebook
Shogunna~ Nzuri N* Simplicity blog, instagram, pinterest
