Sometimes I get so caught up in the daily grind I forget how to live.  Maybe that is an inaccurate statement with its redundancy.  It is my daily living/life that is the grind, but my being is just passing through it.  Checking off tasks from the never ending list.  Not stopping to enjoy the roses, or smell the coffee, or paint the town red.

How you find the balance of priorities is definitely very personal.  It’s always changing with a struggle to juggle.  When I take the time to run, meditate or do yoga, I have such a profound feeling of appreciation.  I am in awe of all the amazing people in my life. How good things are and how lucky I am.

Without that reflective time, I am simply on a mission.  In truth, even with it I am dedicated to my mental tasks but their priority has more clarity.  I have an uncanny ability to focus.  Whatever my agenda is for the day that I made up on my own accord, I force myself to complete.

I wish I could be like Scarlett O’Hara!  “I’ll think about that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.”  NOT AN OPTION for this psychopath!  The only way my sanity endures putting something off is if I pencil it in.  Mental schedule – add “down time”.  I know, it’s insane!  But if I decide this allotment of nothingness, resting or movie, etc. then I’ve reordered laundry (or infinite other tasks) to another time.  I’m not kidding about the laundry.  Here is a picture of the madness to fold every other day.

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I know you’re busy (so thanks for reading!).  I’m busy.  Unless you’ve unplugged from the matrix, you’re probably running around hopelessly too just getting through each day.  This week, I had to buy a dishwasher.  Not happy about it.  I thought I was finally in the clear with my trusty work arounds being frugal, but nope!  This added all new sporadic unexpected work of cleaning up that I didn’t appreciate.

Fighting off a sinus infection from the remnants of a head cold despite being germophobic.  Tooth pain with sinus/inflammation pressure is absolutely nonsensical.  Cascading effect, my work outs have suffered tremendously.  I had to take prednisone which gives me headaches.  Also makes me bloated and miserable.  Not to mention, my head is already an annoyance, with the itching of my stitches after the cyst removal.  The headset I use for work calls all day happens to sit directly on the stitches (hummmm, I wonder if there is any correlation to how that cyst started?).  There’s just no way I need these stitches for 10 whole days!

With the week just oozing awesomeness, my husband suggested a challenge for who can lose the most weight before our 10 year anniversary trip.  Game On!  Who cares if my ability to run is incapacitated with inability to breathe.  Keto for the win!  More to come as the competition progresses. I’ve been defeated by prednisone, but my husband has had a temporary relapse from the girl scout cookie dealers.

The daily work associated with raising youngsters can have so many different curve balls on the tasks list. I had some interesting to-dos in preparation for vacation, school parties and supplies to gather.  I’m happy to do it, but again the busyness of it all limits serenity.  Scares me to think of how the word business came from the word busyness and that is what we fill 40 hours a week with on average.  

Anabel has always been such a good girl, a rule follower, and authority pleaser. Roselyn could care less about anything but her own desires. The difference in the oldest and youngest children?  The difference is not just in their obedience effort but in their whole person. Anabel is so gentle and polite. Roselyn is so indifferent she seems super shy.

Reality is Roselyn runs the show at our house. You would only know this if you were witness to her at home behavior or you had to wrangle her hair.  I’m happy to brush, fix and complete the look of the two beautiful mini ladies of my house (even with some failures).  I consider this partially “quality time” so takes a priority on the task list.  I saw some random video years ago on a mom who helped her daughter’s confidence simply by saying positive things while she groomed her.  For example, “You are so smart”, “You are beautiful” or “You’re kind”.   Inspiration can come from such odd randomness.

The amount of work involved with Roselyn’s mane is absurd.  She is always playing, fixing her own hair, wallering in her bed and creating a huge rat’s nest.  I’m not exaggerating.  Proof:

She is so cute though.  Always requesting a particular hairdo.  Dressing up herself.    These two pictures are make-up, hair, clothes and accessories she has done all herself.  I have an endless supply of pictures with her creative makeup techniques.

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She’s been watching youtube video’s for new hair ideas.  This is a twisted bun she requested with jewels directly out of the tub.

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The girls are not the only ones to require hair upkeep.  I have to cut my son’s hair pretty often.  Sometimes he will go to a place in town with his dad for a haircut, but he likes me to add “the lines” which they just won’t do!  I really like the “etched” look so I do as he ask.  Henry also is the largest contributor to the pile of dirty clothes.  He changes multiple times a day and cares the most about his attire.

The kids are really good reminders to take a breathe and enjoy life more.  Not that they don’t unpurposely create more tasks as well. I’m always pushing independence.  There is a large amount of self confidence that comes with them being independent.  Knowing they can do it themselves.  Additionally, they love to be babied.  The more I do for them, the more they ask for!  It is a fine line of what I’ll do because they are just so darn cute and what I will request them do instead!

That seems to be enough complaints for one day.  I’ll continue to work on balance and zen through life’s busy activities that keep rocking that boat.  When all else fails, there’s Jesus or Vodka.

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