New roads, and new class dates.

I’ll do a digital roundup here in a bit for our Second Friday Photoshop Friday. But first things first.

I just wanted to say thank you for all of your well wishes and support and encouragement, and the stories you’ve told in the comments and emails. I visited the Dr. yesterday and had a very good chat with her. I’ve started taking medication, and I am starting on a road to feeling good again, I think, and I’m looking forward to that. You can’t know how much it means to feel like I’m not alone in this. And you help me to be braver. So thank you.

One thing came to me yesterday, and I truly hope you’ll understand this. I’ve been pushing myself really hard for a couple of months, and I really need to slow down and take a little breather for a bit. I’m normally not self-aware enough to recognize this, and I know a lot of people have calendars marked all set to go. So I hope you’ll understand, and that you’ll be patient with this process. What this means:

I am going to push registration for Up & Running with Photoshop back by two weeks.

Rather than registering this coming Monday, February 11, we will begin registration at 9 p.m. EST on Monday,  February 25, with class running from March 3 to March 30.

Digi: In Deep registration will move back one week to 9:00 p.m. EST on Monday, March 24, with class running from March 31 to April 27.

I am having an incredible time teaching classes, and the experiences we have together in our class, on our message board, and in our gallery can’t be matched. I want to be able to keep offering classes and developing new ones, and spacing these out a bit will help me do that.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. (jessica at jessicasprague dot com)

Have a wonderful Phriday!

Comments

[Joan]

Jessica, you know whatever you need to do we will be with you. The most important thing is your family and your health. Glad to hear things went well with the Doc. Hopefully we can support you as much as you have supported all of us on our journeys. Take good care of yourself.

[Ljonezy]

We just want you to be healthy and happy. We can wait an extra week for the new classes. We are just glad you are teaching them. Especially since we have your new book to help pass the time. :)

[Sinead]

Yay! I'm glad that things went well with the dr and that it felt like a good fit for you. Good for you for starting in the right directions towards health and for recognizing that you need a break. :)

[Amy]

SO glad that you saw the doctor and are taking care of yourself! good luck:)

[suzanne]

If you don't take care of yourself, it makes it hard to take care of others. Best wishes on your road to better health.

[Susan Dingess]

Just take care of yourself!! How wise to stick out there and say this! I am in the same boat and have plenty to do.
XOXO

[Jenni]

Glad things went well with the dr-
The delay of class starting just gives me more time to get other projects finished so that I can focus whole-heartedly (or completely obsessed- but, whatever!) when it does start.
Keep putting your self-care first, everything else will then fall into place.

[Joanie]

OK can I sound like your mother here? I am so glad that you are going to take some time to slow down. I've been thinking how I would (a complete strange, kind of) tell you that you needed to slow down. (I have a theory... you have a limited number of energy cells and if you use them up when you're young then you get old and tired... sounded right to me after raising a LARGE family and being busy at church!) Seriously, you need to take care of yourself and your little family. Don't ever feel you need to apologize for doing that! I hope that you get to feeling better soon and that the meds kick in.
One more piece of advice... in a few days/weeks you will start to feel better and think, "Look, I'm better and feeling great! I don't need this medicine!" Don't do it! Stay on the meds until you & your DR decide to TAPER OFF. (voice of experience here... or you may find that it will be a life-long treatment)
Have fun at CHA and pamper yourself.
Love you, Joanie

[sarebear]

Jessica, I hope this comes across the right way, and not arrogant or anything! I mean it as sincere and hopeful that maybe I made a teeensy bit of helpful difference!

You probably don't remember, with all the comments and email you get, but in December or January I think, I posted a comment that said it's a pretty big adjustment with all the developments in the last year, and that I (and I guessed that others, as well) would certainly understand should you decide to rearrange things as YOU needed, should you decide to arrange things to allow more breathing room, or something like that. I think I may have expressed a little concern (not that I'm trying to be your mother, lol!) about your health, and hoped that you'd be ok!

Anyway, I don't mean this all to sound like permission, or overbearing, or ANYTHING! What I mean it for is, that if in any tiny way as that comment crossed your radar, if it helped you in any way, that just would mean the world to me.

Now, if you have no remembrance or clue about that comment at all, that's just fine too; you interact with so many! I just want to say I'm glad that you are ok and going to be better!

With Love and Well Wishes,

Sara

[Kelleigh]

Gotta be honest with you Jessica. When I saw the dates of your classes way back when you first posted them, I thought to myself, "Goodness! The lady is going to burn out!" And, of course, I would DIE if you burned out. Gotta have my fix.

I'm glad you are giving yourself some time to breathe. Hopefully this extended hiatus (for those of us Digging in Deep!) will allow ALL of us to find a little more balance. I know that I am consumed with all things digi when I take your classes. Not a bad thing, but I do get a bit obsessed. (That may be an understatement.)

Anyway, I appreciate you and all that you do to help some of us (uh, me!) "find ourselves" in digital scrapbooking. Have a relaxing time in Anaheim!

