Names have been changed to protect the innocent...and my husband...and me...but not the dog. His name is Dexter.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Just a sunburn?

Last week, as we all know, my cute little family spent some quality time at Bear Lake. The first year that we went, despite my best efforts, my cute little Lolly girl got a bit of a sunburn on her shoulders. It wasn't bad enough to peel, but bad enough to make me cry. She was happily oblivious to the sunburn and it's significance.

Since that time, I have been VERY diligent about making sure my girls wear sunscreen. They are of the exceedingly fair variety and burn easily so I am not often found without at least one form of sunscreen. They even know to "assume the position" which is quite similar to the patting down/search done by police officers before an arrest. I'm nicer about it though.

Now, this may seem like late night ramblings from a very tired mama, but I'm actually going somewhere with this. It has been my experience that women, by nature, are nurturers. Yes, we come in all different shapes, sizes and varieties, but we all have a tendency to nurture. Whether we are nurturing spouses, children, friends, neighbors, animals.....whatever it is, we nurture.

But, how often do we nurture those around us while completely forgetting about ourselves?
That's a picture of my back from last week. My chest was also sunburned, but I figured that since my nipples are now a little too friendly with my belly button, that's a picture that's best left off the blog. (CG is cringing in embarrassment right now! he he he)

My baby girls are as white and delightsome as they were before our trip. And my skin is peeling off my body. It's not as though I didn't get any sunscreen, it's just that the multiple reapplications that should have taken place took a back seat to the sand, water, snacks, wind and poop that was more of a priority at the moment.

And I have to question....at what point does our nurturing hurt ourselves? Or, worse, leave us so empty that we cannot adequately care for the ones we love? And how do we find the balance between caring for others and caring for ourselves? I struggle with finding that balance every day.......giving equal attention to each of my children, time to myself to find some semblance of sanity and quality time with the girls, vegetables versus chocolate....

It's all about balance. I have found a good balance of Mountain Dew and chocolate is a necessity for each day. As for everything else? I'm still working on it.

12 comments:

Kristina P. said...

Owwww! I am wincing for you. I'm very lucky that I am an amazing bronzed goddess and only tan.

Yarni Gras! said...

yeouwchhhhhhhh!
I burn like you do and had a bad one myself this year. Luckily, my kids take after their father and are like your friend Kristina P, one is a bronze goddess and the other, a bronze god. Ha!

~Thought's By Dena~/ JDs Gift Shack said...

ooohhh OUCH!!!! as for the balance thing...oh geez Ive been doing the mom thing for 21 years and I still havent figured that part out yet...Im always taking care of everyone but ME.....even something as simple as taking pictures Im the one always wanting to be sure everything is captured and so Im always the one missing in the pics!!!

hairyshoefairy said...

Oh, yes. Just one more reason I can relate to you. I have the same skin. I always burned at Bear Lake growing up.

Jillybean said...

For me, it's Diet Dr. Pepper and chocolate.

3 of my kids inherited their father's complexion and tan nicely. Our youngest got my skin and burns at the mere thought of being in the sun.

rychelle said...

owwwwwwwwie.

i feel your pain. it aint easy being white. :(

Happy Granny said...

OOOHH, you've never had such a total, nasty burn! I am sorry, I'm sure it's miserable. Take me along next year and I will sit under the canopy with a timer and SPF 70 to make sure you come home as white and delightful as when you left, ok? I hope it goes away soon.

Happy Granny said...
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Anonymous said...

Oh, I'm laughing out loud as I admire my OWN sunburn, which I got on vacation, while worrying about shielding my own little one from the sun. His sun defense involved sunscreen, a long sleeved shirt, a bandanna and a little shelter constructed out of driftwood and towels to nap in. You'd think I could've been slightly less obsessive for just the five minutes it takes to put sunscreen on my own bod... :)

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