Swimming Upstream

Hey there,

Here is a quick background.

I’m Irene, a social worker, a massage therapist, an author, a speaker and a self-taught essential oils expert. I was widowed at 36 with two small boys. It has been seven years since then, and my boys, Henry and Arthur, are 7 and 10.

I am married again, to Mike. He has three children (ages 17, 14 and 12) with his ex-wife, with whom he shares 50-50 custody. We live in a three -bedroom bungalow in Tosa.

During my 20s I didn’t want kids. I wanted to live a simple life and travel some. I figured I wasn't terribly nurturing, I like my alone time a little too much, I am a planner, and I don’t deal with chaos or last-minute changes to the schedule well.

I’m also over-analytical and didn’t have any career interests that would make a ton of money. I have little drive to keep up with technology or the Joneses and I worried about the environment and overpopulation.

Well, through a series of some unfortunate and some fortunate events, I found myself running a household in a suburban neighborhood with five children. 

What does all this mean?

It means that life can surprise you and that planning is not always productive. It means that I am out of my comfort zone almost daily. It means I am struggling to live that simple life I wanted all those years ago. It means that I am confused about a lot of things that go on in the world and I am trying to make sense of it all.  

It means I feel like I’m swimming upstream.

Writing helps.

I hope you enjoy my observations.

Thanks for checking in.

 – Irene