[Lycia]

I am so very PROUD of you for taking this step & allowing yourself to slow down a bit. It's so hard to say "no", but it's something that more of us really need to do. You have the support of so many people (and you're setting a great example) - don't forget that! I'm really looking forward to taking my 1st digital class with you, WHENEVER it happens...so take whatever time you need to get healthy. Everything else can, and will, wait!

[linda]

TOTALLY in support of your decisions :) Good, brave choices; I admire that!

[Tasha]

I want you to feel good. I have really enjoyed your blog, your magazine and your class. I am way behind in class because I am overwhelmed with other duties. You encouraged us to do our best and for me that means being a bit behind today. I must care for me, so I can care for others. I have learned a lot and I'm grateful that you took the steps to share what you have learned. Stress is more dangerous than we realize and it is harder to bear, the older we get. I am taking a Tai Chi class but it is a relaxed safe version for relieving stress and I wish I had learned this sooner. It is wonderful on so many levels. I am taking it at the YMCA. Visualization and meditation can also help whatever else you are doing. Be Well. Hugs, Tasha

[stevie b]

-So glad to hear that things went well with your appointment today; I'm sure you'll start to feel better soon!
I'm glad too, that you've decided to put YOUR needs first and postpone the classes; we'll be ready to go when you are. Enjoy your time in Anaheim!

[michelle]

glad it went well jessica! agree with above, ditto! i'm a doc so if you have any questions, i'm here to help if i can. the meds will help, so when you feel a release, don't stop them (i've been there too!) i'm very thankful you are taking some breathing time also......woman, all of us, tend to OVER do it. take it easy...we'll be praying for you! shell

[michelle]

i forgot to mention, i'm over at NWR course and message board. LOOOOOOVE it over there!

[Willemijn]

Hey Jessica! My suggestion? Space your future classes even more!!!
Thanks for all your great inspiration!
Willemijn

[NanaJeanne]

Jessica,
Take all the time that you need....I'll be there whenever you're ready for D.I.D.!

[Kari Holt]

You know you have a multitude of us waiting in the wings for your amazing classes ... and we will be there no matter how long we have to wait! One thing I have loved during the "break" before DID is that I am actually scrapping ... using the skills I already have! Wonderful people on the MB are posting challenges for us so we continue to motivate ourselves to practice our skills. You have given us a family that we can always turn to ... the way you have turned to us with your honest and open experiences. Like someone else said - you can't take care of others if you aren't taking care of yourself. This is something I've learned MANY times over!! You and your sweet family need YOU and I'm so happy to know you are doing what you need to give them your best. We love you and are grateful for your support of us ... always know that support goes both ways :) BTW - got my CT2 book today and it is all I expected and MORE!!! Thanks for even more inspiration!

[Susan Dingess]

Just take care of yourself! I am there with you taking meds. I have stopped them when I felt perfect then about a year later, it all starts to snowball again. Soon when they begin to work, you will have an ah ha moment and realize you feel like you are supposed to.

You have created an amazing community. We love and support you as a fellow being.

[Melanie]

After I finally went to the doctor and got on some meds, I felt better that day (which being in the medical field I 'know' it takes up to 6 weeks for the medicine to 'work') but I was talking to a co-worker of mine (who is the one who encouraged me to go to the doctor in the first place!) - like she said 'you are feeling better simply because you took THE STEP.'. Feel better soon - we all understand and will wait for you!

[LivE]

Jes, my dear friend, just dropping by here to say again: you have me in your corner forever. :) (Along with the entire bunch of playground Spraguebabies who totally understand and support you and are rallying around you and for you for ever and always). ;)

[Kristie]

So glad you are taking some time to rest!! I don't see how you do all that you do. I have two small kids too and couldn't imagine trying to get done all that you do in a day. I will keep praying for you to get some balance in your workload and that the meds will kick in soon! We all LOVE YOU Jessica!!! And support you in taking care of YOU!!!!

[Aimee]

Jessica,
I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that you've gone for help in feeling more like yourself again. I had undiagnosed PPD for FOUR years and it was amazing when I finally crawled out of that shell (with a lot of help). I find I still have to watch myself to keep myself from falling back in again, but an understanding family and supportive friends make all the difference. Take care of YOU, and the rest will fall into place. HUGS

[Janie]

Jessica -- my buddies have said it better here than I can, but you know you and what you bring to the digi community is special and worth waiting for. You're important to us as a person/friend FIRST, a digi teacher second, so do what it takes to feel good. Personally given all the plates I've got spinning right now, I could use a little more time before the advanced class starts and like some of the others mentioned, it's nice to just have time to play around on the computer and try new things from the wonderful lessons you've already provided. Simply put, take care and know we love and support you.

[JeanneT]

Jessica, I'd like to chime in with a ditto of what others have said. Take all the time you need to get back to 100%! You are worth it!

And along those lines, I wanted to let you know that I have "tagged" you. But it's a different kind of tag. If you'd like to play along, please take a look at my blog for the details on how you are "blogging blessed."

HUGS!!!!