Thursday, August 19, 2010

Caught up

Do you ever get so busy running your life that your feel like you’re not living your life?

I hope I’m not the only one.

There are days where I get so caught up in the details that I miss the point entirely.

Like when I take time to fix Seth lunch in between loads of laundry, but don’t take 10 minutes to eat with him, and as a result, I wind up with a bowlful of mac ‘n cheese dumped in Erin’s bouncy seat.

Or when I line up a baby sitter and send off registration forms so that Jim and I can attend a conference for my jewelry business, but then have to admit to myself that I haven’t held a successful show in almost a year.

Or when I’m working so hard to fit together the puzzle pieces of our business conference/anniversary celebration trip to Las Vegas in November that I find myself “dreading the ordeal” rather than “anticipating the getaway.

Or even in that I’m finding obsessing over lots of cute crafts and snacks and paper products for Seth’s monkey-themed 3rd birthday party (yes, the one that is months and months away) that I’m missing out on these fleeting moments of still-sort-of-my-baby two.

I don’t want to be that mom.  That wife.

I want to be more present, and yet, I find that I’m really struggling with the balancing act that is life.  And I know that I’m not alone in that.

What do you do to try to keep a degree of balance in your daily life?

8 comments:

The O'Neils said...

Drink!!! J/K...:) Have girl's night once a month!! Seriously, let go! Remember how we were saying we only cook 2-3 nights a week? Well, there ya' go. I let go of cooking, dishes, laundry and I relax with my family. I let it pile up (even if it is just one day) so I can talk to my son about what we will do in Heaven and I can teach my daughter to walk and I can eat dinner with my husband. You are a fabulous mommy and wife. This is an adjustment period and you are doing wonderfully! Hang in there.

Sara said...

LMBO @ Beth! I was totally going to type "Drink." HA!

Balance is hard, it really is. There is always "something" going on that wasn't anticipated. Something that gets in the way of all the grand plans of the day.

The house can wait. The kids are only little once. So what if my floor looks like a mudpit? Right? Right?! LOL

Sara said...

...and with D's lovely new schedule, I've taken to cooking 3-4 dinners one day a week, portion them out into containers and then just have to steam a bag of veggies & heat "whatever" up the rest of the week. It works okay. It isn't as awesome as a hot meal straight out of the oven, but it has been keeping my sanity a little better. Dishes don't pile up as quickly, too. :)

Feral And Off The Rails said...

I find myself moving too fast and missing the point as well, but when I walk I am forced to walk slow, I have no choice, and that then forces my brain to remember to take it easy. Haste makes waste, and things will get done much more efficiently when time is taken. It is hard to do, but it can be done.

Jennifer Scott said...

You are not alone

nursegirl said...

I can relate...

Kelly @ Sufficient Grace Ministries said...

Feeling guilty right now of being that mom/that wife....and I don't want to be her either. Needless to say...I can relate to this on so many levels! Like everything else...going to keep on keeping on, grateful for His grace, and that He is still working in my life.

Denise said...

i get so caught up in my own things that i often miss the life happening around here.


btw- do you ever look at the pleated popppy blog? lindsey is my s.i.l.
she just though a monkey themed party. maybe it will give you a bit of inspiration (or overwhelm you)

http://lindseycheney.blogspot.com/2010/08/monkey-party.html