My Shoulders Hurt

I don't really think of myself as old.  I really don't.

But, then, things happen....and I have to say to myself...."Hmmmm...I guess maybe I am getting old." (Notice I used the word "getting"....)

I got to fly up to Minnesota last Thursday for a girls weekend with my mom and sisters.  I didn't say anything in case everything fell apart.  I didn't tell my friends I was coming to town.  I didn't let my old church family know I would be there Sunday.  I didn't even let my brother and his family know I was coming to town.

Anyway, as the date I was supposed to fly up got closer and closer and flights still looked good and nothing had fallen apart on the home front,  I started to let myself get excited.  Then, I started to panic. I had the age old problem....."I didn't have anything to wear!"

As my size has......shall we say.....fluctuated......my wardrobe options have gotten more and more limited.  I have less and less items that fit me hanging in my closet.  I had one good pair of pants that fit and were comfortable....they were my go to pants....for most any occasion.  I could dress them up or down, as needed.   Then....I split the crotch on them.  Sigh.....darn lack of a thigh gap!

So, then, my long denim skirt became my go to item to wear on the bottom of...me.  My sisters...and my mom....are all pretty stylish.  They have nice clothes.  They have nice accessories.  Their hair is always fixed.  They wear jewelry.  (Hey, I have nice Jamberry nails though!)

So, anyway, I started to really get worried.  My denim skirt just wasn't going to cut it.  As you know, I am already having a bit of a hard time with my self esteem in relation to my current body size.  I didn't want to add being inappropriately dressed to my things to worry about.

So, I took my babysitting money (just like a teenager) and went shopping.  I took my actual teenage girls with me.  Because, if left alone, I can spiral down into a dark place whilst trying things on. They had good ideas, encouraged me to try stuff I would have walked by and kept me good and distracted, so I couldn't get too sad about my appearance.

We took a cart full of stuff back to Walmart's fitting rooms.  (Yes, I went on a shopping spree at Walmart.  )  You can only take 6 items in at a time, so the girls stayed out with the remnants and we just passed the new stuff in as I rejected other things.

I ended up getting  5 or 6 cute things.  Sweater-y things.  I was going to Minnesota, you know. (Of course, Minnesota decided to be beautiful and balmy while I was there - so, hello, hot, sweaty Kayla!)

Anyway, the day after my shopping spree, I noticed something really odd.  My shoulders were killing me.  As a massage therapist, I am pretty aware of my body and what is going on with it.  I notice if my purse it too heavy or if my posture is bad.  I almost always notice when I am doing something that will end up hurting me.

I started running through my previous 24 hours trying to figure out what I had done.....

Had I painted the living room?  No.

Had I gone rock climbing?  No.

Had I had to lift a car off of my trapped child?  Nope.

You know what it was?

The new clothes.

Yes.

I am that lady now.  The lady that gets sore from taking too many shirts/sweaters on and off over her head.

Yup.  Proud moment.

At least I haven't done this one.....yet.