Cortisol

Mark Sisson talks about how the stress of modern life causes our bodies to overdose on that hormone. Cindi and I have dubbed 2012 the Year of Cortisol for the Weedon family. So many changes, and affecting almost every aspect of our lives, have come upon us. Our life is almost unrecognizable compared to what it was.

We left St. Paul's parsonage and I left the office of pastor of St. Paul's parish (heart-breaking for me) and have been attempting to learn my new duties at Synod as Worship Director and IC Chaplain; we bought a house in Hamel (during Lent, no less!) and took possession on Cindi's birthday; Bekah moved back in; David moved out and got married to the lovely Meaghan; Lauren and Dean moved next-door for the month of August (for which we were very grateful, especially when they brought Sawyer home), while their animals moved in with us (for which we were not quite as grateful); they have now all moved into their new home in North Carolina; Meaghan graduated and became a Dr.; Dean graduated, was ordained and will shortly be installed—I'm no longer the only Lutheran clergy in the family; we've become grandparents and now have to learn to be long-distnace grandparents; Cindi fractured her foot with her mom's scooter; our regular liverpool games have been more often than not disrupted and we won't even talk about getting together with friends—has been next to never this whole year.

I'm sure there's more I've left out. I only know it leaves me kind of numb emotionally. Cindi said back in February that we'd not settle into a new "normal" until October sometime. I think she was right. I'm ready for things to settle down, painful as they may be. As I like to say, I am thoroughly a Baggins and this year has been all Tookish and so highly uncomfortable. Time to settle down in our new Bag-end and to sip some tea in peace with my wife, sitting beside the fire in the evening. Ah, I can feel the cortisol draining away just thinking of it.