I promise this is not going to be one of those whoa is me depression posts.? Now that we are well out of the month of January the depression seems to be at bay and other than the need for a hair cut I feel pretty good.? But here is the thing about me.? I have this tendency to do too much.? If you know me in person you are looking at your computer screen slack jawed and saying, “no shit.”? A few years ago I was at one of the trusty husband’s fancy dress up dinners.? I was talking to one of the agents with his company and telling him about all of the stuff that I do.? At the time I was a full time student, worked a real full time job, was starting my landscape design business, ran high school youth for our church and rang in the hand bell choir.? But I didn’t have children.? He looked at me and said I needed to give up at least 3 of those things.? I couldn’t.? And I didn’t until we moved.
Today, I work a part-time job, am trying to start a media company (I got bored with landscape design, although I can still do it), I still run high school youth for our church, I ring in a hand bell choir, am on the Outreach team for our church and am a mom.? Recently, I briefly considered going back to school, but was smacked with a moment of sanity and thought better of it.? Maybe in the fall.? That voice is creeping back in that says, “you need to give something up.”? And I did that.? I gave up one hand bell choir (I was ringing in 2) and I gave up the Youth and Family Ministry team at church (but I still run high school youth).? I am still taxed for time, but it is somewhat more manageable now.? In between all of these activities there are the regular duties of being a wife and a mom.? I cook, clean, run errands, take my son to preschool and occasionally play with him.? However, that last one is becoming less frequent.
I feel that lately the boy and I are passing souls in this house.? Partly because right now he has a bit of a cold and is being quite the shit, but partly because I am bored with 3 year old games.? And the nonsense words.? Newcomers think it is cute and funny, but me… it drives me batty.? I can only hear, “na-na-na dee-dee” so many times before I want to rip out my hair.? I know this is very healthy for his “delayed” speech development, but it’s driving me bonkers.
There is one thing I have learned in the past year and a half of being a mom.? That is to make time.? Make time for the things that matter most in life.? If that means I read a few less blogs in a day and spend an extra 1/2 an hour playing with my son it is worth it.? I try to get him involved in helping me out with things like laundry and cleaning (he loves it).? He helps me make bread and dinner.? When the weather is nice we try to go outside.? This makes time for me to work in my garden and he helps or just plays.? I try to find the joy in life by just being with my son.? He really is quite a funny little one.
And at some point… I plan to make time to find my humor again.? It’s in there somewhere.
I agree with you completely. In fact, I’ve stopped reading a lot of blogs and I’ve stopped posting so frequently on mine. I’m working full-time now and I need to spend some time with B&C in the evenings. That’s the way it goes!
Here is to finding our humor & making time for what really counts…
I have the problem with too much time on my hands… looking for PT work & a hobby would be nice
It’s much easier in spring & summer
placing boy in the number one priority spot is the best plan yet…good for you for realizing it and doing it.
You’re not alone in being tired of 3 year old games, but just remember, soon you’ll be tired of 4 year old games and wishing for 3 year old games again.
It’s the best part of being a parent, looking back on teh annoying habits of old.
It sounds like you are on the right track. Tell me how it goes on your journey. You’re blazing a trail. My mom and husband literally had an intervention with me a few years back telling me that I had to quit some of my jobs and take care of myself. It’s really hard to give things up, so I try to think of it as making some trades. Currently I would like to give up the job, hobbies and garbage and just focus on being “Mama.” But it’s often those things that allow me to be that person to my girl. I suspect that your priorities are very much already in order.
You clearly have your priorities in the right place. Plus, you know I’m here for the menus….and right now I’m just trying to figure out to make “soup at the church.”
I’ve never heard of that.
Humor? We at the FBI do not have a sense of humor that we know of.
I promise you, it’s totally worth it to get that stuff off your plate. Truly.
I too am happy you’ve scaled back on some activities, these are great if it is making life fun but when it creates stress and mayhem it’s time to rethink whats important. Every year you became a year older I wished I could freeze time, perhaps due to the fact I KNEW it would only be you. Treasure every moment cause in a blink of an eye he will be all grown up. Oh how I wish I could have been happily married like you are and had the chance to raise you in happy surroundings. Keep life simple…they’re will be a moment in time that those ?na-na-na dee-dees? will be words you’ll long to hear.
can I please have the recipe for maple roasted chicken with sweet taters?
PLEASE.
I’ll comment…..it’ll all be eye rolling and “what..evers” pretty soon, so take the na-na-na dee-dees while they are willing to be given. *wink*
k
I recently decided to switch from reading stories at night to doing some interactive games/rhymes or finger games with Piney. I did this because I can’t stand doing those games, but if it is in replacement to reading another Goodnight Moon and Elmo book then it gets done. Plus it is more interactive.