Wednesday, August 21, 2013

No, I did not kill someone, that is just red sharpie running down my chin.

No, I did not just kill someone....that is just red sharpie running down my chin. (I chewed a little too hard on my pen this morning) Arghhh! 
It seems like I have weeks that I am just down on my luck...it seems like all that could go wrong will inevitably go wrong. My week so far has consisted of trying to find childcare on a last minute basis, losing a file I worked 2 weeks on, falling in the shower and scraping my leg, losing a baby turtle somewhere in the house (that's gonna stink some day), finding out I have to coach soccer (even though I thought I had this year free), forgetting to respond to an important email and getting chewed out about not responding, having my mom have to go to the hospital (still not sure what that was about), cleaning up dog crap in the basement, going to bed every night past midnight, having children that don't want to adhear to a schedule of going to bed at a decent hour and having a husband that is frustrated with his job.
As I got ready for work today, I was told, "You will have a blessed day." My first thought, "Pfffttt....yeah right, you have no idea how my week is going so far AND it's only Wednesday." Why must we dwell on the bad stuff happening in our lives and not the good things (even if they are few and far between some weeks). As I sit here and retype my file I've worked 2 weeks on, the cloud is starting to lift from over my head. The sunshine is beginning to shine again for me.
It worked out well that I had to find childcare at the last minute. My kids got to go to various friends houses and spend some time with family members they don't usually get to see to often. It's good (well, maybe not good), but it's ok that I lost that file I've been working so hard on, because you know what? The new file I created is even better. I'm trying to see the good in falling in the shower and scraping my leg...I guess that was good, because I decided to sit down and relax and take a bath instead... It was Ok that we lost the baby turtle, it forced me to clean the kids' room and find stuff they haven't seen in months. And perhaps that baby turtle is having the time of his life somewhere...Finding out I have to coach soccer isn't THAT bad, my son is super excited and that is what counts! Forgetting to respond to the email is good because it forced me to talk to someone in person that I normally wouldn't stop to talk to face to face. It's good that my mom went to the hospital (whatever it was for). It's good that the doctors were able to find out what was wrong before it became something too serious. Cleaning up dog crap in the basement was good because now the house doesn't have a foul odor when you walk in. Going to bed every night past midnight isn't all that terrible, I've gotten a lot of work done. Having children that don't want to get back to a schedule is fine...they are kids, I have to remember that. They are having a fun summer and don't want it to end (there's nothing wrong with that). Having a husband that's frustrated with his job is good, because once you become frustrated with your job, it helps you realize all the good things you do have in your life. Jobs are part of your day, not who you truly are. 
The people and situations you come in contact with each day play an important role in what makes you, YOU. If only I could remember this day in and day out, without getting frustrated.
I always have a blessed day, it's just somedays those blessings like to play hide-n-seek.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

The summer of "Hurry Up"

Ok, I've totally been lacking at blog writing...and I've needed it, yet I've ignored it.
My excuse...I've been busy.

This has been a summer of exciting new adventures for me. I've been hired as a communications director at a local church, I'm the director of my home church's VBS, I'm still working an advertising/freelance job at a local office, I'm trying to spend quality summer time/fun time with the kiddos (who are getting too big, too fast), I'm trying to keep the house in a somewhat decent, non-stinky condition (hard with 3 kids, a dog and a husband who can never find his belt), and I'm trying to find time to ride my bike (the one thing I do all for myself).

Lately I've noticed that this is becoming the summer of "Hurry Up" for me...I think I end or begin every sentence with "hurry up."
"hurry up and get dressed before the babysitter gets here."
"Emma, please hurry up, we're going to be late."
"hurry up and pee before we have to go."
"Joey, we'll tie your shoes in the car, just hurry up."
"hurry up and get ready for bed Kemp, we've got to get up early tomorrow."
"If you want to go to the pool, hurry up! We don't have much time."
"hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry."
Ugh! I sound like a broken record.

Luckily I noticed about a week ago, that these words are coming out of my mouth way to often.
I'm a laid back person...I take things in stride. NORMALLY. But not this summer.

I feel like the whole summer has passed before my very eyes and I've stood in the background watching it pass...Not really a part of it, just watching it. And that makes me sad.

A few days ago, I had about 40 more hours of work to fit into 4 hours, but when I got home from 1 job and saw that the kids were curled up on the couch looking like they were bored out of their minds I decided today was the day that my attitude was changing. The kids come first...where/when did they get pushed to second and third behind work and housework. I packed them up and we went to the park. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, it wasn't took hot. I laid in the grass and watched them be kids for more than 3 hours. They ran, climbed, swam, went down slides, played on the seesaws...it was great!

This might have started out being the summer of "hurry up" but it's going to end by being a relaxing fun summer. Yeah, we might not go away on vacation, but we have discovered geocaching! It's free and it's fun!  The last few weekends of the summer are going to be spent with family and friends, not a computer screen.