Lessons From a Cold

A little cold virus has entered our home. We've decided to skip all activities and hunker down. Shhh.... I'm secretly loving it. Because we are home, our days have been open ended with no rushing. I've had many epiphanies and moments of just pure thankful love for my boys. I've been able to listen to them with both ears {and not while multi tasking}. We've been able to read all the books we have started, had  a lot of creative play, eaten hot balanced meals, and the laundry is done.

                                      {from a day at the shore in August}

I have not caught up on replies to emails or phone calls :(

Before this week of forced hibernation I had been feeling overwhelmed and a wee bit sad. Definitely did not feel myself....at all.

The week before last, Greg took a 7 day work trip to France. I never felt fear or worry about the time he would be gone. I am so thankful for how safe I feel in our current temp. home. If we were still living out in the country I know I would have petitioned for grandma to come stay overnight. What I didn't prepare for was the lack of sleep we all experienced while he was away. Allergies and thunder storms kept us up just about every night. So, Greg returned with jet lag and an exhausted wife and kids.

 Then our week started. Our filled up, why did I sign up for so many things, not my style week began. They were all good things....all fun, or educational classes for the boys. What I am learning is that just because we can sign up for all these great classes or activities does not mean we should. No ma'am.

In fact, I've learned that saying no can be far wiser and encouraging than saying yes.

I had a few days where I felt like throwing in the homeschool towel. I thought to myself....why am I doing this? I really don't have to be doing this. All those things above....the exhaustion, the filled up week, the forgetting to listen to my heart....led to me feeling burned out and almost depressed. It stunk. {BTW-I also know that unbalanced hormones contributed to some of those negative feelings and thoughts}. I could see all those annoying things {and thoughts} piling up, but didn't know how to stop. And then this little virus hit our home....

And slowly, because we were forced to just stop...it all became clear again. Less is more. We are committed to several things, so our hectic weeks may continue for a bit, but I am going to remember these lessons I've learned before I make our next batch of choices.

These days are precious. I don't want to spend them wishing I wasn't so busy...or looking back and wishing I had just jumped off the hamster wheel earlier.

And to all of you who have been wise enough to say no and not overload your week by not joining this or that class/activity...you are not missing out. I promise you. I love a quote my friend Jana recently pinned...